Scottish charity Venture Trust is launching the Scotland’s first dedicated outdoor therapy programme. The mental health service will see trained therapists harness the power of the outdoors to support some of Scotland’s most vulnerable young people, adults and veterans.
The Outdoor Therapy programme will involve a ‘walk and talk’ approach to therapy delivered by qualified staff and delivered in parks, community gardens, local woodland or accessible hills and beaches instead of the traditional clinic or office-based support.
The launch of the service comes at a time when Scotland’s mental health services are over-stretched, under-resourced, and unable to support some of the country’s most vulnerable young people and adults.
Recent statistics from Public Health Scotland continue to highlight young people are still not receiving mental health services when they need them:
· 25% of young people referred to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) are currently not seen within the target time of 18 weeks
· 25% of children and young people were turned away from specialist mental health services during October to December 2020
The Princes Trust’s annual Youth Index published in January noted:
· 25% of young people feel “unable to cope with life” since the start of the pandemic, increasing to 40% for those not in work education or training
Research from the Scottish Association for Mental Health SAMH highlights almost half of people with mental health problems in Scotland felt they did not get care or treatment because of the pandemic.
The Outdoor Therapy programme will also look to support vulnerable adults including veterans who already faced mental health inequalities before the pandemic and lockdown.
Public Health Scotland statistics also show:
· 20% of the 17,023 adults who started psychological therapies during October to December 2020 waited longer than the official target of 18 weeks
· None of the 14 regional NHS Boards met the 18-week target for adult psychological therapies services in Scotland
Veteran specific funding towards the service will be used to work with Scottish veterans struggling with their mental health. Venture Trust’s existing veteran support programme highlights a trend in veterans presenting with mental health issues from 50% in 2016/17 growing to 79% in 2019/20.
Venture Trust’s clinical manager Andy Hardie said the charity’s new outdoor therapy service can play a crucial role in supporting and coomplementing existing services to tackle the looming mental health crisis predicted in Scotland.
“The system seemed close to breaking point before Covid-19 and the pandemic has only increased the pressure on it”, he said.
“The benefits of the outdoors for mental health have been long understood but little utilised in a clinical sense and the value of the outdoors to improve mental health and wellbeing has been increasingly highlighted during the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown.
“Whilst we value traditional approaches to therapy, we recognise that for some individuals the usual offer of support in clinical settings can seem daunting.
“As we move out of lockdown, Venture Trust’s offer of support within an outdoor setting can benefit individuals who may have sought support through traditional statutory therapeutic services such as GP’s, CAMHS, and other therapy services but have not been able to make the changes they were hoping for or were unable to gain access to services.”
The launch of the new service also brings into sharp focus the desperate need for further investment to increase and diversify mental health support for the most vulnerable young people, adults and veterans in Scotland.
Venture Trust Director of External Affairs Tejesh Mistry said the outdoor therapy service would rollout in the Edinburgh and Lothians area of Scotland but the aim was to increase the reach and offer when further funding secured:
“As a charity organisation we have seen first-hand the impact of the pandemic on the mental and emotional wellbeing of Scotland’s most vulnerable people. Venture Trust will continue to explore funding avenues to increase the reach of this valuable and essential service.”
Empowering people to change the world’s relationship with alcohol, Edinburgh-based One Year No Beer saw its biggest intake in 2020, following an unprecedented year that drove many out of their comfort zones and into the arms of unwanted habits.
Scooping Spectators Economic Innovator of the Year Award, and Great British Entrepreneur for Scotland and Northern Island, the behaviour change programme and online toolkit for surviving modern society alcohol free, is working tirelessly to support people towards making positive lifestyle choices.
With over 80,000 members in 90 countries, last year the platform witnessed an increase of 287% in searches for coaching and quadruple the number of courses purchased.
Ruari Fairbairns, Co-Founder and CEO of One Year No Beer, explained: “We help people change their relationship with alcohol which, leads to most of them fundamentally transforming their lives – for the better.
“We are developing technology that will enable members to connect over the common goal of changing behaviour, be that caffeine, sugar, gambling, social media and ultimately empowering our members to help the world, live life better.”
Currently One Year No Beer is a content and digital publishing business with the backing of a powerful global following. The intention now is to pivot into a technology business scaling the proven model to become a global wellbeing brand that will help people reduce unnecessary anxiety they have in life enabling them to be the best version of themselves.
