Health and wellbeing – Page 204 – The NEN

Emergency Department performance figures worst on record – YET AGAIN

‘Health system remains in dire crisis’

The latest performance figures for March 2022 for Emergency Departments across Scotland show:

There were 111,996 attendances at major Emergency Departments
68.4% of patients were seen within four-hours
This is the lowest four-hour performance since records began
This meant that over 35,000 patients were waiting more than four-hours to be seen, admitted, discharged, or transferred.
10,475 patients were waiting more than eight-hours before being seen, admitted, discharged, or transferred
This is the highest number of eight-hour waits since records began
It is a 65% increase on the previous month, February 2022
It means that around one in 10 patients were waiting eight-hours or more in a major Emergency Department
3,889 patients were waiting more than 12-hours before being seen, admitted, discharged, or transferred
This is the highest number of 12-hour waits since records began
It is almost a 70% increase on the previous month, February 2022
It means that around one in 28 patients were waiting 12-hours or more in a major Emergency Department

Responding to the latest Emergency Department performance figures for Scotland, Dr John Thomson, Vice President of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine Scotland, said:

“Once again, the figures show the worst performance since records began, meaning record numbers of patients facing extremely long waits. March 2022 also saw the highest number of attendances since September 2021.

“There are immense pressures on our health system. Patient safety is compromised, staff are burnt out, ambulance services are severely struggling, and Emergency Departments are dangerously over-crowded.

“During this difficult time, we commend all staff in our Emergency Departments for their resilience and hard work. These are unprecedented and extremely challenging circumstances, a result of a broken health system in dire crisis. We know morale is very low right now, and we know the challenges in providing effective care, but frontline staff across all grades continue to do their very best to keep patients safe.

“Opening 1,000 beds in the health system in Scotland and addressing the staffing crisis in social care is urgently needed to begin to tackle the current situation and to move patients appropriately and timeously through the system. This is an unsustainable situation, month-on-month performance deteriorates, and patients are coming to harm as staff face severe moral injury.”

Call for greater resourcing as spending to support vulnerable children is slashed

Spending cut of £874 per pupil identified with ASN since 2012/13
‘Postcode lottery’ of spending between local authorities on ASN
Near doubling in the number of pupils with ASN since 2012
Cut in the number of ASN teachers

An alliance of leading providers of children’s services, the Scottish Children’s Services Coalition (SCSC), has called for greater resourcing to support children and young people with additional support needs (ASN), such as autism, dyslexia and mental health problems.

The call, which comes in advance of tomorrow’s local council elections (Thursday (5^th May), comes as new figures contained in a parliamentary answer to the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, Shirley-Anne Somerville MSP, reveal that spend per pupil with ASN has slumped dramatically.

This comes against a backdrop of the number of pupils with ASN increasing and the number of specialist teachers supporting them dropping to a new low.

SCSC is calling on incoming town hall administrations to put the needs of vulnerable children and young people at the very heart of policy and funding commitments.

The figures highlight that average spend per pupil on additional support for learning by councils in Scotland (primary, secondary and special education) has fallen from £4,276 in 2012/13 to £3,402 in 2020/21 (in cash terms). This amounts to an overall cut in spending of £874 per pupil, representing a 20.4% drop.

Spend per pupil ranges from £2,210 in the Scottish Borders to £5,901 in the Shetland Islands, pointing to a ‘postcode lottery’ in spend across local councils (see Notes to Editors for figures per local authority).

This fall is against the backdrop of a 92.2 per cent increase since 2012 in the number of pupils identified with ASN, from 118,011 to 226,838 in 2020, amounting to 108,827 individuals. Those with ASNcurrently represent just under a third of all pupils (32.3 per cent).

Between 2012 and 2020 the number of full-time equivalent ASN teachers (publicly funded primary, secondary, special and centrally employed) has fallen from 3,389 to all-time low of 2,860, a decrease of 529 teachers, representing a cut in numbers of 15.6 per cent.

Against the background of Covid-19 and its disproportionate impact on those with ASN, the SCSC has called for greater resourcing from both the Scottish Government and councils to ensure that those with ASN in Scotland’s schools receive the care and support they need.

