Optometrists in Scotland have collaborated with the charity RNIB Scotland to produce a video [https://bit.ly/2AZ55VO] explaining what blind and partially sighted people can expect when visiting their local optometry practice.
The video seeks to emphasise that new procedures in place will ensure the safety of anyone who needs to attend for examinations or treatment.
At present, visits to optometric practices (also known as opticians) are for emergency treatment only and must be pre-arranged. Otherwise people are asked to phone their local practice which will decide if cases can be dealt with over the phone or via tablet or laptop.
In the video, Alastair Duff, an executive committee independent member of the professional body Optometry Scotland, explains that those who do need to attend in person will first be asked some questions to ensure they and the staff in the practice won’t be put at risk.
“The measures that are in place in practices include social distancing and requesting patients not to speak when an optometrist is in close proximity,” he says. “All staff will have personal protective equipment and consultation rooms will be disinfected after each visit.
“Spectacles and any other low vision aids will be delivered so patients won’t have to come back into the practice.”
Blind or partially sighted patients will be allowed to take a guide-dog or sighted guide with them as long as they let the practice know in advance. All other patients are asked to attend by themselves.
James Adams, director of RNIB Scotland, said: “The coronavirus pandemic has disrupted health care across the board, so it’s very reassuring that people, especially those with a visual impairment, can still access treatment in a safe environment.
“Maintaining eye-health remains as important as ever to detect any problems early enough to arrest or hopefully reverse any sight-threatening symptoms. Left untreated, some conditions could eventually result in permanent deterioration in sight, so we don’t want anyone to neglect eye-health.”
It is expected that optometric practices will reopen to the general public in August depending on the advice given by the Scottish Government.
All health and social care workers in Scotland will now have access to mental health support 24 hours a day, seven days a week through a new national helpline.
The Scottish Government is funding the wellbeing helpline for those who need further psychological support, including in light of the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis. This follows the success of the National Wellbeing Hub for staff launched in May.
Trained practitioners at NHS 24 will offer callers a compassionate and empathic listening service based on the principles of psychological first aid, as well as advice, signposting and onward referral to local services if required.
Minister for Mental Health Clare Haughey said: “I am deeply grateful for the hard work, commitment and professionalism of those working in health and social care services at this time of unprecedented challenge.
“The National Wellbeing Hub has had over 30,000 online visits since its launch in May and the new helpline will complement that service. Whatever your role and wherever you work, I would encourage you to make use of the many resources on the Hub, including advice on managing stress and anxiety, fatigue, sleep, relaxation and exercise.
“For those who need one-on-one support, the new mental wellbeing support line will be available around the clock to help staff access appropriate additional support.
“We are continuing to monitor the impact of the pandemic on our valued workforce and will do our best to ensure that appropriate support services are put in place to help them.”
Stephanie Phillips, Director of Service Delivery at NHS 24, said: “NHS 24 are delighted to support our partners by offering this helpline to complement existing services.
“Our Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners will respond with compassion and empathy to offer support whenever it’s needed. Health and social care staff look after us – this is one way in which we are looking after them.
“We know that for everyone calling us, being listened to, and knowing that someone cares, is really important in difficult times. This is just as important to our health and social care colleagues as to those they care for.”
The health and social care workforce mental wellbeing support line (0800 111 4191) will be operated by NHS 24 on a 24/7 basis.
A team of costume-clad superheroes and film characters have completed an epic 22 mile run from Dunfermline to Edinburgh to bring smiles to children and families at the Sick Kids hospital.
Starting from Glen Gates in Dunfermline, the band of heroes including Spiderman, Buzz Lightyear, Batgirl and Superman ran just under a marathon in full costume, before being piped through the Meadows and finishing up outside the hospital to visit their fans.
The superheroes initially teamed up during lockdown to bring some cheer to Dunfermline locals during difficult times. They are now taking part in the Lap the World challenge – a fundraising race between Edinburgh and Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charities to virtually cover the distance around Scotland and the world’s Equator (50,087km) before 31 July.
The gang have raised an incredible £5700 so far for Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity (ECHC), which supports the Royal Hospital for Sick Children. They are part of an army of over 2000 participants that have signed up to help the charities Lap the World.
Buzz Lightyear, aka Andy Spence, says: “I’ve joined Team Edinburgh in the race to Lap the World as I’ve been a supporter of the Sick Kids since 2005, when they saved my daughter Hope’s life.
