Children across Edinburgh have three weeks left of their holiday freedom, and parents are still having to come up with some creative ideas to help keep their little ones entertained. Continue reading Top tips to survive school hols
Tag: holidays
Take a little Breathing Space this Easter
Scots are being reminded to take a little breathing space and look after their mental health this Easter. Continue reading Take a little Breathing Space this Easter
Half term fun with Edinbugh Leisure
Keep kids happy this half term and splash around as a family
Edinburgh Leisure is running new fun sessions every weekend, starting 20 February at their six pools across the city: Ainslie Park, Dalry, Drumbrae, Glenogle, Gracemount and Leith Victoria. Continue reading Half term fun with Edinbugh Leisure
Summer Holidays – but not for all …
Can’t afford to get away on holiday this summer? You’re not alone – it’s a Europe-wide issue, as EC economic analyst M. Vaalavuo explains ...
Schools are closed, summer holidays are here, and also this blog is having its well-deserved summer break. Like many of you, authors of Evidence in Focus are leaving their desks to travel in Europe and beyond. However, without wanting to spoil your holidays, this may be a good time to recall that 39 per cent of Europeans cannot afford paying for one week annual holiday away from home.
This is a form of deprivation that is taken into account in the calculation of the EU’s indicator of the risk of poverty and social exclusion (AROPE) which counts people who face
- monetary poverty (discussed already in several blog posts e.g. comparing the situation of young and old Europeans and looking at parental employment and child poverty), and/or
- low work intensity, and/or
- severe material deprivation.
The last one is an absolute measure of living standards that complements the measure of relative monetary poverty (people with disposable income below 60 % of the country’s median income). The EU severe material deprivation rate is currently defined as the share of the population living in households that cannot afford at least four out of nine items. 8.9 per cent of the EU population were in this situation in 2014.
One week annual holiday away from home is one of these nine items. Other items are for example the capacity to face unexpected financial expenses, to afford a washing machine or a car, and the ability to avoid arrears in mortgage or rent payments. The most prevalent forms of deprivation concern holidays and the capacity to cope with unexpected expenses.
Across countries, there is a huge variation in the share of people who cannot afford holidays away from home (see chart). In the Nordic countries, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Austria, fewer than 20 per cent of the population are deprived of an annual holiday in 2014, while in Hungary, Croatia and Romania this concerns more than 60 per cent.
Not surprisingly, people who are at risk of monetary poverty are also most likely to be deprived of holidays away from home: 70 per cent of them cannot afford holidays. But even among those who are not poor in monetary terms, a third is deprived of holidays away from home.
However, the situation is improving in many countries. Since 2008, the share of people not affording holidays away from home has decreased in 15 EU Member States: especially in Poland (11 pp.), Malta (10 pp.), Portugal (9 pp.), Austria (9 pp.), and Bulgaria (9 pp.). Furthermore, after an initial increase in the share from 2008 to 2010 in the Baltic countries, the share has since then fallen in Lithuania by 20, in Latvia by 18 and in Estonia by 16 percentage points. This development can be considered a real improvement in living conditions of these people, but it still leaves us many to be worried about.
After the holdidays … Evidence in Focus will be back in September. We wish you a great summer!
Author M. Vaalavuo is a socio-economic analyst in the unit of Thematic Analysis of DG EMPL
The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Commission.
Editor’s note: this article is part of a regular series called “Evidence in focus“, which will put the spotlight on key findings from past and on-going research at DG EMPL
European Health Insurance Card
What is the European Health Insurance Card?
A free card that gives you access to medically necessary, state-provided healthcare during a temporary stay in any of the 28 EU countries, Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, under the same conditions and at the same cost (free in some countries) as people insured in that country.
Cards are issued by your national health insurance provider.
Important – the European Health Insurance Card:
- is not an alternative to travel insurance. It does not cover any private healthcare or costs such as a return flight to your home country or lost/stolen property,
- does not cover your costs if you are travelling for the express purpose ofobtaining medical treatment,
- does not guarantee free services. As each country’s healthcare system is different services that cost nothing at home might not be free in another country.
Please note: when you move your habitual residence to another country, you should register with the S1 form instead of using the EHIC to receive medical care in your new country of habitual residence.
Make summer savings during school holidays
Ten tips to survive the school holidays on a budget
A local charity has revealed top ten tips to help parents survive the school holidays on a budget. Continue reading Make summer savings during school holidays
Holiday health advice from NHS24
WITH the start of the school summer break, people in Scotland are being urged to prepare ahead to ensure they have a safe and healthy holiday, whether at home or abroad.
Scotland’s national telehealth and telecare service, NHS 24, is advising people to visit www.nhsinform.co.uk to get helpful tips and advice on summer holiday health issues, from sunburn and stings to travel sickness and heat exhaustion.
The online health resource includes a section dedicated to a ‘Safe Summer in Scotland’ providing information on how to stay safe in the heat and sun, as well as travel tips and advice about the safe preparation of food.
NHS 24 Medical Director Professor George Crooks said: “It is always a good idea to be prepared whether on holiday at home or abroad and the wide range of information available at www.nhsinform.co.uk can help you do just that. Whether it is finding out what vaccinations to have before travelling, what to do when an upset tummy strikes or how to deal with insect bites, the information is readily available.
“If you take regular medication, make sure you have enough to last for your whole trip. Remember to order and pick up your repeat prescription in plenty of time before your departure to prevent any last minute delays or unnecessary panic.
“It is essential to always wear sunscreen when out in the sun, even in the UK. I would urge everyone to use a high factor sunscreen to protect themselves against the sun’s harmful rays. And if you are planning any picnics or barbecues in the coming weeks, it is important to keep food refrigerated until you leave home and use a cool box or bag to transport fresh food, particularly if you are taking meats or dairy products.
“For people planning to holiday in Europe, they should make sure they have a European Health Insurance Card. Information on where to apply is available at NHS inform.
“By taking these simple steps, you can help minimise or even prevent minor health problems from ruining your holiday.”
For more information, visit:
http://www.nhsinform.co.uk/health-in-focus/campaigns/safe-summer-in-scotland/
Follow us at @NHS24 and @NHSinform and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/nhs24
Good Friday event at Starbank Park
Are you looking for something to entertain your kids or grandkids this Easter? Perhaps involving a bit of fresh air and exercise? Better still, while you relax and let them get on with it? Maybe some tea/coffee?
The Friends of Starbank Park are organising an Easter Egg Trail on Good Friday. It will last one hour from 10:30 to 11:30.
There will be a mixture of eggs to find and some of the eggs have a special prize attached!
To be eligible, children should be aged between three and eight years old.
And to follow? Well, there’ll be some sunflower seed planting – which means you can bring the children back at regular intervals to see how their own particular sunflower is growing!
Bill Rodger, Trinity CC
Dr Owl’s eggstra-special holiday health tips
Eggstra special seasonal health advice (sorry!) …
Dr Owl – the memorable and wise character from a national health campaign – takes to the skies across Scotland again today urging people to take a few simple steps to look after their health this Easter.
Dr Owl was joined by five-year-old Freya Cowie from Dunblane and seven-year-old Jack Ozen from South Queensferry at the New Hopetoun Garden Centre to launch this year’s Be Health-Wise This Easter campaign. The campaign, which is run by NHS 24 on behalf of NHS Scotland, is reminding people that 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 close for four days from Good Friday (3 April) to Easter Monday (6 April), before re-opening on Tuesday 7 April.
After winter, Easter is the busiest time of year for Scotland’s health services. NHS 24 Medical Director Professor George Crooks said: “Easter falls slightly earlier this year and as such, there are still many common illnesses circulating within communities. The Be Health-Wise This 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.”
Although many GP surgeries will be closed at Easter, hundreds of GPs and nurses are working throughout this period supporting out of hours services across Scotland to see patients with conditions that need urgent attention over the holiday period and cannot wait until the surgeries reopen on Tuesday.
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.
NHS Lothian: Looking after our visitors
Western’s Minor Injuries Clinic: help for holidaymakers
They say Edinburgh’s population more than doubles at this time of year, and NHS Lothian is in the middle of another busy August as thousands of tourists have arrived in the city for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
The Festival Practice has been created to treat the influx of tourists who are not registered with a GP in the city and is designed to ensure they receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time.
Dr Sian Tucker, Clinical Director, Lothian Unscheduled Care Service, said: “Visitors should contact NHS 24 on 111 if they feel unwell. This phone number is available 24 hours a day. Patients will be directed to the most appropriate place for their medical needs. The NHS Inform website also provides advice and information on a range of medical conditions.
“Patients may be directed to a pharmacy, dentist, the out of hours GP service or a local GP practice and can treat a range of non-emergency conditions. This will help to relieve some of the pressure on our A&E departments which are normally busier at this time of year.”
NHS Lothian is also encouraging more people to visit the Minor Injuries Clinic, rather than attending the Emergency Department.
The clinic, based at the Western General Hospital, offers assessment and treatment as required and patients with less serious injuries can often be seen quicker, without an appointment.
If patients require non-emergency medical treatment, such as a sprain, cut or burn then they can receive swift treatment in the clinic, which is open seven days at week from 8.00am to 9.00pm.
NHS24 offers summer holiday health advice
WITH the school summer holidays fast approaching, Scots are being urged to prepare ahead to ensure they have a safe and healthy holiday, whether at home or abroad.
Scotland’s national telehealth and telecare service, NHS 24, is advising people to visit www.nhsinform.co.uk to get helpful tips and advice on summer holiday health issues, from sunburn and stings to travel sickness and heat exhaustion.
A dedicated ‘Safe Summer in Scotland’ section provides advice on how to stay safe in the heat and sun, as well as information on how to avoid outdoor hazards, travel tips and the safe preparation of food.
NHS 24 Medical Director Professor George Crooks said: “It is always a good idea to be prepared whether on holiday at home or abroad and the wide range of information available at www.nhsinform.co.uk can help you do just that. Whether it is finding out what vaccinations to have before travelling, what to do when an upset tummy strikes or how to deal with insect bites, the information is readily available.
“If you take regular medication, make sure you have enough to last for your whole trip. Remember to order and pick up your repeat prescription in plenty of time before your departure to prevent any last minute delays or unnecessary panic.
“It is essential to always wear sunscreen when out in the sun, even in the UK. I would urge everyone to use a high factor sunscreen to protect themselves against the sun’s harmful rays. And if you are planning any picnics or barbecues in the coming weeks, it is important to keep food refrigerated until you leave home and use a cool box or bag to transport fresh food, particularly if you are taking meats or dairy products.
“By taking these simple steps, you can help minimise or even prevent minor health problems from ruining your holiday.”
NHS 24 is now available on the free phone number 111. By dialling 111, people across Scotland can continue to access the same high quality service for anyone seeking advice and support during the out of hours period when their GP surgery is closed.