A spokesperson for the SCSC commented: “It is vital that those with ASN get the care and support they need, when they need it, especially as we come out of the current Covid-19 crisis. This is also key if we are to genuinely close the educational attainment gap as we know that those with ASN are disproportionately drawn from poorer neighbourhoods.

“Given this, it is disappointing to note cuts in spending to those with ASN and we would urge Scotland’s newly elected councils to put the needs of vulnerable children and young people at the very heart of policy and funding commitments.

“Councils and the Scottish Government must work together to provide the necessary resourcing to address the needs of those children and young people with ASN, who represent some of the most vulnerable individuals in our society.”

Table 4 – Additional support for learning spending per pupil (£, cash terms)

	2020/21
Aberdeen City	3,196
Aberdeenshire	2,392
Angus	3,024
Argyll & Bute	3,833
City of Edinburgh	3,093
Clackmannanshire	4,344
Dumfries & Galloway	3,226
Dundee City	2,274
East Ayrshire	4,432
East Dunbartonshire	4,500
East Lothian	3,865
East Renfrewshire	2,785
Falkirk	3,798
Fife	2,794
Glasgow City	4,133
Highland	3,062
Inverclyde	3,722
Midlothian	4,100
Moray	3,110
Na h-Eileanan Siar	5,757
North Ayrshire	2,379
North Lanarkshire	5,490
Orkney Islands	4,540
Perth & Kinross	3,023
Renfrewshire	3,477
Scottish Borders	2,210
Shetland Islands	5,901
South Ayrshire	4,868
South Lanarkshire	3,505
Stirling	3,374
West Dunbartonshire	3,589
West Lothian	2,700
All Local Authorities	3,402

Sources:

1. Local Financial Returns – Education (LFR 01) statistical return provided by local authorities to the Scottish Government.

2. Pupil Census – 2020 school statistics collected by Scottish Government

Charity offers fuel grant to ex-miners

A CHARITY is offering a £200 grant to former coal miners to help them cope with the rise in fuel costs in 2022.

CISWO – the coal mining charity – has launched the scheme to provide some support towards combatting the huge hike in the energy price cap which came into effect in April.

The one-off grant will be available to former coal miners, or their partners or widows, who are identified as being particularly vulnerable due to being on a low income, live in their own home and are responsible for paying for energy costs.

It is also only available to those former mineworkers who have ten years’ service in the industry or those whose last place of work was in the industry. Only one grant is available per household.

The price rises will see millions of people having to pay around £700 more each year to heat their homes.

And with former miners often suffering from health issues, poor mobility and managing on low incomes, they may be disproportionately impacted by the changes.

Nicola Didlock, Chief Executive at CISWO, said: “We are very aware that many of our beneficiaries are vulnerable and susceptible to the cold, especially those on low incomes and trying to cope with ill-health, mobility issues and older properties to maintain.

“We want to ensure that those individuals are identified and supported to keep warm and healthy, particularly during the colder months as the energy price rise begins to impact those most affected.”

CISWO’s Personal Welfare team will be identifying people in need and supporting them to get the help they are entitled to. As well as the CISWO grant, they will help people to obtain other financial aid and subsidies from the government.

The team will also be on hand to provide information about other support on offer from CISWO for former coal miners and their dependants, including:

Confidential home visiting service
Advocacy, information, advice and guidance
Emotional support
Benefit applications
Access to mobility equipment
Reducing loneliness and isolation
Access to holidays and convalescence

For more information about claiming the £200 CISWO grant, visit:

www.ciswo.org.uk

or call 01506 635 550.

Campaigners’ plea on eve of elections: KEEP our Eye Pavilion!

A grassroots campaigning group determined to ensure a new facility to replace the ageing Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion is built in Edinburgh has pressed politicians to reaffirm their support.

The Keep Edinburgh Eye Pavilion (KEEP) has this week written to all the main Scottish political parties to ask that candidates for the local authority elections this Thursday within Lothian uphold pledges previously made.

In their letter, KEEP says: ‘Across the Lothians, people with sight loss are becoming increasingly concerned about the ongoing delays to the promised replacement Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion (PAEP) in Edinburgh. Recent press reports now indicate that further delays and increasing costs, mean that the new hospital will not be operational until June 2027‘.

