Tag: Health and wellbeing

Healthy Heart Tips: blood pressure

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

Maintain a Healthy Blood Pressure

High blood pressure puts extra strain on your heart and blood vessels and this increases your risk of having a heart attack or stroke. High blood pressure affects around 1 in 3 people, however there are usually no symptoms and many people are unaware they have high blood pressure.

The only way to know if your blood pressure is high is to have it measured. This can be done by your GP or you can use a blood pressure monitor at home. This healthy heart tip explains what high blood pressure is and it provides tips for maintaining a healthy blood pressure.

What is high blood pressure?

When blood pressure is measured, two numbers are generated. An ideal blood pressure is 120/80 millimetres of mercury (mmHg). The first number is the systolic blood pressure (higher number), which is the force at which blood is being pumped around your body. Ideally, this will be below 120. A systolic blood pressure of 140 or more is regarded as high.

The second number is the diastolic blood pressure (lower number) which is the pressure when your heart is at rest, in between beats. Ideally this will be 80 or lower. A diastolic reading of 90 or above is regarded as high. The lower your blood pressure, the lower your risk of having a heart attack or stroke.

What can I do to maintain a healthy blood pressure?

  • Reduce the amount of salt in your diet to no more than 6g a day (1 teaspoon). Look at the amount of salt on food labels and avoid choosing snacks that are high in salt.
  • Maintain a healthy weight by eating a healthy diet and getting plenty of physical activity. You can check whether your body mass index (BMI) is within a healthy range using the online BMI healthy weight calculator from the NHS – https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-weight/bmi-calculator/
  • Eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables every day
  • Keep your alcohol consumption within the recommended limits of no more than 14 units a week, spread over three or more days
  • Aim to do 150 minutes of moderate activity (e.g. brisk walking) or 75 minutes of vigorous activity (e.g. running) each week plus some strengthening activities (e.g. lifting weights) at least twice a week.

Lots more healthy tips, exercises and recipes can be found at heartresearch.org.uk.

North West Carers mark Dementia Awareness Week

It is Dementia Awareness Week. The staff and Volunteers at the North West Carers Centre have all completed the Dementia Friend Programme.

The Alzheimer’s Society’s Dementia Friends programme is the biggest ever initiative to change people’s perceptions of dementia. It aims to transform the way the nation thinks, acts and talks about the condition.

Whether you attend a face-to-face Information Session or watch the online video, Dementia Friends is about learning more about dementia and the small ways you can help. From telling friends about the Dementia Friends programme to visiting someone you know living with dementia, every action counts.

The Dementia Friends Inititiative has 6 reasons why we should all become a Dementia Friend. Today we will be thinking about Reason 1:

1. Learn about dementia and how it affects a person’s life What is it actually like to live with dementia? How does it affect someone’s life day-today? When you become a Dementia Friend, you’ll learn about the real-life impact of the condition and the small actions we can all take to help.

First Minister talks Test & Protect

Statement given by the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at a media briefing in St Andrew’s House yesterday (Tuesday 25 May):

Good afternoon. Thanks for joining us for today’s briefing.

I want to start – as I always do – by updating you on some of the key statistics in relation to Covid-19 in Scotland.

As at 9 o’clock this morning, there have been 15,185 positive cases confirmed – an increase of 29 from yesterday.

A total of 1,200 patients are in hospital with confirmed or suspected Covid-19. That represents a total decrease of 69 from yesterday, including a decrease of 16 in the number of confirmed cases.

A total of 36 people last night were in intensive care with confirmed or suspected Covid 19. That is a decrease of 4 since yesterday.

I am also able to confirm today that since 5 March, a total of 3,589 patients who had tested positive for the virus have been able to leave hospital.

And unfortunately, in the last 24 hours, 18 deaths have been registered of patients who have been confirmed through a test as having Covid-19 –  that takes the total number of deaths in Scotland, under that measurement, to 2291.

