Tag: hospitals

Trolleydarity heads into Scottish hospitals

National Theatre of Scotland and NHS Lothian Charity: Tonic Arts present

Trolleydarity

Scratch n Sniff Staycation for the Discerning Static Traveller

At Western General Hospital, Edinburgh; St John’s Hospital, Livingston; and East Lothian Community Hospital, Haddington

December 2025 to March 2026

Co-curated by Alan Grieve and Shona Reppe

Designer – Danny Krass

Facilitators for St John’s Hospital and East Lothian Community Hospital – Minnie Crook and Dan Brown

Supported by: The Weir Charitable Trust and The William Grant Foundation

Trolleydarity lead artists Shona Reppe (lilac top) and Alan Grieve (Green Top) engage with staff and patients at the Western General Hospital in Edinburgh. Photography by Peter Dibdin

Trolleydarity’s Scratch n Sniff Staycation for the Discerning Static Traveller is an innovative new project by artists Shona Reppe and Alan Grieve co-curated for patients and staff across NHS Lothian presented by National Theatre of Scotland and NHS Lothian Charity: Tonic Arts.

Shona and Alan will present Scratch n Sniff Staycation for the Discerning Static Traveller across Western General Hospital wards with Minnie Crook and Dan Brown facilitating the Staycation in St John’s Hospital, Livingston and East Lothian Community Hospital, Haddington, from December 2025 to March 2026.

Scratch n Sniff Staycation for the Discerning Static Traveller is a series of artistic one-to -one encounters with hospital patients, visitors and staff presented by Shona and Alan (Trolleydarity.) These unique and surprising interventions will offer discerning travellers an opportunity to explore the world in a way that feels both real and magical, through the power of sound and scent. Participants will be transported on a journey without having to catch a plane or even leave their beds.

Shona Reppe and Alan Grieve’s Trolleydarity’s “immersive sensory micro adventure” will be brought to hospital bedsides, wards and waiting areas by trolley; all that will be required to explore the world is a pair of headphones and a complimentary postcard. 

This brand new project transforms the everyday into the extraordinary, from the scent of a luxurious spa to the sound of crisp snow underfoot, all brought to life through the magic of sound and smell.  Participants are invited to stay where they are, close their eyes, scratch, sniff and go!

This project is part of an ongoing partnership between National Theatre of Scotland and NHS Lothian Charity: Tonic Arts, the Charity’s arts in health programme which improves and supports the health and wellbeing of NHS Lothian patients and staff.

It follows on from an existing collaboration on the hosting of Portraits of an LGBTI+ Generation exhibition, at the Charity’s Tonic Galleries in both St John’s Hospital Livingston and the Western General Hospital.

Trolleydarity lead artists Shona Reppe (lilac top) and Alan Grieve (Green Top) engage with staff and patients at the Western General Hospital in Edinburgh. Photography by Peter Dibdin

Len McCaffer, NHS Lothian Charity’s Tonic Arts Manager: “We are thrilled to be partnering with the National Theatre of Scotland to bring these magical sensory adventures to patients in hospital – for the patients themselves, it gives them a gentle escape during their hospital stay and for staff, it provides a joyful shared moment to brighten a long shift. 

“”Trolleydarity reminds us that care is more than clinical — it’s sensory, human and about making connections. And this is exactly what our Tonic Arts programme is all about.”

Flu protection precautions to be introduced at NHS Lothian hospitals

From today, Monday 15 December, NHS Lothian is taking urgent precautions to protect patients & staff against flu.

Visitors are welcome, but please:

– As always, don’t visit if you’re unwell

– Limit visitors to 1–2

– Avoid bringing children under 12

– Consider wearing a mask and use hand gel

REMINDER: Community Pop-Up Vaccination Clinic at Royston Wardieburn Community Centre TODAY!

Number of people facing extreme waits in Scotland’s A&E ‘unacceptable and dangerous’

Unacceptable numbers of people are still being exposed to extreme long waits in Scotland’s Accident &Emergency departments, new analysis by the Royal College of Emergency Medicine shows.

