GPs and health professionals in Scotland can now get a free one-hour training session on the diagnosis and management of M.E./CFS. This module, based on ten case studies, also supports the management of Long Covid symptoms.
Action for M.E. is very excited to launch a new partnership project in Scotland: Learn about M.E. – the M.E./CFS Professional Development Project in Scotland.
This project is a partnership between Action for M.E., The M.E. Association, #MEAction Scotland, The 25% Group and Dr. Nina Muirhead. Dr Muirhead, who developed a free online Continuing Professional Development (CPD) module in partnership with the UK CFS/M.E. Research Collaborative (CMRC,) became ill with M.E./CFS in 2016.
Dr. Muirhead said: “Only after I developed M.E. myself did I realize that I had not understood the illness. Feeling the devastating impact of M.E. on myself and my life I felt determined to offer something that changed that experience for other people.”
Many people with M.E. face disbelief and stigma around their illness and do not receive the appropriate care and support they need. This project provides vital information to GPs and Health Professionals in Scotland to assist them to diagnose and manage the symptoms of M.E./CFS. This module is also likely to be applicable to a subset of COVID patients who may develop post viral M.E./CFS and could be harmed by inappropriate advice to exercise.
There are around 20,000 adults and children living with M.E. in Scotland.
Action for M.E.’s Big Survey 2019 found that over 35% of respondents who live with M.E. in Scotland were not at all confident that their GP understood their condition. In addition, only 7% of children and young people and 16% of adults are obtaining a diagnosis within the current NICE and Scottish Good Practice Statement on ME-CFS guideline timescale of three months and four months respectively. Almost one in five adults (18%) waited more than six years for a diagnosis.
This training module on M.E./CFS will improve knowledge of the illness; reduce delays to diagnosis, reduce the likelihood of multiple unnecessary referrals and investigations and the potential for harm for people with M.E.
General Practitioners, Medical students and Allied Health Professionals will receive 1 hour CPD upon successful completion of the course.
The Scottish Government’s Neurological Framework funding is supporting the project to improve knowledge relating to diagnosis and management of M.E./CFS. Dr. Nina Muirhead is developing a complementary podcast and short opinion pieces to support dissemination and take up in Scotland.
Doctors are urging employers to plan for the effects of Long COVID now as cases continue to grow. Without planning how to manage the condition in advance, employers risk being left with big staffing problems.
“The Medical profession knows about post viral syndromes, but the potential scale and complexity of Long COVID is presenting new challenges” says Dr. Greg Irons MBChB MFOM, an occupational health specialist practising in London.
“The UK Government’s Office for National Statistics published data last November showing that around one in five people who tested positive for COVID-19 had symptoms that lasted for 5 weeks or longer – and one in ten people had symptoms that lasted for 12 weeks or longer” he said.
One large study recently published in The Lancet following 1,733 adults in Wuhan who were recovering from COVID found 76% of patients reported at least one post-viral symptom. More than 50% showed chest problems on scans. Other studies have shown many patients had lingering lung problems three-months after infection.
Considering that approaching 4 million people in the UK have tested positive so far (and the true number of infections is likely to be higher), employers are potentially looking at a significant number of Long COVID cases within the UK workforce.
Difficult to Prove
It is likely to be challenging for employers and doctors to navigate the complexities of Long COVID. Unless a PCR swab test was taken (and gave a positive result) at the time of infection, or specific (highly accurate) antibody testing was done in the weeks soon after, it is difficult to prove if an employee has had COVID-19 or not.
Importantly, a negative result from an antibody test does not mean an employee has not had COVID-19. Over time, antibody levels may have depleted and become undetectable. Consequently, it can be impossible to definitively confirm if an employee has had COVID-19 in the past.
Because the diagnosis is subjective and the symptoms are varied, Long COVID is reminiscent of other chronic conditions, which can also be challenging for employers to manage. Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME) and some types of chronic back pain are just some examples.
