Paracetamol should be taken as directed in the patient information leaflet
Following publication of a new systematic review and meta-analysis in The Lancet Obstetrics, Gynaecology, & Women’s Health which found no evidence that paracetamol use during pregnancy increases the risk of autism spectrum disorder, ADHD or intellectual disability among children, the MHRA has reaffirmed that paracetamol continues to be the safest option for managing pain and fever during pregnancy.
Dr Alison Cave, Chief Safety Officer at the MHRA, said: “Paracetamol remains safe to use during pregnancy. This large-scale analysis of the evidence found no link between taking paracetamol during pregnancy and autism, ADHD, or disability in children.
“Paracetamol has been used for many years and is the recommended first choice for treating pain or fever during pregnancy. When taken as directed, it is safe and effective.
“As with all medicines, pregnant women should speak to their doctor, pharmacist or midwife if they have any questions, and follow the guidance provided with the medicine.”
Paracetamol is recommended as the first-choice painkiller for pregnant women, used at the lowest dose and for the shortest duration.
If pain does not resolve, then patients are advised to seek advice from their healthcare professional.
January often arrives with a wave of “new year, new you” messages – promises of miracle diets, detoxes, and overnight transformations. But what if, instead of leaning into strict restrictions, we embrace small steps and consistency? Because let’s face it, slow and steady always wins the race (well, the marathon at least)!
In this months Healthy Tip Amie Leckie, Registered Nutritional Therapist and Health & Wellbeing Specialist at Heart Research UK offers up her top five ways to eat better this year, not just for January, but all the way through to December and beyond!
Optimal health doesn’t happen overnight, it’s a slow and steady journey that requires small, consistent changes. The five strategies below aren’t rocket science, and you won’t need a degree in nutrition to understand them – it’s simple, back-to-basics stuff that doesn’t require any special supplements or equipment. If you are struggling with your health and want 2026 to be the year you finally tackle it, start with these five simple things and be consistent – you’ll be surprised with the results you achieve.
And whatever your nutrition goals are this year, we’ve got you covered with five delicious Daily Meal Plans to help get you started on the right foot.
Cook From Scratch
Cooking more things at home is one of the best things you can do for overall health. When we cook at home, we have complete control over the ingredients used. This allows us to avoid unhealthy additives, preservatives, and unhealthy fats commonly found in processed foods.
In addition, foods prepared from fresh ingredients are usually richer in essential nutrients compared to highly processed foods. Vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants found in whole foods are often lost or decreased during processing – by cooking from scratch, we ensure our bodies receive the full spectrum of nutrients necessary for optimal function.
If you currently eat a lot of processed foods such as ready meals, instant soups, frozen pizzas and flavoured yoghurts, start by committing to cook from scratch a few meals or days per week – slowly build up until processed foods form only a small part of your diet.
Batch Cook/Prep
One of the biggest barriers to consistently eating well is time, or lack of. When days or even weeks get busy, despite our best intentions, we often reach for quick, easy options and these usually aren’t the healthiest.
Amie Leckie, Health & Wellbeing Specialist says: “Setting aside a couple of hours each week to batch cook a few meals and organise snacks for the week ahead really can be a game changer.
“If you have carrot sticks and melon slices waiting for you in the fridge, it will be much easier to snack on those over crisps.”
Sunday afternoon is a good time, go shopping and get cooking – things like a batch of soup for lunches, hummus and veg sticks for snacks, boiled eggs for breakfast and a couple of batch cooked evening meals like curries or a veggie-packed lasagne are great options.
Even if you don’t want to cook the whole meal ahead of time, you can chop veggies, mix spices or marinate meats and fish – do whatever you can ahead of time to make the week run smoother.
Snack on Veggies
We all know that eating more vegetables is good for our overall health as well as our cardiovascular health, but without adding them into our days as snacks it can be hard to consume as much as we need.
All adults should be consuming at least 30g of fibre per day, but only about 4% of adults in the UK meet this recommendation. Upping your vegetable intake is a great way to add more fibre – raw veggies make great snacks that can be prepared in advance. Carrots, celery, cucumber, peppers, cherry tomatoes and sugar snap peas make great options.
If the thought of snacking on plain veggies isn’t for you, why not try some of our heart healthy dips to make those humble vegetables more appealing?
Hydration is an essential part of nutrition and can either help or hinder your heart’s ability to work effectively. Studies have found that being adequately hydrated is associated with reduced long-term risks for heart diseases.