KEEP points out that the Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion provides specialist ophthalmological care for thousands of people across the south-east of Scotland. In 2015, the building was deemed not fit for purpose in a NHS Lothian report that made the case for a new facility.

But in late 2020, the Scottish Government withdrew capital funding from the health board earmarked to re-build it. However, following a campaign by KEEP it was announced in spring 2021 that the re-build would go ahead.

‘However,’ the letter from KEEP goes on, ‘there are growing concerns that the continued delays are not simply a construction matter. The existing PAEP building has been deemed not fit for purpose and is facing further reduced capacity through disrepair, resulting in waiting times and pressures on services becoming more acute.

‘It is not acceptable that blind and partially sighted people are increasingly being asked to travel across the country to the Golden Jubilee Hospital in Clydebank to receive treatment. Patients frequently face lengthy delays if unable to travel there independently‘.

During last year’s Scottish Parliament elections, KEEP secured commitments from all the main parties concerning the proposed new eye clinic facility.

Edinburgh city councillors also agreed a cross-party composite motion which said: “In terms of accessibility and equality of services it is vital that people have access that is affordable and is easy. As those of us who have had any trouble with our eyesight know, there is no time to spare. You need to get to that hospital quickly and efficiently. We have a centre of excellence that is world-renowned and we, as a capital city for people living in the south east of Scotland, depend on this facility. We need to stand up for Edinburgh.”

In their letter to each party’s health spokesperson, KEEP is asking councillors elected across the Lothian Health Board area to uphold pledges already made ‘and further work to ensure that the delays are reduced, that a clear timetable is given for when this project will start and be completed, and a guarantee to meet with members of the KEEP campaign to regularly discuss once they are elected‘.

New sepsis awareness campaign announced in Scotland

A leading sepsis charity will work with the Scottish Government to run a national sepsis awareness campaign this year.

The forthcoming partnership between Sepsis Research FEAT and the Scottish Government will help to save lives by increasing public awareness of sepsis and how to recognise symptoms of the disease.

More than 4,000 people die from sepsis every year in Scotland. This deadly condition occurs when the body’s response to an infection spirals rapidly out of control, injuring its own tissues and organs. This can result in multiple organ failure and death.

The five key symptoms of sepsis which will be highlighted in the campaign are:

Confusion
Not passing as much urine as normal
Very high or low temperature
Uncontrolled shivering
Cold or blotchy arms and legs

If someone has two or more of these symptoms, becoming progressively or rapidly worse, this indicates they may have sepsis and urgent medical attention should be sought.

Sepsis Research FEAT previously worked with the Scottish Government on awareness campaigns in 2018 and 2019. These campaigns, which included radio, print and social media, reached more than 1.3 million people across Scotland. Planned joint campaigns for 2020 and 2021 were paused because of the COVID-19 pandemic, though Sepsis Research FEAT continued its awareness raising work independently.

This latest partnership between Sepsis Research FEAT and the Scottish Government will build on the success of the previous campaigns with a Scotland-wide multimedia campaign, which will include nationwide commercial TV and radio for the first time. It will launch in August with a peak in activity to coincide with Sepsis Awareness Month in September.

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “I am delighted that the Scottish Government is continuing to work with Sepsis Research FEAT to raise public awareness of the symptoms and dangers of sepsis.

“Patient safety remains key to delivering safe and effective care to all patients every time they access healthcare services and the Scottish Government’s Scottish Patient Safety Programme continues to make progress in its action on sepsis.

“Focusing on early identification is critical and treatment within one hour of recognition has led to mortality rates among those identified at this stage falling by 21% since 2012.

“Sepsis Research FEAT play a vital role in funding research into this devastating disease and in making the public aware of the symptoms, and the Scottish Government is supporting them in their efforts.”

The charity Sepsis Research FEAT have launched a new national sepsis awareness campaign in partnership with the Scottish Government at The Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh. The campaign will focus on increasing public awareness of sepsis and how to recognise the 5 key symptoms in order to help save lives. Pictured Humza Yousaf MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care,with o Colin Graham – Sepsis Research FEAT Chief Operating Officer o Kimberley Bradley – Sepsis survivor and Sepsis Research FEAT supporter o Fiona Griffith – GenOMICC Project manager (the charity is a funder of the GenOMICC research study) o Sarah Weatherston – a teacher and sepsis survivor Mark F Gibson / Gibson Digital infogibsondigital@gmail.co.uk www.gibsondigital.co.uk All images © Gibson Digital /Sepsis Research FEAT 2022

Colin Graham, Chief Operating Officer at Sepsis Research FEAT, commented: “Sepsis Research FEAT is proud to be working in partnership with the Scottish Government once again and to be leading on this important campaign. This year will see our largest campaign yet and we are very much looking forward to sharing it with the public this August.

“Analysis from our last partnership with the Scottish Government showed that campaign activity was increasing awareness of sepsis in Scotland but that continued work was required so more people could identify the five key symptoms.

“Expanding our joint campaign this year to include commercial broadcast channels will ensure that we reach a greater number of people and better educate them about the signs and symptoms of sepsis.

“It is a devastating condition that can kill a previously healthy adult or child in hours. The more people across the country who are able to spot the key symptoms of sepsis in themselves and others, the more lives will be saved.”

335,000 children worldwide help The Daily Mile to celebrate its 10th birthday today

The Daily Mile, supported by INEOS, is today celebrating its 10^th Birthday with a huge global event, bringing together 335,000 children across the globe.
At an in-person event today in Dundee, Scotland, over 800 children participated in The Daily Mile together.
While at the same time, a global virtual event took place with 1,340 partner schools – 335,000 children across Europe, U.S., Africa, India taking part in The Daily Mile.
The Daily Mile is a transformative initiative where children run, jog, wheel or walk for fifteen minutes every day, improving the health, happiness and wellbeing of millions of children.
Elaine Wyllie, Founder of The Daily Mile, says: “We want to get as many children around the world doing The Daily Mile as possible, so the fact that we’ve been able to do this mass global event with thousands of schools to celebrate our 10^th Birthday is a real testament to the enthusiasm behind the initiative and the positive benefits that The Daily Mile has on children’s physical, mental and social health.”

The Daily Mile, supported by INEOS, today celebrated its 10^th Birthday with a huge global event that was designed to get as many children and primary schools as possible around the world moving on the same day.

In Dundee over 800 children took part in what was the largest ever mass Daily Mile, in the grounds of a transformed Baxter Park that included a stage, music and guest speakers. The children came from local primary and SEN schools across Dundee.

Guests at Baxter Park included The Daily Mile founder Elaine Wyllie MBE, Public Health Minister Maree Todd, Team Scotland and GB Hockey Player Charlotte Watson, Scotland and GB Team middle distance runner Kane Elliott, GB Paralympian Wheelchair Curler Aileen Nelson as well as other Daily Mile ambassadors.

At the same time, 335,000 children around the world took part in a virtual event – across 1,340 schools in 21 countries from Scotland to New Zealand. Marking the world’s largest Daily Mile event.

The Daily Mile, supported by INEOS, is a transformative initiative where children run, jog wheel or walk for fifteen minutes every day in school, in which time, most people will average a mile or more.

The initiative has enjoyed phenomenal success since it was started by then Headteacher Elaine Wyllie just ten years ago at a single primary school in Stirling, Scotland. Today over 3 million children across 14,000 schools in 87 countries globally are now running The Daily Mile.

The initiative believes there is more to be done if we are to provide the opportunity of good health and well-being to all children, wherever they are in the world and its aim for the next ten years is to significantly increase the number of children that are able to enjoy The Daily Mile.

Elaine Wyllie MBE, Founder of The Daily Mile says: “We are so excited to celebrate 10 amazing years of The Daily Mile – what an incredible journey it has been so far, starting from just a simple idea at my school in Scotland to now an essential part of the day in thousands of schools around the world.

“Multiple scientific studies continue to show The Daily Mile improves children’s physical, mental and social health as well as their engagement at school – and today’s event has been a fantastic way to celebrate all we have achieved, thanks to the incredible children, teachers, schools and partners we have worked with other the years who champion our ideals and support our ambition to see every child enjoy the benefits of The Daily Mile.”