There is no definitive guide for exactly how long it may take to fully recover from Long COVID. Recovery times can be different for every patient, although symptoms usually resolve within 12 weeks for most people. This will present difficulties for employers.
As far as is understood, the chances of developing Long COVID are not thought to be linked to the severity of the initial infection. Some patients report long-term problems, although were not hospitalised during the initial infection. New or ongoing symptoms can occur and can also change dramatically at any time.
Psychological & Physical Repercussions
Many patients are reporting psychological or cognitive concerns following infection, sometimes long after they have recovered.
Mike Battista, Staff Scientist at Cambridge Brain Sciences, the online platform for assessing cognitive function says: “With COVID-19, the severity of cognitive impairments can vary widely from person to person.
“Traditional methods of measuring those problems are usually a one-off binary decision: is someone severely impaired or not? Clinicians are much better served by a continuous measure of cognitive capacity to track subtle changes over time.”
However, assessing the physical elements of Long COVID can also be very difficult. Physiotherapy can certainly help, although rehabilitation is likely to require care and support from many different medical disciplines. That is not always a straightforward process.
Consequently, rehabilitation from Long COVID may involve a multi-disciplinary approach. That can take time and requires employee consent. Primary Care, Occupational Health, Respiratory Physiotherapy and other services are likely be involved. This may well require significant patience and co-ordination, especially if it is led by an employer.
“Just because an employee has a long-term medical condition, it does not mean an employer has no options” says Magnus Kauders, Managing Director of Occupational Health Assessment Ltd, a nationwide occupational health provider. “Rehabilitation can be time consuming and tricky, but it can be done” he said.
“As a last recourse, the capability channel will remain available for employers. However, that will usually require professional insight, at the very least support from occupational health and probably specialist legal support”, he continued.
Clinicians are already suggesting that the future support for Long COVID recovery will involve a much more nuanced approached than historical approaches to rehabilitation.
It will also involve cutting-edge tools providing doctors and employers with an objective evaluation of each patient’s progress at every stage of their rehabilitation.
Although these tools to support rehabilitation are there, it still may not be an easy path for employers. “It is likely to require physical, psychological, biological and social support, possibly for many years to come” says Dr. Irons.
A coalition of major health organisations have joined forces in a joint letter to urge the government to keep the £20 uplift to universal credit and extend the same support to those on legacy benefits.
The group, which includes leading royal colleges and health bodies, says that without the £20 uplift, millions of families will be swept into poverty with the result being a reduction in the health, wellbeing, and life chances of children and young people for decades to come.
The letter stresses that we must view the investment in the social security system as an investment in the nation’s health, and cutting the uplift will result in deepening health inequalities, hitting the most vulnerable.
Commenting on the publication of the letter, Dr Hazel McLaughlin, President of the British Psychological Society, which coordinated the letter, said: “Today’s letter is the first time a coalition of health bodies and organisations have joined forces to urge the government to keep the £20 uplift to universal credit, a lifeline for so many families during this pandemic.
“As organisations working across health and care, we know the links between poverty and poor physical and mental health. Without investment in the health and wellbeing of our nation, particularly those on the lowest incomes, the pandemic threatens to entrench health inequalities for generations to come.
“In this challenging time, together we call for the government to extend the uplift to bring security to the most vulnerable when they need it most.”
The letter reads:
Dear Prime Minister
Ahead of the Spring Budget we are writing to collective collectively to urge you to make the temporary £20/week increase to the standard allowance of Universal Credit and Working Tax Credit permanent from April, and address the inequality that currently exists by providing the same uplift to Employment and Support Allowance, Income Support and Jobseeker’s Allowance.
As organisations working across health and care, we see the irrefutable evidence that poverty has significant negative impacts on individuals, their families and society more widely. This uplift in Universal Credit has been a lifeline for many people in supporting them through the pandemic, it is crucial that this is maintained as the country seeks to recover from its impacts.