Ruari Fairbairns explains what they have done to keep up with demand: “We have stripped out cost, optimised customer journeys and done an enormous amount of foundational work in preparation for scaling even further.
“Due to the pandemic, we are all having to work remotely, but this has only strengthened our offering, allowing us to focus more money into the platform and its abilities. On top of everything we did to prepare for another year like last, we will also soon be launching our long-awaited Web App and, we also have a few secrets up our sleeve that are going to make 2021 one to remember, for all the right reasons!”
OYNB is not an abstinence programme; it is not about eliminating alcohol entirely. It’s about empowering people to break down old habits and build new ones, creating a positive mindset that lets the individual take back control and make clear-sighted decisions.
Report raises concerns as services supporting women and babies come under strain
During and after pregnancy, women have faced greater likelihood of poor mental health during the pandemic, including anxiety, depression, loneliness and suicidal thoughts, according to a new report commissioned by a coalition of leading maternal mental health organisations.
Women of colour and women from poorer economic backgrounds are more likely to experience mental health problems during and after pregnancy, according to the research.
The rapid review of evidence commissioned by the Maternal Mental Health Alliance (MMHA), and conducted by Centre for Mental Health, for the first time compiles all available evidence into one place.
This shows that access to crucial services reduced for pregnant women, new mums and babies across the UK, especially during the early stages of the pandemic. While health and care staff worked hard to deliver safe care, significant gaps emerged. Women also experienced a reduction in informal support from friends, relatives and networks of other women sharing their experiences.
Extra pressures include anxiety about giving birth during lockdown without partners present, fears of losing jobs, heightened levels of domestic violence, bereavement, worries about catching Covid-19, and concern about new infants catching the disease.
In addition, the wider system surrounding these services, including health visiting and maternity, needs to be protected and enhanced. Furthermore, up-to-date monitoring and research of maternal mental healthcare should be commissioned.
It also says that without sustained funding, many Voluntary and Community Services will not survive, despite the increased demand from women for their services.
Luciana Berger, chair of the Maternal Mental Health Alliance (MMHA) said: ‘Today’s report should serve as an ear-splitting warning siren about the dangers to women’s maternal mental health and potential risks to the wellbeing of their babies.
The pandemic has placed additional challenges on new and expectant mums getting the care and support they need, taking many already-stretched services to the point of breaking. Women of colour and women from disadvantaged backgrounds have been particularly impacted, and Ministers must address this injustice with urgency.’
Sarah Hughes, chief executive of Centre for Mental Health, which carried out the research, said: ‘The Covid-19 pandemic has been a mental health challenge across society, but it has not affected everyone equally. It has placed especial pressure on women during pregnancy and after they’ve given birth.
“And it has made inequalities that were always there in plain sight even more pronounced. We need to take this opportunity to review and reframe what support women should expect for their mental health during the perinatal period, and to make sure that we prepare for any future crisis to avoid another loss of support at a crucial time in people’s lives.’
Aleema Shivji, Comic Relief Executive Director for Impact and Investment said: ‘The pandemic has put an unprecedented strain on the nation’s mental health and it is sadly no surprise that, as this report proves, pregnant women and new mums who face enormous challenges, have sadly been worst affected.
“It’s clear that more work is needed urgently to help tackle the shame and stigma attached to maternal mental health for mums to feel recognised, supported and able to ask for help. At Comic Relief we have prioritised funding mental health services for over 25 years, but it is clear this is still needed now more than ever.’
Today’s report Maternal mental health during a pandemic was commissioned by the Maternal Mental Health Alliance and conducted by Centre for Mental Health, and covers all four parts of the UK.
Joanna Barrett, Associate Head of Policy (Nations) at NSPCC Scotland, said: “This report highlights the profound impact the pandemic has had on the mental health of parents during and following pregnancy, particularly in the most deprived communities of the country.
“We have long warned that without the right support at the right time, adult mental health problems during pregnancy and the first year can have serious immediate and long-term consequences for both young children and their families.
“That’s why our Fight for a Fair Start campaign is calling on the Scottish Government to invest in universal early years support, to give professionals the ‘time to care’ to develop positive and trusting relationships with infants and their families.