“Our family is so grateful to the wonderful hospital teams for everything they have done for us. Myself and my wife have clocked up many kilometres over the years by running marathons and half marathons to raise money for them. Hope has also signed up to the fundraising challenge, as without Team Edinburgh, we wouldn’t be Team Spence.
“Our team of superheroes are absolutely thrilled that we have now raised over £7000 for the charity and we hope to raise even more before the end of the challenge.”
Victoria Buchanan, from ECHC, said: “The Lap the World fundraising challenge has been bigger than we could ever have imagined, and who better to have on our team than some of the fastest superheroes on the planet as we race Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity to the finish line?
“We are so excited to have the superheroes on Team Edinburgh and would like to say a huge thank you to them for running such an incredible distance for the children, families and staff of the Sick Kids.
“Though the heroes are unfortunately unable to visit the wards at the moment, we know the kids would still have been amazed to see some of their favourite heroes and there would have been lots of smiles all round.”
The UK Government has secured early access to 90 million vaccine doses from the BioNTech/Pfizer alliance and Valneva with more in the pipeline as part of its strategy to build a portfolio of promising new vaccines to protect the UK from Covid-19
In addition, treatments containing Covid-19-neutralising antibodies have been secured from AstraZeneca to protect those who cannot receive vaccines
UK public encouraged to sign up to a new NHS website to make it quicker and easier for potential volunteers to join vital studies that could help save lives – the aim is to get 500,000 people signed up by October
Millions of people could be vaccinated against coronavirus as the UK secures early access to 90 million doses of promising Covid-19 vaccine candidates.
Announced by Business Secretary Alok Sharma today, the UK Government has agreed significant partnerships with leading pharmaceutical and vaccine companies BioNTech/Pfizer and Valneva that are developing innovative new vaccines to protect people against Covid-19.
The Government has also secured access to treatments containing Covid-19-neutralising antibodies from AstraZeneca to protect those who cannot receive vaccines such as cancer and immunocompromised patients.
As a result of these partnerships, England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland could have access to enough doses to vaccinate and protect priority groups identified, such as frontline health and social care workers and those at increased health risk.
With today’s announcement, the Government has now secured access to three different types of Covid-19 vaccines that are being developed here and around the world, giving the UK the most likely chance of getting access to a safe and effective vaccine at the quickest speed.
The Government has also today launched the NHS Covid-19 vaccine research registry. This new website will enable people in the UK to play their part by volunteering for future vaccine studies.
The new online service will allow members of the public to register their interest and be contacted to participate in clinical studies. To enable large-scale vaccine studies to take place across the UK, the aim is to get 500,000 people signed up by October, which is considered vital in the fight against coronavirus.
Clinical studies with hundreds of thousands of volunteers will help scientists and researchers better understand the effectiveness of each vaccine candidate and will considerably speed up efforts to discover a safe and workable vaccine.
The Government is also working with ZOE, the health science company using data driven research and behind the popular symptom study app and site, to look at collaborating around vaccine studies and to help their volunteers hear about how to sign up to the NHS registry.
Business Secretary Alok Sharma said: “The hunt to find a vaccine is a truly global endeavour and we are doing everything we can to ensure the British public get access to a safe and effective coronavirus vaccine as soon as possible.
“This new partnership with some of the world’s foremost pharmaceutical and vaccine companies will ensure the UK has the best chance possible of securing a vaccine that protects those most at risk.
“The public can also play their part in vaccine research through the new NHS vaccine research register. By signing up and participating in important clinical studies, together we can speed up the search for a vaccine and end the pandemic sooner.”
Through its partnership with Valneva, which has a factory in Livingston, the UK Government is expected to contribute to UK clinical studies costs and is negotiating funding to expand Valneva’s Scottish facility.
This increased manufacturing capacity could potentially supply up to 100 million vaccine doses to the UK and internationally. This will create high-skilled jobs in the local area and contribute significantly to the local economy.
The Livingston facility is in addition to the new Vaccines Manufacturing and Innovation Centre (VMIC) which is currently under construction in Oxfordshire thanks to a £93 million investment from the Government. When completed in summer 2021, the facility will have flexible capacity to manufacture vaccine doses at scale.