This investment in our social security system is also an investment in our nation’s health, ensuring many of those on the lowest incomes have access to essentials like food or heating. In a year marked by worry and uncertainty, the uplift has been a preventative lifeline keeping many afloat, protecting them from financial instability, debt and worsening mental health.
By April 2021, if the uplift is discontinued, this good work risks being immediately undermined. Overnight, 6.2 million families will face a £1,040 a year cut to their income. Based on modelling by Joseph Rowntree Foundation, this will result in 700,000 more people being pulled into poverty, including 300,000 children. There is an established link between poverty and poor health, which is worsening in the face of Covid-19. The excess mortality rates in the most socioeconomically deprived areas due to the virus is proof of this. We are therefore urging you to make the uplift permanent and to continue to support a recovery that puts health and flourishing at its heart.
The Government’s commitment to invest in jobs, skills and infrastructure is a welcome and a necessary part of boosting opportunity. But without an equal emphasis on the health of those on the lowest incomes, this threatens to exacerbate and entrench health inequalities across the UK. Removing the £20 uplift will cut families adrift, forcing them to confront mounting bills and reducing participation in rebuilding their communities.
We cannot plan for the UK’s economic recovery only to face another escalating health crisis for those on the lowest incomes. The impact of millions of families being swept into poverty will be a reduction in the health, wellbeing, and life chances of children and young people for decades to come.
Meanwhile, more than two million people on legacy benefits, most of whom are disabled people and people with long-term mental and physical health conditions, have not been offered the same lifeline. Many of these people are at greater risk from Covid-19, and are taking more extreme and prolonged measures, to protect themselves. This not only increases their living costs, but intensifies their mental and physical strain which in turn worsens health. We urge you to ensure that the full support of this lifeline is extended to those on legacy benefits.
We have recently welcomed what seems to be strong consensus against cutting this lifeline in the middle of a recession. However, we have been concerned of rumours of short-term extensions or one-off payments which would be insufficient and ineffective. We believe making the uplift permanent would be a worthwhile and sensible investment, and strongly urge the Government to keep doing the right thing, keep families afloat and keep the lifeline.
Signed,
Association of Directors of Public Health
British Association of Social Workers
British Psychological Society
Faculty of Public Health
Institute of Health Equity
Mind
Royal College of General Practitioners
Royal College of Nursing
Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
Royal College of Psychiatrists
Royal Society of Public Health
The Association of Mental Health Providers
The Mental Health Network of the NHS Confederation
Local vaccination figures show that 80,066 people have been vaccinated in NHS Lothian, equivalent to 10.6% of the population over the age of 16.
Last week NHS Lothian said the Scottish Government vaccination figures were invalid, because they did not include vaccinations that had happened at GP practices in NHS Lothian.
At the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday Health Secretary Jeane Freeman admitted that “we do need to vaccinate faster in Scotland than we have been doing.”
Scotland is lagging behind the rest of the UK in the number of people vaccinated so far, with SNP Ministers rearranging their target for all over 70s to receive a letter to be vaccinated by the end of last week, to end of this week.
The delivery of vaccines to GP practices has been highlighted as a crucial area where the delivery of the vaccines is being held up, with GP practices limited to 100 vaccines doses a week.
Lothian MSP, Miles Briggs, said:“It is worrying that SNP Ministers are lagging behind other parts of the United Kingdom in the Covid-19 vaccine rollout.
“An efficient vaccination rollout is vital for protecting elderly and at risk people from Covid-19, but also so that our schools can fully reopen and businesses get going again.
“Every day that the vaccinations rollout is delayed is another day where pupils aren’t able to get back to school and businesses won’t be making any income.
“In NHS Lothian it is not clear whether GP practice vaccination numbers have been included in the total, and it is very concerning that SNP Ministers don’t know how many people have been vaccinated.”
The Conservative Lothians list MSP also expressed concern over Accident and Emergency waiting times figures released on Tuesday.
They revealed that 83.4% of patients were seen within the 4 hour waiting time target at A&E departments in Lothian, for the December 2020, the latest figures available.
The figure seen within 4 hours is comparable to December 2019, when 80.4% of patients were seen within the 4 hour standard in NHS Lothian, despite attendance dropping from 23,724 to 16,916.
The Royal College of Emergency Medicine warned that staff had been working relentlessly for 11 months and “Studies have shown many have face psychological distress, stress and even PTSD as a result of the pandemic.
Lothian MSP has called on SNP Ministers to step up their efforts to support NHS Lothian frontline staff, and said they that SNP Ministers have not done enough, despite unprecedented funding from the UK government to overcome Covid-19.
Mr Briggs said that members of the public also have a role to play in alleviating pressure on NHS services.
Lothian MSP, Miles Briggs, said:“NHS Lothian frontline staff have been working flat out to overcome Covid-19 for almost a year and we must all do everything we can to alleviate pressure on them as the Covid-19 vaccines is rolled out.
“It is important that people still go to A&E if they have an emergency, and not be put off by Covid-19, but people must make an appointment with their GP if they have a condition which doesn’t need immediate medical attention.”
“SNP Ministers have not done enough to support NHS Lothian frontline staff, despite record funding from the UK Government, with waiting times growing for A&E despite fewer people attending.
“Keeping socially distanced and following Covid-19 rules is crucial for a bit longer, as the vaccines is rolled out, so that our NHS doesn’t get overwhelmed.”
The highest number of vaccinations in one day was recorded on Wednesday: 45,085 people had a jab, taking the total of those who have had a first injection to 694,347.
Gallery showcases Queen Elizabeth staff at the heart of delivering care during pandemic
Within the atrium of the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) we have a gallery which pays tribute to the many staff working across the hospital site to look after patients during this difficult time.
Here, we’ve collated some of the images from the ‘Caught in the act of Care’ exhibition alongside some of quotes from staff on what it’s like to work during the pandemic.
Kate Hill, Acute Services Practice Development Nurse “It is a really challenging and difficult situation for all staff in NHS, however, they have worked collaboratively to provide excellent care for patients.”
Anne Watson, Specialist Physiotherapist, Orthopaedics and Emma Brough, Physiotherapist Anne Watson quoted: “It’s been a really tough time but our team has worked extremely well together to support not only our patients but each other.”
Scott Boardman, Domestic services “I feel the patients are like a second family as I am the only visitor some get on daily basis due to no visitors in current climate. I have a lot of long term patients who I enjoy having a bit of banter to pass the time of day and to put a smile on their faces.”
Rachael Matthews, Speech and Language Therapist “It’s been a challenging time but hopefully there’s light at the end of the tunnel now. Keep following the rules as we want you to be able to visit your loved ones as soon as possible.”
Graeme Condie, Travel Plan officer, Travel plan office “Despite the additional pressures and workload during the pandemic, a real positive for our department has been the increase in appetite from a wide range of staff to move towards a more sustainable form of regular travel to their work.”
Amy Wood, Staff Nurse, Orthopaedics (now moved to community) “The uncertainty was difficult, especially at the start when everything changed so quickly. Everyone pulled together and supported each other though, which was great to be a part of.”
Coalition of Care and Support Providers welcome Independent Review of Adult Social Care in Scotland
CCPS(Coalition of Care and Support Providers) has welcomed the publication of the Independent Review of Adult Social Care in Scotland and its call for a renewed purpose for social care with human rights at its heart.
CCPS are delighted by the commitment to a new narrative which replaces crisis with prevention and wellbeing, burden with investment, competition with collaboration and variation with fairness and equity.
We strongly endorse the call to put people front and centre of social care delivery – people who are supported by social care, their families and carers, and people who work in social care services.
We agree that Scotland already has strong foundations on which to build a National Care Service. We want to work with the Scottish Government, national and local stakeholders – including those who support people and people who are supported – to redesign the system to make the ambitions set out in the Review happen.
We wholeheartedly back the Review’s assertion of a duty to co-produce a new system with people who it is designed to support.