“This will give babies the best possible start in life, the support to recover from the pandemic, and the opportunity to thrive not just survive.”
· 71% of young carers and 85% of young adult carers are more worried about the future since Coronavirus.
· 45% of young carers and 68% of young adult carers say their mental health is worse since Coronavirus.
· 40% of young carers and 56% of young adult carers feel overwhelmed by the pressures they are now facing
Today, on Young Carers Action Day (March 16 2021), Carers Trust Scotland is calling on Scottish Government to commit to developing a new cross-cutting National Action Plan to protect the futures of children and young people with caring responsibilities.
These plans are urgently needed to address a downward spiral in the mental health of young carers across Scotland, and the adverse impact this is having on their hopes for the future.
A recent Carers Trust Scotland survey revealed high levels of anxiety and stress among young carers. The survey found over two thirds (71%) of young carers aged 12 to 17, and 85% of young adult carers aged 18 to 25 were experiencing increased concern for their futures since Coronavirus.
To address these challenges, Scottish Government’s National Action Plan should include clear actions that can be delivered at pace. They should address education, employability and health and wellbeing prospects among young people with caring responsibilities.
“It is vital that Scottish Government introduces a new National Action Plan which is ambitious and ensures young carers in Scotland have the support that they need and are given a fair chance to reach their full potential in all aspects of their lives.”
To Protect Young Carers’ Futures and help make a National Action Plan for young carers a reality, Carers Trust Scotland is working with young carers across Scotland to ask statutory bodies to make meaningful commitments to deliver young carers’ rights across health, social care, education and employment.
Speaking about her hopes for Young Carers Action Day,Ilse Cuthbertson a young carer and Member of the Scottish Youth Parliament for Carers Trust Scotland, (above, right) said:“The Young Carers Action Day Steering Group chose to focus on protecting young carers futures.
“This theme fits in perfectly with this year, as due to the pandemic it is now more important than ever that we protect the futures of young people with caring responsibilities.”
Welcoming the call for a National Action Plan to protect young carers’ futures, world-leading researcher on young carers’ rights and Carers Trust Ambassador, Dr Saul Becker, said: “During the pandemic, we have seen millions of people, rightly, furloughed to stay at home, paid by the government and told they must NOT work.
“On the other hand, carers of all ages, and especially carers under the age of 25, have been forced to stay at home because schools have closed, health and social care services have been cancelled, and young carers have taken on many of the responsibilities of statutory and other service providers, often on a full-time basis.
“It’s young carers’ turn for recognition and support. We desperately need national and local action plans to make sure that young carers are not left behind; that they are no longer ignored and invisible. We must safeguard their futures – and see this as a sound investment not a cost.”
Employers called on to protect young carers’ futures
Carers Trust is also urging employers to protect young carers’ futures by acknowledging the unique skills and attributes young carers develop from an early age, such as time-management skills, resilience, empathy and a sense of responsibility for others.
We are already working with our corporate supporters to develop resources and provide experience to facilitate young carers’ pathways into employment:
with funding from the People’s Postcode Lottery we are building an internship training programme for young people with caring responsibilities.
the financial services group, Quilter, have supported us in setting up a Steering Group for young carers and young adult carers to come together to plan.
with support from the leading online florist Bloom and Wild we are developing a series of workshops for young carers to gain invaluable workplace experience and insights.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has urged countries not to pause Covid vaccinations, as several EU countries halted their rollouts of the Oxford AstraZeneca jab.
It said there was no evidence of a link between the vaccine and blood clots.
Germany, France, Italy and Spain have now joined Denmark, Norway and Iceland in halting vaccinations as a precaution while data is examined.
WHO’s vaccine safety experts meet today to discuss the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine.
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) will also meet and is due to draw conclusions on Thursday. It has also said the vaccine should continue to be used.
Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon sought to reassure anxious Scots over safety concerns yesterday.
She told the daily media briefing: “We are of course – as I’m sure you are too – aware that some countries, most recently the Netherlands and the Republic of Ireland, have paused their use of the AstraZeneca vaccine.
“You might be hearing reports of this in the media and you might have concerns as a result. So I wanted to take the opportunity today to address this directly.
“In the UK, the decision to suspend the use of any vaccine is a matter for the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
“The MHRA has confirmed to us that there is no current evidence of an increase in blood clots being caused by the AstraZeneca vaccine. That is the issue that has caused the pause in some other countries.