Chair of the Vaccine Taskforce Kate Bingham said: “The Vaccine Taskforce is investing in a diverse portfolio of vaccine candidates to maximise the chances of finding a vaccine quickly that meets the UK’s rigorous regulatory and safety standards.
“The fact that we have so many promising candidates already shows the unprecedented pace at which we are moving. But I urge against being complacent or over optimistic. The fact remains we may never get a vaccine and if we do get one, we have to be prepared that it may not be a vaccine which prevents getting the virus, but rather one that reduces symptoms.”
Professor Chris Whitty, Chief Medical Officer and National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) head said: “Thanks to COVID-19 patients’ willingness to take part in treatment studies, we’ve been able to identify treatments that work and ones that don’t, which has improved patient care world-wide.
“Now that there are several promising vaccines on the horizon, we need to call again on the generosity of the public to help find out which potential vaccines are the most effective.
“Using a new NHS website developed in partnership between the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and NHS Digital, people across the UK can register their interest to be approached to join a vaccine study. Please go to the website and consider volunteering.”
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: “A safe and effective vaccine is our best hope of defeating coronavirus and returning to life as normal.
We have some of our best scientists and researchers working on this, but members of the public have a vital role to play too. So I urge everyone who can to back the national effort and sign up to the NHS COVID-19 vaccine research registry to help find a vaccine as soon as possible.
“Every volunteer will be doing their bit towards finding a vaccine for COVID-19 that will have the potential to save millions of lives around the world and bring this pandemic to an end.”
Today’s announcement follows an existing global licensing agreement signed with AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford to research, develop and manufacture a Covid-19 vaccine for the UK public. AstraZeneca will work to produce 100 million doses for the UK in total.
As part of a wider £131 million investment by the Government, support has also been given to Imperial College London to develop their vaccine candidate, which started human studies in June.
In addition, the UK Government has committed £250m to the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) – the biggest investment of any country – to support equitable and affordable access to new coronavirus vaccines and treatments around the world.
We want to start a national conversation about heart disease – but we need your readers’ help to make it happen.
At BHF Scotland, we’re developing the new recommendations that we want to see the Scottish Government take forward over the next five years to improve care for people in Scotland who are living with heart disease.
We’ve been listening to healthcare professionals and people living with heart disease to help us identify the key issues and work out a series of priorities and actions, and now we’re opening a wider consultation to shape our final proposals.
If you are living with heart disease, or you are a clinician working in this area, we’d like to hear from you.
Childline data reveals there have been 1,250 counselling sessions about mental health and wellbeing with children in Scotland since lockdown
NSPCC Scotland urges Scottish Government to prioritise children in Coronavirus recovery plan including support for mental health
Childline has seen an increase of almost 20 per cent in young children in Scotland getting in touch about their mental health and emotional wellbeing during lockdown.
The NSPCC-run service is publishing its latest data which reveals that since the beginning of lockdown there have been more than 1,250 counselling sessions carried out with children in Scotland about mental health concerns. This is a monthly average of 419 sessions compared with 351 prior to lockdown.
NSPCC Scotland is growing increasingly concerned that children are the hidden victims of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis, with Childline providing a vital lifeline to children whose counselling sessions have shown that mental health is their top concern.
Throughout the pandemic young people have told counsellors they are feeling low, unhappy, overwhelmed and more recently talked about the anxiety they feel as we look to come out of lockdown.
Some children talked to Childline about family relationships, sharing that arguments, increased parental stress levels and abusive home environments are impacting their mental health. Worryingly, the average number of counselling sessions with children across the UK about abuse has increased by around a quarter since lockdown began.
Also, UK-wide, the number of counselling sessions with 11-year-olds and younger has increased by 37% compared to before the lockdown.
One eight year-old-girl told Childline:
“I am feeling sad and worried. I am scared of Covid-19 and feel like my family don’t care about me. I don’t get any attention and am always fighting with my mum. I live with just my mum and don’t see dad much. We live in a tiny flat and sometimes we get so angry with each other we end up fighting. After we have had a fight I hurt myself because I feel like I am not good enough.”
The number of counselling sessions where children mentioned worries about the world have more than doubled compared to before lockdown and the easing of lockdown has increased anxiety levels for some young people. They have shared concerns about returning to school, catching the virus, classwork, exams and how school life will be now.