Over the coming weeks we will be working closely with our members to explore the Review’s recommendations in detail. As the membership body for third sector providers, we are especially interested in participating in the conversation about the Review’s recommendations on commissioning and procurement.
In 2020, we published our own contribution to that conversation, a series of Big Ideas about changing the way social care is planned, purchased, and paid for. We are grateful to the Review team for citing those ideas. In particular, we thank them for including as one of their recommendations, our suggestion to press pause on all current procurement in the context of a National Care Service, with a view to rapid, carefully planned implementation.
We agree with the Review team that implementation is the most significant challenge. Now is the moment for whole system change, hand in hand with the implementation of The Promise and the recommendations of the Social Renewal Advisory Board.
We would echo the Review Team’s own words – ‘If not now, when? If not this way, how? And if not us – who?’
Annie Gunner Logan, Chief Executive of CCPS said:“CCPS congratulates Derek Feeley and the Review team on completing a mammoth task in record time and their willingness to listen to many voices including those of providers and the people we support.
“Reform of social care in Scotland is long overdue. The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed fault lines which require radical overhaul and long-term change. It has also revealed what can be achieved when obstacles are removed in a crisis.
“We are heartened by the direction of travel set out in the Review. The challenge now must be to turn aspiration into implementation. Change is needed urgently but how it is achieved matters too.
“The debate about a National Care Service must not become a bunfight at the expense of those who provide social care and the people they support.
“The upcoming election period provides an opportunity to discuss the Review’s recommendations openly and widely. But when the votes have been counted, and Scotland gets down to the series business of design and implementation, their voices must be in every room, every step of the way.”
Responding to the publication of the Independent Review of Adult Social Care in Scotland Report yesterday, GMB Scotland’s Women’s Campaign Unit Organiser Rhea Wolfson said:“Scotland has a once in a generation opportunity to transform social care, if the recommendations of this report are underpinned by proper value for the workers who will deliver it.
“We are pleased the report acknowledges our campaign for a £15 an hour minimum wage in social care and we would stress to the government and the industry this is very achievable with collaboration and political will.
“The report is clear that if government and the industry invest properly in the sector and its people, the economic multiplier effects of social care spending could have transformative effects not just for workers’ pay and the quality of care, but for the equalities agenda and the wider economy.
“The COVID-19 pandemic ruthlessly exposed the long-standing crises in social care which everyone well understood, and for a workforce of mainly low-paid and often exploited women this has meant a chronic struggle for proper value and respect.
“After the crises and tragedy of the last eleven months, and with tough times still ahead of us, there is hope in these recommendations.
“If we are serious about what we really value as a society, then we have a chance to finally get the social care agenda right.”
Scottish Ensemble starts 2021 as it means to go on with the appointment of three new board members by chair Samantha Barber.
Scotland’s award-winning ensemble has been treating audiences both old and new to an array of digital content and collaborations since the global pandemic began and the appointment of three new board members carries their commitment to reaching new audiences and promoting mental wellbeing well into the future.
Together, the new appointments draw on expertise from the fields of digital/ technology, mental health, young people, tackling social disadvantage, strategy and governance and will help the ensemble continue to innovate at a time of ongoing uncertainty and change.
James McAulay, the CEO & Co-Founder of Encore – one of the world’s largest online booking platforms helping musicians earn money playing at events, concerts, weddings and recording sessions – joined the board in December 2020, as its youngest member to date.
Before starting Encore, James studied the cello at the Music School of Douglas Academy in Glasgow and led the NYOS cello section at their BBC Proms performance with Nicola Benedetti in 2012. James brings extensive digital expertise and a passion for strings and composition to the table.
Morag Burnett began her career in arts management and has since worked with international NGOs and foundations for over 20 years in Honduras, the Dominican Republic, New York, London, Mexico City and most recently Tbilisi, Georgia.
Morag is deputy chair of the innovative, London-based Lankelly Chase foundation, working to change systems that perpetuate disadvantage and she hopes to bring this experience into her new role.