Each one is an individual whose loss is a source of grief to many. I want to send my condolences to everyone who has lost a loved one to this virus.

I also want to express my gratitude – as I always do – to our health and care workers, for everything you are doing in such testing circumstances.

Today, I want to focus on the launch of NHS Scotland’s test, trace and isolate programme – Test and Protect – the logo for which you will see behind me.

From the end of this week, through Test and Protect, anyone who suspects they have Covid-19 will be tested.

If you test positive, your close contacts will be traced and advised to isolate for 14 days.

The aim of Test and Protect is to quickly identify cases of the virus and then act to break the chains of transmission.

On 4th May, we published our initial plans.

I can confirm today, that the system will go live in every one of Scotland’s 14 health board areas on Thursday.

Test and Protect will be an important tool in the months ahead – it will help us suppress the virus while we slowly ease lockdown restrictions. But it will only be effective if we all play our part.

So today I’ll set out what the capacity of the new system will be at the point of launch and how this will develop.

And I’ll set out how you as an individual, your household, your workplace and your employer can support us in making it work.

Firstly we said that to launch Test and Protect nationally we needed the ability to conduct over 15,000 tests a day.  I can confirm today that this capacity is now in place.

It will be delivered through a combination of NHS labs, academic partners, the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service and the Lighthouse Lab in Glasgow.

Secondly, we said we would enhance and extend use of the software that public health teams already use for contact tracing in relation to other infectious diseases.

That software has been piloted in Fife, Lanarkshire and Highland over the last week and I can confirm that it will be operational in every health board by Thursday.

Thirdly, we said that we’d aim to have 2000 contact tracers available by the end of this month.

Based on current demand estimates, we assess that around 700 will be needed in the early phase. However, I can confirm that by the end of the month we will have a pool of around 2000 to draw on if necessary.

This is a system that will operate at a scale not seen before in Scotland. Over the first couple of weeks, it will need to bed down. But introducing it at the same time as we take the first cautious steps out of lockdown gives us the opportunity to address any operational issues ahead of a potentially more substantial easing of restrictions at the next review date in 3 weeks.

Over the next few weeks, we will also add enhancements to the system.

As I said earlier, the technology used by contact tracers will be in place from the start. But we will also add a digital platform to allow people who test positive to enter details of their contacts online.

We will also continue to build testing capacity and make access to testing more locally accessible. We will keep you updated on all of that.

Let me now outline what we are asking you, the public to do.

Let me stress that, just like lockdown, this is something that will only have the desired effect if we all do what is required. It can’t be seen as optional.

To make sure we all understand what is required, a public awareness campaign will start later this week. And during June, information will be delivered to every household across the country.

But let me set out the basics here.

https://twitter.com/i/status/1265341932223336448

Firstly, as of Thursday we are asking that if you have any of the symptoms of COVID-19 – that is a cough, temperature or loss of taste or smell – you take immediate steps to book a test.

Please don’t wait to see if you feel better after a day or two – time is of the essence, so get in touch as soon as you experience symptoms.

You should go to nhsinform.scot or, if you can’t get online, call NHS 24 on 0800 028 2816.

Online you can ask for a test for yourself, or for someone else that you live with, and book it at one of the drive through testing centres or mobile testing units. For some, there will also be the option of a home testing kit. As I said earlier, in the coming weekswe will be working to further expand local access to testing.

If you can’t go online, you should call NHS 24 on 0800 028 2816. An adviser will then go through some questions with you, and book you in for a test.

While you wait for your test and the result, it is essential that you and your household self-isolate.  That means staying at home at all times – with the exception of going for the test. You shouldn’t go to the shops, out for exercise or to see anybody else.

In line with the current guidance, the person with symptoms should isolate for 7 days from the start of your symptoms.

Other members of the household should self-isolate for 14 days.  If any of them start to display symptoms during that time, they should also go through the testing process.

If your test comes back negative, you and your household can end your isolation.

