Tag: Health and wellbeing

Healthy Heart Tip: How to eat a healthy balanced diet

Is there a secret formula for maintaining a truly balanced diet? With the constant influx of conflicting advice and trendy diets, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by all the information.

Amie Leckie, Health and Wellbeing Specialist and Lauren Hewitt, Registered Associate Nutritionist at Heart Research UK simplify the concept of a healthy, balanced diet and offer practical advice on how to achieve it:

What is a balanced diet?

We often hear the terms “balance” and “moderation” when discussing healthy eating, yet many of us struggle to find that sweet spot.

A healthy balanced diet is one that includes a variety of nutrient-rich foods in the right proportions, providing the body with essential macronutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins, fats and micronutrients like vitamins and minerals to support overall health, energy, and wellbeing. It emphasises moderation, variety and portion control to maintain long-term health and prevent disease.

What are macro and micronutrients?

When it comes to eating healthy, understanding the role of nutrients in our diet can help us make informed choices about what we put on our plates.

There are different categories of macronutrients. Macronutrients include carbohydrates, proteins, and fats and are the building blocks of our diet. They provide us with the energy to fuel our daily activities, support growth, and keep our bodies functioning properly.

Lauren Hewitt, a Registered Associate Nutritionist at Heart Research UK, explains: “Carbohydrates are the main source of energy for your body and are most associated with foods like pasta, rice, potatoes, bread, and cereal. But they are also found in other foods such as fruits and vegetables and sugar-sweetened foods and drinks such as cookies and fizzy drinks.

“There are two types of carbohydrates – simple and complex. Simple carbohydrates generally include refined, ‘white’ food like white bread, pasta and rice; these break down quickly into energy.

“Complex carbohydrates should make up the bulk of your intake as they release energy more slowly and these include wholegrains like brown rice and wholewheat bread, beans, lentils and vegetables.

“Fats are the body’s second source of energy, and these are used up when we have depleted our carbohydrate stores or when we are consuming a very low-carbohydrate diet.

“Consuming fat is essential, without fats you wouldn’t be able to absorb vitamins A, D, E and K, which are fat soluble and can only be digested when there is fat present. Fats also provide essential fatty acids that the body can’t make itself; these help your body to regulate the immune and central nervous systems as well as help with skin health, brain function and heart health.

“Choose heart-healthy fat sources such as those coming from nuts, seeds, oily fish, avocados and olive oil.

Lauren continues: “Protein is the body’s last resort for energy, used when carbohydrate and fat stores are depleted. While it’s best known for helping repair and rebuild muscle after exercise, it also supports overall health.

Protein is essential for the growth and maintenance of tissues, keeping bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and skin strong and healthy. It supports the immune system by forming antibodies to fight infections and helps keep you feeling fuller for longer.

“Healthy, high-protein foods include lean meats, fish, eggs and reduced-fat dairy. We can also obtain protein from plant-based sources like chickpeas, lentils, beans, nuts, seeds and tofu. It’s a good idea to include both animal and plant-based options.”

Micronutrients include vitamins and minerals and are needed in smaller amounts than macronutrients, but they are just as important for maintaining overall health, supporting immune function, bone health, energy production, cognitive health and much more. The key to ensuring we consume enough micronutrients is to eat a variety of foods.

How can you achieve a balanced diet?

Eating a varied diet full of different colours can ensure nutrient diversity. Try to include all the colours of the rainbow over the course of each week.

Amie Leckie, Health and Wellbeing Specialist at Heart Research UK, said: “It’s important to understand that we don’t need to cut entire food groups from our diet to eat well and be healthy. All foods can be enjoyed in appropriate amounts, and we should avoid extreme diets that vilify certain foods or whole food groups.

“Eating healthily doesn’t mean that you have to miss out on the foods you enjoy, it just means that you should aim to eat everything in moderation.

“By swapping some of your unhealthier choices for healthier ones, you can still enjoy tasty food and keep your heart healthy. You should start by making one or two swaps, and once these become part of your routine then add in a few more. By doing this gradually, you’re more likely to stick to it, form a new healthy eating habit, and stay on track with your healthy lifestyle goals.”

