For people experiencing care, this pandemic may be worrying and confusing. Alongside other organisations, The Care Inspectorate has produced information to support contact with loved ones during this time.
We have published a guide to keeping in touch, with practical information on using apps and mobile devices so loved ones can stay in touch when those they care for can’t receive visitors.
The Scottish Council for Learning Disabilities website has published easy read information about the COVID-19.
Alzheimer Scotland have created a suite of resources for people with dementia, their carers and families to use throughout the coronavirus pandemic.
People helping those in their communities affected by coronavirus (COVID-19) are being encouraged to carry on while following advice to keep themselves and others safe.
The Scottish Government’s Caring Communities campaign will celebrate the help people are already giving each other, and encourage safe and effective help like keeping in touch, shopping, picking up prescriptions and running errands for those who are unable to.
Communities Secretary Aileen Campbell said: “Together we can help each other through the challenges ahead and our Caring Communities campaign will recognise the efforts of people from across Scotland who are supporting and helping others.
“It’s been inspiring to hear how people have responded to this pandemic by offering help to those around them. Whether that’s been formally volunteering or informally helping out neighbours and friends, we all have a part to play in supporting those around us, however we want to make sure that is done in a safe and effective way.
“There are lots of ways to help whilst minimising or avoiding face-to-face contact, including shopping, picking up prescriptions and medicines, general errands or a daily phone call to stay in touch.
“People can also offer help without the need for direct contact such as using social media to arrange activities and putting people in touch with other services or charities if there is need for further support.
“In rural areas, islands and other remote areas, your nearest neighbour may be some distance away and so you could consider whether help is needed around their home or farm, and make sure people have sufficient food, fuel and access to heating.
“The Scottish Government will continue working with communities across the country to help build cohesion and mutual support during this pandemic.”
National Clinical Director for the Scottish Government Jason Leitch said: “Many people need help and support and some will feel particularly isolated and lonely. If you are able to help alleviate that in your street, neighbourhood, or community, then we are asking you to do so.
“At times of crisis, we need each other more, yet we need to stay physically apart. We can still communicate and offer comfort. Phone or skype loved ones. Text neighbours or drop a note through their door to see if they need help. Maybe even write a letter to your grandparents. We are all in this together.”
Key mental health services to support families, young people and autistic people are to receive more than £1 million additional funding.
Health Secretary Jeane Freeman made the announcement yesterday after 40 days of lockdown when many people have felt an effect on their mental health.
The allocation of funding comprises:
• £768,000 for a relationships helpline to be delivered by The Spark counselling service
• £105,000 to support Young Scot to develop enhanced digital content and resources on mental health
• £205,000 to support 47,000 autistic people across Scotland, including funding to increase capacity at the Scottish Autism Helpline and help for the National Autistic Society to keep people in touch online during lockdown
Ms Freeman said: “While everyone is experiencing different challenges at this time, the mental health of children, young people and families can be put under great strain.
“We appreciate that spending a lot of time together in isolation and home-working, home-schooling and juggling childcare can be really tough.
“This crisis means many people are dealing with anxiety, fear, uncertainty, anger or sadness. They may feel overwhelmed and relationships can be placed under a lot of pressure.
“We want to ensure that the right help and support is in place for the mental wellbeing of our children, young people and families. This package of measures focuses on prevention and recovery, and on maintaining healthy relationships throughout the current restrictions. It follows the launch of our national campaign, Clear Your Head, last week.”
The Clear Your Head campaign highlights practical ways to look after mental health and wellbeing while continuing to stay at home – and signposts sources of help and advice.
The Spark is a third sector organisation which delivers counselling services to families across Scotland, including relationship and couples counselling and counselling for children and young people.
They currently operate a Relationship Helpline on a small scale for nine hours a week. The number of the Relationship Helpline is 0808 802 2088 and this additional funding will enable the helpline to operate Monday-Thursday 9am to 9pm and Friday 9am to 4pm.
Scotland has launched a digital resource called Mind Yer Time specifically to help children and young people learn about the healthy use of screens and social media.