The latest Emergency Department performance figures – released yesterday 4 August 2025 by Public Health Scotland – which cover June 2025 reveal that despite fewer people attending, performance is still worsening, and the number of patients waiting 12 hours increasing.

The data reveals for major EDs in Scotland in June 2025:

  • There were 119,383 attendances at major EDs, a 5% decrease from the previous month of May 2025.
  • 69.7% of patients were seen within four hours (78,857) which is a decrease of 1.1 percentage points on May 2025 but up 1.6 percentage points on June 2024.
  • Those experiencing long waits also increased with more than one in every 10 patients (10.8%) attending waiting more than eight hours.
  • And almost one in every 20 patients (4.35%) had to endure a stay of 12 hours or more before they were treated, admitted or discharged.

Responding to the latest data RCEM Vice President for Scotland Dr Fiona Hunter said: “These figures clearly evidence that the issues in our Emergency Departments are not caused by too many people attending.

“In June the number of people coming to our departments fell, but yet performance across every measure worsened when compared to the previous month.

“Most worrying is, that despite fewer attendances, thousands of our patients are still enduing extremely long waits. And we know that those who do are more likely to be the most unwell, often with multiple and complex needs. A fact that is unacceptable, and dangerous.

“The crisis in A&E is something our communities are deeply worried about. Politicians should respond to those concerns now and address these issues. Otherwise in a few short months we will be staring down the barrel of another awful winter where patient safety will again be put a risk.”

Graphic representations of today’s data, as well as the long-term trends, are available on the RCEM Website.

Children in Scottish hospitals deprived of mental health support

Charity Starlight highlights the need for play to reduce healthcare-induced trauma

Only one in four (25%) health boards in Scotland report having budgets for essential mental health play services for seriously ill children, according to a freedom of information request carried out by Starlight, the national charity for children’s play in healthcare. 

Areas with the most children living in areas of highest deprivation tended to have less or no resourcing. As noted in Starlight’s recent report2, these children are most at risk of trauma.     

Cathy Gilman, chief executive of Starlight said: “Play services, which include evidence-based activities, games and toys, are one of the most effective ways to reduce trauma in children undergoing healthcare treatment.

“It can explain complex procedures in child-friendly ways, distract children from pain and help professionals do their jobs by reducing children’s stress. 

“The lack of budget for this vital support in Scotland is as shocking as it is sad, with so many children facing incredibly harrowing circumstances without support.” 

Starlight’s research also revealed that even those trusts with budget for play services did not extend support to evenings and weekends – quiet periods that can be hardest of all for children to face. 

Claire’s daughter Lucy, 12, has had a rare condition affecting her oesophagus and trachea since birth. Claire said: “We live two hours away from Aberdeen and Lucy’s dad is in the RAF, so it’s hard for him and Lucy’s two siblings to visit when we are staying there, and other family are five hours away.

“This means it’s usually just me there, so having the play workers in hospital organising fun things to do, for example face painting and having visits from exotic animals, means that Lucy can have some fun, and I can do things such as have a shower, and not have to worry about her being alone in hospital, as I know she is with the play workers and having fun.” 

Heather Beattie, play service manager at Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital, said: “I genuinely believe that a paediatric hospital couldn’t function properly without a solid, well-trained play team.

“Play is such a vital component of creating a positive experience for both the child and their family and is an inseparable part of their treatment journey. 

“You can’t separate children from play, it’s inherent to who they are. But it’s crucial that this play is appropriate and provided by trained professionals who understand the unique needs of these young patients.” 

In October 2024, Heather’s team won Play Team of the Year award at Starlight’s annual Play in Healthcare Awards. 

