Health and wellbeing – Page 253 – The NEN

Millions of used Covid-19 tests ‘piled high’

The UK’s testing capacity for Covid-19 may be helping to avert a further rise in case numbers – but the waste produced means a disposal disaster is looming.

According to Government figures, the UK is now testing over 580,000 people per day – or over 4 million people per week – for the Covid-19 virus which is circulating amongst the population.

This number includes tests taken at Covid testing centres, door-to-door tests, and the quicker lateral flow tests being used in workplaces and schools – but does not include antibody tests, which check if a person has had the virus previously, so the true number of daily test kits used is likely to be much higher.

Rubbish removal experts Divert.co.uk have raised the alarm over the sheer volume of testing kits being used daily and concerns of the accuracy as low as 57.5% making this a very dangerous problem. There is a mounting problem for testing centres and facilities: what to do with hundreds of thousands of used tests daily?

As the Covid-19 testing process involves either nasal or throat swabs (or, for antibody testing, blood samples) the kits must then be disposed of as clinical waste, in incinerators. In the past, individual hospitals often had their own incinerators to dispose of medical waste, but this idea was short-lived as the resulting pollution was a concern, and private contractors have handled the waste since the 1990s.

But these contractors are now raising the alarm that their incinerators are at full capacity, and have been for a while, with medical waste quite literally piling up, as a result, the instantly-recognizable yellow medical waste bins overflowing. In turn, this has angered those in the industry who say they have been warning the government ‘for years’ about the need for increased capacity.

NHS chiefs admitted in 2018 that there was a national capacity issue amid growing backlogs of medical waste and clinical waste management firms being forced to store waste above their permitted allowance as a result. Despite this, waste management firms are once again warning of mounting problems as Covid-19 testing places unexpected stress on the system.

Firms, fearful of repercussions like those seen by waste management businesses who were penalised during the 2018 crisis, are turning away contracts for Covid-19 test centre waste, leading many to call the issue a public health ‘emergency’.

Spokesperson Mark Hall of Divert.co.uk said: “It’s important to note that, of course, the huge scale of Covid-19 testing in the United Kingdom is a good thing – it allows us to track the spread of the virus, which is enormously important in tackling the pandemic and allowing us to return to pre-Covid life.

“However, the sheer number of testing kits being processed each day without adequate disposal capacity to handle the waste generated, combined with the accuracy of some lateral flow tests being as low as 57.5% makes it a serious cause for concern, and we hope it will spark further conversations in the medical manufacturing industry about the way in which we approach the issue of medical waste.

“Hundreds of thousands of pieces of single-use plastic are disposed of daily by the medical industry, from syringes to gloves to the Covid test kits, and many of these seem unavoidable.”

Experts in the field such as Tony Capon, director of the Monash Sustainable Development Institute – speaking to the BBC – are clear that there are long term steps that could be taken to reduce unnecessary medical waste.

He said: “When I was beginning my medical career, it was standard practice for things to be cleaned and autoclaved. Medical equipment was routinely cleaned up, sterilised and reused.”

Others note that changes in practices – such as encouraging handwashing rather than glove use, where appropriate – could help decrease excessive waste.

Mark Hall continues: “We’d like there to be a greater focus on ensuring sustainability in the healthcare field overall. Firstly, by promoting a more sustainably-minded culture where medical workers actively choose to take safe steps to reduce waste, and secondly by minimising waste in the design and manufacturing of single-use items.

“Creating items which can be safely sterilised and re-used could, over time, lead to huge shifts in how we tackle medical waste as a problem – and it is, in its current format, undeniably becoming a problem.”

Three-in-ten new Universal Credit claimants have seen their debts grow during the crisis

Over three-in-ten people who have started claiming Universal Credit (UC) during the pandemic have either acquired new debts, or seen their existing debts grow, as the crisis enters its eleventh month, according to new research published by the Resolution Foundation.

The debts that divide us – which includes analysis of a detailed online YouGov survey, supported by the Health Foundation – explores how people who have newly claimed UC during the pandemic have coped financially, as well as their prospects for the coming months.

The Foundation notes that of the almost six million people who are currently claiming UC, around three-in-five made a new claim in 2020, including many of the 1.4 million people who made a new claim at the start of the crisis in April and May of last year.

The research finds that families newly claiming UC have taken a major income hit, even with the vital £20 a week uplift to UC. Almost half (45 per cent) reported seeing their income fall by at least a quarter, while around one-in-three (34 per cent) reported seeing their income fall by at least 40 per cent.

And with the pandemic-induced economic crisis having lasted almost a year, the research shows that the big income losses faced by people moving onto UC are taking their toll on their ability to cope financially.

The research finds that over three-in-ten (31 per cent) new UC families have either acquired new debts or seen their existing debts grow, while around one-in-five (21 per cent) have fallen behind on paying essential (non-housing) bills.

