Health and wellbeing – Page 262 – The NEN

Look out for your blue envelope – although the first ones are white!

Appointments scheduled for next groups on the priority list

Blue envelopes containing an invitation to a coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine appointment for people aged 70 -79 will start to land on doormats in several health board areas from tomorrow (Monday 25 January) – but, confusingly, the first batch will be WHITE!

A new booking system is being used by health boards in Lothian, Fife, Forth Valley, Ayrshire & Arran, Greater Glasgow & Clyde and Lanarkshire to schedule appointments for patients in order of priority. More boards are expected to make use of the technology as the vaccination programme expands.

The distinctive coloured envelopes will be delivered to households as the programme progresses though the different groups on the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) priority list. The letters will include information on how to reschedule an appointment if it is not suitable.

We are on track for all those aged over 80 to have received their first dose of the vaccine by the end of the first week in February.

No-one aged 80 or over should expect a blue envelope because they will be contacted directly by phone or letter.

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said: “We all know how easy it is to ignore some of the mail which comes through our letterboxes but these blue envelopes will be very distinctive and they will contain details of your vaccine appointment so please open them.

“The letters are being posted First Class and we have been advised by the Royal Mail that the colour will allow them to prioritise delivery.

“The blue envelopes will contain information about the time and place of your appointment and details on how to reschedule it if you are unable to attend.

“I would urge everyone to take up their appointment when they are offered one.

“The vaccination programme is one of three key ways we are working to beat this virus, along with our expanded testing programme to identify cases and break chains of transmission and the important lockdown restrictions everyone in Scotland must follow. All these measures work to greatest effect when they work together.”

UPDATE: Sunday 24 January

The first tranche of letters will use NHS branded WHITE envelopes but distinctive coloured blue envelopes are planned to be used as soon as possible as the programme progresses though the different groups on the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) priority list.

The letters will include information on how to reschedule an appointment if it is not suitable.

Letters: Emergency Mental Health Sessions for blind people

Dear Editor,

2020 was a difficult year for everyone. Though hope is on the horizon, starting 2021 in lockdown is not how most of us wanted for January. It’s understandable that many people are feeling down and in need of a little extra emotional support.

The situation is especially challenging for those living with sight loss. Many have faced anxiety, sadness and even fear about the unique challenges they have experienced – problems such as social distancing, difficulty shopping without guidance and isolation from losing tactile contact with friends and family during lockdown.

That’s why RNIB has launched Emergency Mental Health Sessions for blind and partially sighted people.

The sessions are completely free and offer people with sight loss the opportunity to speak to a counsellor for an hour over the phone, about however they are feeling and any problems that are on their mind. It doesn’t have to be about their sight at all.

We know that the next few months might still be tough for many, so we want to remind you that RNIB is here to help. If you or someone you know could benefit from speaking to someone, please call our Helpline on 0303 123 9999. We can set up a chat within 36 hours and the service can be used as many times as needed.

No one with sight loss has to suffer on their own. Blind and partially sighted people deserve the same expectation of mental wellbeing as everyone else. That’s why RNIB in Scotland will always be here.

Thank you

James Adams

Director, Royal National Institute of Blind People Scotland

12-14 Hillside Crescent, Edinburgh

Vaccinations: Edinburgh lagging behind?

Lothians MSP Miles Briggs has expressed concern at the Level of Covid-19 vaccinations in Edinburgh and the Lothians.

The Tory MSP said: “It is concerning that Edinburgh is lagging behind in the number of people who have received their first dose of Covid-19 vaccinations.

“Edinburgh has a higher number of care home residents, who take longer to vaccinate, than other local authorities, which may have slowed down the process.

“What is important now is that the level of Covid-19 vaccinations in Edinburgh and the Lothian’s is ramped up to get everyone in the community vaccinated as soon as possible.

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

‘Economic security trap’ driving millions of Brits to work with Covid symptoms, RSA warns

Millions of British workers are putting themselves and others at risk of Covid-19 due to inadequate sick pay and pressure from their employers, new research shows.

The RSA (royal society for arts, manufactures and commerce) warns that a growing ‘economic security trap’ — the choice workers face between protecting their income and their health — is contributing significantly to the spread of the virus.