Kids Operating Room and Smile Train roll out solar surgery system to improve care of children in Nigerian hospitals

  • Kids Operating Room and Smile Train successfully install solar surgery systems in 23 hospitals across Nigeria
  • The Solar Surgery system ensures reliable power for medical equipment during surgeries, addressing frequent power cuts
  • Initiative boosts patient safety and surgical outcomes, and reduces carbon emissions
  • Partnership aims to upgrade more than 30 paediatric theatres across Africa by 2025

Kids Operating Room (KidsOR), the Scottish charity dedicated to ensuring every child has access to safe surgery in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), and Smile Train, the world’s largest cleft-focused charity, announce the successful implementation of the Solar Surgery system in 23 hospitals across Nigeria.

In their groundbreaking partnership, the two organisations are taking significant strides to enhance surgical care in Nigeria through the creation of new surgical facilities, training of local surgical teams, and now the deployment of solar powered operating theatres to ensure every child has access to a safe operation, free from the risks of power outages.

Solar panels have been installed on the roofs of the operating facilities in Nigeria, charging smart battery units that power vital medical equipment in an operating room. This innovative approach combats the frequent power cuts experienced in many African hospitals, ensuring uninterrupted care and better outcomes for patients.

The system monitors what power is needed by the surgical team and provides that directly from the panels, meaning children across Nigeria are now having operations powered entirely by the sun. However, the system can seamlessly switch to a blend of solar and battery power on cloudy days and can go on to provide 8-hours of continuous use into the night. Only when there is no sunlight, and the reserve is being depleted will the system start to pull power from the local grid. 

The partnership between KidsOR and Smile Train promises to deliver reliable power to Nigerian hospitals, improving patient safety and improving surgical results while also reducing the carbon emissions of the facilities – setting a sustainable standard for medical treatment across Africa.

Globally, one in 700 babies are born with a cleft lip and/or palate. Sadly, many of these children miss out on the vital reconstructive surgery they need, which can lead to challenges in eating, breathing, and speaking. Smile Train is the world’s leading charity focused on transforming the lives of these children and recently announced supporting their 2 millionth cleft surgery.

Nkeiruka OBI, Vice-President and Regional Director, Africa of Smile Train, commented: “Erratic power supply is a norm in Nigeria, like most developing countries. Interruption of power during a surgical procedure could jeopardise the life of the patient. It is not a desirable experience.  

“By harnessing clean and renewable solar energy, which by the way we have in abundance in this part of the world, surgical teams can confidently operate critical medical equipment and ensure that children with clefts can receive safe, timely surgeries regardless of power outages.  

“The solar-powered theatre is a game changer, in transforming healthcare delivery across Africa, especially in areas where unreliable power limits access to safe surgical care. 

“With each solar-powered theatre, we take a step closer to universal access to safe surgery, amplifying the impact on children, families, and entire communities. Smile Train and KidsOR’s partnership truly serves as a model on how meaningful collaboration and innovation can overcome healthcare challenges and drive sustainable change across the continent.”

David Cunningham, CEO of KidsOR, commented: “Our partnership with Smile Train is making a life changing difference to children in developing countries across the globe. In Nigeria, and across Africa, we are working with Smile Train to pave the way for a future where no child has to fear a power outage as a significant risk to their life during an operation.

“In Nigeria, we will shortly have moved 30 operating rooms onto the exciting Solar Surgery system, which means surgical facilities across the country will be able to operate at full capacity and are no longer restricted by frequent power outages.”

Health Board urges people not to visit hospitals if they have symptoms of vomiting or diarrhoea 

Members of the public are being urged not to visit hospitals if they are displaying symptoms of vomiting or diarrhoea, or if they have been in contact with anyone who is unwell. 

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) issued the advice to those who are planning to visit loved ones in hospital. 

The health board said anyone with vomiting or diarrhoea symptoms, or anyone who has been in recent contact with someone with these symptoms, should not visit until they feel better. 

It comes amid a rise in winter related illnesses including Norovirus, Gastroenteritis, COVID-19 and flu across Scotland. 

Visitors are also reminded to practice good hygiene by ensuring they regularly wash their hands to prevent the spread of viruses. 

Nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea are common symptoms of these illnesses, along with headaches, fever and muscle or limb pain.  