“As you would expect, though, the MHRA is continuing to monitor this carefully, and it remains in regular contact with other regulators.
“There is, however, significant and growing evidence of the benefits of vaccination in reducing death, illness and we hope now, reducing transmission as well – and the vaccination programme continues to make very good progress.
“So for all these reasons and based on the advice and opinion of the MHRA, we continue to urge people to come forward for vaccination included with the AstraZeneca vaccine when you are invited to do so.“
Indeed, I can confirm that, as of 8.30 this morning, 1,908,991 people in Scotland have received the first dose of the vaccine.
“That is an increase of 20,294 since yesterday.
“In addition, 1,907 people yesterday received the second dose, which brings the total number of second doses now to 161,945.
“So as of now, virtually all people over the age of 65 have had the first dose of the vaccine. So too have 53% of 60-64 year olds; 41% of 55 to 59 year olds; and 33% of 50 to 54 year olds.
“As the Health Secretary indicated when she was here on Friday, we expect the pace of vaccination to pick up significantly again this week in line with increased supplies.
“So we are expecting that, taking first and second doses together, there will be around 400,000 vaccinations done over the course of this week.”
MHRA response to the precautionary suspensions of COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca
‘It has not been confirmed that the reports of blood clots were caused by the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. People should still go and get their COVID-19 vaccine when asked to do so.’
Dr Phil Bryan, MHRA Vaccines Safety Lead said: “We are closely reviewing reports but the evidence available does not suggest the vaccine is the cause.
“Blood clots can occur naturally and are not uncommon. More than 11 million doses of the COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca have now been administered across the UK, and the number of blood clots reported after having the vaccine is not greater than the number that would have occurred naturally in the vaccinated population.
“We are working closely with international counterparts in understanding the global safety experience of COVID-19 vaccines and on the rapid sharing of safety data and reports.
“People should still go and get their COVID-19 vaccine when asked to do so.”
Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by Dr Helen Flaherty, Head of Health Promotion at Heart Research UK
IMPROVING SLEEP QUALITY
March is National Bed Month and therefore there has never been a more relevant time to start thinking about our sleep.
Many people across the UK can find it difficult to get the quality and quantity of sleep that they need. Lack of good quality sleep can affect how our body works, such as by changing the levels of hunger and stress hormones in our body during the day, which can increase our blood pressure and affect our heart and circulatory system.
For adults it is recommended to try and get around 8 hours of sleep per night, but sometimes it can be the quality of our sleep which keeps us from topping up our energy levels.
With this in mind, here are some tips for getting the shut-eye we need:
Exercise
Exercising can strengthen our heart and arteries but can also improve the quality of our sleep. Whilst any kind of exercise can be of benefit, ensure that any exercise conducted 1-2 hours before going to bed is at a low to moderate intensity to prevent an increase in stress hormone release before going to bed. This may include a short walk or activities such as yoga.
Be Consistent
Having a consistent bedtime routine can help us to wind down during the evening. Simple steps such as taking a hot bath or changing into pajamas can help to prepare both our body and our mind for sleep.
Regulate Light Exposure
Light exposure helps us to regulate our body clock. When it gets dark, our body secretes a hormone called ‘melatonin’ which helps us to sleep. By getting exposure to natural light in the day and limiting our exposure to screens and bright lights late at night, we can help to improve our overall sleep quality.
Avoid Late-Night Coffees
It is recommended to avoid caffeine past 2pm. This is because caffeine, a stimulant found mainly in coffee and tea, has a half-life of around five hours. This means that if you drink a cup of coffee at 5pm, half of it will still be left in your bloodstream at 10pm and this can affect your sleep quality.
Avoid Alcohol
Although some people may find it easier to get to sleep after having a glass of wine, alcohol is known to stop us from being able to enter the deepest stage of sleep and therefore can leave us feeling tired the next day. Excess alcohol consumption can also lead to weight gain which can place strain on our heart.
A report commissioned by the Royal College of Nursing shows that the government’s COVID-19 infection control guidelines, which are used across the UK, are “flawed and need replacing”.
The report, written by independent experts, analysed a literature review which underpins the current guidance and found that the review met just four of the 18 criteria the experts deemed essential. Crucially, the report found that the review failed to consider a key way in which COVID-19 is transmitted – airborne infection – about which growing evidence has emerged during the pandemic.