Looking ahead to the next three months, a period in which UC is set to be cut by £20 a week (from 5 April 2021), three-in-five (61 per cent) UC families say they will struggle to keep up or will fall behind on bills, around twice the proportion of families across the economy as a whole (31 per cent).

The Foundation says that the uplift to UC has been essential for protecting family incomes during a pandemic that is lasting far longer than anyone expected when the policy was announced back in March 2020. The uplift is likely to prove just as vital in the coming months too, as more people claim UC off the back of rising unemployment.

It adds that with millions of households claiming UC experiencing real financial hardship, cutting their support in just two months’ time would be a grave error – and extinguish any hopes of a living standards recovery this year.

Karl Handscomb, Senior Economist at the Resolution Foundation, said: “Over three million people have started claiming Universal Credit since the pandemic began, including 1.4 million people who moved onto the benefit right at the start of the crisis.

“As the pandemic reaches its eleventh month – a depressing duration few expected last March – the income shock from with moving onto Universal Credit has evolved into mounting debts and arrears on essential bills.

“The Chancellor was right to raise Universal Credit to support families through tough economic times. And with tough times set to continue as unemployment rises through 2021, this vital boost to family incomes must be maintained.

“Cutting the incomes of six million families in just two months’ time, when public health restrictions are still likely to be widespread, makes no sense politically, economically, or in terms of raising people’s living standards.”

New guide for people recovering from COVID-19

It’s a long road to recovery for many who have contracted COVID-19. In Scotland over 185,000 people have tested positive for the virus, with over 57,000 of these cases recorded within Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

NHSGGC’s Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy teams have created a new online resource to help anyone who is recovering from the virus, having distilled what they have learned from helping people recover both at home and in hospital.

The new self-management resource is available to the public and is aimed at anyone managing the many types of symptoms associated with COVID-19. It also notes the pace of recovery may be slower than expected.

Common symptoms can include: fatigue, breathlessness, reduced exercise tolerance and lack of physical strength. The resource offers advice on recovering from the virus, managing breathlessness, general wellbeing, managing fatigue, exercise programmes and more.

Lynn Glen, Physiotherapist, NHSGGC, said: “We know that the lingering effects of COVID-19 can vary from person to person. We’ve had younger and older patients admitted to wards and intensive care units, some dealing with debilitating fatigue and breathlessness for months after being diagnosed, requiring weeks and months of rehab and physiotherapy input.

“Other patients may only require physiotherapy input for a shorter period. The length of time recovering from COVID-19 can also vary so we had to find a way to support people at home.

“We wanted to help people get back on their feet, to gain knowledge about the virus, learn how to manage their symptoms and ultimately recover with this new resource.”

You can access the new NHSGGC online resource here:

https://www.nhsggc.org.uk/your-health/health-services/allied-health-professionals-ahps/physiotherapy/

Lorna Graham, 27, who has been a nurse for three years, was diagnosed with COVID on 8 April 2020 and has not yet fully recovered. She was off work for six months and has since been diagnosed as suffering from Long COVID.

Lorna said: “The acute phase of my illness lasted a few weeks and I can truly say I felt like I was dying. Without question it was the worst I have felt in my life. It’s not that I haven’t been ill before. I have had sepsis and swine flu but this was different. It felt like I was drowning; at times I couldn’t get a breath.

“This all happened despite me being a fit 26 year old. I wasn’t a fitness fanatic, but I was active on my days off. I would go hillwalking regularly, so you could say I was fit and obviously young too.

“In the first few weeks I was at the COVID assessment centre a few times and was sent to hospital, although never admitted. I had a temperature, no taste or smell and just slept and slept.

“I waited to recover fully and it just never came. It was October before I felt able to go back to work.”

Nearly ten months on, Lorna’s health has yet to recover fully.

Top Ten Tips for Recovering from COVID-19:

Take it slow – recovery may take longer than you expect.
Eat well – your body needs nutrients to get better. This can be difficult when you lose your sense of taste / smell but just as important.
Sleep well – your body needs rest, take it easy.
Plan your day – especially important if you’re feeling fatigued. Plan your day and week to include consistent activity, rather than boom and bust cycles which may leave you more tired.
Deep breathing – sit in a relaxed position, breathe in through your nose, out through your mouth, lying on your front can also help.
Stay active – your physical strength may be impacted so build yourself back up with regular activity like walking or at home exercises.
Get up – easy to forget in lockdown, make sure you are regularly standing, set a timer to make sure you’re getting up once an hour.
Get out – make sure to get outside with nature proven to improve our wellbeing.
Relax – remember to relax your mind however that may be. Some people find meditation helpful.
Stay connected – speak to your loved ones regularly about your recovery and how you’re doing. We all need support.