Sir Jim Ratcliffe, Founder & CEO of INEOS, comments: “INEOS has supported the Daily Mile for years because it’s a free, simple and effective way to improve children’s physical and mental wellbeing.

“It has been a natural fit for us to work with an initiative that is so passionate about helping more children enjoy exercise more often, and we look forward to its success as it continues to transform more lives around the world.”

Public Health Minister, Maree Todd, said: “I am passionate about the many physical, mental and social benefits the Daily Mile brings and am delighted that this initiative, born in Scotland, is celebrating its 10^th anniversary in Dundee.

“As school children from across the world come together to take part in the Daily Mile celebrations I look forward to seeing the impact of this simple and free initiative. I give my thanks to all the school teachers and those involved in providing their communities with the opportunity and support for children to be active each day.

“I am committed to Scotland becoming a Daily Mile Nation and myself really enjoy taking part. Over and above the health benefits it also gives me the opportunity to connect with nature, explore my local environment and meet new people along the way.

“I would encourage everyone across the world to join in and take part in the Daily Mile to experience these fantastic benefits.”

Be Vocal about Viral: Viral Meningitis Awareness Week

The UK’s leading meningitis charity is calling for those who have suffered from viral meningitis to be ‘Vocal about Viral’ to help dispel myths and misconceptions that this form of the disease is not dangerous and always ‘mild’.

Meningitis Now’s annual Viral Meningitis Awareness Week, between 1 and 7 May, seeks to raise awareness to inform the public, health professionals and employers about the true impact of the disease and the long-term problems it can bring.

Although rarely life-threatening viral meningitis, which is more common than bacterial meningitis, can make people very unwell and for some the after-effects can be life-changing.

Expert opinion suggests up to 6,000 people each year across the UK suffer from viral meningitis, an infection that causes inflammation of the membranes that surround the brain and the spinal cord. The majority of cases happen during the warmer months.

Symptoms of viral meningitis can include a severe headache, a dislike of bright lights, neck stiffness, nausea, vomiting and confusion. The disease can affect anyone of any age.

Meningitis Now is urging anyone concerned about viral meningitis to seek medical help.

After-effects can include exhaustion, headaches, memory loss, depression, anxiety and hearing difficulties. Many sufferers need to take long periods off education or work, and struggle with the day-to-day tasks that most people take for granted.

Viral meningitis cannot be treated with antibiotics. Rehydration, painkillers and plenty of rest are the best remedy. Most people will make a full recovery. However, for some recovery can be slow and the after-effects long lasting.

These after-effects can be debilitating and just as likely to affect people’s day-to-day activities as those from bacterial meningitis, turning their emotional and economic lives upside down and affecting their ability to learn, play and work.

Bev Corbett, the charity’s Director of Information and Support, said: “It’s vital that everybody understands that viral meningitis can be serious and that those who experience it are not afraid to speak out about it and seek the support they need.

“For our Viral Meningitis Week we’re calling on everyone to Be #VocalAboutViral – and help raise awareness by talking about the disease.”

Meningitis Now has a range of free services to support individuals and their families after viral meningitis, including its Rebuilding Futures Fund, which provides financial and practical support for people of all ages affected by meningitis.

The charity also has free information and fact sheets about viral meningitis. Read more about the symptoms and after-effects and download the guides from the website www.MeningitisNow.org

If you have been affected by viral meningitis, contact the Meningitis Now Helpline on 0808 80 10 388 or email helpline@meningitisnow.org. Do not suffer from viral meningitis alone.

Read viral meningitis stories and share yours on the Meningitis Now website.

Elderly Edinburgh care home residents ask for local support to create fresh outdoor space

With spring in bloom, elderly residents at care homes across Edinburgh are looking forward to time spent outdoors following colder months. Now, as green-fingered residents get ready for gardening activities, Scottish care home provider Renaissance Care has put out a call for donations from the local community.

