Tag: Health and wellbeing

Scottish Autism: making supermarkets accessible

Thank you to everyone who sent us suggestions on how to improve the supermarket shopping experience for autistic customers during the Covid-19 pandemic.

With new queuing rules and social distancing in place as a result of the pandemic, our experience of supermarket shopping has changed significantly.

As part of our My Five campaign, we aim to help retail and hospitality businesses become more welcoming and accessible to autistic people and their families. We have collated the five most commonly suggested themes on adjustments supermarkets can make and developed guidance for them below. We are sharing this directly with supermarkets too.

With lockdown restrictions beginning to ease you may be visiting more than supermarkets in the coming weeks and months.

Learn how you could make these visits a more positive experience and join Gavin Neate, Founder and CEO of the WelcoMe app, for a live webinar and Q&A session today at 12 noon on our Facebook page.

The WelcoMe app aims to support autistic and disabled people to have a positive experience when visiting shops and others venues. #MyFive #Autism #COVID19

Next steps for NHS recovery to be discussed by new advisory group

The recovery and renewal of health services is to be informed by the work of a new advisory group which meets for the first time today.

The Mobilisation Recovery Group, led by Health Secretary Jeane Freeman, will work to balance the safe resumption of some health care services that were paused during the initial response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) emergency, while retaining capacity in NHS Scotland to deal with the virus.   

The group will advise on the next steps for safe and effective service delivery, as informed by the ‘Re-mobilise, Recover, Re-design framework for NHS Scotland’ plan, and will consider its implications for the full range of services. This includes emergency care, diagnostics, cancer services, scheduled care, mental health, social, primary and community care.

Ms Freeman said: “Throughout this pandemic NHS Scotland has remained open, continuing to provide emergency, urgent, cancer and maternity care, support for social care as well as maintaining COVID-19 capacity and resilience.

“Our response has and will continue to be informed by expert advice. As we begin to resume some paused NHS services safely, carefully and in a series of stages, this expert advisory group will help us balance patient and staff safety and NHS Scotland’s ability to respond to the virus.

“This is not a straightforward task and it will take time. The advice of the Mobilisation Recovery Group will be key as we continue to plan how the NHS and its planning partners can safely and effectively respond to the extraordinary demands of COVID-19, both now and in the future.

“The group will help us plan for the next steps, taking into account the whole health and care system, involving primary and community care, as well as engagement with clinical partners, service delivery partners, local authorities and patients. I look forward to its contribution.

“The safety of patients and staff will continue to be our priority and I want to reassure you that we are taking these precautions so that we can safely offer the right care, at the right time, in the right place.”

The Mobilisation Recovery group consists of representatives from around 30 expert and key stakeholders groups, including but not limited to COSLA, the Royal College of Nursing, the British Medical Association, the Royal College of General Practitioners, the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges and Faculties, Alliance Scotland, the Care Inspectorate, Scottish Social Services Council and Adult Social Care Standing Committee.

Heart Research UK Healthy Tip – Healthy waistline

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

Measure your waistline

Your waist circumference is an indicator of your risk of developing some serious health conditions, including heart disease. People who carry too much fat around their middle have a higher risk of developing heart disease, however, this risk can be reduced by losing weight. We explain how to measure your waist as well as providing tips for maintaining a healthy waistline.

What is a healthy waistline?

A healthy waistline for men is anything below 94cm (37 inches) and anything below 80cm (31.5 inches) for women. You are at a high risk if your waist circumference is 102cm (40 inches) or over for men or 88cm (34.6 inches) or over for women.
If you are a man from African Caribbean, South Asian, Chinese or Japanese origin, a healthy waist circumference is anything below 90cm (35.4 inches).

How to measure your waist circumference

Checking your waist circumference will help you to identify whether you are carrying too much fat around your middle. To measure your waist, you first need to find the bone at the top of your hip and your bottom rib. You need to wrap a tape measure around your middle at the centre of these two points. You need to relax and breathe out when the measurement is taken. Ensure the tape measure is touching your skin, but not pulled too tightly. You can repeat the measure two more times and take the average.

Maintain a healthy waistline

If your waist circumference is within the healthy range, this is great news. You should keep an eye on your waist circumference by measuring it from time to time. If your waist circumference is above the healthy range, you should try to lose weight. We gain weight when we eat more calories than we use up. By eating less and getting more physical activity, you should see your weight and your waistline reduce.

You can get help to lose weight by following the NHS 12-week weight
loss plan:

 https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-weight/start-the-nhs-weight-loss-plan/

Free period products for Edinburgh Napier students at home

Delivery scheme sees nearly 200 orders placed in first week

Nearly 200 students have taken advantage of Edinburgh Napier’s free period product scheme after it was extended to include home delivery during lockdown.

Thanks to Scottish Government funding, the University teamed up with social enterprise Hey Girls last year to provide a range of free period products to students in various locations across Edinburgh Napier property.

The scheme has recently been extended to give students living in the UK the chance to order period products to be delivered to their home – for free.

Within the first weeks of free delivery being available, a total of 177 orders had been placed, meaning students who were in lockdown, or at home for the summer holidays, could continue to benefit from the initiative.

