Scottish walking charity shines spotlight on walking and mental wellness
SCOTLAND’s walking charity is supporting the Scottish Health Walk Network (SHWN) to raise awareness of mental health and encourage open conversations during Mental Health Awareness Week.
Paths for All has been working closely with a group of SHWN members to design and deliver a mental health campaign.
The campaign will offer the network a range of useful tools and resources to acknowledge, celebrate and enable discussions around mental health during Health Walks in the East Renfrewshire area.
It is hoped that the campaign will inspire longer-term conversations beyond Mental Health Awareness Week to reduce stigma, and promote safe, welcoming and accessible opportunities to move more for wellbeing.
Kevin Lafferty, CEO of Paths for All, said: “Walking has numerous benefits for both physical and mental health, and these walks provide a supportive environment for open and honest conversations about mental wellbeing.”
“By equipping the network with resources and tools, we hope to encourage more discussions around mental health and further raise awareness of this important issue.
“With Mental Health Awareness week also happening during the National Walking Month of May, it’s relevant more than ever to encourage Scots to get out walking.”
The campaign is part of Paths for All’s ongoing collaboration with Scottish Action for Mental Health (SAMH) on raising awareness and engagement of SHWN members with the Scottish Mental Health Charter. The Charter aims to change attitudes around mental health and encourage more organizations to promote mental wellbeing.
For the Scottish Health Walk Network, the Charter will support members to design and deliver Health Walks which are even more inclusive of those living with mental health problems.
Robert Nesbitt, Head of Physical Activity and Sport at SAMH said: “We are proud to work collaboratively with Paths for All to reduce barriers to walking for people and communities.
“Recognising the power of walking, together we are creating accessible tools and resources with the Scottish Health Walk Network, so they can continue to play their part in supporting the physical, mental and social health of the people of Scotland.“
The Scottish Health Walk Network is a membership network designed by Paths for All, accrediting and supporting Health Walk provider throughout Scotland. It brings together over 400 organisations with the common goal of creating supportive environments to offer safe, welcoming, accessible walks that meet best practice standards.
Elaine McWilliams is a Group Development Worker at Stepping Stones, a mental health charity supporting people across the West Dunbartonshire area and has been part of the co-working groups supporting Paths for All in developing the campaign.
Elaine said: “We get over 800 referrals every year and currently have 600 active cases and we understand that one size does not fit all when it comes to providing support.
“Walking groups have been part of our services for over 10 years and we have seen it play a massive role in allowing people to be part of a social group and connect with others, allowing people to build confidence.
“This campaign is extremely important to help Health Walk organisers to understand how they can help and start open conversations about mental health and wellbeing up and down the country.”
Paths for All’s mission is to create opportunities for everyone in Scotland to stay active through walking, wheeling, scooting or cycling, contributing to a happier, healthier, and greener Scotland.
For more information about Paths for All’s work with the Scottish Health Walk Network and the Scottish Mental Health Charter, visit: www.pathsforall.org.uk
‘Putting women at the centre of their own care, listening to them, learning lessons from both failed and successful maternity services is crucial to delivering safer better care’ – that’s the message from the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) as it responds to a new report on birth trauma.
The report by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) and the Birth Trauma Association follows the UK’s first-ever inquiry into birth trauma to which the RCM provided evidence in February.
Safe levels of staffing and ensuring there are enough midwives so they have time with women particularly during antenatal appointments to pick up issues early on. In addition to discussing concerns and making decisions around birth choices and infant feeding choices is fundamental to delivering good quality maternity care says the RCM.
The RCM says it also supports the reports call for the reinstatement of a Maternity Commissioner with accountability to the Prime Minster, this the College says is very much needed particularly as their remit would include a commitment to tackle inequalities in maternity care for Black, Asian and minority ethic women.
Commenting, RCM’s Chief Executive, Gill Walton said: “Sadly, not all birth experiences are positive and poor experiences can have a devastating impact on woman and should be taken very seriously as a threat to maternal mental and physical health and infant wellbeing.
“The women who shared their experiences with the inquiry must be commended for doing so and we owe it to them to learn and improve from the failings that happened in their care. Undoubtedly staffing shortages drastically impact the safety and quality of care that midwives can and so want to deliver.
“Our own members tell us they are struggling to give women the time and quality of care they need and deserve. Also, with the rise in more complex pregnancies, having the right skill mix of staff on shift is key.
“Access to appropriate training has also been highlighted in this report and when there aren’t enough midwives, crucial training is often postponed and this impacts how prepared staff can be for not only emergency situations, but how improvements in day-to-day maternity care can be achieved.”
Solving the midwifery recruitment and retention crisis with practical solutions must be the number one priority for any incoming Government says the RCM who recently published ‘How to Fix the Midwifery Staffing Crisis’ a practical guide which contains solutions for the next UK Parliament.
Included in the key recommendations is a plea for mother’s health records to be digitised, this is something the RCM has long called for. Assessing and documenting risk in an electronic record is essential to providing safer effective midwifery care. The RCM has already published an Electronic Guidance and Audit tool and has called for midwives and maternity support workers (MSWs) to receive appropriate training on electronic record keeping systems used in their Trusts and Health Boards.
The report also highlighted the difficulty many women have in accessing maternal mental health services. Mental ill-health ranks with physical factors as one of the leading causes of maternal deaths in the UK, and yet this is not reflected in the resources allocated to it says RCM. Last year the RCM called for the postcode lottery provision of perinatal mental health services to be tackled urgently and published a ‘perinatal roadmap’ which laid out recommendations to improve perinatal mental health care in the UK.
Commenting on that, Gill Walton added: ““We need to ensure that every Trust or Health Board in the UK providing maternity services has a fulltime perinatal specialist midwife.
“This would make an enormous difference and enable midwives to refer women in their care to someone in their service for immediate support. The RCM also believes and have advised that all maternity professionals should be equally concerned with mental as well as physical health in pregnancy, childbirth, and postnatal period.
“Also, the recommendation of a standardised post birth service for give mothers a space to speak about their experiences we would support, but this is something that needs separate levels of investment. It’s important too that fathers and birthing partners who have witnessed a traumatic birth have access to the right support and help postnatally.”
Health and Social Care Secretary speech at birth trauma APPG
A speech the Health and Social Care Secretary, Victoria Atkins gave at The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Birth Trauma
Good evening everyone. It is an absolute privilege to be speaking to you all this evening as we mark the launch of the first ever Birth Trauma Inquiry report.
And I’d like to start by May by thanking my dear friend Theo (Theodora Clarke MP) for her strength in speaking out about her own experiences and in so doing, creating this incredible workstream whereby other women are being invited to give their experiences and to be listened to.
I mean, Theo is, to my mind the exemplar of a parliamentary powerhouse, and it’s been an absolute pleasure working with you, but also I genuinely think the work that you have achieved will have very, very long term and positive benefits for women across England.
The reaction that you have received from women shows just how critical this work is.
You have given a voice to those who may never have shared the pain and the suffering that they have been through, or when they have spoken up, they have not been listened to.
And so, thanks to you and to the brave women in this room, but also the many, many brave women who have contributed to this report, or who have shared their stories today with media outlets, as it has rightly got such media attention.
But thanks to those brave women, things are changing and you are shining a bright light on the struggles that too many women face, and you are putting birth trauma at the heart of our national conversation, and ensuring that other mums do not have to suffer in silence.
And I’d also really like to thank the wider APPG, co-chaired by Theo but also by Rosie, and both of whom have really demonstrated, along with APPG colleagues, just how cross-party working can work to the very best for us as a country.
And so thank you to every single parliamentarian involved in the APPG.
And in that spirit, I am determined to make care for new mums and mums-to-be faster, simpler and fairer because the birth of a child should be amongst the happiest moments in our lives.
Theo said of course, the overwhelming majority of families it is.
Each week around 10,000 babies are born in England on the NHS and most of them are born safely and with mothers and families reporting a good experience of the care they receive.
But we want that for every woman and every family.
And as this inquiry demonstrates so starkly, there is far too much unacceptable variation across the country in the service that women receive.
Some mums endure simply unacceptable care and live with the consequences of that trauma for the rest of their lives.
Now I’ve been open about my own experiences with the NHS.
The NHS is genuinely one of the reasons I came into politics.
I was diagnosed with type one diabetes at the age of three and I’ve seen the very best of the NHS, but I’ve also seen some of its darker corners and that includes in my own experience when I was pregnant.
Aa you can imagine the clinicians in the room will understand a type one diabetic having being pregnant brings its own complications. And I had wonderful, wonderful care in many, many instances. But I also had examples where I wouldn’t wish other women to go through the same, including and I’ve spoken about this, I was rushed into hospital earlier than anyone had planned, and I was put on a ward, heavily pregnant, not quite knowing what the future was holding for me or my baby.
And, I was on the ward where women who had just experienced extremely traumatic, dare I say it, dangerous births were being rushed from theater onto the ward where I was.
Now clearly those their experiences were far, far worse and far more traumatic than my own.
But you can imagine the how frightening actually that experience was for a first-time mum to be, with the concerns that I was having to live with at the time.
So just that, as an example, I know everybody was trying to do their best at that point, but I desperately want to ensure that women who are expecting and who need additional support don’t find themselves in similar or even worse situations as I did.
And I want to make sure that no woman goes through a physical and mental trauma, and while giving birth, that could have been prevented.
Now I know that the Women’s Health Summit in January, Dame Lesley Regan and I talked about and forgive me, gentlemen, we talked about the NHS being a system that was created by men for men.
And that struck a chord with many women, particularly those who know Lesley and know she is another female powerhouse And the truth is that women have suffered in pain that would simply not be tolerated in any other part of the hospital.
Women have tried to raise concerns about unacceptable care, but they’re being told it’s all just natural.
And it is that, if you like, silencing, that really should not be the reality that women face in the 21st century.
We can and we will do better.
Now, being made Health Secretary in November, I have been impatient to make progress.
And that is why in January I held the Women’s Health Summit, where I made birth trauma one of the top priorities for the second year of the Women’s Health Strategy.
And I want to make this year not just the year that we listen, but that we act and that this is happening now.
We are rolling out new maternal mental health services for new mums, which are already available in all but three local health systems.
We are, believe you me, paying close attention to those final three areas to make sure they finalise their plans at pace this year.
On physical injuries too, we are rolling out improved perinatal pelvic health services, including guidance to better support women who experience serious tears and to prevent these from happening in the first place.
We’re halfway through. We plan to get to full coverage by the end of the financial year. And these services will be supported by our announcement at the Spring Budget of an extra £35 million pounds more for more midwives and better training for when things go wrong.
On top of the extra £186 million pounds a year, we are already investing into maternity services and safety compared to three years ago.
And thanks to Thea, we have also introduced standalone GP appointments six to eight weeks after giving birth to ask those crucial questions about whether mum is okay while keeping separate checks for her baby, because we know a happy, healthy mum means a happy, healthy baby.
And this is supported by new guidance to prompt, direct questions about their birth experience, even if there is nothing in her notes to suggest that the birth was traumatic.
I want to embed a culture that listens to women right from the start of their pregnancy, and so I’m delighted that NHS England are co-producing new decision-making tools with new mums to help guide through choices on how they give birth, what interventions could happen and what pain relief they should be offered.
These will be made available in a range of languages and formats to make sure that they can be tailored to different settings and to different local populations, because the ethnic disparities that Kim and Theo have highlighted have to be tackled, and we are determined to do that.
Theo’s speech in Parliament spoke to the lasting impact that birth trauma can have on the whole family. And of course, dads and partners are very much part of that. And so I’m extremely grateful to Theo’s husband for making that point.
But also we have listened in government and Maria Caulfield, my minister, who is responsible for men’s health along with a great many other things, will be chairing the next session of the Men’s Health Task and Finish Group in June to focus on dads mental health and trauma so that we can better understand how to support partners.
And I’m delighted to announce that the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) will commission new research into the economic impact of birth trauma, including how this affects women returning to work.
That’s a really important idea and a really important commitment.
I know there is so much work to do to deliver on the detailed findings of this report and I, together with NHS England, fully support the APPG’s call to develop a comprehensive cross-government national strategy for maternal care.
I’m very grateful to the NHS for the progress that have been made so far on the three-year delivery plan for maternity and neonatal services, but I want to go further and a comprehensive national strategy will help us to keep driving that work forward while making sure everyone across government and the health service are crystal clear about what we need in maternity services to focus on.
And I also want to be clearer to mums and those looking after them, what their rights and expectations should be, so that everybody can be clear about the standard of care that mums deserve.
So watch this space.
Now in conclusion, this is the first time in the NHS’s 75-year history that I, as the Secretary of State, but also the Chief Executive of NHS England, are both mums.
We get it.
And for this, this is not just professional, it is personal.
Both Amanda and I take our responsibilities to all of you incredibly seriously and I have to say more soon on how I plan to make this area of our health system faster, simpler and fairer.
So I want to finish by thanking you, each and every one of you that has been involved in this report, for everything you have done to kickstart the national conversation about birth, trauma and how women should be listened to and their concerns acted upon.
And I really look forward to continuing this conversation with you in the months ahead.
The UK Government has funded 350 additional medical school places in England for the academic year 2025/26 in latest step to deliver NHS Long Term Workforce Plan
The Government has funded 350 additional medical school places in England for the academic year 2025/26
This is the next stage in delivering the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan commitment to double medical school places by 2031
The places have been allocated to medical schools across the country but targeted to address disparities in the distribution of places and support under-doctored areas
The Westminster government has allocated an additional 350 medical school places, to deliver the future workforce the NHS requires.
Last year, the NHS set out its Long Term Workforce Plan, backed by more than £2.4 billion in government funding. It outlines how the NHS will recruit and retain hundreds of thousands more staff over the next 15 years – delivering the biggest training expansion in the health service’s history.
One of the key commitments is doubling the number of medical school places in England to 15,000 by 2031, and levelling up the geographic training of places to help tackle unequal access to services.
In the next step to deliver this commitment, the Office for Students (OfS) has now allocated 350 places in the academic year 2025/26 to medical schools across the country.
Health and Social Care Secretary Victoria Atkins said: “Thanks to the Government’s plan for a faster, simpler and fairer healthcare system, the NHS now has record funding, and a record number of doctors.
“I want to make sure that we will have the medical professionals we will need in the years ahead.
“That’s why we are delivering the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan, and doubling the number of medical school places, so we can train the next generation of world-class doctors to offer patients the highest-quality care.”
Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said: “Our frontline health workers do tremendous work in serving the nation every single day and ensuring all of us receive the care we need.
“I know what a popular career medicine is among young people, and it’s so important they have the chance to pursue their ambitions.
“With this expansion of places – alongside our new doctor degree apprenticeship – the opportunities for a career in medicine are greater than ever.”
Amanda Pritchard, Chief Executive of NHS England said: “This is a hugely important moment for the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan and marks one of the first steps towards our ambition to train more doctors in England than ever before – the record expansion will help us boost care for patients right across the country.
“The ambitious blueprint for our workforce, is a once in a generation opportunity to put NHS staffing on a sustainable footing, particularly as we continue to adapt to new and rising demand for health services.”
Dr Katie Petty-Saphon, CEO, Medical Schools Council said: “The Medical Schools Council welcomes the announcement of 350 additional student places from 2025.
“Medical schools are committed to widening participation to the profession and particularly important is the need for local recruitment in under-doctored areas.
“We will continue to work with stakeholders to ensure that the NHS has the staff it needs to deliver high quality patient care.”
Places have been provided across the country, but the OfS has used analysis of geographical distribution provided by NHS England to target under-doctored areas in its allocation of the places.
This includes substantial increases to medical schools at universities in Sunderland, Leeds, East Anglia, Anglia Ruskin, Plymouth and Surrey. The University of Surrey is also receiving government-funded places for the first time.
This is the second year of expansions to deliver the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan. Delivery started a year early, allocating 205 additional medical school places for the 2024/25 academic year, including providing Government-funded places to three schools for the first time.
This builds on the 25% expansion of medical school places in England that the Government completed in 2020, taking the total number of places to 7,500 per year and delivering five new medical schools.
A combination of the additional medical places this year and next, along with medical apprenticeship places, puts us on track to exceed current plans.
Through the allocation of places for 2026/27 and beyond, the Government and NHS England will work closely with partners including medical schools, NHS trusts and the General Medical Council to deliver ambitious reforms to medical education set out in the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan.
Responding to the announcement the Government is to fund 350 further medical school places for 2025/26, President of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, Dr Adrian Boyle said: “This latest news detailing the uplift of med school places is welcome. Medicine remains one of the best, rewarding – and, I hope, – still attractive careers.
“But medical school places can only ever be part of the picture. They must also be accompanied by the educators needed to teach and mentor these students, and enough dedicated specialty training places for them to move on to when they have qualified.
“However, it is pointless investing in the next generation if the Government does not also look after the current workforce – morale is at rock bottom, stress levels are sky high, and attrition is a serious problem.
“Medicine is a vocation which starts the day you step through the doors of Med School and lasts a lifetime. Proper government support is nothing less than these dedicated professionals need and deserve.”
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde is celebrating International Nurses Day, highlighting inspirational team members who have made a significant impact on the service.
Janice Heggie, Lead Nurse for the Neonatal Service at the Royal Hospital for Children, Glasgow, is one nurse who definitely falls into this category.
This month, Janice won Leader of the Year at the service’s Women and Children Awards and, next year, will mark 35 years of service with NHSGGC.
Before she hits that milestone – and her 60th birthday – Janice is taking on her biggest challenge yet.
In June, she will cycle almost 400 miles from London to Amsterdam across four days to raise funds for the Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity.
“I wanted to set myself a challenge for my 60th birthday and when the charity announced a call for people to make this cycle, I signed up right away.
“For years, I’ve watched the charity giving to the hospital, and I have seen the impact that their work has on people’s lives. This is my chance to do something for them.
“I started training in October last year and I average about 100 miles per week. Cycling has become a huge part of my life now. I even cycle indoors. I have more than one bike – let’s just say that,” Janice said.
Janice will cycle with another colleague and 16 patient family members who also want to give back to the hospital and charity. The team will meet with five other children’s hospitals from across the UK too.
Angela Wallace, Executive Director of Nursing explained that she isn’t surprised that Janice has taken on such a challenge. “All of our nurses are inspirational in one way or another, but we find great strength in leaders like Janice.
“We’re so proud of the work that she gives and the care that she delivers to patients. For the past 35 years, she has dedicated her time to caring for children, often in very complicated cases.
“Janice sets a goal and works hard towards it so it isn’t a surprise that she has signed up for this journey and I can guarantee that she will be an amazing motivator to those cycling with her. A huge thanks to Janice and to all our nurses that are inspiring others,” she said.
International Nurses Day is today – Sunday, 12th of May 2024.
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde is delighted to support staff marking International Nurses Day 2024
May 12 is Florence Nightingale’s birthday and begins a week-long celebration of the profession of nursing.
Each year the International Council of Nurses (ICN) have a theme, with this’s theme being “Our Nurses, Our Future, The Economic Power of care.”
Nurses are often the first members of staff that patients meet and are the constant in their care. Nurses give care with empathy and compassion throughout a patient’s life which can be challenging and rewarding daily.
Professor Angela Wallace, NHSGGC Executive Director of Nursing, said: “When I speak to our nursing colleagues across the organisation, I see a dedication and passion to ensure the patient receives the best care possible and how the patient is always central to how our nurses deliver care.
“These conversations are so important to me, as I get the chance to speak and listen to fellow nursing colleagues.
“Nurses play a vital role in the care of our patients and loved ones which can be sometimes in difficult circumstances. I want to take this opportunity on International Nurses Day to thank you today and every day for the invaluable care you give with dedication and professionalism.
“I hope you enjoy celebrating International Nurses Day.”
Survey from The Gym Group identifies supporting mental health as one of top reasons for gym visits for young people
In a recent survey* from nationwide gym chain The Gym Group, young people (aged 16-34 years) said their mental health is an important motivation for going to the gym.
When asked for their top three reasons for going to the gym, those in the 25 – 34 age group were most likely to put mental health as being their number one motivation, with those aged 16-24 most likely to put it as one of their top three.
This year the theme for Mental Health Awareness Week (13th – 19th May) is “Movement: Moving more for our mental health”.
The Gym Group has 236 gyms around the country and is offering free day passes throughout the week, inviting more people to visit their local gym to experience the mental health benefits of exercise.
The Gym Group is also supporting Better Health-Every Mind Mattersfor Mental Health Awareness Week to help more people make healthy changes with exercise.
Every Mind Matters is a campaign and digital resource, delivered by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) which aims to equip people to protect and improve their mental wellbeing.
Their resources provide a range of simple, NHS-approved self-care tips and tools that help people make self-care a priority within their daily life.
Better Health programmes focus on driving long-lasting behaviour change, and The Gym Group has always been committed to helping people to build lasting habits of regular gym visits.
In 2023, average member visits per month increased by 10% compared to 2022, showing that more people choose to prioritise their gym routines. 1 in 4 adults experience at least one diagnosable mental health concern every year.
Whilst regular exercise and movement can support with more positive mental wellbeing, it is reported that 4 out of 10adults are not currently meeting NHS recommended physical activity guidelines.
Health Minister, Maria Caulfieldsaid: “Exercise is incredibly important to help maintain good mental health.
“Our Every Mind Matters tool offers fantastic self-help advice including exercise tips, and tailored Minds Plans that build resilience and help people cope with life’s challenges. I encourage everyone to use it, whether it be to boost your mood, improve your sleep or deal more easily with mild stress or anxiety.”
Martin Scholes, Head of Operations, The Gym Group said: “It is our founding mission to break down barriers to fitness so that more people can reap the mental and physical benefits of regular exercise.
“We know that a lot of our members rely on our gyms to support and protect their mental wellbeing and it’s great to support campaigns like Every Mind Matters to inspire even more people to do the same.’
Muscular Dystrophy UK voices concerns from the muscle wasting and weakening community in Scotland.
Study reveals possible signs of rare and progressive conditions are often missed and not investigated.
Speedy referral is essential due to complex diagnosis process and the urgent need to access vital healthcare and treatments as quickly as possible.
A recent study by Muscular Dystrophy UK reveals that people living with a muscle wasting or weakening condition are often misunderstood by healthcare professionals and are not referred at the earliest opportunity to specialist services.
The leading charity for more than 110,000 children and adults in the UK living with one of over 60 muscle wasting and weakening conditions, carried out a survey revealing key insights from the muscle wasting and weakening community.
Just under half of respondents (47%) faced being misdiagnosed at some point, with it taking four or more meetings with healthcare professionals for the majority (55%) of respondents to get a diagnosis. A significant majority of respondents (69%) waited in excess of a year to receive a diagnosis.
The findings highlight the need to improve knowledge and understanding of neuromuscular conditions to ensure people are referred, as early as possible to a specialist neuromuscular team, to receive the right diagnosis and start on an appropriate care pathway to get the support and any available treatment required.
Muscle wasting and weakening conditions are progressive which means they will worsen over time and lead to an increasing level of disability. Care and treatments available will slow progression but there is currently no cure.
The symptoms of muscular dystrophy, and the age at which onset occurs, will be different in each person.
Common symptoms could include muscle stiffness or pain, changes in mobility, such as difficulty walking, difficulty in lifting things and increased number of falls. Some muscle wasting and weakening conditions can affect the heart or the muscles used for breathing and in some severe cases, the condition may have life-threatening complications, and shortened life expectancy.
84% of respondents to the survey highlighted the need to increase understanding and awareness of muscle wasting and weakening conditions among non-specialist neuromuscular healthcare professionals as a key priority. With 56% of respondents highlighting that access to healthcare should be a further area of focus.
Respondents shared some of their diagnosis journey highlighting: “I was 14 when I knew something was wrong.
“At age 35 I was diagnosed. I was told I was lying and making things up.”
Another respondent said: “My first reported symptoms to my GP I was aged 35, then onwards from that, on a regular basis until eventual diagnosis at 65.
“I had in-patient assessments over those years, and no-one thought to look for Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) even though my sister has it and I always disclosed this in my medical history.”
The findings show a lack of understanding of muscle wasting and weakening conditions within non-specialist neuromuscular healthcare professionals, either at the initial stages of a diagnosis or at different touch points throughout the management of the condition.
Muscular Dystrophy UK works with the NHS and the muscle wasting and weakening community to broaden knowledge and understanding of the different conditions and improve access to treatments.
The charity is calling for improvements to be made, so people get a faster diagnosis and are better equipped to access appropriate healthcare sooner.
Catherine Woodhead, Chief Executive of Muscular Dystrophy UK said: “When you are living with a progressive condition that can affect vital muscles such as the heart and lungs, it is essential that you get a diagnosis quickly.
“We know that neuromuscular conditions cover an incredibly wide range of rare and progressive conditions. The diagnosis journey is complex and it can take multiple appointments. It’s therefore crucial that we improve the understanding and knowledge of non-specialist neuromuscular healthcare professionals to ensure the referral process is quick and efficient to reduce the number of people being misdiagnosed.
People must be able to access the right support, management – and where available, treatment. Allowing people to remain independent, doing the things they enjoy for longer and more easily.”
David Hick was diagnosed with Becker muscular dystrophy in July 2023. Photo credit: Muscular Dystrophy UK
His symptoms progressed, following Covid, and the realisation came when he wasn’t able to continue with his motor trade job, that he had been doing for two decades. He got professional help and was diagnosed. A month after diagnosis, David joined the North Star Programme and is part of a clinical drug trial. David is now looking to move to closer to a specialist neuromuscular centre in Newcastle to ensure he can receive the best possible care.
He said: “Looking back it was apparent that something was wrong, but it was never properly investigated. I was told you’re a fit and healthy person. You’ve got nothing wrong with you. You’re just tall and skinny.
“It affected my mental health when I was in my early twenties, as I questioned why I couldn’t do certain things. Difficulties would come up in everyday life, but I just brushed it off.
“We were renovating our house and I lifted something heavy. As a result, I pulled several muscles, so went to a physio. This was the start of the diagnosis journey. I ended up being diagnosed with a rare and progressive condition. It was like a grenade going off – I’d never heard of muscular dystrophy before.”
Muscular Dystrophy UK provides a range of resources and awareness raising opportunities for non-specialist neuromuscular healthcare professionals, including an e-learning resource for General Practitioners, events, webinars and conferences and connections to local specialist services through its Regional Neuromuscular Networks.
Healthcare professionals who wish to access this support can email:
Veronica Murphy, 70, from Wishaw in North Lanarkshire, is calling for every stroke survivor to get the chance of recovery that she did. Veronica received life-changing rehabilitation treatment after a serious brain haemorrhage in December last year.
Veronica’s call for action comes as the Stroke Association’s ‘Thriving after stroke’ report, published today, urges Health Boards to urgently deliver on government plans to enhance recovery after stroke.
Veronica said: “It was my birthday party on the day I had my stroke. My daughter noticed that there was something wrong with my speech so dialled 999, whereupon I was taken to the Queen Elizabeth hospital in Glasgow.
“At this point, I couldn’t swallow or move the right side of my body. I was very poorly, and don’t remember much. The doctors couldn’t say what kind of recovery I was going to make, and it must have been hard for my family.”
Veronica was transferred to University Hospital Wishaw, where she was put on a clinical trial and spent 10 weeks undergoing intensive physiotherapy.
She continued: “At first my family couldn’t see any improvement. But then one of my fingers moved, and it gave them a glimmer of hope.
“From then on there was no stopping me. I learnt how to stand, took my first step then gradually more with the support of a rail. My physios were amazing and put so much work into helping me.
“On leaving hospital I was given a plan detailing my goals for returning home. I was assigned a community nurse who checked up on me, noted my progress, and left her phone number asking me to call with any questions, at any time. I continued to get regular home visits from the physiotherapist and occupational therapist, and have achieved my goals of climbing the stairs, making a meal, and walking outside with help from my physio if needed.”
John Watson, Associate Director for Scotland the Stroke Associationsaid: “Life after stroke support is a crucial, but under-provided, part of a stroke survivor’s recovery, helping them to regain independence, communicate, return to work, and deal with the emotional trauma that comes from stroke.