For these reasons, the experts concluded the review provided only a “superficial account” of the available COVID-19 evidence and that the current guidelines based on the review need replacing.
In the report, the authors Professor Dinah Gould, an Honorary Professor of Nursing at London’s City University, and Dr Edward Purssell, also from City University, said: “UK infection prevention and control (IPC) guidance to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in health care settings, and the rapid reviews of the literature on which it was based, still identify droplet spread and hands as the major route, based on early advice from the World Health Organization (WHO). “Updated evidence indicates that aerosol spread is much more significant and the original advice from the WHO has been superseded. The UK guidelines are still based on this outdated evidence, however. They urgently need thorough revision and replacing.”
The report highlights that the guidelines omit detail on the importance of ventilation and advise that higher level personal protective equipment (PPE) must only be provided in certain high-risk settings like intensive care, but that it’s up to individual health trusts to decide whether or not to provide them more widely to other staff.
This has caused huge concern for members, especially with the emergence of highly infectious new COVID-19 variants. Members have also expressed concern about the lack of action on ventilation in UK hospitals as research suggests airborne transmission is a particular problem in poorly ventilated rooms.
The RCN has repeatedly tried to engage the government on these issues and is calling for all NHS staff to be given a higher level of PPE as a precautionary measure pending the outcome of a review.
RCN Chief Executive & General Secretary Dame Donna Kinnair said: “We have been battling this pandemic for more than a year now. ‘Following the science’ is a hollow boast when we have evidence showing the flaws.
“The report and its findings must launch an official review and not be swept under the carpet as an inconvenience.
“Health care workers need to know everything possible is being done to keep them protected. It is inadequate to say they have masks if they aren’t fit for purpose. Staff are scared for themselves and their families and left any longer it’ll turn to anger.”
Scotland’s kinship carers are often overlooked and undervalued by society despite making huge sacrifices to provide stable homes for vulnerable young people, according to the Kinship Care Advice Service for Scotland (KCASS).
Kinship Care Week (15-21 March) aims to provide these unsung, and sometimes invisible, heroes with the recognition they deserve and to encourage support agencies to work together to provide families with timely and appropriate support.
Research* suggests the vast majority of kinship carers experience some form of hardship after taking over the care of a child of a family member or close friend. Many have to reduce their working hours, or give up work altogether, and they often find themselves in need of emergency financial and emotional support.
Recent Scottish Government statistics revealed there were 4,175 children living in kinship care in Scotland in 2019. However, it is estimated the true number could be as high as 11,000 when taking into account informal and private arrangements. Many of these families are not known to their local authority, meaning thousands of kinship carers could be missing out on vital support.
KCASS helps families in a range of ways, offering practical support and advice to families about finances, housing, education, dealing with trauma, mental health, legal matters, and more. Between September 2020 and February 2021, KCASS responded to 693 calls to its free helpline – more than 100 every month.
Susan Hunter, KCASS Project Coordinator, said: “It is our service’s role, in addition to providing kinship carers with financial, practical and emotional advice, to ensure their voices are heard when decisions are made which affect their lives, when legislation is introduced which impacts on their children’s futures, and when consultations are undertaken which explore the difficulties and struggles experienced by kinship families.”
Kinship Care Week features a range of webinars, training sessions and activities for carers, children and professionals. This year is the first time that KCASS has hosted the week since the service was taken over by Adoption UK in Scotland and the Adoption and Fostering Alliance (AFA) Scotland in September 2020, after previously being provided by Citizens Advice Scotland.
Fiona Aitken, Adoption UK’s Director in Scotland, said: “Kinship Care Week is an opportunity to highlight the amazing job that kinship carers do, along with the challenges that they face.
“We’re proud to work together with our partners to support kinship carers and their families. We hope this week puts kinship care families in the spotlight that they deserve.”
KCASS is funded by the Scottish Government and is committed to keeping The Promise, which pledges that children living in kinship care must receive the support they need to thrive.
Children’s Minister Maree Todd, who is taking part in an online Q&A session as part of the week, said: “Kinship Care Week is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the vital role kinship carers play in providing secure, stable and nurturing homes for children and young people who can no longer live with their parents.