Jamie Pearson, Environmental Sustainability Manager at Edinburgh Napier, said: “The deliveries build upon the fantastic work carried out by the University cleaning supervisors and student-led Bleedin’ Saor team to ensure all students at Edinburgh Napier have access to free period products. 

“We’re very grateful to the Scottish Government for providing funding to enable this initiative.”

Social enterprise Hey Girls’ mission since being founded in 2018 is to eradicate period poverty in the UK.

Since 2018, Hey Girls has been working with local authorities, schools and colleges in Scotland and since 2020 in Wales to deliver free period products to students, constituents and service users.  Products were made widely available in 2020 in Scottish public spaces.

Celia Hodson, Founder Hey Girls said: “We don’t believe anyone should be denied access to period products, during a global pandemic or not.  Access to period products is a human right, yet sadly there is still work to be done across the UK to recognise this.

“It’s been incredible to witness, however, the acknowledgement from so many local authorities and educational institutes that this issue is so important, especially during Covid-19. Working with our partners to provide period protection during the coronavirus pandemic hopefully means that women and girls in these settings have one less thing to worry about and can feel confident whilst on their periods.”

“We are working to expand this initiative across the UK, and welcome the opportunity to work with new councils, schools and colleges to keep everyone period protected during Covid-19.”

The home delivery of free period products is the latest in a number of projects Edinburgh Napier has spearheaded which aim to make products available to anyone who needs them alongside helping put an end to the stigma surrounding ‘that time of the month’.

Last year, a student collective called ‘Bleedin’ Saor’ successfully worked with the University, Hey Girls and PR agency Wire to successfully deliver the first-ever University Bloody Big Brunch as part of a national campaign to raise awareness of period poverty.

The same collective also worked with Hey Girls and the University’s Property and Facilities team to develop a new dispenser for its range of period products. This dispenser can now be found in key bathrooms across the University and is also being used by Hey Girls’ clients throughout the country.

Later this year, Bleedin’ Saor will also debut an exciting new collaborative documentary project about period poverty.

Filmed and edited by Edinburgh Napier BA Film and BA Television students, the film takes its inspiration from the Scottish Government’s ground-breaking initiative to provide free products in all schools, colleges and universities. The film will also cover the collective’s trip to Uganda where it researched international contexts and projects tackling period provision.

More information on Edinburgh Napier’s free period products and where to find them can be found here.

More information on Hey Girls can be found here.

More information on Bleedin’ Saor can be found here.

Health leaders call for urgent review: “Second wave a real risk”

This open letter, signed by the Presidents of the Royal Colleges of Surgeons, Nursing, Physicians, and GPs, appears in today’s British Medical Journal.

It comes the day after Boris Johnson announced a major relaxation to lockdown measures in England.

Dear leaders of UK political parties,

Several countries are now experiencing covid-19 flare-ups. While the future shape of the pandemic in the UK is hard to predict, the available evidence indicates that local flare-ups are increasingly likely and a second wave a real risk.

Many elements of the infrastructure needed to contain the virus are beginning to be put in place, but substantial challenges remain. The job now is not only to deal urgently with the wide ranging impacts of the first phase of the pandemic, but to ensure that the country is adequately prepared to contain a second phase.

You may have seen the recent editorial in The BMJ calling for a transparent rapid review of where we are and what needs to be done to prevent and prepare for a second wave.1 We believe that such a review is crucial and needs to happen soon if the public is to have confidence that the virus can be contained.

The review should not be about looking back or attributing blame. Rather it should be a rapid and forward looking assessment of national preparedness, based on an examination of the complex and inter-related policy areas listed below. These are too broad for any one of the existing select committees.

That is why a cross party commission was suggested, establishing a constructive, non-partisan, four nations approach that could rapidly produce practical recommendations for action, based on what we have all learnt, and without itself becoming a distraction for those at the front line or in government.

These recommendations should not require primary legislation or major organisational change. The approach would also help the public understand how and by whom they will be implemented. We believe this will be essential if the UK is to get ahead of the curve.

We are aware of YouGov polls showing that a majority of the public now support an “inquiry.” We also know that the prime minister and secretary of state for health and social care have received a petition from the Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice group, requesting a full public inquiry.

The group has also called for an urgent interim inquiry, which shares the same fundamental approach and objective as our suggested rapid review: that it should be forward looking, practical, responsive to what the public at large want to see happen, and focused on evaluating national preparedness in the lead up to winter, with the aim of saving lives.

We are not wedded to any particular design of inquiry or review, but as outlined in the editorial, we believe it should be quick, broad, ambitious, able to command widespread public and stakeholder trust, and needs to happen now.

It should focus on those areas of weakness where action is needed urgently to prevent further loss of life and restore the economy as fully and as quickly as possible. We believe the list below includes those areas.

As stakeholders and leaders of the UK’s medical, nursing, and public health professions, we urge you to establish such a review.

We think there’s a strong case for an immediate assessment of national preparedness, with the first results available no later than August, and that all its work should be completed by the end of October.

We don’t underestimate the complexities of establishing this in the required timeframe. We stand by ready to help in whatever way we can.

