How do we measure the harm of smoking when it’s linked to so many diseases? Our latest blog explores:
Read the blog:
Depending on your age, health conditions, or other factors, you could be eligible for a Covid Spring Booster Vaccine.
Our team will be at Royston Wardieburn Community Centre, 11 Pilton Drive North, Edinburgh, EH5 1NF on the 26th May from 10am till 1pm and 1.40pm till 4pm.
For eligibility and details about other pop-up clinics, please click the link below or call the Vaccination Enquiries Helpline: 0300 790 6296.
This Coeliac Awareness Month (May), Coeliac UK is warning that thousands of people in Scotland could be living with an undiagnosed autoimmune condition, after new research reveals many are brushing off key persistent or recurrent symptoms as part of everyday life.
24% of adults in Scotland say that they wouldn’t speak to their GP at all about the symptoms of coeliac disease. Meanwhile, nearly half (40%) of people in Scotland dismiss persistent tiredness as normal, and 30% say the same about brain fog or difficulty concentrating – despite these being common warning signs.
Coeliac disease affects 1 in 100 people; only 36% of people with coeliac disease are diagnosed, yet awareness remains worryingly low.
Symptoms ‘hidden in plain sight’
Despite its prevalence, coeliac disease can affect the whole body – but many of its most common symptoms are overlooked and often mistaken for everyday issues or other conditions.
While issues like bloating or diarrhoea are more widely recognised, others – including fatigue, anaemia and neurological symptoms such as brain fog – are frequently dismissed or misattributed.
New YouGov research commissioned by Coeliac UK highlights the critical awareness gap in Scotland:
Coeliac disease is not a food intolerance or lifestyle choice. It is a serious autoimmune condition where the body attacks its own tissues when gluten is consumed, damaging the gut and preventing nutrients from being properly absorbed.
This has real consequences. On average, it takes 13 years from the onset of symptoms for an adult to be diagnosed – more than a decade of potentially avoidable ill health.
Left untreated, coeliac disease can lead to serious long-term complications, including osteoporosis, infertility, chronic gut ulcers, increased risk of infections, and neurological damage.
Hilary Croft, Chief Executive at Coeliac UK, said: “This isn’t a lifestyle choice or a popular food trend – it’s a serious autoimmune condition. We’re seeing people normalise symptoms and ignore their body’s warning signs. Signs that could point to coeliac disease.
“The result is that many people end up waiting for over a decade before they find out what’s causing their pain and discomfort. Fatigue, brain fog or ongoing digestive issues shouldn’t just be dismissed as part of a busy life or getting older.”
This Coeliac Awareness Month, Coeliac UK is urging people not to ignore persistent or recurrent symptoms, and instead to take action and seek medical advice. Their free online self-assessment, Is It Coeliac Disease, helps people understand their risk and start conversations with healthcare professionals.
Hilary continued: “Take action today, and check whether your symptoms could be coeliac disease, with the Coeliac UK self-assessment.”
For nearly 60 years, Coeliac UK has advocated for people affected by coeliac disease by raising awareness, improving diagnosis pathways, funding research and working to ensure safe and affordable access to gluten free food.
On Wednesday 17 June Lymphoma Action will be holding an in-person Live your Life workshop for anyone in Edinburgh who has been affected by lymphoma, a type of blood cancer.
Lymphoma Action’s Live your Life workshops have been developed to support people who have come to the end of their treatment for lymphoma, or who are being monitored by their healthcare team as their lymphoma doesn’t need treatment straight away (also known as ‘active monitoring’ or ‘watch and wait’.)
These unique and interactive workshops are led by someone with a personal experience of lymphoma, and aim to provide support in managing the emotional aspects of the condition, as well as treatment side effects.
They also provide useful information around staying active, nutrition and practical tips to support the general wellbeing of those living with and beyond lymphoma, and give people the chance to talk to others and to share their experiences.
Attendees are welcome to bring a friend or family member to the workshop too.
Whilst the in person Live your Life event is free to attend, booking is essential. Please note that these workshops are not recorded, so the only way to experience them is to be there!
To find out more, or to book a place, or to book a place, visit:
https://lymphoma-action.org.uk/events/live-your-life-workshop-edinburgh
Lymphoma Action is the UK’s leading charity dedicated to supporting people affected by lymphoma, the most common blood cancer. We are here for everyone affected by lymphoma and provide expert information, dedicated support and a community that understands – right from day one.
This year marks our 40-year anniversary, and we are grateful to all those who have supported us along the way in our mission to make sure no one has to face lymphoma alone.
For further information visit: https://lymphoma-action.org.uk/events/live-your-life-workshop-edinburgh
Researchers and people with Parkinson’s in Scotland are joining forces at a new £10 million research centre, in a push to turn decades of discovery into treatments that could transform lives.
The UK Dementia Research Institute Parkinson’s Research Centre – jointly funded with Parkinson’s UK – launches today and connects research teams at the University of Edinburgh, the University of Oxford and University College London to tackle one of medicine’s most stubborn challenges – why, despite scientific advances, there is still no treatment that can slow or stop the condition progressing.
Together, the teams will investigate why Parkinson’s develops, why it progresses and how cutting-edge science can deliver better diagnosis and treatment.
Parkinson’s affects around 166,000 people in the UK, including 14,000 people in Scotland. Someone is diagnosed every 20 minutes.
The centre is led by Professor Miratul Muqit, a practising neurologist and internationally recognised Parkinson’s researcher based at the University of Edinburgh, whose work has helped reveal how changes in key genes affect the health of brain cells.
Discoveries from this field are helping pave the way for targeted therapies now being tested in early-stage clinical trials.
Professor Miratul Muqit, Director of the UK Dementia Research Institute Parkinson’s Research Centre, said: “We know more about Parkinson’s than ever before – but people living with the condition are still waiting for effective treatments that can slow, stop or prevent it.
“This centre is built to change the pace of progress. By connecting leading teams across Edinburgh, Oxford and London, we can bring different parts of the Parkinson’s puzzle together – from genes and brain cells to brain circuits and symptoms.
“Our ambition is to make this centre a beacon for open, collaborative science.”
Professor David Dexter, Director of Research at Parkinson’s UK, said: “For people living with Parkinson’s, better treatments cannot come soon enough. That is why this centre, and the collaborative philosophy at its heart, is so important.
“It puts people with Parkinson’s alongside world-class researchers, helping make sure the science is focused on the questions and symptoms that could make the biggest difference to everyday life.”
People with Parkinson’s have helped shape the centre’s direction from the very beginning – including sitting on the interview panels that appointed its first research leaders.
Shafaq Hussain-Ali, who has Parkinson’s, was part of the panel that selected the centre’s Group Leaders. He said: “It was a privilege to be involved. The new centre recognises that Parkinson’s research cannot happen without the involvement and participation of the Parkinson’s community.
“Hearing from the researchers about their passion for transformative science has filled me with hope about what is to come.”
Aldi Scotland is claiming that a simple supermarket staple could help fuel runners through one of the country’s toughest endurance challenges, as excitement builds for the return of the Edinburgh Marathon Festival.
With just over a week to go until Scotland’s largest marathon event, the retailer has teamed up with Edinburgh Running Network to inspire runners in a very unusual way, turning the streets of the capital into a giant carrot-shaped running route using Strava. The playful campaign is designed to spotlight the benefits of the humble vegetable as a natural training fuel.
Fronted by its iconic mascot, Kevin the Carrot, Aldi is promoting the unexpected benefits of carrots for runners preparing to go the distance.
While high-performance gels and protein bars often dominate marathon training plans, Aldi Scotland is championing a more natural option, highlighting its Scottish-grown supply chain and the farmers behind it.
The retailer sources its carrots from Benzies, a fourth-generation family-run farm in Aberdeenshire operated by Philip Benzie alongside his wife Hazel and stepson Charles.
Philip Benzie, owner, Benzies, said: “Carrots might not be the first things runners reach for, but they offer a surprising mix of benefits.
“They provide a gentle, steady source of energy thanks to natural sugars, while their high water content helps support hydration. They also contain potassium for muscle function and beta-carotene, which supports recovery and immune health, which are all important for anyone training consistently.”
Producing between 20,000 and 30,000 tonnes of Scottish carrots every year, Benzies also noted that carrots are easy to digest, particularly when cooked, making them a practical option for pre and post run meals, or as a light snack during busy training days.
Lynne Cowden, coach co-ordinator and run leader, Edinburgh Running Network, said: “We loved the idea of turning Edinburgh’s streets into something a bit more playful in the run-up to the marathon.
“The carrot Strava art was a fun challenge for our community and a great way to keep motivation high as race day approaches.”
Benzies’ range of carrots is available across Aldi’s 113 Scottish stores.
You can find your nearest Aldi here.
Queen Margaret University (QMU) will host a major public event later this month to confront the long-standing lack of awareness and action surrounding osteoporosis, and positioning the condition firmly as a public health priority.
Despite affecting millions of people across the UK, osteoporosis remains one of the country’s most overlooked health conditions – often widely under-recognised, under-diagnosed and under-treated, despite its potentially devastating and life-changing consequences.
In response, QMU’s Lydia Osteoporosis Symposium, taking place on Wednesday 20 May 2026, is on a mission to change that by raising awareness of the risks of osteoporosis and equipping people with the knowledge and tools needed to improve bone health and prevent fractures.
The symposium will bring together people living with osteoporosis, family members and carers, health and social care professionals, researchers and members of the wider community for a powerful and inclusive day of learning, discussion and shared experience.
Led by the Lydia Osteoporosis Project team, the event will highlight osteoporosis as a significant but neglected public health issue, while showcasing the latest research alongside practical, evidence-informed guidance on bone health and fracture prevention. All sessions have been designed to be accessible and engaging for all attendees.
The full-day programme will explore a wide range of topics, including lifelong bone health, osteoporosis care, and the role of nutrition, exercise and lifestyle in maintaining strong bones. Alongside expert presentations from leading health practitioners and researchers, attendees will also take part in interactive sessions shaped by both research, evidence and lived experience.
Gemma Stevenson, Project Lead of the Lydia Osteoporosis Project, said: “Too many people are living with the devastating consequences of osteoporosis without enough awareness, support or action.
“It is often described as a ‘silent’ condition, yet its consequences can be devastating, life changing and, in many cases, preventable. This symposium is about breaking that silence – making knowledge accessible, valuing lived experience, and empowering people to take action.
“By bringing communities, professionals and researchers together, we can challenge complacency, shift perceptions and drive the change needed to improve prevention, diagnosis and care.”
The symposium, which will run from 8:30am to 4:30pm at Queen Margaret University, is now fully booked – reflecting the growing demand for better understanding and action around osteoporosis.
Come along and find resources to support you or your loved ones through the dementia journey.
Have a cuppa and a chat. Relax with Elaine from MindTr!p, learning new techniques. Feel soothed by Tally with a hand massage. Come and listen to the NW singers and find out about them. Have a cuddle with a dog, and of course have a cuppa!
If that isn’t enough to pique your interest come along to chose an Izzy doll or ruffle muff hand made by our wonderful knitters!
Mental health in the UK is moving in the wrong direction. More people are experiencing distress, services are overwhelmed and demand continues to rise.
The need for action is clear. But what should that look like?
At the Mental Health Foundation, we believe that lasting change depends on acting earlier – we call it prevention.
Treatment and crisis services are vital and always will be, but they can’t carry the full weight of the mental health crisis.
If we want fewer people to reach crisis point, we have to address the conditions that harm mental health in the first place and strengthen those that protect it.
Read our vision of how to build a mentally healthier society: https://bit.ly/4cStwDC
Join us this #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek as we call for action to improve mental health across the UK.
Because everyone deserves good mental health
We’re seeking your views on the proposed digitalisation of information that helps trace missing people living with dementia.
As part of the Herbert Protocol, families/carers can obtain, print and complete a pro-forma document from the Police Scotland website that is handed to investigating officers whenever someone with dementia goes missing.
The form records a range of useful information which will allow police to respond swiftly during the crucial first hour – rather than spend it gathering information.
At present, families and carers are responsible for owning, updating and providing this document to police.
Read more about the Herbert Protocol and get the link to our consultation survey here:
