Tag: Healthier Scotland

Edinburgh marks Organ and Tissue Donation Week 2023

EDINBURGH is gearing up to celebrate Organ and Tissue Donation Week 2023 which runs from September 18-24.

This annual campaign is all about raising awareness for the ongoing need for organ donation, encouraging people to make a decision about whether they wish to opt in or out of donation, and making sure these wishes are discussed with family members.

Here in the Capital, in line with the UK wide campaign, we are hoping to light up the City Chambers in pink to show our support. Our colleagues at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC), will also be lighting up their building on Morrison Street.

We are also running an external social media campaign in consultation with the Scottish Government’s national campaign and the local work of NHS Lothian.

Yesterday (September 17) the ‘Transplant Tour’ began in Edinburgh. This is a charity cycle travelling down the UK to raise funds and awareness for the charity Give a Kidney. It will stop at Newcastle, Leeds, Sheffield, Manchester, Birmingham, and finish in Oxford. We have provided an official letter of support from the Lord Provost to the organisers and are supporting them and the charity with promotion.

On Friday (September 22), some Race for Recipients participants will set off from Murrayfield in Edinburgh and finish at the Kelpies in Falkirk.

The race is taking place across the country, with individuals and teams racking up the kilometres through walking, wheeling, running, swimming, and other ways, to raise awareness of the importance of making a donation decision and to recognise those whose lives have been touched by organ and tissue donation.

Depute Lord Provost Lezley Marion Cameron will be at Murrayfield to meet them and wish them well as they depart. Currently there are over 800 participants registered for the Race across Scotland. 

Council Leader Cammy Day said: “As we celebrate Organ and Tissue Donation Week 2023, we must be mindful of the fact that more than 7,000 people in the UK are currently waiting for a life-saving transplant.

“Only around one per cent of people die in a way that makes organ donation possible, which means every donation opportunity is precious. There are thousands of people who could be given a new lease of life by a donor, however in order to help as many people as possible we all need to play our part by registering our decisions to be a donor or opt out.

“These are conversations that need to be had amongst families, friends, colleagues, and communities as we go forward. We know that families are more likely to support donation when they already know it was what their loved one wanted.

“I’m encouraged by the fact that over half of people in Scotland have now registered their organ and tissue donation decision however there is still a lot of work to be done. Whatever your choice may be, the important thing is to make it and discuss it. I would urge anyone who is 16 or over and yet to join me and many others who have recorded their decision by visiting the official website. 

“Another great way to get involved is the Race for Recipients challenge. Our Depute Lord Provost Lezley Marion Cameron will be meeting some of the participants on Friday (September 22) as they head off cycling towards the Kelpies in Falkirk. Find out more and join online at their website.

“I’m proud of everything that we’re doing to mark this important week here in Edinburgh. From lighting up buildings around the city, to supporting our colleagues in government and the NHS, to lending a hand to fundraisers I’m sure this will be a week to remember.”

Designing a National Care Service

FIRST EVENTS TAKE PLACE IN STIRLING TODAY

Social Care Minister Maree Todd will join the first of a series of events where people can co-design the new National Care Service.

Today’s event at Stirling’s Albert Halls will allow carers, people who access and deliver care, including the workforce, and anyone with an interest to contribute to how a new National Care Service could work.

Since the regional forums were announced last month, more than 600 have signed up to take part in-person and online, with additional capacity already being made for the Glasgow event next week.

Ms Todd said: “We want everyone to have access to consistently high-quality social care support across Scotland, whenever they might need it.

“There are unique demands across the country, which is why we’re going to different areas over the next 18 months, ensuring communities across Scotland can help design a National Care Service tailored to local needs.

“Having listened to people who access and deliver care support – both paid and unpaid – as well as care providers, unions and the third sector during the parliamentary process, these meetings will allow us to work with people who access care support, have a loved one that receives care, or works in the sector to think about how to meet the needs we have heard about. This will help us ensure the legislation reflects what people need and know as it progresses through Parliament.”

“I am pleased that there has been such interest in signing up, Spaces are still available, with online events providing another option for those who want to have their voices heard if they can’t make it in person.

National Care Service

Register for online events

28 June – William Quarrier Conference Centre, Glasgow

14 July – Hilltown Community Centre, Dundee

18 July – Stranraer Millennium Centre, Dumfries and Galloway

26 July – The Corran Hall, Oban

1 August – An Crùbh Community Centre, Skye

8 August – Strathpeffer Community Centre, Highland

17 August – Isleburgh Community Centre, Shetland

22 August – The Inkwell, Elgin

24 August – National online event

NHS Lothian: Winter Vaccinations

If you are aged 50 to 64 with no additional risk factors, please wait to be contacted about your winter vaccination appointment. The flu and COVID-19 vaccines are being given to those most at risk first.

For more information visit http://nhsinform.scot/wintervaccines

Edinburgh man encourages fellow Muslims to register as organ donors

An Edinburgh man who was inspired to become an organ donor is urging people of faith to consider giving others the ultimate gift.

Muhammad Munir, 55, is of the Muslim faith and, despite the difference of opinion on organ donation in the Islamic community, he feels very passionately about the topic.

Mr Munir said: “My religion teaches me that looking after yourself and other people is our number one priority, and my heart says that there is no religion on earth where you wouldn’t want to save someone’s life.”

Organ donation has been debated extensively in pre-modern and contemporary times and some still believe that organ donation is impermissible in the Muslim faith.

Mr Munir continued: “I am of the Islamic faith and there are still some Muslims who believe that you should not become an organ donor after death due to the lack of knowledge and awareness on permissibility of organ donation – we need to raise more awareness!

“In Islam, we pray five times a day. However, our faith states you should look after your health and your body first.”

Mr Munir added: “I’ve had many discussions within my community with people who disagree with my decision to become an organ donor. I try to provide them with logical, scientific information and signpost them to the updated information by the Muslim scholars, but I don’t push them too much as you can only debate with someone who’s open to changing their mind.”

Mr Munir is a Peer Educator volunteer with Kidney Research UK and has been volunteering with the Organ Donation project for the past 5 years. The project focuses on raising awareness and educating the South Asian (Sikh, Hindu and Muslim) ethnic minority communities on organ donation.

Mr Munir, who is partially sighted and works for the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), also felt that it was very important to make his family aware of his decision to become an organ donor.

NHS Lothian supports all initiatives to raise awareness of organ donation and Caroline Gallier, Specialist Nurse in Organ Donation, NHS Blood and Transplant, said: “Families play a key role in organ and tissue donation and if you die in circumstances where you could be an organ donor, a specialist nurse would check the NHS Organ Donor Register to see if you had signed up.

“They would also speak to your family to ask them about whether you had expressed any more recent views and whether your faith would place any restrictions on donation.

“So, whatever your decision, it’s important your family know what you want.”

If you want to donate after your death, the best way to ensure your family know what you want and honour your decision is to have a conversation with them about it and register as a donor.

You can also record on the register whether your faith/belief is important and should be considered as part of the donation discussion, and you can consult your faith leader for further information.

You can find out more about organ and tissue donation and register your decision online at www.organdonation.scot or by calling 0300 123 23 23.

If you would like to learn more about an Islamic perspective on Organ Donation, please visit the following website here.

NHS Lothian launches vaccination clinics for 5-11-year-old children

Children in Lothian at risk from COVID-19, along with children living with an immunosuppressed person, are now eligible to get a COVID-19 vaccination.

Launched yesterday, dedicated clinics especially designed for to cater for children will operate across the region.  They will be open between 8.30am – 4.30pm, seven days a week, for pre-booked appointments only.

Jane McNulty, Director of Nursing for Primary and Community Care, NHS Lothian, said: “We are delighted to offer these clinics to the youngest people in our community.

“These clinics will be operated by specially trained paediatric vaccinators in a clinical environment, which will allow children, parents and guardians to discuss the vaccination process in a calm environment.”

The vaccination will first be offered to children with a higher COVID-19 risk factor and children living in the household of an immunosuppressed person, it will then be offered to the wider child population in due course.

Those eligible for the vaccination will receive a letter from NHS Lothian in the coming days with details about how to book an appointment through the National Vaccination Helpline. Parents and guardian do not need to actively contact NHS Lothian to arrange an appointment.

The clinics are opening their doors following the publication and government acceptance of the advice of the UK’s four Chief Medical Officers (CMOs) to offer two doses of the Pfizer childhood COVID-19 vaccine.

All children will receive two doses eight weeks apart. A third primary dose is also being offered to children aged 5-11 years with a severely weakened immune system. The third primary dose will be offered from 8 weeks after the second dose.

Ms McNulty added: “We recognise that parents and guardians may have questions regarding the COVID-19 vaccination and we encourage them to visit the pages on NHS Inform where there is a range of information available.

“Alongside this, our paediatric vaccinators are one hand to answer any questions people may have when they attend their child’s vaccination appointment.

“Vaccination remains critically important in the continued fight against COVID-19 and we welcome the further expansion of the vaccination programme across Lothian.”

Established vaccination clinics for over 12s will continue to operate separately from these clinics, with NHS Lothian still encouraging all over 12s to get any outstanding vaccinations.

Over 18s can receive their 1st, 2nd and booster vaccinations at all drop-in clinics. Those aged 12-17 can also attend for their second dose if it has been at least 12 weeks since their first dose and they have not tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 12 weeks.

More information on the 5-11 vaccination programme is available on NHS Inform:

https://www.nhsinform.scot/covid-19-vaccine/the-vaccines/vaccinating-children-aged-5-to-11-years/

Information on clinic locations and opening times for over 12s is also available on NHS Lothian’s website:

https://www.nhslothian.scot/Coronavirus/Vaccine/Pages/Drop-in-Clinics.aspx

Omicron: Boosting Protection

COVID-19 Vaccine Boosters are being prioritised over the flu vaccine to help protect as many people from coronavirus as quickly as possible.

If you are eligible for the flu vaccine, you may not receive it until the new year.

More information ➡️http://www.gov.scot/…/steps-to-accelerate-booster…

Covid: Book your Booster

Book a coronavirus vaccine booster and flu vaccine online from 15 November if you’re:

🔹 Aged 50 to 59

🔹 Aged 16 or over and an unpaid carer

🔹 Aged 16 or over and a household contact of an immunosuppressed person

Check your vaccine username ➡️http://bit.ly/NHSUserName

If you’re in one of the earlier priority groups and are waiting on an invite, you should:

💻 Go to http://nhsinform.scot/covid19vaccinebooster

📞 Call the helpline on 0800 030 8013

Missed appointment? Rebook or attend any drop-in clinic

If you can’t make your COVID-19 vaccination appointment due to self-isolation, you can rebook your appointment at http://invitations.vacs.nhs.scot or attend any of the drop-in locations listed here: http://nhsinform.scot/vaccinedropinclinics….

People in Lothians urged to take things at their own pace as restrictions ease

Almost half of Scots have found meeting up with others more overwhelming than expected

People in the Lothians are being encouraged to take things at their own pace as restrictions ease, as research reveals almost half of Scottish adults (43 per cent) who have met up with others have found it more overwhelming than expected.

The Scottish Government’s Clear Your Head campaign has been designed to help people look after their mental health as life gets busier, providing hints and tips to help those feeling nervous or overwhelmed.

With research showing over half of adults (55 per cent) in Scotland are still worried about the coronavirus situation, tips to help feel calmer include keeping active, staying connected with others, planning ahead before leaving the house, being around nature and taking deep breaths.

The campaign also signposts helplines for those who need to talk to someone about how they’re feeling, including NHS24, Breathing Space, SAMH and the Samaritans.

Principal Medical Officer, Dr Alastair Cook said: “As we gradually come out of lockdown and life gets busier, it’s important to continue to look after ourselves, and others.  Each change brings another adjustment, and whilst many will welcome having more freedoms, feelings of worry are natural as we start to go out more.

“This survey indicates people are at different stages in their journey out of lockdown, and it’s encouraging to see many are taking things at their own pace.  Simple steps such as mentally preparing yourself for meeting up with others, getting regular exercise, keeping in touch with friends and family and getting outside as the weather starts to improve can help you cope as things change.

“If you’re feeling anxious, try to limit the time you allow yourself to worry and take deep breaths if you start to feel overwhelmed.   Remember that support is there if you need to talk to someone about how you’re feeling.”

Minister for Mental Wellbeing and Social Care Kevin Stewart, said: “We have lived with necessary restrictions on our lives to reduce the transmission of coronavirus for a long time now.  As these restrictions ease, many people are understandably nervous or worried about the changes.

“We have all had to cope and adapt to control the virus and now we are having to cope and adapt to new freedoms. It is more important than ever to look after our mental health and wellbeing.  This campaign highlights the things we can do to look after ourselves, and each other.”

To find other tips to help you cope, visit clearyourhead.scot