However, if you are contacted to be told that you have tested positive, you will be asked at that stage for details of people that you have been in contact with.

The definition of a contact is people within your household, people you have had face to face contact with, and people who have been within two metres of for a period of 15 minutes or more.

I want to take the opportunity now to assure you that your privacy will be respected at all times during this process.

The information you provide will be held securely within the NHS and used only for the purposes of tracing your contacts.

It will not be used by the Scottish Government – indeed, we won’t have access to it. All the work of identifying and tracing contacts will be done within Scotland’s NHS.

Let me turn now to what to do if you receive a call from a contact tracer to say that you have been in contact with someone who has tested positive.

It is no exaggeration to say that how you – how any of us – respond will be vital in stopping the spread of the virus.

We will ask you to self-isolate immediately – the success of Test and Protect will really depend on all of us trusting this advice and, for the sake of ourselves and each other, agreeing to abide by it.

If you are at work, the advice will be to immediately head home, taking care to come into contact with as few people as possible.

We have published guidance this morning for employers, making clear they should support anyone who is asked to self-isolate by Test and Protect.

If you are well, and can work from home, then your employer will expect you to do so, but they should not ask you to go into work.

The Scottish Government is also in contact with the UK Government to ensure that employment rights and entitlement to benefits including statutory sick pay, take account of the fact that people may be off work or unable to attend appointments through no fault of their own.

We have also published today general advice for anyone who is asked to self-isolate. Remember that this is something over the months ahead that could happen to any of us – on more than one occasion.

This includes hygiene advice for your home, advice for other people in your household, what to do if you care for someone who is shielding or clinically vulnerable, and what to do if you need help accessing food and medicine or even accommodation. It also suggests how we can all make some preparations in advance.

Now, I know there’s a lot of information here to take in. But don’t worry, we will be taking steps to ensure everyone knows what we are asking you to do.

For now, let me leave you with these points.

Test and Protect is an important tool for us in the period ahead. The more effective it is, the more of the lockdown restrictions we will be able to lift.

However, it can’t do all the work of suppressing the virus. We will all continue to have a vital role to play in our everyday lives. That means even as we ease lockdown, physical distancing, good hygiene and following appropriate advice will continue to be essential.

And so too will all of us doing what is asked of us. Test and Protect will only work if we all come forward for testing when we have symptoms and if we all agree to self-isolate when asked.

And if the government steps up to give you the support you need to do so.

In short, Test and Protect will require exactly the same spirit of solidarity and care for each other as lockdown has done.

It will be a collective national endeavour.

People will need the help of family, friends, colleagues and employers. Volunteers who have been supporting efforts to distribute food and care for the vulnerable through lockdown will have a valuable part to play in supporting people through Test and Protect. Government will have to ensure the right capacity, resources and support is in place.

And all of us will have to agree to make sacrifices for the common good – just as we have been doing.

In short, by agreeing that some of us will have to stay home at times – when we have symptoms, test positive, or have been in contact with someone who tests positive – we can gradually move away from a situation where everyone has to stay home all of the time.

As I said earlier, we will make much more information available in the days and weeks to come.

But let me leave you with the most important message – from Thursday, if you have symptoms you should go online to NHS Inform or call NHS 0800 028 2816 0800 and book a test straight away.

And for now, all of us must continue to stick with lockdown measures.

So please, stay at home except for essential purposes.

When you do leave the house, stay more than two metres from other people. And do not meet up with people from households other than yours.

You should wear a face covering if you are in an enclosed space such as a shop or on public transport. This is one of the issues covered in the Transport Transition Plan that we will also publish later this afternoon.

You should also continue to wash your hands thoroughly and regularly.

And if you or someone else in your household has symptoms of Covid-19, then you should stay at home completely.

At the moment, these actions are vital – to slow the spread of the virus, protect the NHS, and save lives.

So thank you once again, for helping to do that.