Policy areas needing rapid attention:

  • Governance including parliamentary scrutiny and involvement of regional and local structures and leaders

  • Procurement of goods and services

  • Coordination of existing structures, in a way designed to optimise the establishment of effective public health and communicable disease control infrastructure, the resilience of the NHS as a whole, and the shielding of vulnerable individuals and communities

  • The disproportionate burden on black, Asian, and minority ethnic individuals and communities

  • International collaboration, especially to mitigate any new difficulties in pandemic management due to Brexit.

Scots encouraged to recognise feelings as lockdown measures eased

Advice for those anxious about next steps

The Scottish Government’s Principal Medical Officer has encouraged people to prioritise their mental health, as he acknowledged that changes to lockdown measures can bring new challenges for many.

Research shows that although the vast majority continue to support a slow and gradual lifting of restrictions (81 per cent), at least seven in ten people in Scotland are feeling anxious or concerned about other people not following guidelines, as restrictions ease1.

Consultant Psychiatrist Dr John Mitchell explained that these concerns are normal and shared by everyone to differing degrees – as well as offering advice on how to deal with anxiety as the nation adjusts to increased freedoms.

Suggestions include:

  • recognising how you’re feeling
  • talking to others
  • regular physical activity
  • good sleep, diet and sensible alcohol and caffeine consumption
  • limiting the time you allow yourself to worry, and taking slow deep breaths if you’re feeling anxious

Mentally preparing yourself to do things that you are worried about can also help, rehearsing in your mind the steps you can take to reduce infection risk, such paying contactlessly, staying at a safe two metre distance from others, good hand hygiene, and also using face coverings on public transport which is now required.

The Clear Your Head website – clearyourhead.scot – provides a range of tips to help people look after their mental health during these times, signposting helplines for those who need to talk to someone, including NHS24, Breathing Space, SAMH and the Samaritans.

Principal Medical Officer and Consultant Psychiatrist Dr John Mitchell said: “As restrictions lift, many of us may be struggling with our feelings and emotions, feeling anxious or frustrated for what seems like no reason. 

We may have gotten used to the restrictions, changing how we live, work and interact, and whilst we might expect everyone will be grateful for increased freedoms, many are really anxious about the next steps. It is important that we face our fears and do not avoid them.

“The enjoyment we might get from moving more freely outside, travelling and meeting friends and family is tempered when we are worried about the spread of infection. By sticking to the rules during the gradual lifting of restrictions, we can be confident that risk won’t rise. Less virus around us can be matched with less restriction.

“Although there are practical things we can do to help ourselves cope over the coming weeks, remember that help is available if needed.  We’ve never had to deal with a situation like this before, so be kind to yourself and to others, and reach out if you need to talk to someone. Support is there.”

For practical tips, visit clearyourhead.scot.

Coronavirus: World Health Organisation enlists the help of Mr Bean

Public Service Announcement reminds people about the importance of washing hands, physical distancing and showing kindness

The World Health Organization (WHO), Project Everyone and Tiger Aspect Productions have partnered to launch a Public Service Announcement (PSA) using global comedy cartoon star, Mr Bean.

With cases of COVID-19 continuing to rise globally, “Mr Bean’s Essential COVID-19 Checklist” is a reminder to people about the importance of washing hands, physical distancing and demonstrating kindness to their neighbours.

The PSA features a cartoon sketch of Mr Bean comically tackling a pesky roller blind to finally reveal a number of essential tips to protect people against COVID-19.

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization, said: “COVID-19 affects every walk of human life, and we need to use all tools and avenues at our disposal to share life-saving information with all people around the world.

“I am grateful for the support of the team behind Mr Bean for lending your voice and talents to spread vital advice on physical distancing, hygiene and knowing the symptoms.”

The PSA is voiced by Mr Bean star, Rowan Atkinson, who created the Mr Bean character to be “a child in a grown man’s body” when he was at Oxford University along with filmmaker and Sustainable Development Goal advocate Richard Curtis.

Mr Bean, which was originally broadcast in the 1990s before transforming into an animated series, has since expanded on a global scale with 96 million Facebook followers globally and major fanbases across India, Brazil and Indonesia. Mr Bean also celebrates his 30th anniversary in 2020.

The PSA was coordinated by Project Everyone, a not-for-profit agency devised by Richard Curtis working to put the power of communications behind the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

Richard Curtis said: “We are delighted to work with the WHO on this Mr Bean sketch and to support health messaging around COVID-19.

“In 2015 193 world leaders committed to 17 Global Goals to end poverty, inequality and climate change by 2030. Good Health and Wellbeing is Goal 3 and central to achieving all of the Global Goals.

“It’s key that we work with creative partners – and that all sectors come together to continue to get messages out about how we can tackle COVID-19 and build back a better world where the Global Goals remain the guiding plan to be achieved by 2030. I’m not QUITE sure which sector Mr Bean belongs to – but we’re delighted to have him on board.”

As of this morning there have been 8,974,795 confirmed cases of coronavirus across 216 countries, areas and territories. To date, the pandemic has taken the lives of 469,159 people across the world. That’s no laughing matter.