The number of people who have Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary disease in NHS Lothian has increased by 70% since 2011/12, to 19,167 people, a higher increase than any other region in Scotland. Continue reading Alarming rise in COPD cases in Lothian
Tag: Health and wellbeing
‘Transformational change’ needed to tackle child mental health crisis, says SCSC
- The NHS in Scotland failed to meet a maximum 18-week waiting time target for children and young people to receive treatment from mental health services
- More than a third are waiting more than 18 weeks for treatment.
- 9 out of 14 health boards failed to meet the 18-week waiting time target: NHS Fife, NHS Grampian, NHS Highland, NHS Lanarkshire, NHS Lothian, NHS Tayside, NHS Ayrshire and Arran, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Valley and NHS Forth Valley
- 204 children and young people waited more than a year prior to being seen for treatment, double that for the same quarter of last year.
- More than one in five referrals for treatment are rejected.
- Figures show only 0.56 per cent of NHS expenditure is spent on CAMHS, less than 7 per cent of the mental health budget.
- Coalition calls for fundamental rethink and renewed focus on prevention and early intervention, including embedding mental health within education.
Latest waiting time figures have reinforced the call by a coalition of leading independent and third sector children and young people’s service providers for dramatically increased investment in mental health services to address the current mental health crisis.
The Scottish Childrens Services Coalition (SCSC) has also called for an urgent need to focus on prevention and early intervention in order to tackle what is one of the greatest public health challenges of our time.
The coalition, which campaigns to improve services for vulnerable children and young people, call comes as the latest waiting time figures from the Information Services Division, part of NHS National Services Scotland, highlight that thousands of children and young people are failing to treated within a Scottish Government waiting time target. 1 With an increasing number of children and young people being identified with mental health problems they also highlight a postcode lottery for mental health treatment across the country.
Covering the quarter July to September 2019, the figures highlight that 3,901 children and young people started treatment at specialist child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) in this period. The NHS in Scotland, including 9 of the 14 regional health boards, failed to meet the Scottish Government 18-week waiting time target for children and young people to receive treatment from CAMHS. This target should be delivered for at least 90 per cent of patients.
While 64.5 per cent in the NHS in Scotland are being seen within this 18-week waiting time, still in itself far too long, more than a third (35.5 per cent) are failing to be seen within this period.
Individual health boards failing to meet this target are: NHS Fife (75.2 per cent), NHS Ayrshire & Arran (78.1 per cent), NHS Grampian (50.8 per cent), NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde (71.2 per cent), NHS Highland (64.1 per cent), NHS Lanarkshire (51.9 per cent), NHS Lothian (55.9 per cent), NHS Tayside (54.2 per cent) and NHS Forth Valley (63.8 per cent).
The figures also indicate that 204 children and young people in the July to September quarter had been waiting for more than a year prior to being seen for treatment, an increase from 151 in the previous quarter (April to June) and more than double that from the same quarter of last year (93). 2
In addition, more than one in five (21.9 per cent) are having their referrals for treatment rejected, with no real understanding of what is happening to them after this.3
It should be noted that a mere 0.56 per cent of the NHS budget is spent on specialist CAMHS, amounting to £67.248 million.4 In addition to this, only 6.61 per cent of the overall mental health budget is spent on CAMHS.
These very low figures are despite the fact that mental health services are creaking at the seams due to greatly increasing demand, as evidenced by these waiting time figures. Research indicates that 10 per cent of children and young people (aged five to 16) has a clinically diagnosable mental health problem (around three in every classroom), with 50 per cent of mental health problems established by the age of 14 and 75 per cent by the age of 24.5
While acknowledging the great efforts the Scottish Government is making, such as an additional £250 million of funding announced in the Programme for Government of 2018, the SCSC has called for the Scottish Government to greatly increased investment in CAMHS and for a more consistent approach to delivering these services across Scotland. 6
It has also called for a renewed focus on prevention and early intervention for those with mental health problem, reducing the need for referral to under-pressure specialist CAMHS.
This includes embedding mental health within education from an early age in order to strengthen knowledge and awareness of mental health, as well as reducing the stigma associated with mental health. Emotion and resilience classes should be provided to all students from primary one to teach students how to work through their emotions in a healthy way and there should be a whole-school approach, with training for all staff involved in education and providing counselling support.
A spokesperson for the SCSC said: “These latest waiting time figures highlight that fact in this mental health crisis we are continuing to fail thousands of children and young people with mental health problems, with more clearly needing to be done to address this epidemic.
“These newly released figures highlight that the NHS in Scotland, including nine of our health boards, are failing to meet what is already a lengthy waiting time. Yet we know that three children in every classroom has a clinically diagnosable mental health problem.
“There must be a radical transformation of our mental health services, with a focus on preventing such problems arising in the first place and intervening early, especially when we know that half of all mental health problems begin before the age of 14. This includes embedding mental health within education from an early age as well as providing training for all staff involved in education.
“With mental health and the issues associated with it representing one of the greatest public health challenges of our time, we must ensure that children and young people are able to get the care and support they need, when they need it. This includes investing in greater community support and support at school, reducing the need for referral to specialist CAMHS.”
Scottish Conservative Health Spokesperson, Miles Briggs, didn’t miss the opportunity to comment. The Lothian MSP said: “In Scotland we are facing a child mental health crisis and over 10,000 children and young people are being failed by this SNP government.
“There is a postcode lottery across health boards for whether you child will get mental health support when they need it, with my own region of Lothian being particularly bad.
“I am regularly contacted by parents who are worried about their children and it is heart-breaking for them when they are told their child can’t be seen for over a year.
“A greater focus must be given to prevention and early intervention by having mental health on the curriculum for all schools in Scotland.”
1 NHS Information Services Division, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services Waiting Times in Scotland (PDF link), 3rd December 2019, Table 2, p. 7. Available at: https://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Mental-Health/Publications/2019-12-03/2019-12-03-CAMHS-WaitingTimes-Report.pdf? (accessed 3rrd December 2019).
2 Ibid., Table 1a in background tables, p.6.
3 Ibid., Table 4 in background tables, p.6.
5 Mental Health Foundation, Mental Health Statistics: Children and Young People. Available at: https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/statistics/mental-health-statistics-children-and-young-people (accessed 25th January 2016).
6 BBC online, Sturgeon announces boost for mental health services, 4th September. Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-45395739 (accessed 5th December).
Thrive Edinburgh to explore mental health matters across the capital
Organisations across Edinburgh have joined forces to start an ‘open and honest conversation’ about the future of citizens’ mental health.
Inspired by similar initiatives across the globe and building on the early findings of the Capital’s 2050 City Vision, Thrive Edinburgh launched with a citywide conference last week at the National Museum of Scotland. Continue reading Thrive Edinburgh to explore mental health matters across the capital
Charities to support more women and families
Third-sector organisations are set to increase the availability of services for mums at risk of poor mental health during and after pregnancy.
A grant of £225,000 has been allocated to 11 organisations as part of a £1 million investment in perinatal mental health services for mums and families announced by the Health Secretary Jeane Freeman in August.
All the organisations will also be offered additional perinatal mental health training for staff.
Mental Health Minister Clare Haughey said: “Mental illness during and after pregnancy is common, affecting one in five women. We want all mums to get the best possible support, and working with third sector partners is one way we can widen access to services and advice.
“Charities provide an invaluable service by offering peer-to-peer support and counselling and helping to build confidence to help make the leap into parenthood and family life a bit easier.
“We are investing £50 million to improve perinatal and infant mental health services and it is vital that women, young children and families are able to access services in the right place at the right time.”
List of third-sector organisations receiving funding:
| Barnardo’s | £29,044 |
| Home Start Glasgow South | £22,421 |
| Aberlour | £41,346 |
| Amma Birth Companions | £9,000 |
| Home Start Glasgow North | £6,791 |
| CrossReach | £17,998 plus an additional £25,000 to provide training to other organisations |
| Quarriers | £6,051 |
| Midlothian Sure Start | £11,457 |
| MindMosaic Counselling and Therapy | £6,950 |
| PND The Borders | £13,000 |
| Inspiring Scotland | £34,000 |
The Scottish Government invited applications for third sector organisations who provide perinatal and infant mental health support services to apply for funding, with the focus on sustaining their existing service.
The aim of the fund is to sustain current provision and develop a national approach to non-clinical interventions for women, partners and families – to meet the needs of those 11,000 women and families who might benefit for additional support.
The projects must fulfil the following outcomes:
- Women/primary caregivers who use the service experience improved mental wellbeing.
- Women/primary caregivers experience improved confidence and satisfaction with parenting and the parent/infant relationship.
- Family/partner engagement in supporting women and developing the parent/infant relationship is improved.
- Woman/primary caregivers have access to further help, information and support and are referred to NHS or other services as appropriate.
FACE Christmas Fair at Western General
SATURDAY 7 DECEMBER at WESTERN GENERAL HOSPITAL
MSPs call for improved mental health provision in secure care and young offenders’ facilities
MSPs on the Scottish Parliament’s Justice Committee are calling for better mental health support for young people ordered into either secure care or a young offenders’ institution (YOI).
The Committee is calling for assessments of a young person’s needs to be made within the first days of their incarceration, and consistent, high-quality physical, educational and mental health support to be provided thereafter. Continue reading MSPs call for improved mental health provision in secure care and young offenders’ facilities
Kids ward at St John’s could take FIVE YEARS to fully reopen, say Tories
A children’s ward at a key central Scotland hospital could be FIVE YEARS away from reopening – despite SNP pledges that it would return to full service back in October. Continue reading Kids ward at St John’s could take FIVE YEARS to fully reopen, say Tories
A first for Scotland: Recovery on board a canal boat in Edinburgh
On Tuesday (19th November), Joe Fitzpatrick – Minister for Public Health, Sport and Well-being will cut the ribbon and formally launch Scotland’s first canal boat providing services for the recovery community.
The Sorted Project is an Edinburgh charity established in 2008. In recent years they have been hiring a canal boat on the Union Canal to support men and women in recovery from substance dependency and associated mental health issues. The success of this work inspired the National Lottery Fund to support the commission of a fully accessible purpose-built canal boat named Panacea.
The service provides a tranquil environment where training and volunteering opportunities are available.
Project Manager Karen Bradford said: “We decided to launch Panacea on this date as it would be a special way to say thank you to the National Lottery Community Fund and to everyone who buys a National Lottery ticket.
“Activity in recovery is an essential part of being well. Our work helps to build resilience through being part of a community, being part of a crew and building hope for the future. Learning to drive and crew a 60ft boat is a powerful way to learn new transferable skills and build self-belief and confidence.
“Funding from the National Lottery Community Fund has enabled us to develop this unique project and we have included people in recovery in not only shaping our work, but also designing the boat. It’s a tremendous achievement and we are all very proud indeed.”
Tuesday 19th November is a significant date which sees the launch of Panacea and the 25th Birthday of the National Lottery.
The boat was designed and built by specialist boat builders, Crafted Boats in Stoke Prior near Bromsgrove. It was transported by road to Sandpoint Marina in Dumbarton. A Sorted Project crew of 9 including staff, board members, volunteers and participants sailed the boat all the way back to Ratho near Edinburgh. The journey took 4 days and was a wonderful experience and a great achievement for everyone involved.
Public Health Minister Joe FitzPatrick said: “It is a pleasure to launch the Panacea which offers such a unique and enterprising way to help people recover from their substance use and improve their mental health.
“Our drugs strategy challenges services to better meet the complex health and social needs of those who are most at risk and deliver services that address their specific circumstances.
“The Sorted Project is delivering a service which offers individuals the chance to develop their confidence and skills in a tranquil and relaxing setting where they can focus on their recovery.”
The Sorted Project is now delivering this unique service and aims to reach recovery communities along the Union Canal.
The launch event starts at midday with the ribbon cutting ceremony taking place at 3pm.
www.facebook.com/sortedproject
Scotland’s only cancer research charity marks 40th anniversary with First Step campaign
- World’s leading cancer researchers meet in Edinburgh on 14 November to allocate a further £4 million funding
- First Step campaign launching to increase public awareness and drive funding
- Charity identifies urgent need to close the funding gap to find the cures for cancer
Worldwide Cancer Research, Scotland’s only cancer research charity, is celebrating its 40th anniversary this month. Since being founded in 1979 cancer survival rates have doubled, and the charity has funded 1,870 projects across the world, worth over £191 million.
To mark this milestone the charity is launching a bold new look and campaign to raise awareness of the vital research it funds and help drive donations.
The First Step campaign, launched yesterday, will highlight the charity’s commitment to funding the very earliest research. A series of specially designed ‘first steps’ will appear across some of Edinburgh and Glasgow’s busiest streets and shopping centres, encouraging people to take their own first step in helping to find the cures for cancer by donating to the charity.
The campaign was launched by STV presenter and Worldwide Cancer Research ambassador Laura Boyd, who was diagnosed with leukaemia in 2009.
David Sole, Chair of the Board for Worldwide Cancer Research, who joined Laura Boyd to launch The First Step campaign, (above) said: “There is so much support for later stage cancer research that very often the first breakthroughs are forgotten or ignored. The First Step remains as critical as ever, and this is where Worldwide Cancer Research plays such a crucial role.”
This campaign coincides with the charity’s annual ‘Bold Ideas Gathering’, which sees the world’s top cancer researchers arrive in Edinburgh to discuss how to invest the money raised through fundraising and generous public donations. This year the charity has £4 million to spend on pioneering cancer research projects.
At the meeting, the group will go through the ideas put forward by scientists from all over the world to identify the projects that they believe will have the greatest impact on the lives of people with cancer.
With an average research project costing around £200,000, the panel will have to select around 20 from 130 projects. That means there will be 110 projects, and 110 possible cures, lost.
This year’s applications are from researchers based in 24 different countries including Australia, Brazil, Canada, Italy, Malaysia and Scotland, and cover topics ranging from how cells repair DNA to new immunotherapy techniques.
Dr Helen Rippon, Chief Executive of Worldwide Cancer Research, said: “When Worldwide Cancer Research was founded forty years ago by Dr Colin Thomson, it was with one clear goal: to conquer cancer within his lifetime.
“Tragically, he died from multiple myeloma. His legacy is our mission – to find and fund life-saving research around the world to end the suffering and death caused by cancer.
“Over those forty years Worldwide Cancer Research has funded close to 2,000 projects around the world, helping to discover and develop new life-saving treatments.
“The First Step campaign underlines our belief that providing funding for the brightest new ideas in cancer research is vital to finding treatments and cures for cancer.
“Our ‘Bold Ideas Gathering’ is the most important date in the charity’s calendar. It’s incredibly exciting to think that a research project we decide to fund at this meeting could be the key discovery that unlocks a new drug or treatment for cancer.
“The cancer researchers who take part in the meeting all give up their time to review applications. They do this because they believe wholeheartedly in ensuring that our supporters’ money is used in the most impactful way possible. They truly are heroes in and out of the lab.”
Worldwide Cancer Research is one of the few cancer charities in the UK, and the only one in Scotland, to fund research into all types of cancer. This is because while some cancers have seen vast improvements, others have seen little or no change.
Approximately 784 people are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer each year in Scotland, and with only 1% of those diagnosed surviving ten years or more it has the lowest survival rate of the 29 most common cancers.
Adam Coulson, chose to fundraise for Worldwide Cancer Research after the death of his father to pancreatic cancer, and his mother to bowel cancer. He said “Cancer has a devastating effect on our lives. I think almost every single one of my family and friends has been affected in some way or another.
“Sadly, there are some cancers that are simply not understood as well as others, and more research is urgently needed in order to improve treatment outcomes and survival rates. Worldwide Cancer Research funds vital research into those in most urgent need.”
Dr John Maher, Clinical Senior Lecturer at King’s College London and Chair of the meeting said: “Worldwide Cancer Research is truly unique as the only UK-based charity that funds research into any type of cancer, anywhere in the world.
“Every year we see so many exciting ideas from some of the world’s most innovative researchers that it is often very difficult to decide which projects deserve funding. It can’t be stressed enough how important the supporters of Worldwide Cancer Research are to make this research possible.”
For more information about Worldwide Cancer Research, visit https://www.worldwidecancerresearch.org.
Ditch yer auld baffies at Big Slipper Event!
Older residents in Edinburgh are being encouraged to trade in their old slippers for a brand new pair, free of charge.
As part of a community initiative in Leith, a ‘Big Slipper’ social day is taking place this Monday (18 November) at Easter Road stadium. Continue reading Ditch yer auld baffies at Big Slipper Event!