New strategic plan to support social services

The Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) has published its new strategic plan setting out how it will support the continuing development and professionalism of the social service workforce while protecting the public through regulation.

As the social service workforce rises to meet the enormous challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic through their commitment and professionalism, the plan provides the foundation for growing recognition and value of the sector.

The plan has involving people connected to social services at the heart of delivering its work, to make sure the SSSC makes a positive and lasting contribution to the quality of services in Scotland.

We involved registered workers and other key stakeholders in developing the plan and our three strategic outcomes for 2020-23:

  1. People who use services are protected by ensuring the regulated workforce is fit to practise.
  2. The SSSC supports and enhances the development of the regulated workforce to deliver high standards of practice and drive improvement.
  3. Our workforce planning activities support employers, commissioners and policy makers to deliver a sustainable, integrated and innovative workforce.

This year is a significant milestone in registration of the social service workforce as it marks the completion of all the groups of workers required to register, meaning there are 160,000 people in many different services registered with the SSSC.

SSSC Chief Executive Lorraine Gray said: ‘Social service workers are facing the most challenging circumstances due to COVID-19 and I am proud to see the way they have responded, keeping their values, compassion and professionalism at the centre.

‘None of us could have imagined we’d be dealing with a global pandemic as we reached the final stage of registration, which is the achievement of the ambition to have Scotland’s social services delivered by a trusted, skilled and confident workforce. These aren’t jobs for just anyone – to be able to carry out one of these roles, people must hold the right values, skills and qualifications.

‘Reaching the final stage of registration means we can focus even more on our workforce development and planning work with the sector, so there are the right skills, qualifications and career pathways now and in the future.

‘We have a central role in delivering the Scottish Government’s National Health and Social Care Integrated Workforce Plan and keeping the promise to be part of the changes recommended by the recent Independent Care Review and I look forward to continuing to work with the sector in meeting these expectations.’

0031 – SSSC – Strategic Plan 2020-2023 V8 FV Web

Free School Meals: It’s not too late to claim

FREE SCHOOL MEALS 

information for parents and carers

from GRANTON INFORMATION CENTRE

Families of children from P4 to S6 who receive Free School Meals, and those in P1 to P3 who are entitled to clothing grants, will receive a fortnightly electronic payment during term time and the Easter Holidays equivalent to the cost of a school meal.

Payments are £22.50 per child every fortnight until further notice from 23 March.

All children in primary 1 to 3 receive free school meals if they are attending school, but not free milk or a clothing grant.   In the present circumstances, those families won’t receive the £22.50 fortnightly payment unless they are eligible to get the clothing grant and free milk due to low income.

The criteria is the same as for P4-7s.

IT’s NOT TOO LATE TO CLAIM

Parents may still apply for the current academic year and, if eligible, awards will be backdated to 23 March, the start of school closures. 

The eligibility for free school meals and/or substitute payment (including P1-3s) depends on the family’s income and they need to be in receipt of one of the following benefits:

  • Universal credit (with monthly earnings up to £610)
  • Income Support and Income Based Job seekers Allowance or Employment and Support Allowance
  • Child Tax Credits only with gross income up to £16105
  • Child and Working Tax Credits with gross income up to £6900
  • Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999

Some families will get an automatic award for 2020-21 but others will have to apply when the time comes (they are not receiving applications yet).

Clothing grants applications closed on 31 March but will reopen for the next academic year later.

For more information and keep up to date with possible changes please visit www.edinburgh.gov.uk/schoolgrants

https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/food-clothing/free-school-meals-school-clothing-grants/1

Jeane Freeman: Fair benefits for care workers

Statement given by the Health Secretary Jeane Freeman at a media briefing in St Andrew’s House yesterday (Sunday 24 May):

Good afternoon, and thank you for joining us for today’s briefing.

I want to start this afternoon by updating you on some of the key statistics in relation to COVID-19 in Scotland.