Polling carried out between 13 Jan and 15 Jan by Yonder (formerly Populus) of UK workers finds:

around one-in-25 (4%) British workers has worked within 10 days of a positive test, rising to one-in-ten (10%) of those in insecure work such as a zero-hours contract, agency work or the gig economy
6% of British workers have worked with Covid-19 symptoms, rising to 8% of insecure workers and 13% of the self-employed
12% have been ordered into work when they could have easily and more safely worked from home
only 16% think Statutory Sick Pay is sufficient to meet their needs.

The RSA calls for an emergency package to address economic insecurity, including:

allowing workers who have to self-isolate to access the furlough scheme, meaning statutory sick cover can be provided at 80% of an employee’s wages.
retaining the £20 per week uplift paid to recipients of Universal Credit
introducing a ‘basic income’ style scheme for the self-employed, paid to all those registered with HMRC

Recent RSA research on key workers has found that many staff in key industries report struggling to take time off when unwell, including 29% of those working in social care.

The RSA has a long-running programme of research dedicated to tackling economic insecurity in the UK. Last year the organisation published A Blueprint for Good Work, putting forward practical solutions for providing good work after the pandemic.

Alan Lockey, head of RSA’s future work programme, said: “Our polling shows that millions feel forced to put themselves and others at risk of the virus because of insecure work, pressure from bosses, and the failings of our deeply inadequate welfare state.

“Rishi Sunak must close this ‘economic security trap’ — the terrible trade-off many workers face between their health and putting food on the table — by allowing self-isolating workers to access the furlough scheme, and retaining the £20 per week uplift in universal credit.

“We also need to see help for the millions currently excluded, through no fault of their own – and the self-employed in particular. An ’emergency basic income’ style scheme, using the current tax infrastructure, is the best way to help reach all this group and close the gaps which we believe are helping to increase the infection rate.”

Born during Spanish Flu pandemic – now vaccinated against COVID-19

A 101 year old born during the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic has received her first dose of the COVID-19 vaccination. Emily Lawson, from Kirkintilloch, was one of the first in line as part of the rollout of the vaccination programme to vaccinate people over the age of 80 in the community.

Mrs Lawson, born in 1919 as the pandemic spread across the globe, was found at one month old lying next to her mother who had caught the deadly strain of influenza and was too ill to look after her new baby.

Now, more than a century later and living through another pandemic, she has been vaccinated by Samantha Wheadon, a Practice Nurse from Turret Medical Centre in Kirkintilloch.

When asked how she felt about receiving the vaccine she took it in her stride, commenting: “it was normal, just another vaccine”.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) currently has more than 450 vaccinators working across hospital and community settings to deliver COVID-19 vaccinations in a swift and safe manner. Currently the health board is vaccinating around 20,000 people every week and in February, this number is expected to rise to 80,000.

GPs are leading on the vaccination roll-out for their patients aged 80 years and over, and are scheduling appointments locally once they receive supplies of the vaccine.

Dr Linda De Caestecker, Director for Public Health at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said: “We have had a very high uptake of the vaccine so far with thousands of eligible staff and care home residents vaccinated already and it’s fantastic to see the community rollout begin.

“Our teams are working extremely hard to get as many people possible vaccinated as quickly as possible during this time.

“However, the rollout does not mean we can let our guard down. Our hospitals are extremely busy with COVID-19 admissions and our staff are working tirelessly to look after both COVID and non-COVID patients.

“We would urge everyone to continue following the rules to help minimise the spread of the virus.”

The FACTS guidance:

Face coverings in enclosed spaces,
Avoid crowded places,
Clean your hands regularly,
Two metre distancing
Self-isolate and book a test if you have symptoms.

Join Samaritans for Brew Monday

Brew Monday kicks off on 18 January, the third Monday of the month, which is usually known as ‘Blue Monday.’ We’ll be turning Blue Monday on its head and into something positive by encouraging people to reach out and catch up over a virtual cuppa because now, more than ever, it’s important we stay connected.

Reach out to a friend, colleague, or family member for a cuppa and a chat. It doesn’t have to be on a Monday or a cup of tea, just taking time to really listen to another person could help them work through what’s on their mind.