Amy Woodhouse, currently Head of Policy, Projects and Participation for Children in Scotland, the national network organisation improving children’s lives, has a particular interest in how music, and the arts more widely, can be used to promote mental health and wellbeing and will join the board in March 2021.
She brings an understanding of mental health improvement and participatory approaches to the board.
Chair of Scottish Ensemble, Samantha Barber said:“We are truly delighted to welcome Amy, Morag and James to the Scottish Ensemble board. Together they bring skills and experience that we know to be of utmost importance as we enter 2021.
“These new appointments and all that they represent in terms of knowledge and know-how will enable us to remain resilient and continue innovating in the way for which we have become known. I know that all of my colleagues on the board and across the organisation will join me in wishing them a warm welcome; we look forward to their input and to exploring new ideas and perspectives over the coming year.”
In addition to the new board members, SE also announce that after over 14 years in various roles throughout the organisation, Lesley Paterson retires in 2021 having completed her full term as a board member.
And finally, Chief Executive Jenny Jamison will be heading off on maternity leave in March and William Norris of William Norris Arts Management will be stepping into her role, supported by the wider SE team.
Having previously held the post, among others, of Managing Director for Southbank Sinfonia and Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra (Toronto) William’s past work has explored innovative concert formats and looked at ways to reach new audiences and SE are delighted to welcome him to the team.
The British Dental Association has urged the Scottish Government to provide a clear safety net to protect students, universities and the future of patient care, as questions emerge of whether Scotland’s dental schools will graduate classes in 2021.
The COVID pandemic has limited the clinical experience of many dental undergraduates. In an open letter to Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport Jeane Freeman, and Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills John Swinney the BDA has warned action is needed to minimise wide-ranging impacts on the future of education, training and the sustainability of the NHS workforce.
The union has warned against saddling undergraduates with unmanageable debt. Scottish dental students can already expect to graduate with over £34,000 debt. An additional year of study could push it to over £40,000.
Dentist leaders have stressed that any changes will have an impact not just on this year’s graduating class, but on the shape and size of the 2021 intake.
The BDA is now calling on the Scottish Government to support any undergraduates who are required to take additional periods of study via an emergency bursary, to offer appropriate support for dental schools covering tuition fees where appropriate, teaching grant and clinical placement funding, and ongoing support for the network of NHS trainers who take on trainees following graduation.
Any disruption will have a significant impact on patient access. Graduate dentists are typically given higher needs patients to maximise their clinical experience during their vocational training. Longer-term this disruption may also translate into fewer qualified dentists entering the NHS workforce in years to come. The BDA has stressed any inaction will make the huge backlog facing Scotland’s dental services even more difficult to clear.
David McColl, Chair, British Dental Association’s Scottish Dental Practice Committee said: “What dental students across Scotland really need now is certainty. The Scottish Government must offer a safety net, which protects the next generation, supports our universities, and secures the future of patient care.
“Should these students be unable to graduate in 2021 it will have a serious impact on both the workforce and patients’ ability to access NHS services.
“The pipeline of health professionals should not be left at risk. We need to see a plan that guarantees graduates aren’t saddled with unmanageable debt, keeps schools viable, and ensures Scotland has the dentists it needs.”
– Accreditation and challenges available to help employers focus on health and wellbeing –
SCOTLAND’s walking charity and public health minister have jointly called on employers to empower staff to take daily walks within guidelines to boost physical and mental wellbeing.
With lockdown rules tightening and fewer reasons to leave the house, Paths for All believe regular exercise has never been more important to maintain both physical and mental wellbeing, especially for those working from home.
A study conducted by University College London has reported two-fifths of people say they are doing less exercise now than during the first lockdown back in March, with individuals stating they have found this period tougher than ever before.1
Now, the charity and new Public Health Minister Mairi Gougeon are asking employers to look at ways to enable their staff to take screen breaks, be more active and enjoy getting outdoors more during the working day.