As at 9 o’clock this morning, there have been 15,101 positive cases confirmed – an increase of 60 from yesterday.

A total of 1,329 patients are in hospital with COVID-19 –845 who have been confirmed as having COVID, and 484 who are suspected of having the virus. That represents a total change of 24 from yesterday, including an increase of four in the number of confirmed cases.

A total of 44 people last night were in intensive care with confirmed or suspected COVID-19. And that is a decrease of six  since yesterday.

I am also able to confirm today that since 5 March, a total of 3,560 patients who had tested positive for the virus have been able to leave hospital, and I wish all of them well.

Regrettably, I also have to report that in the last 24 hours, nine deaths have been registered of patients who have been confirmed through a test as having COVID-19 – that takes the total number of deaths in Scotland, under that measurement, to 2,270.

It is worth bearing in mind that fewer deaths tend to be registered at the weekend than on other days of the week – and that is almost certainly part of the reason why today’s figure is relatively low.

And, as always, I want to stress that these numbers are not simply statistics. They represent individuals who were loved, who were valued, and whose loss is a source of grief to very many. So I want to send my deepest condolences to everyone who has lost a loved one to this virus.

As Health Secretary, I also want to once again thank those working in our health and care sectors.  That thanks is due to all staff – in care homes, in GP practices and COVID assessment centres, emergency dental and eyecare,  paramedics, procurement staff, people working in NHS 24; and the many  cooks, cleaners, porters and maintenance staff who make all of this possible.

What you do is essential to the health and wellbeing of our country. And all of us owe you a huge debt of gratitude.

I have one issue that I want to update you on, before I remind everyone of the guidance in place right now – and it is directly relevant to the point that I have just made, about the importance of frontline workers.

Social care workers have always played a vital and valuable role – but the importance of what they do has never been more apparent than during this emergency period.

Several employers already offer employment contracts to social care workers which are broadly in line with the Scottish Government’s fair work principles – but it is clear that others do not.

At this time, even more than is usually the case, that cannot be justified. It is not acceptable for any social care worker to be faced with the impossible situation of testing positive for the virus, knowing that their weekly income will reduce to only the level of statutory sick pay.

So we have intervened to ensure that social care workers do not face that situation, but receive better levels of sick pay. It is also the case that for some social care workers, their contract of employment offers no cover for death in service. Again, that is not acceptable, so our intervention will also ensure that in the tragic circumstances of this  pandemic, when a social care worker dies their next of kin will receive financial support.

That sick pay fund will ensure that care workers who test positive for COVID-19 will receive sick pay above the current statutory level of £95.85 a week.

The death in service benefit will see a one-of payment of £60,000 made to a named survivor of any social care worker who dies without death in service cover in their contracted pension arrangements. And both these arrangements will be retrospective.

Over the course of the next week, we will work with local government, social care providers and trades unions on the  details. But our aim is clear. This Scottish Government will provide fair benefits for care workers. They have continually shown, in recent weeks, how vital their work is. And we must help them, as they provide help to those who need it.

The people in our health and social care services are doing a tremendous job, but they need us to play our part.  And part of that is by following the rules that we have put in place.

So I think it is essential today to remind everyone – because it is hugely important – what we mean by Self-Isolation, and what we are asking you to do.

That message may have become confused in the last 24 hours because of events in other parts of the United Kingdom, so let me be clear what we mean here in Scotland.

Self-isolation means the following – if you think you have the virus – if you have a persistent cough, a fever or loss of taste and / or smell, you should self-isolate at home for a minimum of seven days.  In that time you should get tested if you can – bearing in mind that testing is now open to anyone over the age of five who have symptoms.

At the same time – anyone in your household should self-isolate for 14 days – to see if they develop the virus, and if they do, they should isolate for seven days from that point.

On the eighth day, if you do not have any more symptoms, you can go back out, back to the lockdown measures that apply across the country.