NSPCC Scotland is urging the Scottish Government to ensure its Coronavirus recovery plan prioritises children’s needs. This should include additional investment in support for children’s mental health and wellbeing in schools, as well as in early preventative work for the long term.
It is also vital that the Scottish Government has a coordinated plan that demonstrates how services will respond to the likely increase in referrals as a result of lockdown.
Matt Forde, NSPCC Scotland head of service, said: “There is no doubt that the Coronavirus pandemic has had a direct impact on the mental health of many of our children and young people in Scotland.
Esther Rantzen, Founder of Childline said: “The Coronavirus pandemic has turned children’s lives upside down, cutting them off from the places they have relied upon in the past for comfort and support. During lockdown, the virus has imprisoned them in homes which may not be safe, with emotional and physical abuse, violence, or neglect.
“At Childline we have always provided a vital listening ear for our young people who know we are there for them, and our website offers practical help to calm and reassure them. But as lockdown eases, and as life continues to feel uncertain and challenging, it is essential that in addition to Childline our children have access to the mental health resources they will need to help them cope.”
Despite Childline having to close the night service for the first time and having a 30% drop in volunteer hours, due to counsellors having to self-isolate, it continues to still be there for children across the UK.
And as children continue to struggle with the uncertainty that surrounds them and with many in homes that are unsafe, funding for the NSPCC’s Still Here for Children appeal has never been more important. The charity is asking the public to donate £10 so it can continue to run services like Childline that are providing vital support to children during the pandemic.
The NSPCC has praised NHS staff for their work with young people remotely during the lockdown and urged children and families to reach out to the GPs for support.
Adults concerned about a child can contact the NSPCC helpline seven days a week on 0808 800 5000, or email help@nspcc.org.uk.
Children can call Childline on 0800 11 11 or visit www.childline.org.uk 365 days of the year.
Statement given by the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at the media briefing in St Andrew’s House yesterday (Thursday 16 July):
Good afternoon, and thank you for joining us again today. I’m joined today by the Deputy First Minister and by the Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Dr Nicola Steedman.
I’ll start with the usual update on the Covid-19 statistics.
An additional 11 positive cases were confirmed yesterday – which takes the total now in Scotland to 18,384.
A total of 630 patients are currently in hospital with the virus – either confirmed or suspected. That is 19 more than yesterday but it includes a reduction of 9 in the number of confirmed cases.
A total of 6 people last night were in intensive care with confirmed or suspected Covid-19. That is the same number overall as yesterday but an increase of 1 in the number of confirmed cases.
Since 5 March, a total of 4,138 patients who had tested positive for Covid-19 have been able to leave hospital.
During the last 24 hours, 1 death was registered of a patient confirmed through a test as having Covid-19. The total number of deaths, under this particular measure, is now 2,491.
Now even one death is of course one too many, but for us to have had just one registered death of a confirmed case in eight days is a sign of the progress we have made.
That said, the total number of deaths is a painful reminder of the heavy toll that this virus has taken, so once again my thoughts are with everyone who has lost a loved one.
We will also today publish updated information about the prevalence of the virus in Scotland.
Our modelling suggests that the R number – the average number of people infected by one other infectious person – remains below 1. And the number of people in Scotland with the virus continues to fall. Our central estimate for last week is that 700 people in Scotland were infectious.
Again, these figures are a sign of the considerable progress that has been made. And so as I always do I want to thank everybody who has contributed to that, including every single member of the public across the country, but in particular our health and care workers for the remarkable job that you do in very difficult circumstances.
There are three issues that I want to cover today.
The first is childcare- an issue which is hugely important for families across the country, and which is also hugely important for the economy – today’s job figures published this morning highlight again the economic impact of the pandemic, and the importance of government and everybody working hard to counter that in the weeks and months ahead.
As you know, childcare services were able to reopen fully yesterday, and so John Swinney will talk a bit more about the childcare which is available now, and which will be available in the months ahead.
Before that, however, I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who works in childcare for all of your efforts to enable children to return safely. It is hugely appreciated by all of us.
I also want to thank parents and carers. I can only imagine how much disruption the closure of childcare settings has caused for you over these past few months. But I want to thank you for understanding why it has been necessary, and for managing throughout this period – sometimes, I know, in very difficult circumstances indeed.
And finally – in the unlikely event that any of you are watching to this briefing! – I want to say again thank you to all of the children across the country who have been affected by the closure of childcare facilities and of schools.