The charity offers bespoke accreditation and challenges tailored to an organisations requirement to help get their workforce moving. The Walk at Work Award and Step Count Challenge both look to make walking fun and interactive by virtually connecting colleagues.
Under current restrictions, outdoor exercise is permitted, but individuals must walk alone, with their household, or can meet one other person from another household while distancing. Exercise should be planned to avoid busy areas.
Minister for Public Health and Sport Mairi Gougeon said: “The current restrictions, on top of shorter days and poor weather are all having an impact on our wellbeing at the moment. But taking a break from work to get some fresh air and get moving is one of the best ways to boost your mood, and keep fit.
“Right now it’s more important than ever to find time to focus on your health and wellbeing, and I’d encourage all employers to get involved and do what they can to support people. There are lots of creative ways to encourage home workers to stay physically active, such as introducing fun challenges or sharing resources.”
Firms are being encouraged to look into dedicated screen-free time initiatives such as a fake commute, whereby teams are encouraged to take exercise in the middle of the day in order to get their steps up throughout the working day.
Research has shown that physical activity helps to reduce anxiety and depression, and alleviate negative moods whilst improving self-esteem and cognitive function, with those who are active during their working day deemed as more productive.
Ian Findlay CBE, Chief Officer at Paths for All, said: “We must do what we can to keep Scotland moving, safely and responsibly, throughout this lockdown, to ward off potential mental and physical health crises.
“Walking helps boosts our mood, our fitness, our productivity and our relationships. At this moment in time, it’s a chance to take stock and appreciate our local communities’ walking routes.
“With most of the country working from home and exercise being one of the few essential reasons for leaving your home, it is the perfect time to get into walking to look after our physical, mental and social health.”
The Walk At Work Award is aimed to reverse the trend of inactive workplaces and the accreditation supports businesses in tackling issues of staff wellbeing and corporate carbon footprint, while enhancing productivity.
Employers receive one-to-one support on how to create a walking culture at work as well as examples of best practice and where to find extra help and resources
The Step Count Challenge is made up of teams of five and has one simple aim of encouraging people to walk more to feel happier and healthier, with participants having access to leader boards, goal setting and team chat to keep them motivated and connected.
Businesses can register a team of five for just £30 – and can customise their own challenges with tailored branding and personalised messaging.
Paths for All believes regular walking is key to leading a happy and healthy life, and it’s even more important for people to continue enjoying short, local walks where it is safe and appropriate to do so with to the huge array of associated benefits.
Paths for All’s focus is clear: it wants to get Scotland walking: everyone, every day, everywhere.
Age Scotland is seeking the views of older people in the first comprehensive survey of what it is like to grow older in Scotland.
The Big Survey explores all areas of life for older people including health and wellbeing, housing, media representation and the impact of Covid-19.
The national charity hopes to gain a better insight into what older people think, experience and care about. Survey responses will help prioritise its future campaigns and shape policy.
The Big Survey launches after an exceptionally challenging year for older people. This was the age group most severely affected by Covid. Older people were asked to shield, the overwhelming majority of deaths took place among the over 75s and care home residents faced months of separation from family and friends.
Lockdown has contributed to soaring levels of loneliness and the absence of regular exercise activities and sports has had an impact on physical fitness.
Age Scotland wants to hear from as many older people across Scotland as possible to find out what their lives are like now, what issues are important to them and their expectations of later life.
Brian Sloan, chief executive of Age Scotland, said: “We are pleased to be launching The Big Survey at such an opportune time. This has been a tumultuous time for older people and undoubtedly the past 12 months have had a profound impact across society.
“We want to hear how older people’s lives have been affected by Covid, what their expectations are now, how they want to live and what their requirements are for enjoying a fulfilling and happy later life.
“I would urge as many older people as possible to take part. Each and every response will be considered and they will help shape our policies and our work in the coming years.
“So please take the time to share your views and help us be there to support older people throughout Scotland in ways that make a real difference. We look forward to hearing from you.”