In the hope of freshening up Letham Park Care Home’s garden, staff are on the hunt for the likes of gardening furniture, tools, plants and ornaments. With art supplies on hand, the care home will gladly accept donations in need of a little love or lick of paint, while the home boasts keen gardeners who are ready to get their hands dirty with seeds or bulbs.

The focus on gardening falls in line with Renaissance Care’s health and wellbeing strategy, which prioritises the emotional, mental and physical health of those in its care. Following the Winter Olympics activity which saw residents embracing the colder weather, Renaissance Care has set aside time for gardening activities in order to bring the new season in with a garden refresh.

As well as a focus on embracing the outdoors, Renaissance Care also hopes to create lasting partnerships with the nearby community which could be fostered through the shared goal of improving the local area. The staff within the home welcome any helping hands who would like to support the initiative.

Letham Park Care Home began its facelift last month, as it looked to create a fresh space to enjoy in summer, particularly with the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations upcoming. Staff hope that work carried out outdoors will benefit their indoors too, as they are following along an online webinar hosted by the Care Inspectorate and Trellis, allowing residents to grow their very own vase of flowers in their rooms.

Nicola Edwards, activities co-ordinator at Renaissance Care’s Letham Park Care Home, said: “We strive to create fun activities which will use the wisdom of our residents. With several keen gardeners within the home and warmer weather round the corner, it is the perfect time to launch our gardening projects.

“We are very lucky to be situated within such a supportive community and we are hopeful that this call will prompt some further generosity. Our garden could do with a little love and our residents have years of experience which we know will be put to good use. If you have anything to spare, please do get in touch.”

Cath Webster, who is the daughter-in-law of one of Letham Park’s residents, said: “‘A working group of residents and volunteers are currently creating features of the sensory garden which is being developed.

“We have recycled old Wellies and painted them. The plan is to fill the wellies with herbs to stimulate our senses of taste and smell, as well as bright flowers to delight our sense of sight. Other ideas and developments are currently being discussed.”

To offer donations to Letham Park Care Home, contact: mfyfie@renaissance-care.co.uk

Healthy Heart Tip: Fibre – the lifesaving nutrient many of us lack

Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by the Health Promotion and Education Team at Heart Research UK

It is well known that eating fibre can prevent constipation, but did you know it can also lower your risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and bowel cancer?

Dietary fibre can only be found in foods that come from plants, such as wholegrain cereals, wholemeal bread, wholemeal pasta, brown rice, fruit, vegetables, beans, and lentils.

Here we provide some tips to help you increase the amount of fibre in your diet:

Choose a variety

Obtaining fibre from a variety of food sources is a great way to ensure a healthy balanced diet. It is also important to make sure you are drinking enough fluid to help fibre function properly.

Opt for a high-fibre cereal

Look out for cereals that are labelled as “whole grain” or with “bran” or “fibre” in their name. Try to choose plain varieties with no added sugars.

Switch to wholemeal

Instead of white bread, white rice and white pasta, try switching to wholemeal or granary bread, brown rice and wholemeal pasta.

Eat your five a day

Frozen, dried and tinned fruit and vegetables all count towards this. Try eating apples and potatoes with their skins still on, to further increase fibre intake.

Add extra vegetables or pulses to your favourite meals

Beans, lentils and chickpeas can be added to your favourite meals like curries, bolognese, chilli, soups and stews, to bulk them out and add nutrients.

Snack wisely

Choose unsalted nuts and seeds, fresh fruit, vegetable sticks or oatcakes.

Opt for a high-fibre cereal

Choose unsalted nuts and seeds, fresh fruit, vegetable sticks or oatcakes.

Some people worry that if they increase their fibre intake it will cause them to suffer from flatulence (wind). To avoid this, you should gradually increase the amount of fibre in your diet to allow your body time to adjust. Good luck!

For more tips on how to stay healthy, sign up for our weekly healthy tips at www.heartresearch.org.uk/healthy-tips.

To help keep your heart healthy, why not try out some of our Healthy Heart recipes from our website: https://heartresearch.org.uk/heart-research-uk-recipes-2/.

Or have a look through our Healthy Heart cookbook filled with recipes from top chefs, celebrities and food bloggers:
https://heartresearch.org.uk/heart-research-uk-cookbook/.