“Core rehabilitation therapies, such as physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech and language therapy, are complemented by other forms of support to address longer-term practical, social and emotional needs that many stroke survivors have.
“Veronica’s experience shows how access to good stroke rehabilitation can be life changing. Unfortunately, we hear too many stories of stroke survivors leaving hospital not knowing what happens next, or where to turn.
Stroke is a leading cause of disability in Scotland, and there are over 130,000 stroke survivors living with the effects of stroke, many with ongoing support needs.
John continued: “Crucially this investment in people’s recovery saves money by helping stroke survivors regain their independence and reducing ongoing support needs.
“It has never been more important than now, to get life after stroke support right.”
The Stroke Association want to ensure every stroke survivor should:
Leave hospital with a personalised rehabilitation plan.
To maximise the benefit of post-hospital support, every stroke survivor should have their own rehabilitation plan. This should be agreed with the patient and their family or carers and issued before leaving hospital.
Have contact information for ongoing support from stroke services.
Every stroke survivor should have continuity of contact for their recovery from an experienced stroke professional who is familiar with them.
Receive a review of their progress and needs six months after their stroke.
Almost two thirds of stroke survivors leave hospital with a disability, with their needs evolving throughout their recovery. It is therefore vital they receive post-stroke reviews to identify these changes and plan further support or intervention.
Scotland’s Stroke Improvement Plan (2023)points to key pillars of holistic rehabilitation incorporating life after stroke support, including:
Personalised care and support
Patients and practitioners work jointly towards agreed goals
Support to overcome communication and other difficulties affecting patient capacity for decision-making
Psychological and emotional support
Six-month reviews carried out by a healthcare professional knowledgeable and experienced in stroke and familiar with the patient
Consideration of those with caring responsibilities.
Dr Matt Lambert, National Clinical Lead for Stroke and Specialty Advisor to the Chief Medical Officer:“What distinguishes stroke from other neurological conditions is the capacity for recovery. We know that getting the right support, in the right amounts, for as long as it is needed, makes all the difference.
“I want to see every stroke survivor resume their life with enhanced capacity, and with reduced need for ongoing support.
“This clearly benefits those who have had a stroke but also reduces their longer-term dependency on relatives, carers and health and social care services which benefits society more widely.”
Veronica concluded:“More recently, I am thrilled to report that I am now able to walk and pick up my four-year-old grandson, Nathan, from nursery!
“My family means everything to me. Without their support, and the specialist support from NHS Lanarkshire, I don’t know if I would be as well as I am today.
“If there was more investment in stroke rehabilitation, there would be less people requiring support, enabling them to work and be part of their community. It’s a win-win situation. I hope health boards can get on with meeting the commitments in the stroke plan and look forward to seeing Scotland leading in this area.”
HEALTH experts are highlighting the importance of looking after your hearing and vision to help reduce the risk of developing dementia.
Due to the similarity of their symptoms, hearing loss can, on occasions, be mistaken for early signs of dementia, particularly when someone is struggling to communicate.
However, leading research also reveals that untreated hearing loss is one of the biggest risk factors when it comes to developing dementia, and that risk increases further if you have a visual impairment too.
That is why this Dementia Action Week (May 13-19), Specsavers Home Visits team in Edinburgh is highlighting the importance of regular hearing and eye tests. The home visits team in Edinburgh provides at-home eye tests and hearing tests to people who are unable to leave their home unaccompanied due to a physical or mental illness, or disability.
Lynne Phillips, audiology partner for the Specsavers Homes Visits team in South and East Scotland, says: ‘Leading research has shown that hearing loss can cause cognitive decline which can lead to dementia[1] – with people with moderate to severe hearing loss up to five times more likely to develop the condition[2].
“For those who also have a visual impairment as well as hearing loss, studies show they are nearly twice as likely to develop dementia than those without[3], as the decline in senses could increase social isolation and place strain on the parts of the brain which are required for good cognitive function[4].
‘This is why regular sight and hearing tests are so important in helping to reduce the risk. The earlier any problems are identified, the sooner protective measures like hearing aids can be introduced.’
Specsavers also provides comprehensive training to ensure that colleagues are equipped and confident to support any customers who may have dementia.
As part of the initiative, run by the Alzheimer’s Society, colleagues who have completed the training are recognised as Dementia Friends, with a badge to wear on their uniforms to indicate their increased level of dementia awareness.
For more information about the Home Visits service visit:
Charity head: New children’s mental health service has “the potential to be transformational”
ECHC reports promising data showing children and families benefiting from ‘The Haven’
No Time To Wait pilot service attracts almost 1,300 visits in first six months
A new pilot service set up to tackle the mental health crisis facing children and young people in Scotland has released promising data showing the numbers benefitting from its service in the first six months of operating.
Developed by Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity (ECHC), ‘The Haven’ wellbeing and resilience service opened at The Fraser Centre in Tranent in September 2023. It is the first centre to open under the Charity’s ‘No Time To Wait’ strategy.
The Haven aims to support families with children struggling with their mental health and prevent problems escalating to the point where professional intervention is needed.
It is open for three afternoons a week and has attracted 1,264 visits in the first six months.
Roslyn Neely, CEO of ECHC said: “Children and young people in Scotland are in the midst of a mental health crisis, a crisis which doesn’t just impact the child, but the whole family who feel they have nowhere to turn.
“We are staggered by the number of people we have been able to support through The Haven, and the impact the service has had on young people and their families. It really does have the potential to be transformational.
“We truly believe there is no time to wait. Allowing the mental health crisis to escalate just wasn’t an option.”
The service was developed in response to ECHC’s research which found that over half (59%) of Scottish families have a child who has experienced a mental health concern. It is hoped the service will be scaled and delivered in community settings and available to all children struggling with their mental health, and their families, across Scotland.
The Haven is open to any child or young person with a mental health concern, and any member of their family, including parents, carers, siblings and grandparents. It offers support in a relaxed and informal setting and provides interventions including family support groups, signposting, fun activities and a drop-in service for those who may just need a cup of tea and a listening ear.
Roslyn Neelyadded:“While we are humbled by the results of the first six months, this is just one pilot service in one small town. We want to see a Haven available for every child who needs it, in every community.”
The Haven is being piloted in Tranent for two years to ascertain the scale of demand. It is modelled on the charity’s existing Hospital Hub, which delivers very similar interventions to children and families visiting Edinburgh’s Royal Hospital for Children and Young People (RHCYP).
At its best, The Haven may negate a family’s need for future access to medical support, alleviating the pressures on Scotland’s CAMHS.
Fiona O’Sullivan, Director of Children’s Wellbeing at ECHC, said: “The Haven exists to support the whole family; the child, the parent, the grandparent, the auntie, the carer, whomever is closest to the child in need.
“We have supported people suffering from a range of issues including anxiety, depression, self-harming, challenges with education and school attendance, and eating disorders. Without any medical intervention we have provided young people and their families coping mechanisms to deal with these issues, and crucially, we are seeing positive results.”
QUEEN Margaret University (QMU), Edinburgh, has developed a series of resources for use in educational settings to help enhance disability literacy.
The University will launch its new Toy Box Diversity Lab website of resources on 9th May 2024, which will help guide discussions between educators and their primary school learners about disability equality and representation in the school curriculum, as well as encouraging them to think about accessibility in their own environments.
Funded by the QMU Innovation Fellowship, the educational assets include an activities pack, instructional videos and a directory of other resources to encourage positive discussions in schools.
The University will also be launching an online short course on Disability Confidence for Educational Practitioners, running from September 2024.
Dr Clare Uytman and Dr Siân Jones, senior lecturers in the Division of Psychology, Sociology and Education at QMU, have led the three-year long project, establishing their own research group to do so.
The lecturers have tested their resources with almost 550 children in England and Scotland, as well as running focus groups to create the final products in collaboration with teachers, disabled adults and parents of disabled children.
Dr. Uytman, said: “Positive understanding, representation and discussion around disability is so important for achieving a more inclusive learning environment through imagination and play, which will help children understand the importance of these topics from an early age.
“It is so rewarding to see three years of hard work and thorough research come together with the creation of these highly beneficial resources which we hope will be of real value to the teaching profession and enhance disability literacy.”
As well as the website, the QMU lecturers have also been working in collaboration with activist not-for-profit organisation, ToyLikeMe, to ensure better representation of disabilities in children’s media, including toys, books and television programmes.
Dr. Jones, said: “There is growing evidence that toys representing disability give non-disabled children windows into the worlds of disabled children.
“We are building on this evidence base, using images of adapted toy prototypes, such as Barbie with a missing limb, or Olaf the snowman from Disney’s Frozen with a cochlear implant, and showcasing these to children through pop-up exhibitions and activities we have been trialing at schools to help them think and speak positively about disability.”
Scottish primary school teacher, Mhairi Ritchie, welcomed one of these pop-up exhibitions so that she, and her pupils, could sample the resources. She said: “Involvement in the project was a fantastic way to explore disability. The children learned new vocabulary and developed a new perspective around what it means to be disabled.
“The accompanying resources were highly engaging and thoughtfully designed, enabling an interdisciplinary approach to the learning. The great thing is that we can use the resources again in the future and we look forward to doing so!”
An event will be taking place both online and in the Halle Lecture Theatre on campus at QMU to coincide with the official launch of the website on 9th May.
The launch event will take place between 4pm and 5.30pm at which attendees can learn more about the evidence-based research that has been conducted for this project, as well as more details on the resources on offer.