You can swap to lower sugar versions of your sauces to get started, or you can swap from white bread, pasta, cereal, and rice to wholegrain varieties. Take a look at our Healthy Food Swap Cards for some inspiration.

Even if the food we are eating is healthy, we can still eat too much. We’ve created a handy Portion Size Guide to help you understand what healthy portion sizes look like

Mindful eating follows on nicely from the one above. Slowing down and paying attention to our hunger cues can help us avoid overeating and make better food choices.

What does a healthy meal look like?

Building a healthy plate is a simple way to ensure you’re getting the right balance of nutrients. Here’s a step-by-step guide:

  1. Fill half your plate with vegetables such as leafy greens, broccoli, cauliflower, courgettes, cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, asparagus, green beans, brussels sprouts and mushrooms.
  2. Fill a quarter of your plate with healthy proteins like chicken, turkey, fish, tofu and legumes like lentils, chickpeas and beans.
  3. Fill a quarter of your plate with wholegrain carbohydrates such as brown or wild rice, wholewheat pasta, quinoa and buckwheat and/or starchy vegetables such as sweet potatoes, potatoes, sweetcorn, peas, butternut squash, pumpkin, carrots, beets and parsnips.
  4. Include a small portion of healthy fats like avocado, olive oil, or nuts.

Achieving a balanced diet is a gradual process and there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. Experiment with different foods to see what works best for your lifestyle, and remember that small, consistent changes lead to lasting results.

14 Years of FREE Prescriptions under the SNP Government

14,520,670 PRESCRIPTIONS DISPENSED BY NHS LOTHIAN LAST YEAR – SAVING HOUSEHOLDS AN AVERAGE OF OVER £400

On the 14th anniversary of prescription charges being scrapped by the SNP Scottish Government, Gordon Macdonald MSP has highlighted that the policy saves the average household in Scotland over £400 a year.

Latest figures from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe) show that over 113 million prescriptions, including 14,520,670 by NHS Lothian, were dispensed in Scotland in 2023/24 – meaning that on average people in Scotland received 20.8 prescriptions.

This means that based on the £9.90 charge currently in place in England, the average household in Scotland saved £436.72 in 2023/24 thanks to the policy.

In one of his first acts as Scottish Tory leader, Russell Findlay outlined his plans to re-introduce charges if he ever came to power – a move which would cost each person £206 per year on average. 

A report by Trussell Trust last year showed that in England, 68% of working households receiving Universal Credit have gone without essentials such as prescription medication due to the costs involved. 

SNP MSP Gordon Macdonald said: “The SNP is proud to have abolished prescription charges in Scotland, ensuring that everyone in Edinburgh has access to the medication they require based on their needs rather than the ability to pay.

“The SNP believe that healthcare should be free at the point of use for everyone. The prescription charges, which Russell Findlay plans to re-introduce, were nothing more than a tax on ill health.

“In the face of soaring energy bills, despite Labour’s promise to bring them down, people across the city are still living through a cost-of-living crisis – making it more important than ever that they can access the medical treatment they need without worrying about the cost.

”With Labour continuing to hint at an increased level of private healthcare involvement in the NHS, only the SNP can be trusted to put the people of Edinburgh first and protect them from having to pay for their vital medication.” 

Dispensing NHS Board Prescriptions items dispensed (total)
  
   
NHS Scotland 114,358,700
   
NHS Ayrshire and Arran 9,172,880
NHS Borders 2,615,030
NHS Dumfries & Galloway 4,062,010
NHS Fife 7,785,890
NHS Forth Valley 6,421,780
NHS Grampian 10,606,210
NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde 26,355,740
NHS Highland 6,971,860
NHS Lanarkshire 15,807,560
NHS Lothian 14,520,670
NHS Orkney 410,830
NHS Shetland 569,610
NHS Tayside 8,356,630
NHS Western Isles 702,020

NHS 24 Mental Health Hub

NHS 24’s Mental Health Hub is open to all ages. If you are in Scotland and have an urgent mental health need, there’s support available to get you the right care in the right place. 