“I’d like to thank all the carers, professionals and partner charities who have supported children and young people in kinship care during this difficult year.
“We are determined to improve the life chances of young people in kinship care through implementing the commitments made in The Promise, so they enjoy safe, fulfilling and loving childhoods. As part of that, the Scottish Government will work with partners, including KCASS, through the Kinship Care Collaborative to better support carers, children and professionals working with kinship families.”
Kinship carers experiencing difficulties or in need of advice are urged to call the free KCASS helpline on 0808 800 0006 from 10am – 2.30pm, Monday to Friday.
New research from think tank, the Institute of Employment Rights (IER), has found the risk of Covid-19 transmission in the workplace remains significant and is being dangerously downplayed by the UK government’s light-touch approach.
HSE and Covid at work: a case of regulatory failure is written by 11 specialists in occupational health and safety and labour law, including academics conducting empirical research into workplace risk factors throughout the pandemic.
The team, from England, Scotland and Wales, carried out a comprehensive review of the latest data on workplace transmission and the response of the government and Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to mitigating that risk. Their report identifies a serious mismatch between the risk to workers’ health and the government’s claims to make workplaces “Covid-secure”.
The role of work in transmitting the disease was recognised from the outset of the pandemic. In May 2020, the Office for National Statistics identified 17 high-risk occupations and ‘clusters’ of cases quickly emerged in a wide range of sectors from public services to food processing and retail.
Public Health England (PHE) figures have since revealed the highest-risk workplaces were offices, which accounted for more outbreaks in the second half of 2020 than supermarkets, construction sites, warehouses, restaurants and cafes combined.
Workplace infections account for a significant proportion of all Covid cases. An analysis of PHE data conducted by Professor Rory O’Neill, one of the co-authors of HSE and Covid at work, revealed that 40% of people testing positive for Covid-19 reported prior ‘workplace or education’ activity.
Meanwhile, a survey of call centre workers by co-author Professor Phil Taylor revealed that over one in three (35.4%) were seated less than two metres away from their colleagues in contravention of social distancing rules. This is despite a warning from the government’s own SAGE advisors that reducing social distancing to one metre rather than two could increase transmission ten-fold.
In May 2020, the government declared workplaces “Covid-secure” and reassured workers that this would be enforced through a £14m package for HSE ‘spot checks’. But IER’s analysis found strong evidence that risk was not sufficiently mitigated in workplaces because Covid-19 rules were not adequately enforced.
The IER’s analysis of the government’s strategy reveals an underfunded, light-touch approach through an understaffed agency which failed to regulate the risk to workers and, by logical extension, to communities, including carers, pupils and students in education and their parents.
The magnitude of this risk has since been tragically borne out by large workplace outbreaks such as that seen at the DVLA’s Swansea offices, while the government’s underwhelming response is reflected in the complete absence of prosecutions of employers known to be breaking Covid rules.
Andy McDonald, Shadow Secretary for Employment Rights and Protections, said:“In a time of national crisis it is more important than ever that the government’s actions are held up to scrutiny. The findings of this report are deeply concerning – if health and safety laws and Covid-19 rules are not enforced, they are not worth the paper they are written on.
“When a deadly disease sweeps the country we need worker protections more than ever, yet the government has effectively shielded employers from prosecution even while coming down hard on individual citizens who break the same rules. We have seen the tragic results of under-regulated workplaces in outbreaks across the country, including at the DVLA offices in Swansea.
“The workers affected – and those in our emergency services and NHS who fought to save their lives – deserve answers as to how this was allowed to happen.”
Professor Phil James, Professor of Employment Relations at Middlesex University and editor of the report, said:“When the pandemic was declared on 11 March 2020, the government had to decide how it would balance the protection of public health with the protection of the economy. A year later, our analysis suggests it got that balance wrong. Our jobs are among the most important features of our lives, but they are not worth our lives, nor are they worth the lives of colleagues, family and friends.
“This light-touch approach to the regulation of businesses during the worst pandemic we have seen in 100 years must now be subject to a major independent public inquiry to understand what went wrong and how we can do better. It is vital that we learn from the failings of workplace regulation over the last year, because this pandemic proves that workers’ health is also public health – it benefits us all.”