It supports mental and physical health online and was developed by the Scottish Youth Parliament and Children’s Parliament. In the first ten days since its launch the guide had almost 13,000 views.
The additional funding will allow the Scottish Autism Helpline to open 8am-8pm, seven days a week on 01259 222022.
Two specialist organisations will receive additional funding to support 47,000 autistic people across Scotland during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Health Secretary Jeane Freeman has confirmed:
£160,000 to increase capacity in the Scottish Autism Helpline
£45,000 for the National Autistic Society to help people keep in touch online during lockdown
The Health Secretary said: “Autistic people find the extreme change in their daily lives more difficult to deal with, which is why we have fast-tracked this funding to improve the consistency and availability of support. These are unprecedented times and it is important autistic people know this support is there to help them and how to access it.
“This funding will help organisations provide autistic people and their families with a source of up-to-date information to manage their physical and mental health and wellbeing, as well as reduce social isolation by helping them forge sustainable and meaningful relationships.”
Charlene Tait, Deputy CEO at Scottish Autism, said: “During these uncertain and challenging times, our aim is to provide reassurance, guidance and support to autistic people and their families across Scotland.
“These extra funds will allow us to extend our Autism Advice Line offering, enabling us to increase our operating capacity to seven days a week, 8am to 8pm. We are all too aware of the impact this crisis is having on the emotional, physical and mental wellbeing of autistic people and their families. This funding will enable us to reach out and support people at this difficult and stressful time.”
Nick Ward, Director at the National Autistic Society Scotland, said: “We are very grateful to the Scottish Government for their work throughout this crisis to support autistic people and their families.
“With this funding we can drastically increase the number of online Social Groups, where people can meet and talk about the things that are important to them, form meaningful relationships and feel more connected. Our staff will also be on hand to offer support and tips around managing mental health and well being and importantly staying safe.”
Blair Spence, 19, of Maxwell Park, Glasgow, said: “I’ve been going to the Social Groups for about 9 months, they’ve really helped my confidence and conversation skills as well as make new friends.
“The new online groups have been really fun. There are about 10 of us in the group and it works really well. It’s good to stay in touch with other people and we’ve done some exciting things with the group leaders like a virtual tour of an Aquarium and around San Francisco including going across the Golden Gate Bridge!
“I really look forward to the weekly online groups and I would recommend to other autistic people to give them a go.”
Additional funding of £159,920 over a four-month period will allow the Scottish Autism Helpline to open 8am-8pm, seven days a week on 01259 222022.
National Autistic Society Scotland will use £45,057 to fully redesign face-to-face services onto an online platform, NAS Connect, to provide support during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The website will bring people together through interests such as film, books, arts, cooking, quizzes and computer games by facilitating social groups, coffee clubs and branch meet-ups that are unable to meet face to face at this time.
Two years on and things have changed for our A Word family. Joe is 10 years old and living in two places at once, processing the seismic change in his life through the filter of his autism.
His parents Alison and Paul are divorced and live 100 miles apart. Nicola has moved to London, Eddie lives with his dad. Only Maurice is holding it together. And if Maurice is the one holding it together, you know you are in trouble.
A family is always a puzzle and this one needs piecing back together, albeit in a different shape.
New faces joining this series include Julie Hesmondhalgh, Sarah Gordy and David Gyasi.
Filming for the new series of The A Word took place in the Lake District and Manchester.
The A Word series three returns on Tuesday 5 May at 9pm on BBC One and the full boxset will be available on BBC iPlayer.
You can catch up on series one and two on BBC iPlayer right now.
Advice and support for young people and their families in Edinburgh who may be struggling at home during the pandemic is available from thr city council’s team of educational psychologists.
We understand that this is a worrying time for everyone and that with the current school closures, children and young people may feel particularly unsettled.
Although we’ve all had a few weeks to make some adjustments and try to cope with the changes in our lives there will be young people and families who are struggling.
Our team from Psychological Services are offering advice and support to:
parents and carers
school staff and other professionals who would like support or advice in supporting the learning and wellbeing of our children and young people
older children and young people who would like advice on how they manage their home learning and wellbeing
They have produced a guide which provides key messages and recommended resources which you might find helpful.
Some of the key ways to help you cope with the situation include: talk to each other, create routines, keep learning, keep active and plan regular movement time, stay connected virtually with friends and families and take care of yourself the best you can.
The advice from Psychological Services is part of a package of support measures for families in lockdown that we have published on our website. Other online resources focus on parents/carers, early learning and childcare, school age children, digital learning and our own set of handy activities for families to do at home.
In addition the Council – along with third sector partners, wider community and voluntary sector – has been supporting vulnerable families across the city with deliveries of emergency food parcels, overnight respite care for children with special needs, specialist day services and opening two special school hubs for key worker children.
Council Leader Adam McVey said: “These are very unusual and uncertain times for everyone especially for our young people whose regular daily routines that they are so familiar with have changed dramatically.
“There might be times when they are feeling safe and happy, or other times when they feel overwhelmed, anxious or low. For many of us feelings can change from day to day, hour to hour, or minute to minute. So it’s important we do all we can to support young people and their families when they are staying safe at home so they can cope with this unprecedented situation.
Depute Leader Cammy Day said: “There’s lots of information out there just now so it can all feel a bit overwhelming knowing what’s the best advice for you to follow. The most important thing is to look after yourself, and those around you, and support each other through these uncertain times.
“Whether you’re a young person, or an adult providing support, our team of educational psychologists are happy to speak to you if you want support or advice – please don’t hesitate to contact them if you need help.”
There are a range of ways you can contact our Psychological Services team:
Call 0131 469 2800 (Monday to Friday 9am-5pm) and leave a message with your name, number and child’s school and one of our educational psychologists will call you back as soon as they can
Email us at psychologicalservices@ea.edin.sch.uk and include your name and child’s school. One of the team will email you back as soon as they can
Follow us on Twitter @CEC_EPS where we are sharing advice and resources that you may find helpful
Visit our website where you can access guides to help young people and parents/carers cope with home learning and being at home
Asthma UK & British Lung Foundation have launched an online Post-COVID HUB and dedicated helpline to support people affected by breathing difficulties after COVID-19.
While evidence on the long-term health effects of COVID-19 is still emerging, a range of early studies have suggested that people hospitalised with severe symptoms from the virus are developing chronic respiratory symptoms.[1]
Post-Covid.org.uk, is a site for patients, healthcare professionals and researchers. It aims to bring experts together to lead ground-breaking research, to better understand the long-term effects of COVID-19 on respiratory health and provide a central point for health information and advice for patients.
Joseph, Head of Asthma UK & British Lung Foundation Scotland, said: “As a respiratory charity, we support the thousands of people across Scotland who have breathing difficulties. We understand the toll it can have on people’s lives and the concern many have about the long-term effects COVID-19 will have on their lung health.
“At a time when the NHS is under immense pressure, we want to ensure anyone who’s respiratory health is affected post-COVID can get the help and support they need. That is why we are proud to be launching our Post-COVID HUB.
“The HUB is the first of its kind in the UK. It brings together patients, researchers, and healthcare professionals to provide the latest information on the impact of COVID-19. We also want to ensure that research and clinical services develop so we can effectively treat any new chronic breathlessness emerging from this crisis.”
The hub is also supported by academics, professional bodies, and respiratory experts:
Professor Jon Bennett, Chair of the Board of Trustees at the British Thoracic Society, said: “We support the launch of the Post-COVID HUB, which will be critical in assessing what care people need post-COVID. Many people are suffering an acute severe lung injury with some ending up in intensive care, and we know that this can have an impact on people long term.
“We urgently need post-COVID care research and guidelines, to ensure we know what the best treatments are ongoing, and that people can access appropriate support and maximise their recovery.”
Carol Stonham MBE, Chair of the Primary Care Respiratory Society & Senior NHS Nurse Practitioner (respiratory) said: “We welcome the introduction of the Post-COVID HUB. These are times of rapid change with many people recovering from sudden episodes of severe illness requiring critical care, then returning to community or primary care for ongoing management.
“Some will sustain ongoing lung damage, others psychological trauma. The sharing of resources allows clinicians to care for people safely and effectively wherever care needs to be delivered.”
Lothian MSP Alison Johnstone has called on the region’s Health and Social Care Partnerships to urgently address concerns around the reduction in provision of home-care support, which has left many disabled people in an extremely difficult position.
Reports suggest that the Lothian region’s Health and Social Care Partnerships have reduced their visits by 356 in total, leaving many vulnerable people struggling to cope – a matter the Scottish Greens raised in parliament this week.
Alison Johnstone MSP said: “The figures published this week raise major concerns, There is huge disparity around the country, with the City of Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership reducing their clients by 240, East Lothian by 44, Midlothian by 24, and West Lothian by 48, while at the same time Angus increased its by 80.
“The Scottish Government confirmed that extra support is available and that if more is needed it will be provided, so our Health and Social Care Partnerships must confirm that they will immediately access this support and restore home care visits.
“I’m extremely concerned about the impact of these changes, which result in some people having their support packages dramatically reduced, and others losing support entirely, with many then forced to rely on family members for personal care, meals and medication.
“The impact on the mental wellbeing of disabled people, particularly in terms of social isolation which can disproportionately affect disabled people, is a huge concern. While its vital that care is restored as quickly as possible, the immediate roll-out of online or remote mental health resources would be really valuable right now.”
Poverty Alliance and Wellbeing Economy Alliance have written to the First Minister to urge her to task the recently appointed Advisory Group on Economic Recovery with putting social justice at the heart of their work.
Their letter says:
Dear First Minister,
Economic Recovery and Covid-19
Since the start of the Covid-19 crisis, we have witnessed in action the values that we all share. We have seen the compassion, kindness and solidarity that will be required to make it through this crisis.
But we have also seen that our economy is failing to live up to these values. Our social security system and labour market have failed to protect too many of us: particularly women, disabled people and people from black and minority ethnic communities.
It is clear that as we move through and beyond the current phase of the crisis, we must commit to redesigning our economy and systems to better reflect our shared values of compassion and justice. Instead of returning to the economy we had going into the Covid-19 crisis, we must build back better by creating a wellbeing economy that puts our collective wellbeing first.
We therefore welcome that the Scottish Government’s Covid-19: framework for decision making recognises the need to look at the “social and economic reforms necessary to achieve the best future for Scotland” and commits not to repeat the mistakes of austerity.
This commitment is most welcome but must be made real.
In the months ahead we urge you to maintain your ambitious climate agenda to ensure the post-Covid-19 economy is a sustainable one, and to ensure it is socially just we urge you to prioritise:
Building a labour market that works for everyone: Too many people, particularly women and younger people, are trapped in poverty by low-paid and insecure work. Fair Work has been central to the Scottish Government’s approach to labour market policy, but more must be done to make it a reality for workers in Scotland.
Designing a more just taxation system: While this crisis is impacting every person across the country, the disproportionate impact on people on low incomes has highlighted the very real consequences of our deeply unequal society. It cannot be right that the wealthiest 1% of households in Scotland own more wealth than the poorest 50% at a time when almost 1 in 4 children are living in poverty. We must inject justice and fairness into our taxation system.
Securing adequate incomes for all: We have seen positive steps taken by the Scottish Government as it has started to deliver social security assistance. However, Covid-19 has highlighted that this support must not only be dignified, but should help deliver an adequate income too. The Scottish Government must use its powers creatively and to their fullest extent to ensure that our social security system can keep any one of us afloat during difficult times.
Even at this moment of crisis we must begin the task of investing in a better future, to ‘build back better’, with every policy decision we make helping us move towards a just society that’s in step with our values.
We must not return to the pre-Covid 19 economy that locked so many people into poverty.
The Advisory Group on Economic Recovery must not, therefore, simply seek to replicate the unsustainable and unjust economy that went before.
Instead, it must focus on the steps we can take to create an environmentally sustainable economy that ensures a just distribution of income and wealth.
We urge you to task the recently appointed Advisory Group on Economic Recovery with putting social justice at the heart of their work. In doing so the Advisory Group should liaise with the Poverty and Inequality Commission and the Just Transition Commission and collaborate with existing Wellbeing Economy Governments (WEGo) partners to show leadership in creating a wellbeing economy.
This time calls on us to reflect on the kind of country we want to live in. We believe in a Scotland in which wealth is justly distributed, our life chances are not determined by how much we earn, where our labour market guarantees Fair Work for every worker, and where everyone has enough money to get by.
We hope you share this vision and will take the decisions in the weeks and months ahead to make it a reality.
We would welcome an early discussion with you regarding the role of the Advisory Group, as well as the broader concerns of our members regarding the long-term social and economic reforms we require.
Yours sincerely,
Peter Kelly, The Poverty Alliance Dr Katherine Trebeck, Wellbeing Economy Alliance
Today is International Workers’ Memorial Day, when trade unions around the world remember workers who lost their lives and commit to keep the living safe.
This is the story of Peter, Mary, Cheryl, Zeeshan and Emeka – five UK workers who were taken by Covid-19.
Today is International Workers’ Memorial Day, when trade unions around the world remember workers who lost their lives and commit to keep the living safe.
This year we especially remember the frontline workers who lost their lives to Covid-19 while looking after our loved ones and keeping our country running.
We will be forever in debt to the workers who have died during this pandemic – our nurses, doctors, care staff and other essential workers.
Remember the dead, fight for the living.
Minute’s silence
At 11am today – Tuesday 28th April – take part in the minute’s silence.
It will be a moment to pay tribute to the sacrifice made of so many workers during the pandemic, to remember those who’ve sadly lost their lives, and to thank all those who continue to do vital work at great risk.
The initiative is supported by the government, and reps may wish to request employers mark it, by asking the workforce to cease work for one minute at 11am.
Help spread the word about the minute’s silence, by encouraging as many friends and colleagues to take part, whether in their workplace of at home.
UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis said: “For every minute this pandemic continues, people are making extraordinary sacrifices to keep us safe and run our vital services.
“The least we can all do is spare a moment to pay our respects and show our gratitude to all the key workers who have lost their lives.”
The silence is also an opportunity to think about all those workers who are continuing to keep the country safe and functioning, says UNISON.
Society of Occupational Medicine calls for a goal of zero workplace deaths due to COVID-19
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, The Society of Occupational Medicine (SOM) is today renewing its call for the UK government to prevent any further work-related deaths.
Scores of UK healthcare workers have already died from COVID-19 infections and their deaths will be marked today at 11am with a moment’s silence. But at SOM, we do not believe that work-related fatalities due to COVID-19 exposure are inevitable. In fact, we believe a goal of zero work-caused fatalities is achievable.
Today is the World Day for Safety and Health at Work, an initiative supported by the United Nations. SOM backs the aim of raising awareness on the adoption of safe practices in workplaces and the role that occupational safety and health (OSH) services play.
As politicians discuss the end of the lockdown and people plan their return to work, we believe it is essential that all employers conduct risk assessments to ensure the safety of all employees.
With the proper application of safe systems of work and the use of a hierarchy of control, no worker should die of work-acquired COVID-19.
Concern has been raised about the shortcomings of and lack of personal protective equipment (PPE), but PPE should be considered the lowest form of protection. Employers must consider a range of controllable factors in the work environment and this includes the use of design, engineering and administrative controls.
SOM is calling for robust and increasing access to occupational health (OH). The need for advice from occupational health doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, psychologists, hygienists, ergonomists etc. is required. The need to protect our workers has never been greater and is the core role of OSH.
SOM is also supporting a multidisciplinary drive across sectors to raise awareness, share knowledge and engage employees in solutions. It is encouraging workplaces to design-in exposure prevention measures as advised by the Health and Safety Executive – helping employees take the opportunity to better understand the risks and demonstrate good practice in their work.
Dr Will Ponsonby, Society of Occupational Medicine President said: “The UK could and should have aimed for a target of zero work-caused fatalities in this pandemic. The need to protect our workers has never been greater, and that goal must be put in place as the foundation for all future planning.”
