Tag: Health and wellbeing

British Heart Foundation to teach CPR to Amazon delivery drivers

The British Heart Foundation (BHF) has announced that it is helping to train drivers who deliver parcels to Amazon customers across Bathgate in lifesaving cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), so that they can respond to emergencies when out on the road.

The BHF is working in partnership with Amazon and more than 100 independent delivery companies across the UK, to offer the free training to thousands of drivers.

The BHF has trained Amazon instructors at the Bathgate Delivery Station in CPR and they will pass on their new skills to drivers during 30 minute CPR training sessions.

Every year in the UK, there are up to 30,000 cardiac arrests outside of a hospital setting. However, the survival rate is less than one in ten. For every minute that passes without CPR or defibrillation, the chance of survival reduces by up to 10%.

In some instances, CPR can more than double a person’s chances of survival, with research suggesting that survival rates are up to 25% in some parts of Europe where CPR is widely taught.

Jacob West, Director of Healthcare Innovation at the British Heart Foundation, said: “CPR is a lifesaving skill that only takes 30 minutes to learn. Unfortunately, in the UK there are far too many people dying of a cardiac arrest, often because people don’t have the skills or confidence to perform CPR. It’s vital that CPR training reaches as many people as possible.

“Drivers deliver Amazon orders to millions of people across the UK every year. This unique partnership will mean we put potential lifesavers on to every street in the UK. A cardiac arrest can happen anywhere to anyone, but more lives can be saved thanks to Amazon’s commitment to training drivers of more than 100 independent delivery companies.”

Kerry-Anne Lawlor, Country Director of Amazon Logistics, added: “We regularly see examples where drivers delivering Amazon parcels for our delivery service partners act selflessly when out on their routes to help others.

“We are delighted to work with the British Heart Foundation to be able to offer drivers lifesaving CPR training to respond in emergency situations.”

Doddie’s Big Boost for MND

Rugby legend Doddie Weir continues support for families living with motor neurone disease, with additional funding to charities MND Scotland and the MND Association of England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

More than 1,000 people affected by motor neurone disease (MND) have been directly helped by grants funded by the Foundation set up by rugby legend Doddie Weir, who himself has the terminal illness.

That support is set to continue with the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation pledging another year of support to MND Scotland and MND Association’s care grants programmes.

The announcement marks the start of a third year of support from the Foundation set up by the former British and Irish Lion and Scottish international. While much of the money raised by the Foundation is directed into research, a significant amount is pledged to directly help people who are living with the disease via the MND Association and MND Scotland.

Doddie’s Foundation has upped its donation to MND Scotland by £100,000 taking the total contribution to £250,000. The Foundation has also donated £400,000 in total to the MND Association.

People affected by MND in Scotland can apply to MND Scotland for care grants to help with the cost of home adaptations – for instance ramps and stairlifts, equipment such as specialist bathroom facilities and riser recliner chairs, and for respite activities for carers and families. The equivalent is available from the MND Association for those living in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

MND Scotland helped 250 people affected by MND in 2019, through the charity’s grants programme, awarding almost £300,000 to families in Scotland. The MND Association’s care grants programme totals more than £1million annually for the rest of UK and, in 2019, helped 1,425 people.

Doddie said: “We are delighted to know that we have been able to help so many families over the last two years. There are many challenges to living with MND and it has been my aim to help people in a similar situation to myself live as full a life as possible.

“The grant schemes are vital and we are only able to help in this way thanks to the amazing support we receive from our fundraisers and friends every day.” 

Craig Stockton, MND Scotland’s chief executive, said: “The support from the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation is helping us provide vital support to even more families across the country, when they need it the most.

“I’d like to thank Doddie and his foundation for their generosity, and commitment to improving the lives of those affected. Through our grants programme we are able to remove some of the additional stress that financial worries can cause, and allow people to concentrate on living their lives.”

The MND Association’s chief executive Sally Light said: “We are so grateful for Doddie’s continuing support of the MND Association and his determination to make life better for people like himself who have received this devastating diagnosis.

“The generous donations from the Foundation and continued partnership with us will make a real difference to those living with MND as well as their carers and loved ones.” 

Jill Douglas is the chief executive of My Name’5 Doddie Foundation. She said: “One of our key aims is to give support to families living with MND and we recognise that the MND Association and MND Scotland have the necessary expertise and experience to administer these vital grants on our behalf.

“They are successful partnerships and we very much appreciate the relationships and how they enable us to fulfil this important goal.” 

For more information about MND and the grants available visit www.mndassociation.org/grants or www.mndscotland.org.uk/grants.

Coronavirus update

JOINT STATEMENT FROM UK’s CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICERS

We have been working in close collaboration with international colleagues and the World Health Organisation to monitor the situation in China and around the world.

In light of the increasing number of cases in China and using existing and widely tested models, the four UK Chief Medical Officers consider it prudent for our governments to escalate planning and preparation in case of a more widespread outbreak.

For that reason, we are advising an increase of the UK risk level from low to moderate. This does not mean we think the risk to individuals in the UK has changed at this stage, but that government should plan for all eventualities.

As we have previously said, it is likely there will be individual cases and we are confident in the ability of the NHS in England, Scotland and Wales and HSC in Northern Ireland to manage these in a way that protects the public and provides high quality care.

Chief Medical Officer for England, Professor Chris Whitty

Chief Medical Officer for Wales, Dr Frank Atherton

Chief Medical Officer for Scotland, Dr Catherine Calderwood

Chief Medical Officer for Northern Ireland, Dr Michael McBride

HEADING HOME

A flight is carrying 83 British nationals and 27 foreign nationals from Wuhan to the UK.

At 0945 (local time), a civilian aircraft chartered by the Foreign Office carrying 83 British and 27 foreign nationals left Wuhan for the UK. The charter flight is estimated to land at RAF Brize Norton at 1330 (UK time).

A small number of medics were on the aircraft to provide support to passengers. The flight will continue on to Spain following the stopover in the UK, at which point EU nationals’ home countries will take responsibility for them.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said: “It’s welcome news that our evacuation flight has now left Wuhan.

“We know how distressing the situation has been for those waiting to leave. We have been working round the clock to clear the way for a safe departure. The welfare of those trapped and public safety have been our overriding priorities.”

Concern over effect of social media on young people’s wellbeing

A national report, carried out every four years, has provided insights into child mental health in Scotland.

The 2018 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study in Scotland, led by researchers at the MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow and funded by NHS Health Scotland, provides data on the health and wellbeing of the nation’s young people.

Key findings include the majority (85%) of young people reported high life satisfaction in 2018, while almost one in five adolescents rated their health as excellent.

However, the report also revealed the lowest levels of adolescent confidence seen in 24 years, with only 51% of adolescents in Scotland reporting often or always feeling confident in themselves.

Beyond mental health and wellbeing, the HBSC study covers areas such as sleep habits, time spent online, physical activity as well as school and home life. The report presents data collected from surveys with a representable sample of 11, 13 and 15-year-olds in Scotland in 2018. The surveys were conducted in schools, with all pupils in the selected classes asked to fill in the confidential questionnaire anonymously.

This is the 8th consecutive World Health Organisation (WHO) cross-national HBSC survey in which Scotland has participated, providing data on the health of the nation’s young people over the last 28 years. A wider pan global report on the health of young people across the world is due to be published later this year.

Lead author of the study Dr Jo Inchley, from the MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow, said: “These latest findings from HBSC provide a comprehensive picture of young people’s health across Scotland.

“We’ve seen significant improvements in recent years in areas such as substance use and eating behaviours. But at the same time, new challenges such as social media are increasingly impacting on how young people live their lives and these can have a significant impact on their wellbeing.

“This report helps us to better understand the challenges young people face and the areas where more support and investment is needed.”

Dr Rory Mitchell, Public Health Intelligence Principal, NHS Health Scotland said: “This report highlights some positive trends as well as ongoing challenges. The data shows that children from wealthier families tend to report better health and wellbeing than those from poorer families. This highlights the need for a continued focus on tackling health inequalities in Scotland. 

“The information provided by this long-running study has enormous value in helping to improve health and wellbeing. Using such information to make a real difference requires a collaborative effort that co-ordinates local and national action. The formation of Public Health Scotland in April this year will contribute to this.”

Findings of the report include:

Mental health and wellbeing

  • 22% adolescents rated their health as ‘excellent’ but 15–year-old girls were the least likely to report ‘excellent’ health (12%).
  • The prevalence of multiple health complaints is at its highest for both boys and girls since 1994. Overall 35% of young people experienced multiple health complaints every week. The most common health complaints were sleep difficulties, feeling nervous and feeling irritable.
  • 37% adolescents were classified as having low mood (33% boys, 41% girls) and 14% were at risk of depression (11% boys, 17% girls). Both low mood and risk of depression increased with age.
  • All the mental health and wellbeing indicators were significantly associated with family affluence, with poorer outcomes for those from families with lower affluence.

Sleep

  • The average sleep duration on weekdays was 8.3 hours for 13-year-olds and 7.8 hours for 15 year olds – the recommended sleep for teenagers is 8 to 10 hours each night.
  • The proportion of young people reporting sleep difficulties more than once a week has increased from 23% in 2014 to 30% in 2018.
  • Among 13 and 15-year-olds, sleep difficulties were more common among girls than boys and young people from lower affluence families were more likely to report difficulties in getting to sleep than those from higher affluence families (25% versus 35%).

Social media and online communication

  • Nearly all (95%) young people said they owned a smartphone with connection to the internet.
  • The vast majority (92%) of 15-year-olds kept their smartphones in their bedroom at night.
  • Preference for online (versus face-to-face) communication was higher amongst 15-year-olds than 11 and 13-year-olds.
  • Nearly one in ten (9%) adolescents were categorised as having problematic social media use.

At home and school life

  • Overall 38% of young people reported high teacher support
  • The proportion of girls who find it easy to talk to their father has increased from 48% in 1990 to 67% in 2018.
  • 36% of young people reported eating a meal with their family every day.
  • Vigorous physical activity was higher among boys than girls. 47%) of boys and 41% of girls reported taking part in leisure time vigorous exercise at least four times a week. The gender difference was greatest at age 15 (40% vs 29%)

Jo Inchley added: “Many young people report high life satisfaction and have good support from their families and friends. However, the declines in mental health and increase in sleep difficulties are concerning.

“There’s been a small but steady increase in the proportion of girls taking part in physical activity in their free time but overall levels are still very low and screen time has been increasing at a much faster rate.

“It’s important that young people have opportunities to be active and spend time outdoors as these can have substantial benefits for both their physical and mental wellbeing.”

A spokesperson for the Scottish Children’s Services Coalition commented: “As a coalition whose members provide support to vulnerable children and young people we are deeply concerned by a lowering in confidence levels as outlined in this report, which indicates that just over half of adolescents report often or always feeling confident in themselves.

“In addition to this, one in ten adolescents are categorised as having problematic social media use and screentime use has been increasing.

“Clearly social media is having a major impact on young people and their wellbeing, as they often try to meet unrealistic standards as seen on social media, leading to anxiety and depression. This is especially relevant to girls.

“The fact that over 90 per cent of 15-year olds keep their smartphones in the bedroom at night, with a potential impact on sleep patterns is worrying. It is notable that the proportion of young people reporting sleep difficulties more than once a week has increased from 23 per cent in 2014 to 30 per cent in 2018.

“Now we have a greater awareness of the challenges it is vital that there is greater research to gain a clearer understanding of the link between social media and wellbeing, which is also impacting on confidence.

“There is a desperate need to educate young people on how to use social media healthily and how social media promotes unrealistic expectations.”

Men Get Breast Cancer Too

Ahead of World Cancer Day on Tuesday 4th February, breast cancer charity Walk the Walk is delighted to announce a partnership with the Male Breast Cancer Coalition in the United States.

The two charities are uniting in their mission to raise awareness that Men Get Breast Cancer Too.

Every year, 370* men are diagnosed with breast cancer in the UK and 81* men die of the disease. In the United States, 2,620** men are diagnosed annually, and 520** will die. Men face a higher mortality rate from breast cancer than women, due to a lack of awareness.

Walk the Walk has been working with a group of men for more than two years, highlighting that while the number of women diagnosed with breast cancer is much higher, it is a disease which can affect men as well.

The UK charity recently launched a downloadable awareness poster, encouraging men to “Check your Chest”, to spot the signs of breast cancer. Men taking part in Walk the Walk’s fundraising challenges wear a special pink t-shirt with a blue bra printed on it.

The Male Breast Cancer Coalition (MBCC) is based in the United States and shares the stories of men from all over the world, who have been diagnosed with breast cancer.

The aim of the MBCC is to provide resources for men and their families, navigating their way through what is usually a women’s only club. The charity visits high schools and colleges across the United States spreading the word and educating audiences.

Uniting together, Walk the Walk and the MBCC hope to reach millions more people across the globe with their awareness message.

Roy Collins (above) was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2011 and has been working with Walk the Walk to raise awareness for the last couple of years.

He said: “I was really pleased to hear that Walk the Walk, who I have worked with for a few years helping to raise awareness of breast cancer in men, are going into partnership with the Male Breast Cancer Coalition.

“Anything that can help men feel less alone by sharing their stories and experiences is a great move forward in the fight against breast cancer. I hope this new partnership also encourages more men to check themselves for symptoms”.

Cheri Ambrose, Founder of the Male Breast Cancer Coalition said: “We are honoured to be joining forces with Walk the Walk to help promote awareness of breast cancer in men.  

“It is through education that we will be able to break the gender stigma that breast cancer holds and give men a fighting chance against the disease”.

If you’re a man who has had breast cancer, Walk the Walk and the MBCC would love to hear from you. Please email pr@walkthewalk.org 

NHS Lothian’s Nightingale Challenge set to inspire next generation of future leaders

NHS Lothian has launched its Nightingale Challenge to inspire nurses and midwives across the board to become future leaders.

The challenge, which is taking place around the world, forms part of the celebrations for the Year of the Nurse and Midwife and marks 200 years since the birth of Florence Nightingale.

The Nightingale Challenge encourages health employers to provide leadership and development training for their young nurses and midwifes during 2020. To date, more than 570 employers in 66 countries have signed up, involving around 25,000 nurses and midwives worldwide.

Across NHS Lothian, the focus for the challenge is ‘Inspiring the Next Generation.’ Through a programme of work NHS Lothian wants to promote the diversity of nursing and midwifery roles, and to highlight the various pathways to joining the professions. Already around 50 students and registered nurses and midwives across Lothian have signed up to take part.

The launch event on 24 January provided an opportunity for attendees to share their journeys into nursing and midwifery and to get involved in developing ideas to support the programme of events taking place throughout 2020 to mark the Year of the Nurse and Midwife.

Professor Alex McMahon, Director of Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Healthcare Professionals, NHS Lothian said: “I am delighted that NHS Lothian is joining the celebrations to mark the Year of the Nurse and Midwife, and that as part of this, will be getting involved in the Nightingale Challenge.

“The skills and experiences that I gained from my nursing days really have supported and enabled me to move into a range of leadership roles.

“I hope that through the Nightingale Challenge, we can inspire and encourage our young nurses and midwives to see themselves as future leaders, who will help to shape and support our NHS for years to come.”

NHS Lothian’s promotional activities in support of the Nightingale Challenge and the Year of the Nurse and Midwife can be followed by searching the hashtags #LothianYNM2020, #NightingaleChallenge, #ScotNurses2020 and #ScotMidwives2020 on social media. 

Who Cares? Tory concern over hard to fill job vacancies

The Care Inspectorate and Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) published new figures on the levels of staff vacancies in Scotland’s social care services yesterday.

Edinburgh has the highest percentage, 57%, of services reporting that vacancies are hard to fill and almost half of posts unfilled 49%.

West Lothian, Midlothian and Edinburgh have all shown an increase in the number of vacancy rates with East Lothian dropping slightly to 32%. 

Latest figures show West Lothian had 78 vacancies, 35%, Midlothian had 47 vacancies, 40%, and Edinburgh had the highest number of vacancies in Scotland 334, 49%.

Lothian MSP, Miles Briggs, said: “This report highlights the ongoing challenges of recruitment in Social Care and is another example of SNP Ministers’ terrible record on workforce planning.

“The continued high rate of vacancies for social care makes if very difficult to see improvement to services.

“Issues such as delayed discharge in hospitals and shortages in adult care homes are not going to be fixed until recruitment of staff is resolved.

“Edinburgh and the Lothians have particularly high vacancies for Social Care staff and have higher than average services struggling to fill posts.”

The report comes as the Scottish Government launches a new campaign to promote careers in adult social care ‘There’s More To Care Than Caring’.

The staff vacancies report provides a national overview of vacancy levels and recruitment difficulties reported by care services registered with the Care Inspectorate. It also includes data on the actual number of vacancies services have, which is held by the SSSC.

In the past year, 38% of services reported having vacancies, which is unchanged from the previous year.

However, care homes for adults, care homes for older people, housing support services, care at home services, nurse agencies and residential special schools all had a proportion of services with vacancies significantly above the national average for all care services.

Daycare of children and adoption services were significantly below the national average for all care services reporting vacancies.

At 31 December 2018, the rate of WTE vacancies for all services in Scotland was 5.5%, down from 5.9% in 2017. This was higher than the overall vacancy rate across all establishments in Scotland of 3.1%.

Lorraine Gray, Chief Executive of the SSSC said: “A vital consideration when looking at vacancies in care services is making sure that social care attracts people with the right values, skills and experience to work in the sector.

“We’ve worked with Scottish Government on the adult social care recruitment campaign, launched today, which aims not only to encourage more people to consider a career in care but also emphasises the values you need.

“The social service workforce is growing, there are more than 200,000 people working in the sector, which is almost 8% of all employment in Scotland, so there are lots of opportunities and different types of roles.

“It’s a fulfilling and rewarding career which gives you the opportunity to work towards qualifications as part of a professional workforce making a positive difference to people’s lives.”

Peter Macleod, chief executive of the Care Inspectorate said: “We know that an effective and stable staff team is important for providing the world class care everyone wants to see.

“It allows trusting relationships to be developed between people providing and experiencing care, often supporting positive experiences and outcomes.

“The Care Inspectorate recognises that recruitment and retention into some parts of the social care sector remains a challenge, and we collect significant data about the places and parts of the sector where recruitment problems are more challenging.

“This report has been prepared to provide a national overview of the vacancy levels and recruitment difficulties reported by care services in their Care Inspectorate annual returns.

“We know, of course, that numbers do not tell the whole story. The skills, experiences, and values of social care staff are just as critical as the right number of staff being employed.

“However, going forward we expect to see more innovative solutions embraced by care providers and commissioners, as well as increased partnership working between social care services, local authorities and other key partners to ensure that the underlying issues around filling problem vacancies can be addressed.”

Every care service is asked to complete an annual return every year to provide statistical and other information. The vacancy questions are asked for every care service type apart from childminders, who are typically sole providers.

Staff vacancies in care services 2018

Inside Story: Report raises health concern over home air pollution

There is growing evidence that respiratory problems among children may be exacerbated by indoor air pollution in homes, schools and nurseries, according to a joint report by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) and the Royal College of Physicians.

The report, informed by a RCPCH commissioned systematic review of 221 studies, presents evidence linking indoor air pollution to a range of childhood health problems including asthma, wheezing, conjunctivitis, dermatitis, and eczema.

Sources of indoor air pollution include smoking, damp, the burning of fossil fuels and wood, dust, chemicals from building materials and furnishings, aerosol sprays, and cleaning products.

The authors warn that indoor air quality tends to be poorer in low quality housing where ventilation may be inadequate or insufficient.

The report recommends that local authorities should have the power to require improvements where air quality fails to meet minimum standards in local authority schools and houses. This should be extended, according to the authors, beyond damp and mould (where powers already exist) to include other pollutants.

The report recommends:

  • Legally binding performance standards for indoor air quality to include ventilation rates, maximum concentration levels for specific pollutants, labelling of materials, and testing of appliances
  • Air quality tests when local authority construction is complete and before the building is signed off
  • Compliance tests after construction stages and assessment of buildings once occupied – this may require ring-fenced resources for local authorities to take enforcement action

The report recommends local authorities should follow the NICE guidelines for ‘Indoor air quality at home’. It warns “exposure to indoor air pollution from cookers, damp, cleaning products and fires can irritate the lungs and exacerbate asthma symptoms.”

It encourages people to ensure rooms are well ventilated by opening windows or using extractor fans, especially when cooking, drying clothes inside, or using sprays, solvents, and paints.

Professor Jonathan Grigg, Paediatric Respiratory Consultant from the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) said: “We’re finally paying attention to the quality of our outdoor air and this is long overdue.

“It’s harder to get population level data on the quality of indoor air but the evidence in this report paints a worrying picture. Children in the UK spend most of their time indoors, with just 68 minutes spent outside on an average day. Too many of our homes and schools are damp and poorly ventilated – this is adversely affecting the health of children.”

The report says local authorities should provide free indoor air testing for residents. It recommends a national fund to support improvements for low income residents who report issues with ventilation and air quality.

Professor Stephen Holgate, Special Advisor for the Royal College of Physicians said: “Poorer households have fewer choices about where to live and where to go to school. More than three million families live in poor quality housing in the UK.

“Most will not have enough money to make improvements and have no option but to make do with damp, under-ventilated environments. We need to offer support at local authority level – likewise with schools. If we ask our children to spend their childhood days in unhealthy spaces, then we’re storing up problems for future health.”

The report ‘The Inside Story: Health effects of indoor air quality on children and young people’ makes further recommendations:

  • A cross-governmental committee to co-ordinate working in health, environment, education and homes for indoor air quality
  • Advice for the public about the risks of, and how to prevent, poor indoor air quality
  • Investment in high quality research and evidence to support decision making.

The Inside Story: Health effects of indoor air quality on children and young people is jointly published by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) and the Royal College of Physicians (RCP).

It is funded by Allergy UK, Airtopia, Asthma UK, British Heart Foundation, British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Dyson, and the Greater London Authority.