Lord John Hendy QC, Chair of the IER and a co-author of the report, said:“Something has gone very badly wrong when enforcement action has been taken against over 40,000 members of the public and holidaymakers are threatened with ten years in jail but employers known to have put thousands of people at risk are getting off scot free.
“There has been health and safety legislation on the UK’s statute book for over 200 years. The current regulations are well known and could have been reasonably and effectively applied to protect workers. They were not.
“Had employers been reminded of their legal duties and these laws enforced through robust inspections and effective penalties, workplaces could have been made a lot safer than COVID-19 has shown them to be.”
Carolyn Jones, Director of the IER, said:“The government and HSE has neglected perhaps the richest resource at their fingertips in their exclusion of the UK’s nearly 100,000 trained trade union health and safety representatives from their ‘Covid-secure’ strategy.
“Several comparative economies have adopted a co-enforcement approach whereby the State and trade unions work together to ensure the health and safety of those at work and the models that work well internationally should be considered in building a similar approach in the UK.
“In the second stage of our health and safety project, we will take evidence from representatives across the economy and society to understand how better cooperation between all concerned can make a difference in the future.”
Key factors identified in the report
Severe lack of resources
Inspectors were themselves locked down when ‘spot checks’ were announced. Demonstrating the severity of the risk to workers, the HSE barred Inspectors from making workplace visits because of the danger to them of making such visits. As a result, ‘spot checks’ were conducted by phone despite 67% of people in a YouGov survey favouring random in-person checks.
Austerity. Following a 58% funding cut over the last 10 years, which forced the HSE to reduce its staffing levels by 36%, there were too few inspectors to perform ‘spot checks’ on the nation’s 5.5m health and safety dutyholders. The £14m of extra funding barely made a dent in the nearly £1000m lost by the HSE during 10 years of government austerity and covered just 0.5% of HSE activity.
A decline in workplace inspections even as risk increased
Workplace inspections fell rather than increased during the pandemic. The number of workplace inspections completed between May and September 2020 was 40% lower than during the same period in 2019. Even care homes, where the virus presented an extremely lethal threat, were not adequately inspected, with only eight having received a visit by September 2020.
Funding rules forced public money into private hands. The HSE was not permitted to use any of the £14m extra funding to train new inspectors, so more than half of this money was siphoned off to private companies to ‘inspect’ employers. In fact, this was done from call centres staffed by untrained workers who made 15-minute, scripted phone-calls to employers. The ineffectiveness of this strategy was evidenced by the findings of a TUC survey revealing very clear breaches of the law in over a third of workplaces. Meanwhile, the UK’s richest health and safety resource – nearly 100,000 trained trade union health and safety reps – were not invited to participate.
A light-touch approach to employers and the law
No legal standing for “Covid-secure” guidance. In direct contrast to the various emergency laws made in relation to social activities and other forms of pandemic control, the measures employers were asked to take were not backed by the force of law. Instead, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and the HSE issued ‘guidance’.
Legal duties to workers consistently downplayed. The IER’s report identifies two Acts of Parliament and seven sets of regulations relevant to the duties owed to workers, but found these were barely mentioned in the guidance given to businesses. As a result, the guidance failed to emphasise the legal obligations of employers to protect the health and safety of workers.
Recommendations
Concluding this initial report, the team made the following recommendations:
The urgent launch of a major independent public inquiry into the future of the regulation of safety and health at work in the UK, with a focus on creating a regulatory system, including an effective regulator, that will better protect the health and safety of all workers in the UK, now and in the future.
A significant increase in investment in the HSE to promote stronger enforcement of legal protections, thereby improving their effectiveness.
A comprehensive review of enforcement strategies employed by the HSE and local authorities, including a critical examination of the – currently rare and diminishing – use of legal sanctions.
Ensure the political independence of the HSE by considering its reconstitution in line with the United Nations’ Paris Principles, which require the involvement of representatives from civil society and the ringfencing of adequate funds to prevent government from imposing its political beliefs through budgetary controls.
Strengthen trade union safety representatives’ rights to access workplaces, undertake preventative work and support the enforcement of the law, such as through the issuing of improvement notices and the bringing of private prosecutions.
Enhance existing safety representative rights relating to the provision of information, consultation, and training (including paid time off to undertake it).
Reform the current statutory framework for health and safety at work to better protect workers in modern, more casualised, forms of employment, including those found in the gig economy.