💙

Find out more about NHS 24’s mental health services: 

https://nhs24.info/mental-health-services

Startling collapse in NHS satisfaction since pandemic, with just 1 in 5 satisfied

RCEM: ‘The public has recognised tackling A&E waiting times is a priority – it’s time the government did the same’

The British public are deeply unhappy with the National Health Service – just 1 in 5 people (21%) in 2024 said they were satisfied with the way the NHS runs. That’s according to analysis of the latest British Social Attitudes survey (BSA) published today by the Nuffield Trust and The King’s Fund. Satisfaction has plummeted by 39 percentage points since the months before the pandemic.

6 in 10 people (59%) said they were ‘very’ or ‘quite’ dissatisfied with the NHS in 2024, a sharp rise from 52% in 2023. This is the highest level of dissatisfaction with the health service since the survey began in 1983. The survey, carried out by the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) in September and October 2024, is seen as a gold-standard measure of public attitudes in Britain.[3]

The Nuffield Trust and The King’s Fund say that just 12% of people were satisfied with A&E waiting times and 23% with GP waiting times. People are unhappy about waiting times even if they are satisfied with the NHS overall, regardless of age, political affiliation or nation.

NHS staffing and spending are also worrying the public. Only 11% agreed that “there are enough staff in the NHS these days”. While a strong majority (69%) said the government spends too little or far too little on the NHS, only 14% agreed that “The NHS spends the money it has efficiently”. 

If forced to choose, the public would narrowly opt for increasing taxes and raising NHS spending (46%) over keeping them the same (41%). Only 8% would prefer tax reductions and lower NHS spending.

Despite low satisfaction with services, there remains strong majority support for the founding principles of the NHS: that it should “definitely or probably” be free at the point of use (90%), available to everyone (77%), and funded from general taxation (80%). However, the percentage of people saying that the NHS should “definitely” be available to everyone has decreased from 67% in 2023 to 56% in 2024. 
 
Other findings from Public satisfaction with the NHS and social care in 2024 include:

  • There is a divide between generations, with satisfaction lower and falling in younger age groups. While the proportion of people who were satisfied rose slightly between 2023 and 2024 for those aged 65+ from 25% to 27%, among those under 65 it fell significantly from 24% to 19%.
  • A significantly higher proportion of people in Wales (72%) were dissatisfied with the NHS compared to 59% in England and 60% in Scotland (the difference between England and Scotland is not statistically significant).
  • Public views of A&E services have worsened dramatically, with satisfaction falling from 31% to just 19%, and dissatisfaction rising from 37% to 52%. These are the worst figures on record by a large margin and make A&E the service with the lowest satisfaction levels for the first time.
  • Satisfaction with GP services continued to fall, mirroring the trend over the last few years, with 31% of members of the British public satisfied with GP services, compared with 34% in 2023.
  • Satisfaction with NHS dentistry has continued to collapse. As recently as 2019 this was at 60%, but it has now fallen to a record low of 20%. Dissatisfaction levels (55%) are the highest for any NHS service asked about.
  • Inpatient and outpatient hospital care remains the part of the NHS with the highest levels of satisfaction, with 32% satisfied and only 28% dissatisfied.
  • Satisfaction with social care remains worryingly low. In 2024, only 13% of respondents said they were ‘very’ or ‘quite’ satisfied with social care. 53% of respondents were ‘very’ or ‘quite’ dissatisfied.   

For the first time, people who support the Reform party have been included as a separate category in the analysis instead of being part of the ‘other parties’ group, to reflect the party’s increased share of the election vote. Supporters of the Reform party were less likely to be satisfied with the NHS (13%) than supporters of the other main parties. They are also less likely to believe in the founding principles of the NHS.  
 
Report author Bea Taylor, Fellow at The Nuffield Trust said: “Just five years after the British public were called on to “Protect the NHS” at the start of the pandemic, these findings reveal just how dismayed they are about the state of the NHS today. We found that every group in Britain is dissatisfied with access to vital services such as A&E and GP appointments.