Symptoms of Gastroenteritis include: 

  • Suddenly feeling sick 
  • Projectile vomiting 
  • Watery diarrhoea 
  • Slight fever 
  • Headaches 
  • Painful stomach cramps and aching limbs

Symptoms of COVID-19 include:

  • Continuous cough 
  • High temperature, fever or chills 
  • Loss of, or change in, your normal sense of taste or smell 
  • Shortness of breath 
  • Unexplained tiredness, lack of energy 
  • Muscle aches or pains that are not due to exercise 
  • Not wanting to eat or not feeling hungry 
  • Headache that’s unusual or longer lasting than usual 
  • Sore throat, stuffy or runny nose 
  • Diarrhoea 
  • Feeling sick or being sick 


Symptoms of flu include: 

  • A sudden fever 
  • A dry, chesty cough 
  • A headache 
  • Tiredness and weakness 
  • Chills 
  • Aching muscles 
  • Limb or joint pain 
  • Diarrhoea or abdominal (tummy) pain 
  • Nausea and vomiting 
  • A sore throat 
  • A runny or blocked nose 
  • Sneezing 
  • Loss of appetite 
  • Difficulty sleeping 


In recent years, taking precautions against viral infections have become part of our daily life and we can all continue to help each other by following guidance around slowing the spread of viruses and practicing good hygiene.

You can protect yourself and others by staying at home if you are unwell and by cleaning hands and surfaces regularly.  


Dr Aleksandra Marek, Consultant Microbiologist and Infection Control Doctor, said: “We are asking anyone with symptoms including vomiting or diarrhoea, or anyone who has been in contact with someone who has these symptoms, not to visit our hospitals. 

“During the winter months, illnesses such as Norovirus, Gastroenteritis, COVID-19 and flu, can add to the pressures that staff face across our sites. 

“To help protect yourself, your loved ones and our services, we are asking members of the public not to visit our hospital sites if they are displaying symptoms of any of these viruses.  

“We are also asking anyone who does attend a site to follow infection control guidance, such as washing your hands regularly.”

NHSGGC is urging people to only attend Emergency Departments (A&E) if their condition is very urgent or life-threatening.  

Any patient unsure of who to turn to has a range of options available to them: 

1. Visit the NHS Inform website:
https://www.nhsinform.scot/ 

2. Call NHS24 on 111 

3. Visit the NHSGGC website: https://www.nhsggc.scot/your-health/right-care-right-place/ 

For very urgent or life-threatening emergencies, the public should continue to call 999 or attend A&E. 

Health Board issues advice on Gastroenteritis, COVID-19 and flu to visitors


Members of the public are being reminded not to visit NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde hospitals if they have symptoms of Gastroenteritis, COVID-19 or flu.  

Anyone planning to visit a loved one in hospital should not do so if they are displaying any symptoms including sickness and diarrhoea.  

All visitors should also practice good hygiene by ensuring they regularly wash their hands to prevent the spread of viruses.  

Nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea are common symptoms of Gastroenteritis, flu and COVID-19, along with headaches, fever and muscle or limb pain.  

Flu and COVID-19 symptoms also include coughs, chills, a sore throat and a blocked or runny nose.  
 
Symptoms of Gastroenteritis include:  

  • Suddenly feeling sick  
  • Projectile vomiting  
  • Watery diarrhoea  
  • Slight fever  
  • Headaches  
  • Painful stomach cramps and aching limbs 
     

Symptoms of COVID-19 include:  

  • Continuous cough  
  • High temperature, fever or chills  
  • Loss of, or change in, your normal sense of taste or smell  
  • Shortness of breath  
  • Unexplained tiredness, lack of energy  
  • Muscle aches or pains that are not due to exercise  
  • Not wanting to eat or not feeling hungry  
  • Headache that’s unusual or longer lasting than usual  
  • Sore throat, stuffy or runny nose  
  • Diarrhoea  
  • Feeling sick or being sick  

Symptoms of flu include:  

  • A sudden fever  
  • A dry, chesty cough  
  • A headache  
  • Tiredness and weakness  
  • Chills  
  • Aching muscles  
  • Limb or joint pain  
  • Diarrhoea or abdominal (tummy) pain  
  • Nausea and vomiting  
  • A sore throat  
  • A runny or blocked nose  
  • Sneezing  
  • Loss of appetite  
  • Difficulty sleeping.