Doddie digs deep for families living with MND

The My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, founded by rugby legend Doddie Weir, has donated an additional £100,000 to MND Scotland and £200,000 to the MND Association of England Wales and Northern Ireland, to support people living with motor neurone disease (MND).

Doddie, who first shared his MND diagnosis in June 2017, has pledged to help others living with the rapidly progressing terminal illness, as well as funding for vital research into finding a cure.

To support families currently affected, the Foundation has committed annnual funding to MND Scotland and the MND Association, since 2018.

The Foundation also made one-off donations to the charities in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, taking its total contributions to MND Scotland and the MND Association to £380,000 and £670,000, respectively.

The new funds will be used by both charities to help families across the UK cover some of the financial burden that comes with a diagnosis of MND, through their grant programmes.

These programmes aim to help reduce some of the extra costs that come with living with MND. The grants can be used in various ways, for instance; to help with costs towards home adaptations, such as ramps and stairlifts, for specialist equipment to live life more independently, and for respite activities for carers and families.

Jill Douglas, CEO of the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, said: “We are delighted to continue and further strengthen our relationships with MND Scotland and MND Association by working with both these charities to support people living with motor neuron disease.

“This commitment, by Doddie and the Foundation, to help patients and their families, is one of our main strategic goals and we look forward to sharing our plans for the future in the coming months.

“Our ability to offer grants to families, through the existing frontline care charities, is only possible through the amazing contribution of our fundraisers and supporters and we’d like to thank everyone who has helped and supported us, you inspire us every day!”

Adrian Murphy, MND Scotland’s Chair, said: “I’d like to thank the Foundation for its ongoing support of our grants programme which allows us to provide essential support to the families affected by this devastating disease.

“Since his own diagnosis, Doddie has raised an incredible amount of awareness by sharing his personal journey with MND, and through his Foundation has raised vital funds to support the cause. By continuing to work together we can help make life a little easier for people living with MND right now.”

Sally Light, Chief Executive of the MND Association for England, Wales and Northern Ireland, said: “We are really pleased and grateful that Doddie is channelling money raised by his Foundation in the last year into our care grants programme once again, ensuring it goes directly to people affected by MND who desperately need it.

“We have a long-standing and comprehensive programme which we know makes such a difference and support like Doddie’s and that of his Foundation’s supporters is vital to us continuing with that.”

For more information visit:

www.mndscotland.org.uk, www.mndassociation.org and www.myname5doddie.co.uk.

Strokes caused by Covid-19 under the spotlight in world’s largest research study

The Stroke Association is funding the world’s largest research study to investigate worrying reports that Covid-19 is causing life-threatening strokes.

As Covid-19 cases continue to rise across the globe, this critical research may help to prevent Covid-19-related death and disability. The study will build on the work of the British Heart Foundation (BHF) Data Science Centre at Health Data Research UK (HDR UK).

Announced today, the study uses health data from nearly all UK adults. Having access to large amounts of data will allow the researchers to follow the health of Covid-19 patients. Data analysts will compare stroke in patients who have tested positive for Covid-19 with patients without the virus, to confirm if Covid-19 increases risk of stroke and by how much.

The researchers will also analyse stroke risk and characteristics including age, sex, ethnicity and geography to identify which Covid-19 patients may be most at risk of stroke. Stroke risk due to Covid-19 will be compared to increases in stroke risk due to other infections and cardiovascular conditions.

Dr Rubina Ahmed, Research Director, Stroke Association said: “Stroke already strikes every five minutes and we’re extremely concerned that Covid-19 may lead to more strokes, destroying more lives.

“Equally concerning are reports that stroke patients who have Covid-19 may be younger, and experience more severe effects of stroke, including death [3]. Severe illness due to Covid-19 is a challenge enough– but it’s worrying that a deadly stroke might also be on the way. This new research can help guide the development of new treatments that can prevent life-threatening strokes.”

This research forms part of the CVD-COVID-UK flagship project consortium, which is led by the BHF Data Science Centre at HDR UK. This project consortium aims to understand the relationship between Covid-19 and cardiovascular diseases such as heart attack and stroke in the UK population.

Dr William Whiteley, Reader in neurology at the University of Edinburgh and a lead on this research said: “Covid-19 may cause stroke in some patients. So far studies of Covid and stroke have been small. More data will improve our understanding and give a better idea of the risks of stroke after Covid-19 infection.

“With the funding of the Stroke Association and access to the data and research community brought together by the BHF Data Science Centre, the team can use health information from nearly all adults in the UK.

“By working with information specialists, we’ll be able to accurately detect even the smallest increase in risk of stroke across different groups of people. We’re incredibly grateful to have the support of charities to help get this urgent research underway, so that we can better inform patients and health care professionals about Covid-19 and risk of stroke.”

Dr Rubina Ahmed continues: “We will be living with Covid-19 for the foreseeable future and we don’t want to see the pandemic leave more deadly strokes in its wake. Stroke is a leading cause of adult disability in the UK and the second biggest killer in the world.

“This research is crucial to our understanding of Covid-19 and strokes, but this is just the tip of the iceberg. The Covid-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on our income and is threatening life-saving breakthroughs. Now more than ever, we need the public’s support. If you can, please help us find a way through the research funding crisis by donating today, so that we can fund more life-saving research.”

Juliet Bouverie, Chief Executive of the Stroke said: “We’ve been supporting stroke survivors throughout the pandemic through our Helpline and our Stroke Association Connect and Here For You services.

“Strokes changes lives in an instant and stroke survivors need support to recover, cope and adapt and those with Covid-19 may have additional needs. We need to be prepared with new knowledge about links between Covid-19 and stroke to support people affected by stroke long into the future.”

Prof Cathie Sudlow, Director of the BHF Data Science Centre at Health Data Research UK said: “The BHF Data Science Centre is delighted to be providing the scientific and data access infrastructure to enable this important Stroke Association-funded research project.

“We look forward to working with and supporting Dr Whiteley and his research team as they generate insights to help people with stroke, their carers and health professionals understand the impact of Covid-19 on stroke risk, and make informed decisions about their treatment and care.”

Over the past 30 years the Stroke Association has played a crucial role in supporting stroke research in the UK. This year, as a result of the pandemic the charity has had to halve its budget for stroke research.

To find out more about research funded by the charity visit stroke.org.uk/research or to donate please go to: stroke.org.uk/donate-research

New support for professionals on M.E./CFS and managing Long Covid symptoms

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.

Employers urged to plan for effects of long COVID

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.

Major health organisations urge government to keep £20 Universal Credit uplift

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.

Read the full letter from the coalition

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

Briggs: Ministers out of touch on NHS Lothian vaccination rollout

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.”

https://beta.isdscotland.org/find-publications-and-data/population-health/covid-19/covid-19-statistical-report/

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.”

NHS Lothian attendance and waiting time figures:

https://beta.isdscotland.org/find-publications-and-data/health-services/hospital-care/ae-activity-and-waiting-times/ (in data tables)

NHS Lothian

Episode and aggregate level data	Apr-2020	May-2020	Jun-2020	Jul-2020	Aug-2020	Sep-2020	Oct-2020	Nov-2020	Dec-2020
Number of attendances	12,030	16,150	17,737	18,984	21,136	20,470	19,328	17,776	16,916
Total attendances for year to month	271,907	263,517	257,058	251,908	247,864	243,117	237,364	230,625	223,817
Rolling average attendance	22,659	21,960	21,422	20,992	20,655	20,260	19,780	19,219	18,651
Over 4 hours in A&E	549	723	915	990	1,685	2,088	2,039	2,155	2,810
% within 4 hours (month)	95.4%	95.5%	94.8%	94.8%	92.0%	89.8%	89.5%	87.9%	83.4%
% within 4 hours (rolling annual)	86.6%	87.0%	87.4%	87.5%	87.6%	87.7%	87.9%	88.6%	89.1%
Episode level data only
Number of attendances	11,980	16,073	17,601	18,911	20,999	20,411	19,262	17,696	16,851
Over 8 hours in A&E	24	24	50	57	92	202	231	219	481
% within 8 hours (month)	99.8%	99.9%	99.7%	99.7%	99.6%	99.0%	98.8%	98.8%	97.1%
Over 12 hours in A&E	1	3	3	3	10	39	26	37	124
% within 12 hours (month)	100.0%	100.0%	100.0%	100.0%	100.0%	99.8%	99.9%	99.8%	99.3%

Episode and aggregate level data	Apr-2019	May-2019	Jun-2019	Jul-2019	Aug-2019	Sep-2019	Oct-2019	Nov-2019	Dec-2019	Jan-2020	Feb-2020	Mar-2020
Number of attendances	23,831	24,540	24,196	24,134	25,180	25,217	25,081	24,515	23,724	23,617	21,909	17,764
Total attendances for year to month	282,525	282,583	283,569	284,742	285,857	287,956	289,785	290,805	290,817	290,699	290,349	283,708
Rolling average attendance	23,544	23,549	23,631	23,729	23,821	23,996	24,149	24,234	24,235	24,225	24,196	23,642
Over 4 hours in A&E	2,968	2,829	2,791	1,912	2,441	2,942	3,398	4,561	4,658	4,103	3,902	2,390
% within 4 hours (month)	87.5%	88.5%	88.5%	92.1%	90.3%	88.3%	86.5%	81.4%	80.4%	82.6%	82.2%	86.5%
% within 4 hours (rolling annual)

…

NOTE

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.

Caught in the act of Care

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.