Self-isolation is not the same as lockdown.  When you are self-isolating you should not go to the shops, or out for exercise or to help others. You should not leave the house for any reason.

Instead if you need anything you should have it delivered to you, whether that’s by family and friends, local volunteers, supermarket delivery services or by phoning the National Helpline on 0800 111 4000.

If you are concerned about vulnerable people who are with you or that you care for – again – phone the National Helpline – 0800 111 4000.

I cannot emphasise enough how important self-isolation is, as part of our efforts – your efforts – to tackle the virus. It is all about breaking that chain of transmission, and I encourage everyone who has symptoms to follow these rules completely.

We hope, as the First Minister indicated, that later in the week we will be able to confirm that some lockdown restrictions – especially relating to outdoor activities – will be relaxed.

But even if those restrictions are relaxed, some key advice – including what I’ve just read out on isolating if you have symptoms of COVID, as well on physical distancing, washing your hands and the use of face coverings – will remain the same. In fact, they will become even more important – to avoid undoing all the progress that you have made through your sacrifices and your compliance with the rules, particularly as we move into Test and Protect.

For the moment, however, all our key public health guidance remains unchanged.

So please stay at home – except for essential purposes, such as daily exercise; buying essential items such as food or medicine; or going to essential work which you cannot do from home.

You can exercise more than once a day – but when you do leave the house, stay more than 2 metres from other people. And do not meet up with other households other than your own.

Please wear a face covering where appropriate – for example if you are in a busy shop or on public transport. And wash your hands thoroughly and regularly.

I know that this is a bank holiday weekend – and that talk of emerging from lockdown probably makes following these restrictions even harder. But the fact that we have stuck with them so far, that is what makes it possible to think about relaxing them.

By doing the right thing, all of us – all of you –  are helping to slow the spread of the virus, protecting our NHS, and you are saving lives.

So thank you to every single person who is doing that.

I am now going to turn to Professor Leitch, our National Clinical Director, to say a few words.

Scottish Government funding to support health and wellbeing

£8 million for community projects to help combat isolation

Funding of more than £8 million is helping projects to deliver mental health support and wellbeing services for people who are feeling isolated during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The funding was allocated to 344 projects, who are providing support in communities across Scotland, including to those who are self-isolating or shielding.

It is part of a £50 million Wellbeing Fund that is helping people through the pandemic.

Communities Secretary Aileen Campbell said: “Adjusting to life under lockdown is tough and although we have all found it difficult, for some, the strain on their mental health and wellbeing has been a real struggle.

“A quick phone call or dropping off a few essential groceries can have a huge positive impact on people who may be self-isolating or shielding for health reasons. Small acts of kindness will also help those people who have seen their support network – whether that be friends, extended family, colleagues or community groups – disappear almost overnight.

“That is why this funding has been so important. It has enabled groups providing mental health and wellbeing support, alongside other vital services, to offer help and advice as we deal with this pandemic. I am glad we have been able to support groups across Scotland to provide these lifelines at a hugely difficult time.”

Space and Broomhouse Hub in Edinburgh is using £20,500 of wellbeing funding to provide services supporting mental health and combating isolation for a range of age groups. That includes keeping in touch by phone with elderly people who are self-isolating and providing food parcels and ‘boredom buster’ packs to families.

Bridie Ashrowan, Chief Executive at The Broomhouse Project, said: “Our community hub is helping many people locally to manage the traumatic consequences of COVID-19, such as empty kitchen cupboards, paying bills, anxiety, social isolation, digital exclusion, increased stresses on family relationships, and lack of respite for carers, young carers and adults.

“Our amazing staff, volunteers and trustees are delivering this with kindness and community. A huge thank you to the Scottish Government for enabling us to progress this work when it is much needed.”

In Dumfries and Galloway, the Lincluden After School Group has used £15,841 of Wellbeing funding to provide extended respite care services for parents of children with additional support needs, helping to prevent burnout and maintain stability during the crisis.