I hope that in the last few days you’ve been able to play with your friends a bit more; and I hope that you are looking forward to going back to nursery or, in a few weeks’ time, going back to school.
But I know how difficult it has been for you to stay indoors for much of the time over the past few months, and I know that not being able to see your friends hasn’t been much fun at all, but you have all been brilliant, and I want you to know that everyone is really proud of you.
The second issue I want to cover is shielding.
The statistics now show that the prevalence of the virus in Scotland is low, and is, at this stage, getting lower. That means that we can update our advice to people who are shielding, in line with the routemap that we set out for you last week.
From tomorrow (Friday), therefore, we advise that you can if you wish stay in any holiday accommodation, including hotels and bed and breakfasts. You can also visit outdoor markets and public gardens.
And in a change that I hope will be particularly welcome, non-cohabiting couples can meet without physical distancing, even if one or both of you is shielding, and even if neither of you lives on your own.
We hope to be able to pause the need for shielding altogether at the end of this month – although even if we do that we will still encourage those in the shielding group to take extra care in things such as physical distancing and hygiene.
I know that the prospect of returning to something more like your normal lives will be welcome for many of you, if not all of you, but I appreciate that it is also likely to be quite daunting.
The Scottish Government will provide more information for you nearer the time, and we will do everything we can to support you in this transition.
In addition the Economy Secretary has asked the UK Government to ensure ongoing financial support for anyone who has been shielding, and who may not be able to go back to work, or to work from home.
In addition, I think that those of us who aren’t shielding should also think about how we can help all of you during this transition.
Wearing masks in shops and on public transport, making sure we all keep 2 metres away from others wherever possible, that’s the best way we can all help to give shielding people the confidence to go out and about safely.
And if you’re an employer, please be sensitive to the concerns of any employees who may be shielding.
If it turns out that we are able to confirm next week that shielding will be paused from 31 July, please reach out to people who might be going back to work; have honest conversations about how you can support them; and try to think creatively about how you can make your workplace safer for them.
As I’ve said before, the relaxation of shielding measures is good news, but it will be prompting some understandable stress and anxiety. All of us can take sometimes small steps, that might make a big difference for people who are shielding.
The final issue I want to cover relates to mental health. Most of the focus on Covid so far – for very obvious reasons – has been on its physical impact.
However, we are also increasingly thinking about the mental health of people who have had Covid.
There are now, for example, more than 500 people who have been discharged from intensive care or high dependency units in Scotland.
Being in intensive care is obviously a traumatic experience – and many Covid patients have had to go through that, without any prospect of being visited by friends and family at any time while they have been in hospital.
So although we know that most people will make a full recovery, with the help of their loved ones – some people we know will need additional support.
Scotland already has a very effective programme, which is used by several health boards, for helping patients who have been in intensive care.
The Inspire programme uses specialists from different disciplines; it puts former intensive care patients in touch with other people who have had the same experiences; and it encourages them to join community organisations or other groups which can help them through.
And so we plan to learn from that in supporting Covid patients.
I am delighted to confirm today that Dr Nadine Cossette – a psychiatrist with NHS Lothian – has agreed to lead on this work. It is an important way of ensuring that people who have had Covid get the long-term help that they need to recover.
Before I hand over to John Swinney and then to Dr Steedman, I want to stress again today that as the figures demonstrate, we have now got to a position – it’s been hard earned, and it has not been easy – but we’ve now got to a position where, at this stage, there are very low levels of the virus in Scotland.
However, as you hear me say every single day, the only way to ensure that things remain that way, is to continue to stick to the rules.
Every single one of us have a duty – and I think it is a duty that all of us have as citizens – to remember that the decisions we take as individuals right now have an impact on the collective wellbeing of us all. That is more important now as we emerge from lockdown than it has been at any point over the last four months.
So I want once again to remind you all of Facts – the five key, vitally important things all of us should remember in absolutely everything we do.
Face coverings should be worn in enclosed spaces. They are mandatory in shops and on public transport, but our advice is in any enclosed space where physical distancing might be more difficult, wear a face covering.
Avoid crowded places. Not just crowded places indoors – that is especially important – but even outdoors, avoid crowded places.
Clean your hands regularly and thoroughly and if you’re touching hard surfaces clean them too.
Two metre distancing remains the general rule and the strong advice we give to everyone.
and Self isolate, and book a test, if you have symptoms. Remember, if you have a new cough, if you have a fever, if you suffer a loss of or a change in your sense of taste or smell, don’t wait to see if you feel better. Act immediately. Self-isolate and go to the NHS inform website, and book a test. It is by doing that, that you give our test and protect system the opportunity to break the chains of transmission.
So if all of us remember these 5 basic measures, all of us can help to stay safe, protect others, and save lives.
https://youtu.be/Q4t7EjeBHdg
So my thanks, again, to everyone who is doing the right thing, and sticking with these rules. If we all keep doing it then we will continue to make the progress that we’ve seen in recent weeks.
Before I leave today there is one other issue that I want to update you on, which relates to a temporary change to the regularity of these daily briefings.
For the next two weeks we are going to be moving to three briefings a week, on Tuesdays, Wednesday and Thursdays. That means there will be no tomorrow or on Monday – I will next see you here on Tuesday.
The reason for that is, when you watch these briefings you see those of us who stand at the podiums, but these briefings involve a lot of work on the part of people behind the camera. This allows us to give people a bit of a break over the next two weekends in the summer period.
We will return to five-day-a-week briefings at the start of August as we go into that period running up to the return of schools, when I am sure there will be a lot of questions, not just from the journalists but parents and young people will want to hear regular updates about our progress.
So we do intend to return to the five-day-a-week briefing, but we intend to give people a little bit of a break over the next two weekends, before we go into next, I’m sure, very busy period.
One other change is that of Tuesday next week when I return for the next briefing, we will be at the slightly earlier time of 12.15 every day and that is likely to be a permanent change. So try to remember, if you are planning on tuning in, to tune in 15 minutes early to get the update that we will give you.
Obviously for Mondays and Fridays over the next two weeks we will put out the daily update through the Scottish Government website.
My thanks to all of you for joining us today and as always for complying with the guidance that we ask you to comply with, and that’s the note that I will leave you on.
We are making so much good progress here and we must make sure it continues, so please remember Facts: Face coverings, avoid crowded places, clean your hands, clean hard surfaces, two metres distance, and self-isolate and get a test if you have symptoms.
I can’t stress this enough: if we all stick to these five basic measures, it is possible for us to keep this virus under control, and get that greater normality back into our lives, with perhaps the greatest prize of all – to have children and young people back in full-time education come the middle of August.
So thank you again very much, and I will see you again on Tuesday at 12.15pm.
Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by Dr Helen Flaherty, Head of Health Promotion at Heart Research UK
Healthy picnics
July is National Picnic month and this is a good time to get outdoors to celebrate the warm weather and enjoy some tasty food with friends and family. An outdoor picnic can provide the perfect setting for some fun activities to get your heart pumping.
Make your picnic a healthy one by following our healthy tips:
Choose a location for your picnic
Plan your picnic in a relaxing spot where you can include a brisk walk or some fun activities, such as a game of frisbee or rounders. Getting plenty of physical activity can help to keep your heart healthy.
Avoid too much fat, salt and sugar
A diet that includes too much salt, fat and sugar is associated with an increased risk of heart disease. Instead of taking crisps, salted nuts, sausage rolls, cakes, chocolate and sugary drinks on your picnic, choose healthier options, such as unsalted nuts, lean meat (e.g. chicken breast), fresh fruit and veg, low-fat and low-sugar yoghurts and sugar-free drinks or water.
Switch to wholegrain
Wholegrain foods are a good source of nutrients, including fibre, which is good for your heart. Try switching from white bread to wholemeal bread for your sandwiches or wholemeal pita or wraps. Salads can include wholemeal pasta or brown rice to increase your fibre intake.
Pack in the fruit and veg
Pack raw veg sticks, such as carrots celery, peppers, cucumber and sugar snap peas to have with healthy dips, such as low-fat hummus or tzatziki. For a healthy dessert, you could try making a fresh fruit salad or fruit skewers served with low-fat and low-sugar yoghurt.