In recent years, taking precautions against viral infections have become part of our daily life and we can all continue to help each other by following guidance around slowing the spread of viruses and practicing good hygiene. 

You can protect yourself and others by staying at home if you are unwell and by cleaning hands and surfaces regularly. 

Dr Aleksandra Marek, Consultant Microbiologist and Infection Control Doctor, said: “During the winter months, illnesses such as Gastroenteritis, COVID-19 and flu, can add to the pressures that staff face across our sites.  

“To help protect yourself, your loved ones and our services, we are asking members of the public not to visit our hospital sites if they are displaying symptoms of any of these viruses.   

“We are also asking anyone who does attend a site to follow infection control guidance, such as washing your hands regularly.  

“Our dedicated members of staff are working around the clock to continue to provide the highest standard of patient-centred care possible.” 


  
NHSGGC is urging people to only attend Emergency Departments (A&E) if their condition is very urgent or life-threatening.   
  
Any patient unsure of who to turn to has a range of options available to them: 
 
1. Visit the NHS Inform website: https://www.nhsinform.scot/  
2. Call NHS24 on 111  
3. Visit the NHSGGC website: https://www.nhsggc.scot/your-health/right-care-right-place/  
  
For very urgent or life-threatening emergencies, the public should continue to call 999 or attend A&E.  

HEALTH CRISIS: NHS Lothian is ‘stretched beyond capacity’

Hospitals and GPs in Lothian are being stretched beyond capacity as a result of sustained and intensifying pressures, NHS Lothian has warned.

Speaking in Tuesday, Calum Campbell, Chief Executive, NHS Lothian, said the healthcare system was under extreme duress as a result of an increase in the numbers of emergency patients, large numbers of delayed discharge patients and an increase in respiratory illnesses.

He said teams at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, St John’s Hospital, the Western General Hospital and the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People were all being pushed to the limit.

To help free up vital beds, he said that some relatives may be asked if they can provide care to their loved ones as an interim measure while those packages of care to help in their own homes are put in place by their local Health and Social Care Partnership.

He said: “These challenges are unprecedented, but they are also sustained. We need people in Lothian to help their own communities and the NHS.

“We have large numbers of people waiting to be admitted into a hospital bed, so I would urge everyone who is asked to provide care to their loved one to give the request some serious consideration.”

Dr Tracey Gillies, Medical Director, NHS Lothian, said: “Our teams will have carried out a robust clinical assessment before they discuss the temporary possibilities with patients and their families.

“We know that most patients want to return home as soon as they possibly can, especially at this time of year. This would also help our teams and the patients waiting to be admitted.

“Also, if you have a loved one in hospital who has been discharged and requires to be collected, please do so as early in the day as possible.”

The primary care sector in Lothian also experienced one of its busiest days to date on Monday (19th December) as they provided care to increasing numbers of adults and children, especially families with concerns around Strep A following recent increases in the virus.

Jenny Long, Director of Primary Care, NHS Lothian, urged people to remember that there were a number of winter viruses in circulation and to consider NHS Inform and their local pharmacist for help and advice, use over the counter medication, drink plenty of fluids and rest.

Cold-type symptoms such as a runny nose or mild cough are more likely to suggest a viral illness.

If you have a sore throat, but can eat and drink, and don’t have a very high temperature then it is likely to be a common virus and there is no need to contact your GP.

The most up to date information on Strep A can be found at 

https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/infections-and-poisoning/streptococcus-a-strep-a/.

Fears for NHS as winter looms

Responding to the latest Emergency Department performance figures published by NHS England for August 2022, President of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, Dr Katherine Henderson said: “The data is stark. We are worried about the coming winter.