Kathleen Procter, Manager of the Group, said: “At this scary and unprecedented time, we can’t thank the Scottish Government enough for putting the Wellbeing Fund in place to support charities.

“The funding we received will allow us to provide vital support for children with additional support needs or disabilities. This is a very unsettling time for these children and we are grateful to be able to play our part in continuing to provide as much normality and routine for them as possible.”

The £50 million Wellbeing Fund supports organisations across the third sector that are providing important services for people as a result of coronavirus. It is part of the £350 million emergency coronavirus funding announced by the Communities Secretary on 18 March.

£33 million of the Wellbeing Fund is open to applications, with grants available between £5,000 and £100,000.

The fund is being delivered through national organisations and funders including Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations, Corra Foundation, Inspiring Scotland, Impact Funding Partners, The Hunter Foundation, The STV Children’s Appeal, and all of Scotland’s 32 Third Sector Interfaces (TSIs) which provide a single point of access for support and advice for the third sector within local areas.

Phase one of the Wellbeing Fund worth £14 million, has been awarded to a total of 558 projects to provide targeted support in local areas.

Applications for the second round of the Wellbeing Fund opened on 8 May to all organisations that did not apply or receive funding during the first round. As of 20 May, 237 applications had been received during round two worth £4,169,206.

Mental Health Awareness Week: Kindness Matters

NHS 24 reminds us that kindness matters during Mental Health Awareness Week:

NHS 24 is taking time during Mental Health Awareness Week to remind those who might need some support of their Breathing Space service, and the importance of being kind to yourself.

Breathing Space is a free, confidential phone and web based service for people in Scotland experiencing low mood, depression or anxiety.  The service offers a friendly ear while also providing professional support to those who might need it.

Tony McLaren, National Coordinator of Breathing Space, says: “We all need support from time to time, and it’s really important to remind ourselves that it’s ok to ask someone for help.

“Sometimes we can feel a bit stuck- you might think that others appear to be coping well, so why do I feel I am struggling? It’s worth remembering if you aren’t comfortable speaking to friends or family, you can ask for help on the phone as well. Our advisors will give you time to open up, should you be experiencing distress in your life.

‘Please don’t feel you have to wait until things are very bad to get in touch. Our service is there to provide space to think about why you might be feeling anxious or low. At this time it’s important to look after our mental health, and remind ourselves that kindness matters.”

Breathing Space is available on 0800 83 85 87 or on www.breathingspace.scot, Monday-Thursday 6pm to 2am and from Friday 6pm-Monday 6am.

Find us at www.twitter.com/nhs24 and www.facebook.com/nhs24

Three in four people blind and partially sighted people concerned about getting access to food

Difficulties in social distancing are adding to the stress many blind and partially sighted people are experiencing in getting access to basic shopping, a survey by the charity RNIB has found.

“This first nationwide survey of how people with sight loss are coping during the current lockdown situation suggests it might be impacting particularly severely on them,” James Adams, director of RNIB Scotland, has warned.

“Three in four respondents to our survey reported being very or quite concerned about getting access to food. Uncertainty and confusion over access to shopping and information – compounded by isolation and the barriers to being guided because of social distancing – all add to the stress many people are feeling.

“We are working with supermarkets to ensure those who can’t leave the house, or who can’t see to easily social distance themselves from other shoppers, do have access to basic food supplies.”

People with sight loss can struggle to maintain social distance as they can’t always see other shoppers approaching them, pointed out Mr Adams.

Eighty per cent of people replying to the RNIB survey said that the way they do shopping has changed since lockdown.

Before, 28 per cent said they had done their own shopping. Now, half that proportion do. And while only 18 per cent had previously relied on someone to shop for them, now 49 per cent do. 25 per cent said there was no one in their household who could guide them around a shop.