Did you know that over 66% of the UK population doesn’t drink enough water?
Amie says: “Every single cell in our body needs water to function optimally, its such a simple, yet often overlooked part of the health puzzle.
“If you are even moderately dehydrated it can impact your energy levels, cause brain fog and leaving feeling all-round rubbish.”
Most adults need to drink about 1.5-2 litres of fluids per day (milk and herbal teas count too!), you can download our 30-Day Hydration Tracker to help you keep track of this.
Meal Plan
Meal planning links in with batch cooking and prepping. Taking time each week to write down what meals you will eat each day will take away the decisions during the week making it less likely you’ll end up ordering a takeaway.
What’s more, you can plan your meals based on your goals – for example, if you are aiming to loose weight, plan high protein meals that will help keep you feeling fuller for longer, making it easier and more enjoyable for you to cut calories.
Amie suggests: “One of my favourite strategies is to meal plan very well once and never do it again. Make two or three weeks’ worth of meal plans, with accompanying shopping lists and then alternate the weeks.
“Three weeks is a long enough time that you’ll get in a variety of meals so you won’t be bored, and you can swap out the odd meal here and there when you find a new recipe you enjoy – spend some time doing it upfront and save the headaches every week!”
Heart Research UK Daily Meal Plans.
Each plan focuses on a key dietary principle that supports heart health, so you can choose what fits your goals and lifestyle.
Whether you want to boost your protein, add more fibre, eat more plants, or simply find healthier ways to celebrate, these plans are here to help you start the year strong.
Pick one that speaks to your goals or try a different one each week to explore new flavours and habits.
You might be surprised at how quickly “eating well” starts to feel like a joy, not a chore: download them now.
The National Autistic Society Scotland is calling for real change for autistic people, ahead of the Scottish Parliament election in May.
The new campaign calls on the next Scottish Government to introduce the Learning Disabilities, Autism and Neurodivergence (LDAN) Bill to parliament as soon as possible.
Autistic people in Scotland are waiting months, if not years, for an assessment and experience poorer health outcomes than the general population. At school, autistic pupils face exclusion and isolation due to lack of support, and in community settings autistic people face discrimination stemming from a lack of understanding and access to services.
The campaign is split into four key areas: diagnosis and support; accessible healthcare; support in schools; and inclusive communities. The LDAN Bill can play a transformative role in each of these areas by introducing national and local plans to tackle waiting lists, introducing mandatory training in healthcare and education, and addressing a glaring lack of accountability in the public services and systems meant to support autistic people in Scotland.
Rob Holland, Director of the National Autistic Society Scotland, said:‘Too often we hear from autistic people and families that do not have the support they need to live fulfilled lives on their terms, and who are continually being driven into crisis.
“Despite many good laws, strategies and policies in Scotland, there remains a gap between the support people should receive and what they actually receive, whether in school, social care, healthcare or employment.
“The importance of the Learning Disabilities, Autism and Neurodivergence Bill in tackling the inequalities faced by autistic people and their families cannot be underestimated. It is a vital opportunity to address systematic injustices and to improve outcomes for autistic people of all ages, and that is why we are calling on all political parties to commit to introducing the Bill in Government.”
Becca, NAS Campaigner, said: “We must be allowed to have equal access and opportunity. We are not a burden on society. We are useful, we are intelligent, we are creative. We are inspiring. We are contributors.
“We must be allowed the chance to belong, the chance to make a difference, to be educated and be educators, to be validated, taken seriously. We must be allowed to live in a fair and just society where we are not discriminated against and where we have the chance to live our lives fully and freely.
“The LDAN bill will give autistic and neurodivergent people a chance to be involved in a fairer society. It will decrease the amount of discrimination and invalidation by making people aware, trained and knowledgeable.
“It will increase independence and choice, helping people to feel they are active in the decisions that affect their own lives whilst also receiving valuable support.”
You can read more about the campaign on the NAS website.
Workforce pressures, resource constraints and severe overcrowding are exacerbating issues related to substance misuse in Scotland’s prisons, says the Criminal Justice Committee.
The Committee’s inquiry into substance misuse in prisons looked at how substances enter Scotland’s prison estate, the impact of substances in prisons, and rehabilitation and support services.