Reform and enhance current laws permitting workers to stop work in conditions of serious and imminent danger, – provisions derived from EU law and provided under Sections 44 and 100 of the Employment Rights Act,.
Consider adopting international models of co-enforced oversight, that involve State regulators working alongside trade unions and other civil society organisations to monitor and enforce compliance with legal standards.
Explore the value and application of forms of supply chain regulation under which powerful supply chain actors have duties to ensure that they support effective health and safety management and compliance in supplier organisations. This would, for instance, would make fashion retailers buying from dangerous Leicester garment factories partly liable for the dangerous conditions there.
The team behind the report will now establish a Committee of Inquiry that will take evidence from relevant parties to understand how reforms to health and safety legislation could provide better protection for workers in modern workplaces.
Poll shows widescale public support for stronger legislation to protect children from abuse online
Comes as NSPCC report says UK Government’s Online Safety Bill must be more ambitious to comprehensively tackle sexual abuse
Charity chief calls for no compromise on children’s safety being at the heart of new laws
The Scottish public overwhelmingly back robust new laws to protect children from abuse on social media and wants bosses to be held responsible for safety, new polling suggests.
An NSPCC/YouGov survey found that more than nine in ten respondents (95%) in Scotland want social networks and messaging services to be designed to be safe for children.
The poll of more than 2,000 adults across the UK*, of which 179 respondents were from Scotland, shows huge support for putting a legal requirement on tech firms to detect and prevent child abuse, while backing strong sanctions against directors whose companies fail.
91% of respondents in Scotland want firms to have a legal responsibility to detect child abuse, such as grooming, taking place on their sites.
And almost four in five Scottish adults (79%) support prosecuting senior managers of social media managers if their companies consistently fail to protect children from abuse online, while 83% of respondents want social media bosses fined for consistent failures.
NSPCC Chief Executive Sir Peter Wanless said it shows a huge public consensus for robust Duty of Care regulation of social media.
He is urging the UK Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden to listen by ensuring his landmark Online Safety Bill convincingly tackles online child abuse and puts the onus on firms to prevent harm. He set out the UK Government’s vision for legislation in December.
The survey found that just ten per-cent of Scottish adults think sites are regularly designed safely for children, but 77% support a legal requirement for platforms to assess the risks of child abuse on their services, and take steps to address them.
It found that UK Government is failing on a third of indicators (nine out of 27), with tougher measures needed to tackle sexual abuse and to give Ofcom the powers they need to develop and enforce regulation fit for decades to come.
Sir Peter Wanless said: “Today’s polling shows the clear public consensus for stronger legislation that hardwires child protection into how tech firms design their platforms.
“Mr Dowden will be judged on whether he takes decisions in the public interest and acts firmly on the side of children with legislation ambitious enough to protect them from avoidable harm.
“For too long children have been an afterthought for Big Tech but the Online Safety Bill can deliver a culture change by resetting industry standards and giving Ofcom the power to hold firms accountable for abuse failings.”
The NSPCC is calling for legislation to be more robust so it can successfully combat online child abuse at an early stage and before it spreads across platforms.
They want a requirement for tech firms to treat content that facilitates sexual abuse with the same severity as material that meets the criminal threshold.
This means clamping down on the “digital breadcrumbs” dropped by abusers to guide others towards illegal material. These include videos of children just moments before or after they are sexually abused – so-called ‘abuse image series’ – that are widely available on social media.
The charity also want Ofcom to be able to tackle cross platform risks, where groomers target children across the different sites and games they use – something firms have strongly resisted.
In its report, the NSPCC called on the UK Government to commit to senior management liability to make tech directors personally responsible for decisions on product safety.
They say this is vital to drive cultural change and provide an appropriate deterrent against a lax adoption of the rules.
The charity wants to see senior management liability similar to the successful approach in financial services. Under the scheme, bosses taking decisions which could put children at risk could face censure, fines and in the case of the most egregious breaches of the Duty of Care, criminal sanctions.
They warn that the UK Government has softened its ambition and at present just propose liability for narrow procedural reasons, which will only to be enacted later down the line.
The NSPCC has been the leading voice for social media regulation and the charity set out detailed proposals for a Bill in 2019.
The UK Government’s White Paper consultation response in December set out the framework for an Online Safety Bill that is expected in the Spring.