“The government says the NHS is broken, and the public agree. But support for the core principles of the NHS – free at the point of use, available to all and funded by taxation – endures despite the collapse in satisfaction. Harnessing this support and fixing the foundations of the NHS must be central to the government’s forthcoming reform programme.” 

Dan Wellings, Senior Fellow at The King’s Fund said: “The latest results lay bare the extent of the problems faced by the NHS and the size of the challenge for the government. While the results are sobering, they should not be surprising. For too many people the NHS has become difficult to access: how can you be satisfied with a service you can’t get into? 

“In 2010, seven out of ten people were satisfied with the NHS – it is now down to only one in five. The scale of the decline over the last few years has been dramatic. The results show that people do not want a different funding model, but they do want the NHS to start working for them again and they want it to have the staff and the money it needs to ensure that happens. The public are also clear that the NHS needs to get better at spending the money it does get more efficiently.

“The government’s focus on bringing down hospital waiting lists may address one area of the public’s concerns, but this year’s BSA shows that all areas are flashing red, particularly A&E. Voters are impatient for change, and Ministers will need to demonstrate rapid improvement, but that should not come at the cost  of the bigger, whole-system reforms that are needed to create a truly sustainable health service. These results will form the baseline from which the new Labour government’s reform plans to ‘fix’ the NHS will be judged.” 

In an accompanying foreword to the report, Nuffield Trust and King’s Fund Chief Executives Thea Stein and Sarah Woolnough say: “The government now finds itself walking a fine line between meeting public demands for rapid improvements on waiting times and avoiding the pitfall of throwing more money – of which there is virtually none – at a system in need of deeper reform.” 

The Chief Executives argue that ministers will need to meet public demand for improving A&E, GP appointments and dental care, but they should not lose sight of the much bigger prize of longer-term, sustainable reform focused around shifting care from hospital and moving the NHS from a sickness to a health service.

Politicians must make addressing the Emergency Care crisis a political priority as new research reveals that public satisfaction in A&E services has reached an all-time low.

That’s the call from The Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) and comes as the findings of the latest British Social Attitudes survey (BSA) Public satisfaction with the NHS and social care in 2024 have been published today (2 April 2025) showing satisfaction with A&E services has plummeted.

The survey, carried out by the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) from 16 September to 27 October 2024 for The King’s Fund and the Nuffield Trust, asked 2,945 people across England, Scotland and Wales, for their thoughts on the NHS and adult social care services.

It also questioned 933 people about their satisfaction with specific NHS services, as well as their views on NHS priorities, principles and funding. 

The research – which has been carried out every year since 1983 – found:

  • More than half (52%) of respondents were dissatisfied with NHS A&E services – the highest on record – up 15% from 37% in 2023. Those who were satisfied stood at 19% – a fall from 31% the previous year.
  • 69% of people were very or quite dissatisfied with the length of time it took to be seen in A&E
  • The most important priorities cited by respondents for the NHS included ‘improving waiting times in A&E (49%), which was considered the second most important – behind access to GPs but ahead of elective care waiting lists.

RCEM President, Dr Adrian Boyle, said: “This annual survey is a barometer of public feeling and people – voters – have given their verdict loudly and clearly.

“The public aren’t daft and can see what is happening in our Emergency Departments. I worry that this situation stops people attending when they should.

“But it is hardly surprising when the message from the Westminster government is that the health service is broken. If that is their assessment, they must get on with the job of fixing it. And it is fixable.

“The public has stated that, behind GPs, the service they most want prioritised is A&E, but we only ever hear about what has been done to improve elective waiting times.

“The public has identified A&E as a priority. It is time the government did the same.”