The Committee found that substance misuse in custody remains a systemic challenge across the prison estate, and reflects deep-rooted societal issues such as poverty, trauma, inequality and mental ill-health. It says systemic reform which treats substance misuse in Scotland’s prisons as a public health issue, not a justice one, is essential to tackle it effectively.
Evidence is highlighted by the Committee of prison healthcare teams often operating under pressures that would be deemed unacceptable in community settings, including chronic understaffing, limited clinical space, high levels of acuity, and inadequate digital infrastructure.
The Committee say persistent and extreme overcrowding in prisons also acts as a major barrier to preventing substance misuse issues and providing effective care.
Highlighting the variations in healthcare provision between NHS Boards and wider health system failings, the Committee say that without significant improvement to the capacity, governance and integration of health and social care services for people in custody, prisons will struggle to absorb unmet clinical needs.
On supply and security, the Committee found that total prohibition is unrealistic in an era of synthetic cannabinoids and nitazenes, and that organised-crime networks continue to exploit vulnerabilities in the prison environment.
Although improved technology and the use of window grilles can limit supply, the Committee say success must be measured by reductions in harm and demand, not simply by the number of seizures.
Mental-health care is an area of particular concern to the Committee and the report highlights evidence of inconsistent access across the prison estate. The Committee is calling for parity between custody and community services to reduce harm and improve post-release outcomes.
The Committee say data gaps limit understanding of the true scale of the harm of substance misuse in prisons and the effectiveness of interventions, and more must be done to improve data transparency and evaluation.
The vital importance of the transition from prison to the community for individuals dealing with substance misuse is highlighted in the report. The Committee say the period after release poses the highest risk of overdose and death and that every individual should leave custody with an integrated, person-centred release plan, including verified prescriptions, housing, and GP registration.
The significant emotional and psychological strain prison officers, healthcare staff, and voluntary-sector partners face is also highlighted. The Committee say increased support and a trauma-informed approach must apply to staff as well as those in custody.
This inquiry has highlighted that tackling substance misuse requires a whole-system approach. The Committee has agreed to continue working with justice partners, health services, and communities to deliver meaningful change.
Criminal Justice Committee Convener, Audrey Nicoll MSP, said:“Our inquiry illustrates clearly that substance misuse in Scotland’s prisons is not simply a justice issue, it is a public health one and can only be tackled effectively by being treated as such.
“The evidence we have gathered reveals a prison system and staff under extreme pressure, with issues such as under-resourced services and overcrowding exacerbating the myriad impacts of substance misuse in prisons. The goal is clear: to break the cycle of addiction and reoffending, and to protect lives.
“It’s clear more must be done to reduce pressure on the workforce and reduce overcrowding, and ensure adequate resourcing of services, particularly specialist staff – all of which are vital to tackle substance misuse in prisons.
“But these issues cannot be understood in isolation from the broader social determinants of health and justice. Systemic reform which prioritises recovery, rehabilitation, and reintegration is essential in order to begin to tackle the complex and intertwined issues related to substance misuse.
“Our Committee is determined that this inquiry is not the endpoint of scrutiny, but the foundation for continuing parliamentary oversight of progress in reducing drug and alcohol harms in custody and improving outcomes for individuals.
“The Committee recognises the extraordinary efforts of prison officers, healthcare staff, and voluntary-sector partners who operate daily in difficult and often dangerous circumstances. We’d like to thank everyone who has engaged with our inquiry and informed our scrutiny.”
Investment will improve same-day access to urgent care
People will benefit from faster access to GP care as part of a £36 million investment announced in the Scottish Budget.
The funding will support the rollout of a new network of walk-in General Practice (GP) services, designed to make it easier for people to see GPs and other primary care clinicians quickly for urgent health concerns without needing an appointment.
Fifteen walk-in service centres will be established, with services focused on urgent, on-the-day primary care needs, similar to the care currently provided by GP out-of-hours services.
Services – which will be open 12pm-8pm, seven days per week – will allow people to attend without a prior appointment and will complement existing GP practices, NHS 24, community pharmacy, and hospitals.
Visiting the first future pilot site to be announced – Wester Hailes Healthy Living Centre – Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care Neil Gray said: “This £36 million investment will help more people get the right care, in the right place, at the right time. Walk-in services will make it easier to access urgent care on the day it’s needed, while easing pressure on GP practices and hospitals.
“Open seven days per week, between 12pm-8pm, our new walk-in centres will ensure people can get the care they need at a time that works for them – and will deliver over one million additional GP and nurse appointments.