Shopping online has also proved a problem. 67 per cent of respondents had experienced difficulty finding a supermarket delivery slot, while 26 per cent said they couldn’t access the supermarket booking web-page. RNIB has pressed government and supermarkets to add blind and partially sighted people to the priority delivery list.

The survey has also revealed that the isolation imposed by lockdown has hit blind and partially sighted people particularly hard.

78 per cent said they had less contact with ‘the people who matter to me’; one in five people reported that they now rarely speak to people either over the phone, on video calls or in person since lockdown; while five per cent did not know how to contact many of the people they would normally be in touch with at least once a week.

Accessible information was another worry. One in four respondents had struggled to get written information in a format that they could understand.

“We have urged government and public bodies to ensure that often vital  information is available in formats such as audio and braille,” said Mr Adams.

“While social distancing is an important health measure, the consequences for those who are less able to comply can be difficult, especially if other people wrongly assume they are just being lackadaisical. We need to give more thought to how we ensure people with sight loss don’t end up becoming prisoners of lockdown.

“Our RNIB Helpline is available to help and support all blind and partially sighted people and their families and carers on 0303 123 9999. We want people with sight loss to know they are not alone and that help is available”

Case study – Kirin Saeed from Edinburgh:

One in five respondents to the RNIB survey said they have had to ration food during the current lockdown period:

Kirin Saeed from Edinburgh is registered blind. “I’ve found myself limiting the food I eat as I’m never that sure when my next food delivery will be,” she says. “I have a paid carer who lives some distance away and I’m conscious I don’t want to burden her with too much shopping. Also, as I’m in the black and minority ethnic group and possibly more vulnerable to the coronavirus virus, I need to limit contact with others.

“If I went to a shop myself social distancing would be a massive problem. Touching things to ascertain what they are would, too. Blind people live in a world where touching things is important – but how long does the virus stay on things we touch?

“I don’t think this situation is going to change anytime soon. Everyone’s scrambling through the here and now –  but what about the here and after? There will still be social distancing.

“The hope I have is that shops and supermarkets agree a standardised policy for customers with sight loss, so that we know how to safely get around shops and so do staff. That would be the best way forward for everybody.”

Half a million lost bed days are symptom of poor care integration, says disability charity

‘in many areas of Scotland, the integration of health and social care is happening in name only’

The loss of over half a million bed days in Scotland’s hospitals over the past year is a symptom of the failure to integrate health and social care, according to the disability charity Leonard Cheshire in Scotland.

Figures published by ISD Scotland show that a total of 542,204 bed days in 2019/20 were occupied by people delayed in their discharge from Scotland’s hospitals.

This represents a 4% rise in the number of bed days lost due to delayed discharges between 2018/19 and 2019/20. A daily average of 1,481 beds were occupied by people delayed in their discharge over the past year.

A delayed discharge occurs when a person, clinically ready for discharge, cannot leave hospital because the necessary care, support or accommodation required is not readily accessible or funding is not available, for example to purchase a care home place.

The main reasons for patients being delayed in their discharge in 2019/20 were awaiting completion of care arrangements (35%), awaiting place availability (23%) and awaiting community care assessment (17%).

ISD Scotland estimates that in 2017/18 alone, the cost of delayed discharges in NHS Scotland was £122 million – with an estimated average bed day cost of £248.

Reacting to the figures, Leonard Cheshire in Scotland’s Director Stuart Robertson said: “These figures demonstrate that in many areas of Scotland, the integration of health and social care is happening in name only.

“More than half a million bed days have been lost over the past year in Scotland’s hospitals due to delayed discharges and it’s time the Scottish Government finally tackle this issue. Over half of patients who experienced a delayed discharge have been impacted by a lack of care arrangements, availability and assessments.

“Delayed discharges are costing the Scottish Government over a hundred million pounds every year and are badly letting down disabled people and those receiving health and social care.

“Investment on the frontline is urgently required if we are to end delayed discharges and create a person-centred health and social care system that truly meets the needs of the Scottish people.”