The survey also revealed:

  • In 2024, just one in five British adults (21%) were ‘very’ or ‘quite’ satisfied with the way in which the NHS runs. This is the lowest level of satisfaction recorded since the survey began.
  • Only 13% of respondents said they were ‘very’ or ‘quite’ satisfied with social care (the same figure as 2023). 53% of respondents were ‘very’ or ‘quite’ dissatisfied
  • Satisfaction with GP services continued to fall, mirroring the trend over the last few years. 31% of respondents said they were satisfied with GP services, compared with 34% in 2023
  • 62% were very or quite dissatisfied with the length of time it takes to get a GP appointment, and 65% for the length of time it takes to get hospital care.
  • Most (44%) believe the government is spending too little money on the NHS
  • More than 75% continue to support the founding principles of the NHS, with little sign of change compared to the previous year. However, the proportion ‘definitely’ agreeing that it should be available to everyone fell significantly from 67% to 56%.

The BSA follows a survey by Ipsos Mori conducted in February 2025 which revealed that almost 80% of people polled would avoid attending an A&E because they were worried about ending up waiting for hours on a trolley in a corridor.  

Public satisfaction with the NHS and social care in 2024_WEB (4)Download

VPZ launches Youth Vaping Awareness Campaign at The Scottish Parliament

Edinburgh based VPZ recently took the streets surrounding Holyrood in a youth vaping awareness campaign to highlight concerns around super-size disposable vapes in the upcoming Tobacco and Vapes Bill.

A specially designed trailer sat outside the Scottish Parliament to shed light on the alarming rise of illicit ‘Big Puff’ vapes and its impact on youth vaping.

Alongside the trailer’s journey, there was a gathering of 20 that supported the campaign cause and raised awareness on the importance of the ban on those illicit devices.

The trailer featured two striking 1-tonne containers, one filled with legal 2ml vapes (35000 units) and the other packed with illicit, super-size disposable vapes (9000 units), showcasing the stark visual representation of the challenges the industry and policymakers could face if appropriate measures are not taken.

So-called ‘Big Puff’ vapes exploit a loophole in the vaping law that allows the sale of devices with greater liquid capacity than the legislated 2 ml.

By utilising an external plug-in tank of 10 ml, these vaping units effectively become a 12 ml product, which is 6 times more than the allowed vaping liquid in a disposable device. New devices are being approved by the MHRA weekly, some with more capacity than 12ml.

Despite being considered rechargeable, the super-size vape products are made with a low-quality battery, and an unchangeable coil which effectively makes them single use.

Greig Fowler, Director of VPZ – The Vaping Specialist, said: “We hope that our campaign has  served as a wake-up call to policymakers and the public, as it’s crucial that MPs act now to address the dangers of these super-sized disposables before the UK finds itself in the midst of another youth and environmental crisis.

“VPZ is taking a stand against the dangers posed by the unregulated vaping products that threaten to undermine the forthcoming disposable ban in June. Our mission is to highlight the urgent need for action and collaboration to tackle these arising issues to the public.

“Dr Caroline Johnson outlined amendment NC9 which would bring this area into check, however, that was discussed and rejected following a vote. The problem needs addressed now and not in 12-18 months’ time when the Bill is passed.

“If we fail to respond decisively now, we risk further harm to young people, an environmental disaster, and undermining vaping’s role as a smoking cessation tool, which has helped millions to quit smoking.

“We must work together to strike the right balance, protecting smokers and ex-smokers while preventing further damage to public health and the environment.”

VPZ strongly supports most of the Tobacco & Vapes Bill measures to tackle youth access, including restriction of naming, packaging, and marketing.

However, VPZ believes that there should be a balanced regulatory approach to protect adult smokers looking to quit while effectively cracking down on illicit and unregulated products in order for the UK to reach its 2030 Smoke-Free goals.

VPZ has previously warned adult vapers that the UK’s Tobacco and Vapes Bill could restrict some the favourite flavours that helped them quit smoking, potentially affecting around 3 million vapers and ex-smokers if passed.

VPZ has over 185 stores in the UK and has helped over 1 million smokers quit since it was established in 2012.

Eligible people urged to take up COVID-19 vaccine this spring

Public Health Scotland (PHS) is encouraging everyone offered a COVID-19 vaccine this spring to come forward, get vaccinated and stay protected – because COVID-19 hasn’t disappeared.

Last summer in Scotland, there were more than 10,000 reported cases of COVID-19 and over 4,000 people hospitalised.