“The funding for the walk-in services is just part of almost £22.5 billion allocated to health and social care, including a record £17.6 billion for NHS services and resources. Our continued investment in the NHS is allowing us to target areas which are experiencing long waits, reducing backlogs, and getting people the appointments and treatments they need as quickly as possible.
“I am determined to keep driving forward improvements so everyone can get the care they need, when they need it.”
Tracey McKigen, Director of Primary Care for NHS Lothian, said: “We are working closely with Wester Hailes Healthy Living Centre, the Edinburgh Health and Social Care partnership and the Scottish Government to shape proposals for piloting a new walk-in GP service.
“While plans are still being refined, we believe the new service will help improve access to primary care and complement existing local health services.”
In Scotland between October and March we do not get enough of the right kind of sunlight for our bodies to make Vitamin D.
People who are more likely to be deficient in Vitamin D are recommended to take a daily supplement all year round.
Those more at risk include:
infants and children under 5 years old
pregnant and breastfeeding women
people with low sun exposure, for example those who cover their skin for cultural reasons, are housebound, confined indoors for long periods or live in an institution
people from minority ethnic groups with dark skin such as those of African, African-Caribbean and south Asian origin, who require more sun exposure to make as much vitamin D
More information from Food Standards Scotland can be found here:
As January routines begin to settle and New Year motivation turns into lasting habits, Edinburgh Leisure is reminding Edinburgh residents that it’s not too late to get started, with a £0 Joining Fee offer available until 31st January 2026.
The limited-time promotion removes the upfront cost of joining and applies to a wide range of adult memberships, including Fitness, Gym, Fitness Class, Swim, Climb, Golf, Evolve and Young Adult memberships, helping more people take the first step or return to regular physical activity.
A New Year’s Offer Designed for Real Life
Rather than focusing on short-lived resolutions, Edinburgh Leisure’s January campaign encourages a more balanced approach to wellbeing, centred on small, sustainable habits that fit into everyday life.
With no joining fee and no contract, new members can explore activities at their own pace, supported by welcoming venues and expert teams across the city.
At the centre of the campaign is Edinburgh Leisure’s Full Fitness membership, which offers broad access to gyms, swimming pools and fitness classes across multiple venues – all included under one flexible monthly price.
More Choice Across the City
For those looking for variety, Edinburgh Leisure’s wider membership range provides access to climbing facilities, golf courses, specialist fitness spaces and swimming venues, allowing customers to choose the membership that best suits their interests and goals.
The Full Fitness membership now also includes access to Evolve Meadowbank, Edinburgh Leisure’s flagship hybrid gym and training space, adding even greater flexibility and choice for members looking to train in different ways.
Throughout January, members and new joiners are benefiting from a packed programme of activity, including January gym challenges, expanded Les Mills class timetables and Free Friend Week (19-25 January) – reinforcing the role of motivation, community and enjoyment in staying active.
Local Fitness, Close to Home
With a strong local focus, the campaign continues to highlight key venues such as Royal Commonwealth Pool, Edinburgh International Climbing Arena Ratho and many more, supporting communities where demand for accessible, affordable fitness remains high. Whether returning after a break or trying something new, Edinburgh Leisure offers inclusive spaces for all ages, abilities and experience levels.
Join Before January Ends
With only weeks remaining to take advantage of the £0 Joining Fee offer, Edinburgh Leisure is encouraging anyone still considering joining to act before the end of January and carry their New Year momentum into the months ahead.Offer valid until 31st January 2026.
The RCN says the practice must end urgently, as testimony from members shows its damaging effects
Corridor care has become such a permanent fixture in NHS hospitals that nursing staff are in danger of “losing all hope”, with collapsing care standards devastating morale, according to new testimony from nursing staff.
The Royal College of Nursing is reiterating its call for urgent, fully funded action plans to eradicate the practice, including investment in beds, the nursing workforce, community services and social care.
Nursing staff say the lack of action by governments has left them feeling “ashamed”, “angry”, and “embarrassed” about the unsafe, undignified care they are forced to deliver to patients.
The RCN is aware of a worsening picture this week as hospitals declare critical incidents and is encouraging members to raise any concerns about patient or staff safety. Read on to find out how we can offer practical support.
Our members report shocking examples of a patient being left in a chair for four days, while another patient died after choking undetected in a corridor.
Nursing staff have also resorted to holding up sheets to protect patient dignity when performing intimate procedures, with a corridor in one hospital so tightly packed that an elderly patient was left to eat next to someone vomiting.