Find healthy and delicious recipes for your picnic
There are plenty of healthy picnic recipes available online, such as the BBC Good Food Healthy Picnic Recipes:
Co-op Funeralcare estimates 9.7 million mourners have been denied the opportunity to say their last goodbye at their loved one’s funeral
With only 50% of funerals proceeding with restricted attendance over lockdown, Scotland ranks one of the highest in the UK for funerals that went ahead
Just 4% said that someone visiting them was the most comforting thing that someone did for them when experiencing a bereavement in Scotland
59% of bereaved UK adults said lockdown had negatively impacted their grief process
A further 61% of bereaved UK adults, who have experienced a bereavement during lockdown, said that nothing has helped them to grieve
Co-op has released a report which reveals the devastating impact lockdown has had on Edinburgh’s ability to grieve and warns the region could yet face a grief pandemic.
An online YouGov survey, commissioned by the UK’s leading funeral provider Co-op Funeralcare, shows that in the weeks following the start of the UK’s lockdown on 23rd March, 50% of bereaved adults in Edinburgh have been denied their final farewell.
Although a necessary measure to protect our nation during the coronavirus pandemic, the restrictions on the number of funeral attendees mean that many have been unable to attend their loved one’s funeral, with some councils prohibiting any attendees at crematoriums and gravesides.
When asked about the most important way to say goodbye, 42% of UK adults chose being present when their loved one passes away, whilst 33% chose attending a funeral or memorial service. Sadly, in a bid to slow the spread of Covid-19, neither of these goodbyes have been an option for an estimated 243,000 bereaved families.
Funerals play an intrinsic part in the grieving process, and by being unable to attend, many have been unable to grieve the loss of their loved one. The survey revealed that37% of mourners have been unable to pay their respects by attending a funeral service, whilst 45% of people said the funeral went ahead, or will go ahead, with restricted attendance in person only.
A harrowing estimate of more than 133,000 bereaved families who have lost a loved one during lockdown said their grief process has been negatively affected by the restrictions in place, with over three fifths (61%) saying that nothing in particular has helped them to grieve. This inability to grieve at present means the nation could experience a prolonged period of mourning for months, or even years, to come.
David Collingwood, Director of Funerals at Co-op Funeralcare said: “A funeral provides a sense of closure for bereaved families and is very often the start of the grieving process.
“Sadly, the recent restrictions mean an estimated 243,000 bereaved families across the UK and thousands across Edinburgh have been denied the right to say goodbye to loved ones in the way they would have wished.
“We completely supported the need to introduce these restrictions at the beginning of the devasting Coronavirus pandemic in the UK. We had to make some tough but responsible decisions to protect our colleagues and clients, and to fulfil our social responsibility of slowing the spread of the disease.
“Tragically, we don’t yet know what the long-term psychological effects will be for families denied the last opportunity to say goodbye, so it is vital that we do everything possible to allow families and individuals to attend funerals, whilst always prioritising the health and safety of our communities.”
Co-op Foundation has partnered with Co-op Funeralcare to deliver grants of up to £10,000 for projects that help young people to support each other through bereavement.
Organisations can express their interest in the Co-op Foundation #iwill Fund until 31 July. The funding will help build confidence, skills and a sense of belonging among young bereaved people, while helping them to make a long-term impact on their peers who have gone through similar experiences.
In Co-op Funeralcare’s Biggest Ever Survey in 2018, 81% of respondents said they hadn’t saved anything towards their funeral, and 8% admitted to experiencing financial hardship due to paying for the funeral of a loved one.
Co-op understands the impact financial worries can have on those trying to navigate the grieving process, so has extended the financial support available through its own Funeralcare Hardship Fund.
The fund which was launched in April as part of the Co-op Members Coronavirus Fundhas allowed Co-op’s 4.6 million members to donate their unspent existing member rewards. The Hardship Fund provides a grant of £250 to anyone[6] who is in financial hardship and arranging a funeral for a loved one who died as a result of coronavirus, or a coronavirus related illness.
Andy Langford, Cruse Bereavement Care Clinical Director said: “The coronavirus pandemic has meant it is an incredibly distressing time to be grieving, whenever your bereavement occurred.
“Many people have been grieving in isolation, unable to attend funerals, say goodbye, and be close to those they love. When you feel you have no control over how you can experience those last moments with someone, this can have a profound impact on the grieving process.”
Whilst grief itself is not a mental health problem, it can cause mental health problems for some of us. Co-op is working with its partners Mind, SAMH and Inspire to encourage those affected by grief to access support from bereavement charities before their mental health deteriorates.