This year’s spring vaccination programme is focused on protecting those most vulnerable to COVID-19. This includes older adults in care homes, people aged 75 and over, and those with a weakened immune system, as they are at greater risk of illness from COVID-19.

If you’re invited for a COVID-19 vaccination this spring, it’s because experts know that your age or health condition mean you’re at higher risk of becoming seriously ill from COVID-19.

Dr Sam Ghebrehewet, Head of Immunisation and Vaccination at PHS, said:
“Being vaccinated is the safest and most effective way for older people and those with certain underlying conditions to protect themselves against COVID-19.

“You get your strongest protection from the vaccine in the first three months after getting it. Over time, this protection gradually fades so, even if you had your winter vaccination, it’s important to get another dose this spring to reinforce your immunity and help keep you safe.

“Getting vaccinated could mean the difference between a mild illness and a hospital stay.”

The spring vaccination programme runs from 31 March until 30 June. If you’re eligible, you’ll be invited by letter, email or text message, depending on your selected communication preference.

You can reschedule your appointment using the online portal or via the National Vaccination Helpline (0800 030 8013).

Find more information on the spring programme at: 

www.nhsinform.scot/covid19vaccine

RCEM demands clear government strategy as Scotland’s EDs record worst-ever February performance

The Royal College of Emergency Medicine has asked ‘where are the tangible plans for Emergency Care?’ after Scotland’s A&Es experienced the worst February on record for performance.  

The figures, released yesterday (1 April 2025) by Public Health Scotland comes just a day after the Scottish government revealed its ‘operational improvement plan’ which RCEM says ‘missed the mark’ in tackling extreme and dangerous long stays in A&Es.  

The new PHS data shows that in A&Es in Scotland in February, 6,072 patients waited 12 hours or longer before being admitted, discharged or transferred.  

They also reveal just how much long waits have increased since the 2010s.    

Since February 2018, for example, the number of people waiting four hours or more in major EDs has increased by 3.4 times (10,979 to 37,274) eight hours or more by 13 times (1,023 to 13,638) and 12 hours or more by almost 35 times (174 to 6,072).    

Patients are often experiencing these extreme long stays on trolleys in corridors due to the lack of available in-patient beds.  

People in these beds are often stuck in hospital, despite being well enough to be discharged, because there is no appropriate social care support.  

So called ‘delayed discharges’ meant there was an average of 1,986 patients in hospital each day, waiting to be discharged, even though they are well enough to leave. This is the highest number for the month of February since 2016, when guidelines changes.  

Responding to the data, Dr Fiona Hunter, Vice President of RCEM Scotland said: “Scotland’s Health Secretary has said he is ‘encouraged’ by a weekly improvement to the four-hour target for admission, treatment or discharge – but our members and their colleagues certainly don’t feel encouraged when you look at the bigger picture.  

“Across the board – four, eight and 12 hour waits – were the worst on record for the month of February. 

“This should sound alarm bells to politicians and galvanise them to act before A&Es delve into an even deeper crisis.  

“This data comes hot on the heels of the government’s NHS improvement plan, which did little to reassure burnout Emergency Medicine clinicians that they won’t be treating patients, who have endured a stay on trolley in a corridor for 12 hours or more, in the weeks, months and years to come.  

“It was a golden opportunity, and it missed the mark.  

“It’s left us asking, where are the tangible plans for Emergency Care? 

“Time is ticking for the government to act and #ResuscitateEmergencyCare.” 

Yesterday’s data also comes after the release of the Healthcare Improvement Scotland’s NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Review, published last week, which clearly evidenced the systemic problems in Urgent and Emergency Care across Scotland, and set out national recommendations.  

Strengthening Scotland’s NHS?

New plan to focus on delivery

Health Secretary Neil Gray has set out how the Scottish Government plans to improve access to treatment, reduce waiting times and shift the balance of care from hospitals to primary care through the publication of the Operational Improvement Plan.

Through the additional £200 million investment contained in the Budget to reduce waiting times and improve flow through hospital, we will create 150,000 extra appointments and procedures using greater use of regional and national working.

By introducing a seven-day service in radiology, using mobile scanning units and additional recruitment, 95% of referrals will be seen within six weeks by March 2026, reducing backlogs in MRI, CT, ultrasound and endoscopy procedures.

To improve flow in acute hospitals and support increases in community care, we will expand Hospital at Home to at least 2,000 beds by the end of 2026, meaning the service, which provides hospital level care in the comfort of the patients home, will become the biggest hospital in Scotland.

By this summer there will be specialist staff in frailty teams in every A&E department in Scotland. Flow Navigation Centres, which direct patients to the most appropriate service for their condition, will be able to refer patients to more services, reducing the number of people who have to wait in A&E.

Investment in primary care will make it easier for people to see a doctor, dentist, optometrist or community pharmacist, and £10.5 million will be invested in general practice to take targeted action to prevent heart disease and frailty. 

Digital services will be expanded to modernise services and improve efficiency, with the Digital Front Door app launching in Lanarkshire in December. This launch will be followed by a national roll-out in 2026, allowing people to securely access their hospital appointments, receive communications and find local services. Over time it will be expanded to include social care and community health services.

On a visit to Kirklands Hospital’s Flow Navigation Centre, Health Secretary Neil Gray said: “This plan details how the Scottish Government will deliver a more accessible NHS, with reductions to long-waits and the pressures we currently see. It shows how we will use the £21.7 billion health and social care investment in the 2025-26 Budget to deliver significant improvements for patients.

“We want to increase the number of appointments, speed up treatment and make it easier to see a doctor. By better using digital technology, we will embrace innovation and increase efficiencies.

“This plan is ambitious but realistic, and builds on the incredible work of our amazing health and social care staff across our health boards, to deliver real change.”

NHS Scotland Operational Improvement Plan

Cancer increasingly diagnosed in younger people to be tackled by £5.5m Scottish-led project

SCOTLAND TO LEAD NEW INTERNATIONAL CANCER “SUPERGROUP”

Cancer Research UK and partners today committed £5.5m to form a world-leading research team tasked with making personalised medicine a reality for people with bowel cancer. 

Led by Scottish scientists, the CRC-STARS initiative (Colorectal Cancer — Stratification of Therapies through Adaptive Responses), will bring together more than 40 bowel cancer experts to find new and kinder ways to tackle a cancer increasingly being diagnosed in younger people. 

Bowel cancer kills 16,800 people in the UK (1,700 in Scotland) every year and is increasingly being diagnosed in younger people.*A recent study by the American Cancer Society published in The Lancet Oncology  showed early-onset bowel cancer rates in adults aged 25-49 are rising in 27 of 50 countries studied and are rising faster in young women in Scotland and England than in young men.** 

Harnessing the expertise of researchers at universities and institutes across the UK, Spain, Italy and Belgium, the five-year project will aim to better understand how different bowel cancers respond to current treatments, why certain bowel cancers spread, and whether scientists can predict which treatments will work for individual patients.   

Led by Professor Owen Sansom of the Cancer Research UK Scotland Institute in Glasgow and University of Glasgow, along with co-leads Professor Jenny Seligmann of the University of Leeds and Professor Simon Leedham of the University of Oxford, this personalised medicine approach will see detailed information about an individual’s cancer – not just the area of the body where the cancer started – used to help inform decisions on diagnosis and treatment.

Personalised medicine is a growing area of cancer care and research. 

Director of the Cancer Research UK Scotland Institute and CRC-STARS co-lead, Professor Owen Sansom, said: “With more and more younger people being diagnosed with bowel cancer, it’s vital we remain vigilant and keep trying to understand new causes and new reasons for cancer. 

“Step by step, day by day, we’re discovering new ways to prevent, detect and treat bowel cancer and save lives, but there’s more to discover, and this new support from our funders will allow us to take bold steps towards better understanding bowel cancer and how to beat it.”   

Bowel cancer, also known as colorectal cancer, is the second most common cause of cancer deaths in the UK.*** Despite this, treatment options remain limited, particularly for patients who are diagnosed at later stages of the disease. Scotland is disproportionately affected by the disease with around 4,000 people being diagnosed each year.

First Minister John Swinney, who visited the Cancer Research UK Scotland Institute today (Monday 31 March), said: “I very much welcome this multi-national research project and hope it will lead to more personalised care for people with bowel cancer. The fact it is being co-led by scientists in Glasgow is recognition of the expertise we have here in Scotland.

“With studies suggesting bowel cancer diagnoses rates are increasing for younger adults, it is vitally important to support research that will improve our understanding of how the disease progresses and develop new approaches to its treatment.”

Rectal cancer survivor Tracy Farrell, 53, from Glasgow welcomed the new investment into colorectal cancer. The fire service cook from Balornock was diagnosed aged 50  after seeing blood in her poo after going to the toilet.

She said: “It was the first time I’d had blood, I had no symptoms, no pain and my GP said because I was so young and had no family history of bowel cancer then she hoped it wouldn’t be that.

“There were no red flags for me so I was considered low priority but they were able to get me a colonoscopy within just three weeks due to a cancellation.

“They told me that day I had a tumour. I went from one day having nothing to the next day having cancer. I couldn’t even bring myself to say I had cancer. It was such a shock.

“At the time I was looking after my 14-year-old nephew Reece because his mother, my sister, had died from an aneurysm and I just thought he can’t lose me as well. He was like the baby I never had.”

Tracy was given chemotherapy and radiotherapy to shrink the tumour and the treatment worked so well she didn’t need surgery and now has been cancer free for three years.

She said: “I was lucky the cancer hadn’t spread and that it was caught early.”

With the support of her mum Kathleen, great friends and firefighter colleagues, Tracy is now doing well and nephew Reece is 18 and at college.

She took part in a research project by offering samples for scientists to study.

She said: “I found it a great help. It allowed me to have extra scans so we could see the treatment was working.

“But taking part in the study was amazing – to know you are helping them find out more about this disease so they can find new ways to tackle it feels very rewarding.”

The team will work on combining experimental, pre-clinical and clinical data to predict cancer progression and tailor new therapeutic approaches specific to each patient’s characteristics. It is hoped this work will the development of drug resistance and improve the response to treatments, such as chemotherapy and immunotherapy, hopefully improving outcomes for patients. 

Chief Executive of Cancer Research UK, Michelle Mitchell, said:  “For more than 100 years, Cancer Research UK-funded scientists have been working to beat bowel cancer, and this project is one of the most comprehensive for bowel cancer that we have ever supported.  

“Together with our funding partners – the Bowelbabe Fund, Bjorn and Inger Saven and the FCAECC – we can empower the CRC-STARS team to speed up the development of personalised treatment for people living with bowel cancer, bringing us closer to a world where people live longer, better lives, free from the fear of cancer.”  

The team will also build on the tools, resources and discoveries developed by existing bowel cancer research collaborations (e.g. ACRCelerate) and Cancer Research UK’s National Biomarker Centre and  analyse data from Cancer Research UK-supported colorectal cancer studies such as the FOxTROT, TREC and PRIME-RT clinical trials.***   

Scientific Director at the FCAECC, Dr Marta Puyol, said:  “This project will not only help us to better understand the landscape of bowel cancer in a collaborative and multidisciplinary manner but will also allow us to place a strong emphasis on patient needs, accelerating the translation of results into clinical practice.”  

Mental Health Foundation: What is bipolar disorder?

TODAY IS WORLD BIPOLAR DAY

How much do you know about bipolar disorder? Today, on World Bipolar Day we’re raising awareness for this sometimes-misunderstood mental health condition.

Bipolar disorder involves extreme changes in mood. These symptoms can be challenging to manage.

Because the symptoms of bipolar disorder vary for everyone, it can take a long time to get a diagnosis. If you have extreme changes in your mood that last a long time, and are having an effect on your life, relationships, or work then consider seeing your GP. Remember, help is available to manage bipolar disorder:

👉Bipolar UK has a mood scale and diary and more information that may be helpful.

👉Mind has more information on the different types of bipolar, and how to manage them.

#WorldBipolarDay