“These are the second worst data on record. Too many patients are waiting too long. We know long waits contribute to patient harm. In August over 29,000 patients waited over 12 hours after a decision to admit was made, with some patients waiting up to three days for a bed.

“We think the consequence of this is shown in the ONS data as 500 excess deaths a week. We must not accept these long stays as normal. We need to see leadership and meaningful action that gets to grips with this crisis.

“We urge the new Prime Minister, Liz Truss, and incoming Health and Social Care Secretary, Therese Coffey (above), to make tackling the crisis in Emergency Care a priority.

The scale of patient harm occurring is shocking. The Emergency Care system is failing to its core functions; it is vital that we mitigate the impact of this crisis ahead of winter and do all we can to keep patients safe and reduce these dangerous waiting times.

“The Prime Minister and Health Secretary must urgently bolster the social care workforce. Thousands of beds are occupied by patients who are medically fit to be discharged, but the lack of social care service means that getting patients home is a slow and complex process.

“This means that hospitals have difficulty in discharging patients in a timely way, leading to exit block, poor flow throughout the hospital and subsequent problems in Emergency Departments and ambulance waits. The need for investment in social care couldn’t be clearer.

“Staff are exhausted, overwhelmed and in the midst of the worst crisis the NHS has ever faced. Widespread shortfalls of staff across all grades and departments mean health care workers are spread increasingly thinly and more prone to burnout – there are currently around 130,000 vacancies in the NHS almost 10% of its workforce.

“The Prime Minister must deliver the fully funded long-term NHS workforce plan that the government pledged to deliver in 2019. Emergency Care is in crisis and there is a shortfall of 2,000-2,500 Emergency Medicine consultants and widespread shortages of vital nursing staff, trainees, SAS doctors and junior and supporting staff are contributing to the challenges.”

The latest Emergency Department performance figures published by NHS England for August 2022for show:

  • There were 1,304,378 attendances at major Emergency Departments
    • There were 1,988,779 total attendances at all Emergency Care facilities
  • 28,756 patients were delayed for 12 hours or more from decision to admit to admission
    • This is the second highest number of 12-hour waits on record, just 561 short of the previous record in July 2022
    • There have now been 178,770 12-hour waits (from decision to admit to admission) so far this year
  • Four-hour performance at major Emergency Departments was 58.0%, this is the second worst four-hour performance on record, the lowest was recorded the previous month, July 2022
    • More than 2 in 5 patients were delayed by four-hours or more
  • Type 1 admissions stood at 350,618 (a daily average of 11,310)
  • 130,528patients spent more than four hours in an Emergency Department from decision to admit to admission (also referred to as ‘trolley waits’)
  • Bed occupancy stood at 92.8% (far higher than the recommended 85%)

Hopsital Episodic Statisticsfor July 2022 published by NHS Digital show:

  • The longest wait in an Emergency Department from time of arrival until treatment was 4,320 minutes or 72 hours
  • The number of patients leaving the department before being seen stood at 6.0%
  • The rate of unplanned reattendance was 9.0%

NHS Lothian Summer Youth Taster Volunteering Programme

NHS Lothian is delighted to announce the launch of its Summer Youth Volunteering Programme.  The programme offers young people aged 16-24 the opportunity participate in a series of taster volunteering experiences over a five week period in one of our Acute or Community Hospitals. 

Young people participating will gain – 

·       The opportunity to gain insight into the NHS Lothian and careers in health care

·       The opportunity to build confidence and develop skills

·       A reflective workbook to identify new skills and experiences to support applications for work or study

·       Travel expenses

·       Volunteer uniform

·       Young Scot Points

·       A reference on completion of the summer programme

·       The opportunity to volunteer to extend volunteering beyond the summer programme commitment if desired

·       You can also use the volunteering hours towards a Duke of Edinburgh or Saltire award

We are currently accepting applications. The closing date for applications is the 3rd of June. 

If you have any queries about the Summer Youth Volunteering Programme or would like a member of the Voluntary Services Team to speak to a group of young people or to your colleagues, then please contact Head of Volunteering Jane Greenacre via jane.greenacre@nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk