Tag: health

The search is on for Scotland’s First Aid champions

Do you know an inspiring First Aid champion who deserves the recognition of a Scottish First Aid Award? They could be a First Aid volunteer, a child, or an adult who has displayed remarkable courage. Or perhaps you know a quick thinking neighbour or colleague who has saved someone’s life with their First Aid skills? We want to hear about them!

St Andrew’s First Aid is calling for nominations for the inaugural Scottish First Aid Awards.  Nominations are open until Friday 28 September 2012 and a panel of judges will announce the shortlist in October 2012.  Successful entries will be invited to a prestigious black tie awards event to be held on Thursday 29 November 2012, at the City Chambers, Glasgow.

“The Scottish First Aid Awards have been created to champion First Aid in Scotland and recognise those individuals and businesses that are leading the way in its provision,” said Stuart Callison, CEO at St Andrew’s First Aid. “We would like to encourage everyone to get involved. The awards are open to all, regardless of whether you have received First Aid training with St Andrew’s First Aid or another provider and we are welcoming nominations from individuals, businesses, public sector organisations, shops, schools and many more.”

Entry to any of the awards categories is free and nominations can be made online at www.firstaid.org.uk/awards.

CATEGORY 1: The Workplace First Aid Award Do you know someone in your workplace that deserves recognition for their First Aid Skills?  This category has been created to recognise such individuals or organisations that are championing First Aid training to their staff, the public and their customers.

  • Public/Not for Profit Sector Award
  • Private Sector Award

CATEGORY 2: First Aid Volunteer Awards Volunteers are the lifeblood of a non-profit organisation.  The Volunteer Awards category has been created to celebrate courageous volunteers who have demonstrated an excellent use of their First Aid skills in Scotland.

  • Young First Aid Volunteer of the Year (up to 15 years of age)
  • Youth First Aid Volunteer of the Year (16-24 years)
  • First Aid Volunteer of the Year (25 years and over)

CATEGORY 3: The Herald Community First Aid Award This category has been created to recognise courageous individuals, valiant First Aid advocates and those who have excelled in using their First Aid skills in the Community.  We are seeking nominations from anyone, anywhere in recognition of a particularly inspirational First Aid achievement.

  • Young First Aid Champion (up to and including 15 years of age)
  • Community First Aid Champion (16 years and over)

For further information please contact Helen Forrest or Stephanie Stewart on 0141 332 4031

Helen.forrest@firstaid.org.uk or Stephanie.stewart@firstaid.org.uk

St Andrew’s First Aid

Muirhouse Million Steps – Friday 28 September

MUIRHOUSE MILLION STEPS 2012

One day, Two routes AND our fabulous  goody bag, free Zumba passes, FREE swim and our  very collectable certificate for everybody who  registers and does the walk!

Last years Million Steps was on a Saturday but we have moved it back to a Friday due to popular demand!

Last year we did well over a million steps…. can we beat that!!!

Groups and organisations used this as an opportunity for raising funds for community groups and local groups – so if you are a local school, community group, mothers group, dads group, local  organisation, work place, get a team together and take those wee steps towards a healthier lifestyle!

PS if you are a local organisation or business and you can’t make it on the day you can always  take part in Walkin’ at Work week, from 17 – 21 September.

Lisa Arnott, PCHP Community Healthy Lifestyles Coordinator (on behalf of the organising group)

Treatment times down – and NHS Lothian ‘improving’

More than 90 per cent of patients in Scotland are now being treated in 18 weeks or less. New figures published today by ISD show that over 92 per cent of patients whose entire journey could be measured were seen and treated within 18 weeks from initial GP referral to start of treatment.

NHS Lothian is the only Board not to have met the 90 per cent target for the three months measured, with NHS Forth Valley also missing the target for one month.

The figures also show that over 283,000 patients were treated within 18 weeks during the quarter ending 30 June.

Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said: “I am pleased to say that NHS Scotland is delivering on the target to ensure that patients are treated in 18 weeks or less. Quick access to treatment, delivered as locally as possible is what patients want. NHS Lothian have been working hard to reduce the numbers of patients breaching the waiting times targets following changes to their recording practices last December. We are already starting to see improvements in their numbers and we expect this to continue.”

She went on: “It is important to remember just how much progress has been made. In 2007 over 29,000 people were stuck on ‘hidden waiting lists’ not getting the treatment they needed. Our 18 weeks referral to treatment target demonstrates what the NHS can achieve by protecting the founding principles of the National Health Service. Scottish patients really are reaping the benefits.”

Treatment times down – and NHS Lothian 'improving'

More than 90 per cent of patients in Scotland are now being treated in 18 weeks or less. New figures published today by ISD show that over 92 per cent of patients whose entire journey could be measured were seen and treated within 18 weeks from initial GP referral to start of treatment.

NHS Lothian is the only Board not to have met the 90 per cent target for the three months measured, with NHS Forth Valley also missing the target for one month.

The figures also show that over 283,000 patients were treated within 18 weeks during the quarter ending 30 June.

Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said: “I am pleased to say that NHS Scotland is delivering on the target to ensure that patients are treated in 18 weeks or less. Quick access to treatment, delivered as locally as possible is what patients want. NHS Lothian have been working hard to reduce the numbers of patients breaching the waiting times targets following changes to their recording practices last December. We are already starting to see improvements in their numbers and we expect this to continue.”

She went on: “It is important to remember just how much progress has been made. In 2007 over 29,000 people were stuck on ‘hidden waiting lists’ not getting the treatment they needed. Our 18 weeks referral to treatment target demonstrates what the NHS can achieve by protecting the founding principles of the National Health Service. Scottish patients really are reaping the benefits.”

You need friends: LEAP launches fundraising charity

Malta House
Saturday proved to be an especially happy birthday for a groundbreaking local project when a new charity aimed at raising funds for LEAP, the Lothians and Edinburgh Abstinence Programme, was launched as part of LEAP’s fifth anniversary celebrations. Founders of the Friends of LEAP charity joined graduates, patients and staff at their annual ‘reunion’ event to celebrate the continued success of the innovative service based at Malta House in Stockbridge. 

Set up by a group of dedicated and skilled volunteers, Friends of LEAP will help to raise additional funds for the programme along with managing the donations they receive.

Dr David McCartney, Clinical Lead, LEAP, NHS Lothian, said: “LEAP continues to grow from strength to strength with more and more people successfully completing the programme and going on to live alcohol and drug free lives. We are delighted to see that the Friends of LEAP charity has been established. We welcome their support and I am sure their work will make a significant contribution to the service. All donations we receive are gratefully received and will go directly into catering for the needs of our patients.”

Trustee Alison Hume is one of four volunteers involved in setting up the charity. “Having volunteered at LEAP over the last few years we are delighted to set up Friends of LEAP. We have witnessed the dedication of staff, the high success in patients completing the programme and the impact that this has had not only on their lives but also that of their families and friends and we are delighted to be involved in this way.”

The LEAP programme operates seven days a week for people dependent on substances who want to achieve drug and alcohol-free recovery. There are six elements to LEAP’s three-month treatment and rehabilitation programme. These are:

  • Medical
  • Therapeutic
  • Mutual aid/recovery communities
  • Housing
  • Education, training and employability
  • Aftercare

“More than 500 patients have been admitted to the programme,” added Dr David McCartney. “It’s important we celebrate our achievements and look ahead with positivity in continuing to assist people in the future.”

Launched in September 2007 LEAP is the first programme of its kind in Scotland, and is an innovative partnership between NHS Lothian, the City of Edinburgh Council, Transition (Access to Industry) and the Serenity Café and the Alcohol and Drug Partnerships in Lothian.

You can find out more about LEAP here LEAP webpage

Legionnaires’ outbreak officially ‘over’

The Edinburgh Legionnaires’ disease outbreak is officially ‘over’. The outbreak, which struck in May and has so far taken the lives of three people, was declared over following a review meeting of the Incident Management Team (IMT) on Tuesday.

To date, there are a total of 101 confirmed and suspected cases. All of these cases have links to the south west of Edinburgh and fit the timescales of exposure and the incubation period for developing Legionella-related illness.

Detailed investigations into the source of the outbreak continue with further testing and analysis of the environmental samples taken from potential sources being carried out.

Lothian and Borders Police and the Health and Safety Executive are jointly investigating the circumstances of the deaths under the direction of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) Health and Safety Division, and research is also underway to better understand the full extent of the outbreak.

Dr Alison McCallum, Director of Public Health and Health Policy, NHS Lothian said: “As we have seen over the last week, we can expect further cases who have been ill for some time to continue to come forward and our increased surveillance will continue.

“However, all the evidence is suggesting that the action taken when the outbreak was first identified was effective and all cases fall within the expected incubation period, so the decision has been made to declare the outbreak over.

“Laboratory work is ongoing to try and identify the source conclusively but, as we have said from the start, it may not be possible to do so.

“There is also more work to be done to gain a better understanding of the scale of the outbreak and how to manage outbreaks in the future. We hope that people who are approached to participate in these studies will come forward and help us with this significant piece of research.”

A full report into the outbreak detailing the epidemiological, environmental, meteorological and microbiological investigations and recommendations for the prevention and control of future outbreaks will now be produced.

Welcoming the announcement, Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said: “It is good news that the outbreak has been declared over, and as we have already seen, the number of new cases has been dropping off over recent weeks.

“We have worked closely with NHS Lothian to ensure the outbreak was well managed, and I would like to pay tribute to NHS staff who have coped extremely well with this situation.

“However, we have to remember that there are some patients who remain extremely ill, and NHS staff are maintaining high quality care for those patients.

“The Health and Safety Executive and Edinburgh City Council are continuing their investigations into the source of the outbreak.”

Legionnaires' outbreak officially 'over'

The Edinburgh Legionnaires’ disease outbreak is officially ‘over’. The outbreak, which struck in May and has so far taken the lives of three people, was declared over following a review meeting of the Incident Management Team (IMT) on Tuesday.

To date, there are a total of 101 confirmed and suspected cases. All of these cases have links to the south west of Edinburgh and fit the timescales of exposure and the incubation period for developing Legionella-related illness.

Detailed investigations into the source of the outbreak continue with further testing and analysis of the environmental samples taken from potential sources being carried out.

Lothian and Borders Police and the Health and Safety Executive are jointly investigating the circumstances of the deaths under the direction of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) Health and Safety Division, and research is also underway to better understand the full extent of the outbreak.

Dr Alison McCallum, Director of Public Health and Health Policy, NHS Lothian said: “As we have seen over the last week, we can expect further cases who have been ill for some time to continue to come forward and our increased surveillance will continue.

“However, all the evidence is suggesting that the action taken when the outbreak was first identified was effective and all cases fall within the expected incubation period, so the decision has been made to declare the outbreak over.

“Laboratory work is ongoing to try and identify the source conclusively but, as we have said from the start, it may not be possible to do so.

“There is also more work to be done to gain a better understanding of the scale of the outbreak and how to manage outbreaks in the future. We hope that people who are approached to participate in these studies will come forward and help us with this significant piece of research.”

A full report into the outbreak detailing the epidemiological, environmental, meteorological and microbiological investigations and recommendations for the prevention and control of future outbreaks will now be produced.

Welcoming the announcement, Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said: “It is good news that the outbreak has been declared over, and as we have already seen, the number of new cases has been dropping off over recent weeks.

“We have worked closely with NHS Lothian to ensure the outbreak was well managed, and I would like to pay tribute to NHS staff who have coped extremely well with this situation.

“However, we have to remember that there are some patients who remain extremely ill, and NHS staff are maintaining high quality care for those patients.

“The Health and Safety Executive and Edinburgh City Council are continuing their investigations into the source of the outbreak.”

Legionella latest

No new cases have been confirmed in the Edinburgh Legionnaires’ outbreak for the sixth day in a row. The total number of confirmed cases remains at 50, the number of suspected cases is 49 and the total number of overall cases remains at 99.

At noon yesterday, of those cases being treated in hospital, there were two patients in intensive care and seven on general wards. Twenty cases are being treated in the community, 59 have been discharged from hospital and three people have sadly died.

Ten cases are being treated outwith the NHS Lothian area. The ages of the confirmed cases ranges between 32 and 85, with more males than females affected.

Investigations into the source and cause of the outbreak continue.  Lothian and Borders Police and the Health and Safety Executive are jointly investigating the circumstances of the deaths under the direction of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) Health and Safety Division.

Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said: “I am pleased to see that no further cases have emerged for the sixth day in a row, and the evidence continues to suggest that the outbreak has peaked. NHS Lothian are maintaining high quality care for patients who remain unwell and work to identify and deal with the source of the outbreak continues.”

NHS Lothian

 

Local families – are you Motivated to Move?

Last year’s Muirhouse Million Steps was one of the area’s most talked-about community events, with over 120 people taking part in the marathon walk around the area. Community Healthy Lifestyles coordinator Lisa Arnott hopes to make the event even bigger this year, and offers a great opportunity for local families to improve their fitness. She explains what’s being planned:

“Preparations for Muirhouse Million Steps 2012 is well underway and this year’s event aims to be even more fun!  In partnership with the Move It Project,  Muirhouse Slimmers, Craigroyston Community High School and the Active Schools coordinator, Pilton Community Health Project is developing a new family fitness programme…. Motivate to Move or M2M.

M2M is a free eight week family fitness training programme which brings together great resources to enable up to eight 8 lucky families to improve their fitness and take part in the Muirhouse Million Steps. It is a pilot and place will be limited but a great prize for any family wanting to improve their families fitness with support from personal trainers.

The Muirhouse Million Steps 2012 will take place on Friday 28September. This year we are offering 8 local families the chance to win their own personal family fitness programme and to train for the Muirhouse Million Steps and beyond!!!!!!!!  Each lucky local family will receive:

  • Free personalised  8 week family fitness programme
  • Free support from their very own family fitness trainer
  • Free access to local sports facilities for a family fitness activity
  • At least 2 weekly sessions  of supported family fitness activity
  • Each participating family would need to be available from 5h August to end of September  and attend the Muirhouse Million Steps on Friday 28 September
  • Participating families must live in Muirhouse, West Pilton, West Granton, Drylaw, Granton, Royston or Wardieburn areas
  • Each family would need to be able to commit to at least 2 weekly supported family fitness training sessions. Times and days negotiable within reason, although there will be no supported training on a Sunday!
  • Each family will have their journey to fitness documented using photography and /or articles in the NEN, on the PCHP website, blogs and facebook
  •  A family can be up to 3 adults and at least 1 child of primary school age. The lucky families will be selected and notified by 12 July. “

If you are interested, please apply to Lisa Arnott, Community Healthy Lifestyles Coordinator at

Pilton Community Health Project 73 Boswall Parkway EH5 2PW

or email: lisaarnott@pchp.org.uk or tel: 0131 551 1671.

Legionnaire’s outbreak update

The latest reports on the Edinburgh Legionnaires’ outbreak show that there are no further confirmed or suspected cases of the disease. The total number of confirmed cases remains at 44 and the total number of suspected cases remains at 47, a total of 91 cases overall.

At noon yesterday, of those cases being treated in hospital, six are in intensive care – a reduction from seven yesterday – and 18 are on general wards.

A total of 19 cases are being treated in the community, 39 have been discharged from hospital – an increase from 38 on Monday – and two people have sadly died.

Seven cases are being treated outwith the NHS Lothian area. The ages of the confirmed cases ranges between 33 and 85, with more males than females affected.

The Health and Safety Executive and Edinburgh City Council are continuing their investigations into the possible source of the outbreak, with cooling towers in the Gorgie and Dalry areas coming in for particular attention.

Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said: “I am pleased to see a reduction in the number of  people in intensive care. I would like to thank the hardworking staff at NHS Lothian who are continuing to provide the very best treatment to the remaining six individuals who are critically ill. For anyone who is concerned about the outbreak, there is information on NHS Lothian’s website NHS 24 dedicated legionnaires’ helpline can be reached on 0800 0858 531.”

Dr Duncan McCormick, Consultant in Public Health, NHS Lothian, said: “We are encouraged to see that the numbers of patients with Legionnaire’s disease in Lothian remains unchanged. This is in line with our prediction that the numbers would reach a peak at the weekend and then begin to gradually decline. We will continue to monitor all of the services in NHS Lothian which are working extremely hard as part of this outbreak, but overall the numbers of people seeking treatment or with concerns continue to fall.”