One nurse in the south of England said: “We would not treat animals like this in a veterinary practice, so why in a hospital?”
Another, working in an NHS board in Scotland, told us: “It’s very stressful and distressing at times. There’s a sense of frustration and hopelessness.”
A mental health nurse in Wales said corridor care is a “regular occurrence”, with staff having to increase monitoring because unsecured corridors contain objects and fittings that raise the risk of self‑harm and suicide.
A nurse in Northern Ireland said: “I’ve had resuscitation attempts in the waiting room and corridor due to no capacity. It is inhuman and undignified.”
Practical support for nursing staff
If corridor care is happening at your workplace, it’s important to raise your concerns. Find out more in our raising concerns toolkit and get information on RCN support available from member support services.
We believe this latest testimony shows the unacceptable practice of corridor care is spreading beyond emergency departments, including acute assessment units, respiratory wards, surgical wards and elderly care wards.
Professor Nicola Ranger, RCN General Secretary and Chief Executive, said: “This new testimony from nursing staff reveals once again the devastating human consequences of corridor care, with patients forced to endure conditions which have no place in our NHS.”
As a result of our pressure, the Westminster government committed to publishing data on incidences of corridor care in England in February 2025, but so far has failed to do so.
The HSSIB – the patient safety investigation body for England – released a report in January 2026 on the widespread and normalised nature of corridor care, highlighting that some trusts are reportedly installing call bells and plug sockets in corridors.
As many as two in 10 (18%) UK adults have witnessed NHS care in non-clinical spaces such as a corridor in the last six months, according to new YouGov public polling. Further RCN analysis shows that when looking at only those who accessed care, the figure is more than one in three (37%).
The polling also shows the public want faster action on the issue, with seven in 10 (69%) of respondents in England saying Health Secretary Wes Streeting’s pledge to eradicate the practice by the end of parliament is “too slow”.
“The fact remains that there can be no safe, dignified care delivered in a corridor, store room or dining room, but that has become the norm,” Nicola added.
“It’s taking a terrible toll on staff, but ministers mustn’t allow them to lose hope. Decisive action can restore care standards and stop staff morale collapsing past the point of no return.
“Now is the time for ministers to stop dragging their feet and publish the data, alongside announcing a fully funded action plan and timeline for eradication.”
We want to thank our members who have raised their voices on corridor care to show why this issue matters and why it demands urgent action.
RCEM: Nurses’ corridor care testimonies ‘distressing, damning’
NURSE: ‘CONDITIONS ARE A TYPE OF TORTURE’
The Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) has described new testimony from nurses about the state of corridor care across the UK as ‘distressing, damning and exactly what we see every single day in our departments’.
And the College says this reinforces the need to address this crisis.
More than 430 nurses described the conditions they are working in and what patients are enduring in a survey conducted by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), that has been published today (15 January 2026).
Just some examples shared include how a nurse witnessed a patient left in a chair for four days, a patient dying after choking undetected in a corridor and nurses holding up sheets to try and protect the dignity of a patient while they underwent an intimate procedure.
One nurse went as far as saying the conditions are “a type of torture”.
Their accounts were gathered between 2 January and 9 January 2026, revealing nursing staff are treating patients in cold corridors, dining rooms, staff kitchens and offices.
The experiences of nurses build on and updates the RCN’s report published this week last year, titled ‘On the frontline of the UK’s corridor care crisis’.
Dr Ian Higginson, President of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine said: “This work by the Royal College of Nursing makes for incredibly tough reading. It’s distressing, damning and exactly what we see every single day in our departments.
“These deeply personal testimonies aren’t just stories – it’s the daily reality for patients and their nurses, who work alongside our members and their colleagues in Emergency Departments.
“Last year, when RCN released their first report on corridor care, we said that it must represent a watershed moment for the government, a line in the sand. Yet, 365 days on, the nurses voices show our patients are still in corridors, and there is no credible plan to get them out.
“So called ‘corridor care’ takes an immense toll on patients, who will be facing long waits in these conditions. And it takes an immense toll on our clinicians who are trying their upmost best to deliver quality care in these conditions.
“Our patients are being forced to endure these conditions, often for hours, if not days, because hospitals are full to bursting. We can’t move patients out of our departments, and into wards, because there are no available beds for them.
“Those beds are often taken up by patients who have experienced delays in their care, and who no longer need to be in hospital, but can’t leave, because of the lack of social care options.”
The new report also contains public polling which found:
As many as two in ten (18%) UK adults have witnessed care being delivered in a corridor or other non-clinical spaces in the last six months.
88% of respondents across the UK said tackling unsafe care is an urgent priority
Meanwhile in England, 69% said Wes Streeting’s pledge to end corridor care by the end of parliament is too slow.
Dr Higginson said: “Nurses have given their verdict loud and clear. So too have our members, and the public – they all want the crisis in EDs tackled with urgency.
“The Health Secretary said this week the government is ‘determined to consign corridor care to the history books’ and has committed to ending corridor care by the end of 2029. We welcome this. This problem can’t be solved quickly. It has been years in the making. But we do need a credible plan that starts now.
“We look forward to working with the government, and healthcare leaders, to implement meaningful solutions, many of which lie outside the walls of our EDs.”
It comes after the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Emergency Care last year published a report, compiled by the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, on corridor care. It found almost one in five patients in EDs were being cared for in trolleys or chairs in corridors in England during summer.
The UK’s first safer drug consumption facility, known as The Thistle, marks its first year in operation on 13 January 2026.
Since opening, 575 individuals have registered to use and access services provided within the facility.
The Thistle offers drug users a clean and safe environment in which to inject drugs, obtained elsewhere, under the supervision of nursing and social care staff, as well as access to other health and treatment services.
The facility has been accessed 11,348 times by the 575 people (448 male 127 female) who have so far registered to use the service.
There have been 7,827 injections, with 93 medical emergencies all safely managed within the facility by staff.
Councillor Allan Casey, City Convener for Workforce, Homelessness and Addictions, said the first year has been remarkable and hopes the services continue to be well used.He said: “The first year has been very encouraging.
“People are engaging with the service and trusting it as a safe space. Each of these 10,000 visits represents an opportunity to reduce harm, connect individuals with support, and ultimately save lives.
“We know there is still much to do, but what we are seeing from the first-year data is the real impact of a compassionate, evidence-based approach to this public health emergency and reinforces why progressive policies matter and why Glasgow continues to lead the way in tackling complex challenges with practical solutions.”
The Scottish Government has committed to making up to £2.3 million available per year for the development, set up and running of The Thistle service in Glasgow from 2024/25 which will continue to be overseen by Glasgow City Integration Joint Board.
Drugs and Alcohol Policy Minister Maree Todd said: “The Thistle, which complements other harm-reduction and treatment and recovery services, has had a profound impact in its first year.
“Through the ability of staff to respond quickly in the event of an overdose it has undoubtedly saved lives. Backed by £2.3 million in Scottish Government funding, it continues to demonstrate the value of an evidence-based approach to safeguarding life and reducing drug-related harm.
“I would like to thank all staff and partners for their work in establishing the service, working with some of the most vulnerable people in our society to help save and improve lives, and their continuing efforts to support and engage with the local community.”
Prior to opening, the Glasgow Health and Social Care Partnership (GHSCP) carried out extensive engagement with the community, stakeholders and businesses.
Pat Togher, Chief Officer for the GHSCP with overall responsibility for the service, expressed his gratitude for the staff at the Thistle.He said: “The progress in the first year of the Thistle commencing has exceeded expectations and is testament to the commitment from all concerned, including the important role of lived and living experience in helping shape the service.
“As the first of its kind in the UK, the Thistle service has, as expected, been the focus of much media and public attention and we strive to ensure our communication and engagement remains a key priority.
“Staff from a range of health and care services are involved in helping people who use the Thistle get the support they need when they need it and we remain keen to develop this.”
Dr Saket Priyadarshi, Associate Medical Director and Senior Medical Officer for Glasgow Alcohol and Drug Recovery Services,said: “We are delighted with how well the Thistle is being used.
“The service has exceeded any expectations we had for the first 12 months. It has been great to see service users engaging with the wider services from showers and clothing to referral for treatment and care. I would like to thank our colleagues delivering the service safely and effectively on a daily basis.
“The rising numbers in recent months is a positive sign and is promising for the year ahead, as well as our plans to progress a smoking/inhalation space in the facility.”
The Thistle is a three-year pilot. It will be monitored and evaluated to demonstrate the impact it has on the local area and those who use the service. The evaluation will look at various aspects including litter levels, discarded needles, anti-social behaviour and crime.
