Spring into a healthy Easter!

People living across the Lothians are being encouraged to put a “spring” in their step this Easter by preparing ahead for the holiday period.

The NHS Scotland Be Ready for Easter campaign is advising people to take a few simple steps to look after their health. By making sure they have a supply of over the counter medicines , knowing when their GP surgery is open and checking their repeat prescriptions, they can ensure they make the most of the Easter holiday weekend.

This year many GP surgeries across Scotland will be closed for up to four days from Good Friday (March 29) to Easter Monday (April 1).

NHS 24 Medical Director Professor George Crooks said: “After winter, Easter is the busiest time of year for Scotland’s health services. The Be Ready for Easter campaign wants to remind people of the small steps they can take to ensure illness doesn’t ruin their Easter.

“Being prepared by having enough repeat medication to cover you and having some simple home remedies available can make all the difference if illness strikes. It is also important to plan ahead for any required repeat prescriptions over the Easter break, so please order and collect in good time. We would also remind people of the wide range of health information available at NHS inform.”

Dr Alison McCallum, Director of Public Health and Health Policy, NHS Lothian said: “Although many GP surgeries will be closed at Easter, hundreds of GPs will be working throughout this period supporting out of hours services. Taking a few simple steps to be ready for the break means illness need not spoil the Easter break.”

The four key steps that Be Ready for Easter recommends this Spring are:

Restock your medicine cabinet if needed
Common ailments such as colds can often be effectively treated at home with readily available medicine such as pain relief, cough mixture and cold remedies. Parents are reminded to restock their medicine cabinet with child-friendly remedies.

Use your local pharmacy
Your pharmacist can offer advice or help if you need over-the-counter remedies or have run out of any prescribed medication. You can also pick up plasters and antiseptic creams to prepare for any minor accidents.

Make sure you have enough repeat prescription.
If you or someone you care for requires medicines regularly, make sure you order and collect repeat prescriptions in good time to ensure you have enough medicine to last over the holiday period.

Know when your GP surgery will be open
Your local doctor’s surgery may be closed for up to four days during the Easter weekend from Good Friday to Easter Monday (March 29 – April 1).

General advice and information on how to stay healthy this Easter can be found at www.nhsinform.co.uk or contact NHS inform on 0800 22 44 88.

GPs to encourage patients to get active

Family doctors are set to help patients get healthier by highlighting the many benefits of physical activity. New ‘brief interventions’ will ask patients about their levels of physical activity and offer advice and follow-up support if appropriate, in the same way as already happens across the NHS for smoking and alcohol.

GPs and health professionals in six health board areas – including NHS Lothian – will encourage adults to get active in a bid to tackle a range of health problems, as physical inactivity contributes to nearly 2,500 premature deaths every year in Scotland and can cause heart disease, stroke, obesity or depression.

Scotland’s Chief Medical Officer Sir Harry Burns recommends five periods of 30 minutes of moderate activity a week, 60 minutes for children under 16.

The year long pilot will embed the importance of physical activity in the NHS and initially focus on those who can benefit the most from being more active, such as people with chronic ill health, long term conditions or older people.

Speaking on a visit to Strathesk Medical Practice in Bonnyrigg, Sport Minister Shona Robison said: “Getting active is easy, simple and the most effective way to better health, reducing the risk of a multitude of conditions like heart disease, obesity or depression. Any activity, like walking, gardening or cycling, is better than none and makes you feel happier, less stressed and more energised. This is not about telling people to take more exercise, but health professionals offering advice to people who can get the most benefit, most quickly, ultimately reducing the need for further treatment and improving their lives.”

Dr David White, the Scottish Government’s Physical Activity specialist, said: “Regular physical activity really is man’s best medicine, providing a far greater range of health benefits than any medication. It’s been shown internationally that GPs and their teams offering accurate assessment alongside appropriate advice or brief intervention is both cost- and clinically-effective in helping patients become more active. The National Physical Activity Pathway, developed by NHS Health Scotland along with GPs, is a simple and effective resource to make a real difference.”

John Gillies, Chair of Royal College of General Practitioners Scotland, added: “Increasing physical activity is a simple, cheap and highly effective way of both staying healthy if you are well, and reducing the health risks of many chronic conditions like diabetes and heart disease. It works at any age. RCGP Scotland is happy to support this initiative, which will give GPs vital information on how to help patients increase activity and improve their health.”

Margaret Burns, Chair, NHS Health Scotland, said: “NHS Health Scotland know that three in five adults are not physically active enough to benefit their health and that getting active will increase life expectancy by almost a year. The cost to the NHS in Scotland alone of certain diseases resulting from physical inactivity is around £94 million every year and across the cost to the Scottish economy as a whole, far, far greater. That is why NHS Health Scotland, in partnership with Scottish Government and Royal College of General Practitioners, are supporting to staff motivate people to get active in their own way. The learning from the pilots will then be used to inform NHS practice across the country.”

The direct cost of physical inactivity to the NHS in Scotland is around £94 million per year.

The Chief Medical Officer’s latest Annual Report highlighted that the total annual costs to the Scottish economy of physical inactivity could be in the region of £660 million.

Research shows that brief advice/interventions for physical activity are a clinically proven and extremely cost effective method of improving physical activity within primary care.

The Active Scotland website provides information on local physical activity opportunities.

Bowel screening test at Asda today

The Take the Test Roadshow aimed at raising awareness of bowel cancer and highlighting the benefits of screening to people in Lothian will visit Asda in Newhaven today from 9am to 5pm.

The tour will also highlight the importance of screening to fans attending the Hearts v Motherwell football match at Tynecastle on 2 March and the Hibernian v Inverness CT at Easter Road Stadium on 30 March.

The nation-wide, 34-stop tour will roll into locations across Scotland as part of the Scottish Government’s Detect Cancer Early campaign to encourage people between the ages of 50 and 74 to participate in the Scottish Bowel Screening programme.

Although almost 4,000 people are diagnosed with bowel cancer every year in Scotland, just over half (54.5 per cent) of those who are eligible to participate in the Scottish Bowel Screening Programme every two years, actually do the test.

Currently, take-up of bowel screening in Lothian is 52.4 per cent, so more people need to understand the benefits of participation in the programme.

A new campaign includes a TV advert featuring the voice of Still Game star Ford Kiernan to highlight that bowel cancer is the third most common strain of the disease in Scotland. The campaign carries the message ‘Bowel Cancer. Don’t Take A Chance. Take The Test’ to highlight the fact that bowel cancer is a ‘hidden’ cancer, because the early signs are often not visible.

The Detect Cancer Early tour will offer help and advice to people in Lothian on how to take the test and staff will be available to answer any questions around the disease. An interactive presentation will be on site to allow local people to view the new advert and to help illustrate the bowel cancer screening test. Roadshow staff will also give away toilet shaped air fresheners and mini toilet tissue packs to encourage local people to pass on the message to their friends and relatives.

Dr Dermot Gorman, Consultant in Public Health, NHS Lothian said: “Bowel cancer is the third most common cancer in Scotland and especially when detected at an early stage, it’s highly treatable – nine out of ten people survive if it’s caught early.

“The signs of bowel cancer including blood in the bowel motion, can be unnoticeable and the screening programme is the best way to detect this. We would urge everyone between 50 to 74 years old to find out more about the benefits of taking the bowel screening test and to participate every two years.

“It’s important to break down some of the taboos around the private nature of bowel cancer and we welcome the Detect Cancer Early Roadshow to Lothian. This will help to raise awareness about this important public health issue.”

While the Screening Programme remains the best way to detect bowel cancer you should never ignore changes to your health. Local people are advised to make an appointment with their GP if they spot any unusual or persistent changes to their bowel movements, even in between screenings.

For information on the screening programme, contact the Scottish Bowel Screening Helpline on 0800 0121 833 or visit www.bowelscreeningtest.org

LEAPing on to pastures new

Stockbridge-based LEAP (Lothians and Edinburgh Abstinence Programme) is moving to a new home in Morningside next week.

NHS Lothian’s community based rehabilitation programme is vacating its current Malta House home as the building and land is being sold, and from 11 February LEAP will provide its addiction service in newly refurbished and newly-named Woodlands House, within the Astley Ainslie Hospital site. The building was formerly used by Napier University as a health studies college.

LEAP will occupy two floors of a wing in Woodlands House and staff from other services – including Spittal Street Centre, The Learning Disability Service and the Primary Care Facilitation Team – will also relocate to the three-storey building in the next few weeks.

Dr David McCartney, Clinical Lead at LEAP, said: “It’s a very exciting time for LEAP, having just celebrated our 300th graduate from the Programme and with the prospect of moving into a new and bigger facility. We obviously will be sad to leave Malta House as this is where LEAP first began but the move will allow us to continue to help and support our patients on the road to life changing recovery.”

LEAP is a demanding and intensive 12-week course for people dependent on substances who are motivated to achieve alcohol and drug free lives. It operates seven days per week and offers people structured activities including group work, workshops, presentations and education and training while recreation and relaxation classes also form part of the programme.

LEAP is funded by NHS Lothian and three local Alcohol Drug Partnerships and is operated in partnership with the City of Edinburgh Council and Access to Industry (Transition).

Health Secretary opens Royal Victoria

Health Secretary Alex Neil officially opened the new Royal Victoria building within the Western General Hospital this morning. The £43.6 state of the art facility replaces the Royal Victoria Hospital on Craigleith Road which closed last year.

The new building is all single-bed rooms – the government set out an aim in 2008 that single rooms would become the norm for new and refurbished hospitals.

Health Secretary Alex Neil said there are substantial financial and health benefits to single rooms. He said: “You have to look over the life cycle of the hospital, the building, what is going to be the savings made for example by reducing the incidence of hospital acquired infection. It’s not just the financial cost of that, what’s most important is the benefit to the patient. I think most people would want to be in an environment where the risk of hospital acquired infection was kept to the absolute minimum.”

Call 111 for free medical help

NHS 24 calls to be free of charge

A memorable new free number for NHS 24 is to be introduced. The existing number for NHS 24 will be replaced by 111 in summer 2014, meaning people in Scotland will no longer be charged when calling the advice service from a landline or mobile.

NHS 24 will continue to deliver the same high quality service for anyone seeking advice and support during the out of hours period when their GP surgery is closed. The current cost to call NHS 24 from a BT landline is the price of a local phone call, with calls from other landline service providers and mobile providers often costing more.

Health Secretary, Alex Neil, said: “I strongly believe that our NHS should be free at the point of contact and this new number is about ensuring that this applies to those who seek support and advice from NHS 24. By introducing this memorable and free number we are removing any barrier for the public to access the health advice when their GP surgery is closed. By ensuring people have access to health information it will also help to keep emergency lifesaving services available for those who really need them.”

NHS 24 Chief Executive John Turner said: “We welcome the Cabinet Secretary’s announcement today. NHS 24 has been providing high quality, safe and effective telephone triage and support services to the people of Scotland during the out of hours period for the past 10 years. We have a range of highly skilled staff taking 1.5 million calls per year from patients when their GP surgery is closed.

“NHS 24 will work closely with a range of NHS services such as the GP out of hours service, primary care emergency centres, A&E services, the Scottish Ambulance Service and patient representatives to fully plan and implement the change to 111. This will help ensure that, when 111 is introduced to Scotland next year, NHS 24 and our partners across Scotland, will continue to provide high quality support to patients and their families on the new number, which is easy to remember and free to call.”

Don’t be fooled by sweet talk, warns Green MSP

Scottish Greens are warning that yesterday’s ‘pledge’ by soft drinks firms to reduce the amount of sugar in their products is a diversion from the real issue.

The Public Health Responsibility Deal includes AG Barr, who produce IrnBru. However, Barr say they have no plans to reduce the sugar content of their regular IrnBru product. The deal has previously been criticised as being industry-led and does not have the support of organisations such as Alcohol Concern, the British Heart Foundation, the British Medical Association and Diabetes UK.

Alison Johnstone, Green MSP for Lothian (pictured below), said: “The issue of what’s in our food has returned to the top of people’s agendas with the supermarket value burgers scandal. Today’s incredibly weak fizzy drink deal is a diversion from the real problem of secret sugar. People know full well fizzy drinks are bad for their health but many will be unaware of the hidden sugar they’re consuming in common foods like crisps, pizzas, burger buns and ready meals. Even baby foods and rusks are bloated with sugar.

“If we are serious about tackling the growing obesity and diabetes crisis in Scotland we must keep up with the processed food industry and big retailers. It’s not just drinks firms who know how addictive sugars and sweeteners are.”

NHS Lothian launches organ donation pilot programme

A new organ donation pilot programme is to be launched in NHS Lothian, it was announced yesterday.

The pilot will ensure that people who cannot be resuscitated after suffering a cardiac arrest in the community and who have previously expressed a wish to donate their organs in the event of their death, will have that wish respected.

The pilot will run in the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, where emergency medicine clinicians and the Scottish Ambulance Service practice the most advanced resuscitation techniques. As a result many more people who have suffered a cardiac arrest in the community are now making a good recovery.

Should the resuscitative measures prove unsuccessful, a decision will be made by two doctors that further treatment would no longer be in the best interests of the patient. End of life options (including organ donation) will then be discussed with the family.

Previously organ donation was not possible in these circumstances, even if the patient had made it clear that they wished to be an organ donor. The resuscitation process will continue to be run entirely by the emergency department based on their current policies and is totally separate from any consideration of organ donation.

Minister for Public Health, Michael Matheson said: “We welcome the fact that more people who experience a cardiac arrest at home or in the community are now surviving due to the introduction of modern resuscitation techniques by the emergency department clinicians and the Scottish Ambulance Service.

“However when all attempts at resuscitation in hospital have been unsuccessful it can be a source of comfort to the family to be able to respect the wishes of their loved ones who have made their organ donation wishes known by joining the NHS Organ Donor Register. This pilot programme is about doing this.”

Dr Matt Reed, Consultant in Emergency Medicine, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh said: “We have an ongoing programme of improving the management of patients who have had a cardiac arrest in the community. The modern resuscitation techniques practiced by the Emergency Department in the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh and the Scottish Ambulance Service in the South East of Scotland have seen survival rates for these patients improve dramatically and many more patients are now going on to make a good recovery.

“Unfortunately however, there are some patients who do not survive despite every attempt to save them. Many of those people will have expressed a wish to be an organ donor by joining the NHS Organ Donor Register in the expectation that their wishes be respected in the event of their death. This pilot will allow their wishes to be acted upon.”

Dr Jean Turner, Executive Director, Scotland Patients Association said: “Scotland Patients Association(SPA) welcomes this pilot which offers patients and their relatives the utmost assurance for the best outcomes from resuscitation with consideration and respect when organ donation may become an option for them.”

The pilot relates to adults aged 16-60 who have a witnessed cardiac arrest and who have expressed a wish to donate organs and/or tissues after their death. In its initial stages it will operate between the hours of 9-5 on weekdays.

Families will continue to be consulted on the proposed donation of their loved one’s organs.

Lothian is leading the way in Scotland in terms of population signed up to the NHS Organ Donor Register (just under 50% of the population). There are currently more than two million Scots on the NHS Organ Donor Register – over 41 per cent of the population which is the highest in the UK. The UK average is 31 per cent (October 2012).

In 2011/12 there were 346 transplants in Scotland. The majority of people on the transplant list are waiting on kidney transplants – 514 people.

NHS Blood and Transplant research found that 96 percent of people would take an organ if they needed one, but only 41 per cent of Scots have joined the NHS Organ Donor Register.

You can join the NHS Organ Donor Register by visiting the Organ Donation Scotland website or by texting LIFE TO 61611.

Try fitness for free

Personal trainers Claire Adams and James Hepburn are running weekly Energize fitness sessions at Craigroyston High School and are now offering local people the opportunity to try a session for free.

Claire explained:

We are holding a FREE taster evening on 30 January from 7-8.30pm.

“We implement a weekly class at Craigroyston High School on Wednesday evenings at 7pm. Participants arrive 20 mins prior to the class commencing and they are weighed, this includes Weight, Body fat and hydration levels. On a weekly basis they receive nutritional information on a vast array of topics to help aid with diet and nutrition. Furthermore they have a 60 minute exercise class which is tailored to all levels of fitness and abilities.

“We believe we are offering a very valuable business in the local community to help educate on the importance of regular exercise and healthy eating and we offer participants ongoing support.”

A free fitness session – what have you got to lose, but weight?

LEAP celebrates 300th graduation

LEAP (Lothians & Edinburgh Abstinence Programme) has celebrated its 300th patient graduation since launching in September 2007.

Gail Richardson, 50, is the 300th patient to complete the three-month, community-based rehabilitation programme. She was congratulated and presented with a certificate by Sarah Boyack MSP for Lothian, at a ceremony last Friday.

LEAP is the first abstinence programme of its type in Scotland, which operates seven days a week and provides structured support for those who want to conquer addictions to substances like alcohol and drugs.

Gail has tried to beat her alcoholism for much of her adult life, having lived through two violent marriages, a failed business, an eviction, homelessness, depression and drug use.

She explained: “I wasn’t happy so I thought rehab might be the answer. It was like a sudden realisation that I had to do it for myself, no-one else would. I had to take responsibility.”

Since being admitted to LEAP last October, Gail said that her life has been transformed thanks to the project. She says: “It has changed my life. It has given me a real focus. From here I will go into supported accommodation and then I hope I can find a permanent housing solution.”

While on the intensive programme, LEAP participants receive clinical medical and therapeutic help as well as support with accommodation, education, training and employment opportunities.

LEAP is funded by NHS Lothian and three local Alcohol Drug Partnerships and is operated in partnership with the City of Edinburgh Council and Access to Industry (Transition). The project is currently seeking a new base.

Sarah Boyack MSP said: “Gail’s graduation today marks the fantastic collaborative work achieved by herself and all of those at LEAP. Well done to everyone involved and I wish Gail well for the future.”

Clinical Lead of LEAP, NHS Lothian, Dr David McCartney, said: “I’m really proud to be celebrating our 300th graduate in our first six years. Although LEAP is a challenging and demanding programme, it really does have long term, positive impact on not just our graduates, but their friends and families too. We recognise that multiple strands of support are required to conquer the often complex and deep-rooted causes of addictions, and we do this by offering services such as one-to-one counselling and self-help groups.

“We know that evidence points towards recovery being more likely where support is ongoing which is why we facilitate help with aspects like jobs and training. Recovery is a long term process and we also provide aftercare for up to two years further consolidating the hard work our patients have put in.”

In September, Friends of Leap, aimed at raising funds for the project, was launched.