Stephen Buckley, Head of Information at Mind said: “The loss of a loved one during the pandemic is leaving many people struggling with grief. In most cases, grief is not a diagnosable mental health problem. It is absolutely normal that grief places strain on our everyday lives and it can take a long time to adapt to life after a loss.
“If you feel that your mental health is suffering following a bereavement beyond the stages of grief or if you have an existing mental health problem that is being worsened following a bereavement and you’re struggling to cope, it’s important to seek help, speak to a loved one, GP or contact a bereavement charity.”
New campaign to help people get the healthcare they need.
People are being asked to continue following the public health guidance issued during the first phase of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic by using their local pharmacy, GP practice, local minor injuries unit or NHS 24 to get advice and help when they need medical care.
A new public information campaign titled ‘Should you go to A&E?’ is being launched to help make sure people continue to get the right care that they need and in the right place.
By continuing to follow public health guidance, people can help ensure Accident and Emergency Departments are ready to quickly treat those who need urgent care from emergency specialists.
The public are asked to continue:
using the NHS inform website in the first instance to access advice on common symptoms, guidance for self-help and where to go if further medical care is needed
using the NHS 24 Mental Health Hub and Breathing Space telephone helpline to access mental health advice and guidance
using NHS 24 and the Out of Hours service when they are too ill to wait for their GP practice to open and provide the clinical advice and help they need
going to their local community pharmacy for expert help in treating minor illnesses such as coughs, earache and cold sores, along with common clinical conditions such as Urinary Tract Infections
using their local minor injuries unit for non-life threatening but painful injuries such as a deep cut, a broken or sprained ankle or a painful burn injury
contacting and using their local GP practice during the day for an appointment or over the phone advice
Accident and Emergency Departments remain open for emergency care, with public health measures in place to protect staff and patients.
Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said: “During this first phase of the pandemic you have followed our guidance closely and when you needed medical care you used your local pharmacy, GP practice, local minor injuries unit or you called NHS 24 for medical and mental health advice and help.
“As we safely and carefully resume NHS Scotland, we need you to continue to do this. We need you to continue to access the right care you need and in the right place.
“While the NHS is there for you, we don’t all need to go to accident and emergency as for many of us, it is not the right place for the care we need. Sometimes self-help may be the quickest way to resolve your health problem and the NHS Inform website provides advice on common symptoms and guidance for self-help.
“Our Clear Your Head website also provides specific advice to support mental health. The campaign we are launching will help ensure you have the information you need to get the care you need, closer to home, and often with no waiting time at all.
“In an emergency you should always call 999 or go to your nearest accident and emergency department. By continuing to do what we have been doing throughout this pandemic, we will continue to help our doctors and nurses, and ensure accident and emergency provides the fastest and often lifesaving care for people when they really need it.”
Vice President of Royal College of Emergency Medicine Scotland Dr David Chung said: “People in Scotland have responded fantastically during the COVID-19 pandemic and they have played an important role in helping to protect NHS Scotland by using their local emergency department in a sensible way.
“We want to make it easier for patients to be seen in a way that keeps everyone safe. This may mean that making one visit rather than several, and ensuring you access the service you really need, rather than the one that happens to be open at that time.
“To help us do that, we would ask you to use NHS advice lines or online resources. Accident and Emergency Departments remain completely open for emergencies as we have throughout the pandemic, and we know patients who need emergency care are not staying away anymore. We have got the balance right but we need people to use emergency services sensibility to prevent new infections arising.”
Pharmacist and Director of Operations for Community Pharmacy Scotland Matt Barclay said: “The vast majority of the public have been understanding with the safety measures put in place and have continued to access the expertise of community pharmacy teams throughout this pandemic.
“It has been a challenge for everyone however the community pharmacy network in Scotland will continue to deliver for the public in any way we can. For any minor illnesses and queries around medicines we would encourage people to think ‘Pharmacy First’ and the pharmacist will do what they can to appropriately support patients through advice, referral if necessary or treatment.
“By doing this we know we can support patients and the wider NHS by playing our part as accessible healthcare professionals, making sure people receive the right care in the right place.”
To help keep everyone safe, the public are being asked to seek medical advice online at NHS inform, call NHS 24, speak with the GP practice or contact their local pharmacy or minor injuries unit who can also help and prescribe treatment.
Anyone with symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 should not attend A&E and must adhere to public health advice. They should contact the NHS to arrange to be tested – either online at NHS Inform, or by calling 0800 028 2816.