PS: Don’t forget to join us on Twitter and Instagram on the 18th. Our plans are top-secret for now, but we’ll be joined by some special celebri-tea guests and sharing tips to make your virtual gathering brew-lliant!

Have a virtual Brew Monday

Super Saturday at Louisa Jordan

Mass clinic vaccinates 5,000 staff at NHS Louisa Jordan

More than 5,000 health and social care staff were vaccinated at NHS Louisa Jordan today as part of a mass vaccination drive by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

The operation saw a team of 95 NHSGGC staff working in close collaboration with NHS Louisa Jordan staff to deliver up to 500 doses of the Pfizer vaccine per hour over the course of the day.

Located at the Scottish Events Campus (SEC), a total of 65 vaccine stations have been mobilised, utilising the large floor space at NHS Louisa Jordan to ensure a rapid turnaround in a safe environment. The first injection was administered at 8:45am, with the last vaccination targeted for 7:30pm.

Across NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde an additional 2,350 staff are being vaccinated over the weekend at different sites.

The rapid rollout will help ensure a well-trained workforce is in place and processes are well developed to deliver the wider national vaccination deployment plan which will see 400,000 people across Scotland receive jags each week by the end of February.

In line with the national plan, once the vaccine has been offered to all eligible health and social staff within NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, NHS Louisa Jordan will play a key role as a vaccination hub for the general public.

Members of the public will be informed when they are eligible to book an appointment for a vaccine.

Dr Linda De Caestecker, Director of Public Health for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said: “Today’s mass clinic at NHS Louisa Jordan is testament to the careful planning and professionalism of all the staff involved and I’d like to thank everyone who has made this possible.

“This will play a crucial role in preventing the harm caused by this virus and keeping our vital staff safe to care for patients across healthcare settings.

“While Saturday marks a significant milestone, much work is yet to be done. The rates of infection remain very high in this area and vaccination must work alongside other measures if we are to suppress the virus. Everyone must remember to follow the FACTS and to avoid social mixing in order to save as many lives as possible.”

Health Secretary, Jeane Freeman, said: “To have 5000 vaccinations taking place at NHS Louisa Jordan in a single day is testament to the hard work of all the staff at the hospital and I want to thank each and every one of them for their part in the roll-out of the biggest vaccination programme ever undertaken in Scotland.

“The vaccine offers us hope and as we vaccinate more and more people that hope becomes more real.

“On its own, it won’t be enough to win the race against this virus. Our testing programme is crucial. In addition, each one of us needs to follow the guidance, abide by the restrictions, wash our hands, wear face coverings and maintain 2m distance from others. If we all play our part to suppress the prevalence of the virus, then vaccination can do the job we need it to do.

“Doing all of this will protect us, protect the NHS and save lives.”

Healthy Heart Tips: Maintaining Healthy Habits

Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by Dr Helen Flaherty, Head of Health Promotion and Education at Heart Research UK

Maintaining Healthy Habits

New Year’s resolutions can be a good starting point for making longer term health and lifestyle improvements, but most people who set New Year’s resolutions do not stick to them.

Reasons for quitting include a lack of time, a lack of support from other people and feeling daunted by unrealistic targets. This tip is aimed at helping you to succeed in maintaining your healthy goals in 2021:

Setting achievable goals

The first thing to consider is whether your New Year’s resolutions is achievable and realistic. Often, goals are unachievable because they are too difficult, or they do not allow enough time for you to make gradual changes. There is nothing wrong with aiming high and being ambitious, but it is important that your goal is not too difficult or time-consuming as this could leave you feeling daunted.

When setting a goal, ask yourself the following questions:

Is the goal too ambitious?
Is the timeframe for the goal realistic?
What specific changes do I need to make to achieve my goal?
Can I fit my new healthy behaviour around my other commitments?

Break down your goal

Breaking large goals down into smaller goals can make them feel more achievable and less daunting. For example, if you are aiming to lose weight, the NHS recommends that you aim to lose around 1 to 2lbs (0.5 to 1kg) a week. You should be able to achieve this by cutting down your calorie intake by about 500 to 600 calories each day. It might take you longer than you originally planned to lose the weight, but you are more likely to stick to it and not give up.

Plan for success

Make a plan of how you will achieve your goal and what changes you will make to ensure you stick to it. There are online resources available to help you plan your healthy activities, such as the NHS’ couch to 5km programme or the NHS’ programmes for stopping smoking, cutting down alcohol and losing weight:

Couch to 5km: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/couch-to-5k-week-by-week/
Stopping smoking: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/quit-smoking/
Cutting down on alcohol: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/alcohol-support/tips-on-cutting-down-alcohol/
Losing weight: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-weight/start-the-nhs-weight-loss-plan/

Don’t expect immediate results

The effects of your New Year’s resolution may take time to appear. Try to be patient and don’t expect the results from just one or two weeks of dieting to show on the weighing scales, as it may take longer.

Involving other people

A really good way to motivate you to stick to your goal is to involve other people. If you know someone who has a similar goal to yours, try to involve them as a “buddy” to provide mutual support for each other. They may even be able to push you a little bit harder, helping you to achieve your goals and resolutions sooner. You can also look for groups on social media who share your goal.

Do not beat yourself up

If you miss a fitness session, have an alcoholic drink, cigarette or bar of chocolate, try not to feel guilty about it. Think about what might have triggered the deviation from your goal and try to avoid it in future. Forgive yourself and aim to get back to achieving your goal as soon as possible.

Make changes that will last long term

On average, it takes between 21 and 28 days for something to become a long-term habit. Make goals that you want to be able to stick to long term, such as improving your overall fitness, stopping smoking or maintaining your weight.

If you can make it through these first few weeks, you will notice that things will become much easier. drinking you can get support by visiting:

https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/alcohol-support/

Heart Research UK

Proud to stand out from the crowd, Heart Research UK is the charity dedicated to your heart. They inspire and invest in pioneering medical research, ground-breaking training and education, and in communities to improve their heart health for themselves. For over 50 years they have driven advancements in the prevention, treatment and cure of heart disease to benefit patients as soon as possible.

In the last 10 years, Heart Research UK has funded over £10.2m in medical research in hospitals and universities across the UK, as well as £2.2m on innovative community-based lifestyle projects to improve the heart health of the nation.

They like a personal approach, so if they want to contact you they do it themselves, and certainly don’t pay anyone to do it. They treat people how they would like to be treated themselves.

If you’d like to support Heart Research UK’s vital work into the prevention, treatment and cure of heart disease, please visit www.heartresearch.org.uk for inspiration on how you could help.

A victory for common sense

GMB welcomes announcement to bring forward home care testing roll-out – but warns any failure will be met with action

GMB has warned the Scottish Government and local authority health and social care partnership (HSCPs) that any failures in the roll-out of COVID-19 workplace testing for home care workers “will be met with collective action”.

Following the threat of a full industrial action ballot by GMB members in Glasgow HSCP, Scotland’s biggest home care service, Cabinet Secretary Jeane Freeman confirmed at Friday’s press briefing that testing for all home care workers will be brought forward from March to Monday 18 January.

And after meetings between GMB, Scottish Government and COSLA representatives this morning, where assurances were given on the delivery of testing kits and support measures, the union has agreed to suspend next week’s scheduled industrial action ballot in Glasgow HSCP.

Rhea Wolfson of GMB Scotland Women’s Campaigns Unit said: “It’s a significant step forward for the safety of home care workers across Scotland in the fight against COVID-19 – our members have fought hard for this.

“But the Scottish Government and local authority employers have done more in a week than they have for ten months on testing for home carers, and neither should be congratulating themselves here.

“People should be asking why it’s taken nearly a year of struggle, and in the case of Glasgow HSCP to the brink of a strike ballot, for a workforce of predominantly low-paid women to get COVID-19 testing at work?

“GMB called for a national plan for social care last March, we called for testing, but the First Minister told us that Scotland was prepared for COVID-19. We know now the country wasn’t prepared and what we got was negligence while home carers struggled with only PPE for safety.

“The Scottish Government and HSCPs across Scotland should be well-aware that we will be carefully monitoring the roll-out of testing for our members and any failure to protect their safety and rights will be met with collective action.”