Samaritans Scotland will host an event at Glasgow Central Station today (Monday 16 January) in a bid to dispel the myth of ‘Blue Monday’.
The third Monday of each year is often referred to as the most depressing day of the year and falls on January 16 in 2023.
To debunk the idea of ‘Blue Monday’, Samaritans runs an annual Brew Monday campaign throughout the UK which emphasises the importance of talking and encourages people to reach out to family and friends and have chat over a cuppa.
This Brew Monday, Samaritans Scotland has teamed up with Scotland’s Railway to hold an event at Glasgow Central Station. Volunteers and staff will be on hand from 8am to 2pm offering tea, coffee and biscuits to commuters and passers-by.
AG Barr has kindly donated cans of Irn Bru for the event, meaning visitors can cheers to ‘Bru Monday’ too! There will also be a selection of sweet treats thanks to Lees of Scotland.
Danielle Rowley, Influencing Manager at Samaritans Scotland, said: “At Samaritans, we know there’s no such thing as ‘Blue Monday’. We all have our good days and our bad days, these aren’t for the calendar to decide.
“Our dedicated listening volunteers all over Scotland are consistently busy 24/7, 365 days a year, picking up a call for help every 10 seconds.
“The simple act of having a chat with someone over a coffee can have a huge impact – it could even save a life.
“It’s time to stop the myth about this Monday being ‘blue’ and instead start a conversation over a brew – or Bru!”
Anyone can contact Samaritans for free any time from any phone on 116 123, even on a mobile without credit. Or you can email jo@samaritans.org.
Anyone who may be feeling anxious, stressed or low is being encouraged to seek support as soon as possible and not wait until the festive season is over.
They are also being reminded that mental wellbeing support is available over the festive period for anyone who may be struggling over the coming days and weeks.
Mental Wellbeing Minister Kevin Stewart said: “For some, the festive season can be a tough time. People may be on their own with no family, they may have health issues, concerns about Covid or flu or other worries affecting them. This time of year can also be the trigger for existing family tensions or anniversaries of a life-changing event.
“The rising cost of living is on everyone’s mind and many people are having to make difficult decisions about how they will pay for things. All this can have an impact on our mental health and wellbeing and lead to increased stress and anxiety.
“With the challenging times we’ve been through over the last few years, many are finding things particularly tough this year and it’s normal to feel stressed or down.
“Reaching out to others for help, whether that’s to friends and family or to services who can provide emotional support, is often the hardest step. There is help and support available throughout – please don’t wait until after the festive season to speak to somebody.”
If you need to talk to someone, you can call these free services:
On mental health and wellbeing:
Out of GP opening hours, telephone advice and support is available from NHS 24 via the Mental Health Hub on 111 and is open 24/7
Breathing Space offers free and confidential advice for people experiencing low mood, depression or anxiety, whatever the cause. They can be contacted on 0800 83 85 87, 6pm to 2am Monday to Thursday; and 6pm Friday through the weekend to 6am Monday.
Samaritans on116 123, or email jo@samaritans.org, for confidential emotional support if you’re in distress or despair. Open 24 hours a day.
There is also a range of practical resources and support on Mind to Mind
On money worries and finances:
Money Talk Team at Citizens Advice Scotland provides free money and debt advice for anyone living in Scotland or call your local Citizens Advice Bureau on 0800 028 1456.
Money Advice Scotland provides free and confidential advice to anyone with money worries. Their team is available on 0141 572 0237 Monday – Thursday 8:30 am to 8 pm and Friday 8:30 am to 5 pm.
Mental Health and Money Advice provides practical advice and support for anyone experiencing issues with mental health and money.
The Scottish Ambulance Service is managing nearly 50% of the 999 calls it receives without the need to take patients to Emergency Departments across Scotland
The Scottish Ambulance Service is managing nearly 50% of the 999 calls it receives without the need to take patients to Emergency Departments across Scotland.
Latest figures for the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) in October 2022 show that the proportion of patients being cared for out with Emergency Departments was 49.1%.
This was made up of 24.9% of patients who were managed at the point of call and a further 24.2% whose care was managed by SAS clinicians on scene.
These results have been achieved through a range of initiatives, including working closely with partners to increase the range of alternative clinical pathways in communities which support the Service to deliver care closer to home, accessing Health Board Flow Navigation Centres, expanding our Mental Health pathway access, and utilising highly-trained staff in remote clinical consultation and assessment.
The Service’s central Pathway Navigation Hub also continues to increase the volume of calls it manages, connecting patients with services and communicating pathway information to SAS clinicians.
The figures are released as the Service launches its Integrated Clinical Hub, co-ordinated through the SAS Ambulance Control Centres in the west, north and east of Scotland.
Health secretary Humza Yousaf visited the Service’s East ACC base n South Queensferry yesterday to meet SAS Chief Executive Pauline Howie and Chair Tom Steele, along with key staff involved in the Integrated Clinical Hub. The Health Secretary also thanked staff for their dedication over the past year.
Using a multi-disciplinary network of skilled clinical staff across Scotland, the Hub gives SAS the ability to provide a detailed consultation for patients whose initial 999 triage has ruled out time-critical illness. The hub will operate 24 hours a day, to ensure patients receive the best possible response to their need when they dial 999.
SAS Chief Executive Pauline Howie said: “The number of patients being cared for out with hospital Emergency Departments remains substantial and as we head into a challenging winter period, it’s vital we work together with our health board and community colleagues to find ways of delivering the right care for individuals and easing pressure on Emergency Departments.
“We are focussed on continuing to develop our clinical care model to support more patients in communities where it is safe to do so and to ensure patients get the right care, at the right time.
“The clinical decision-making roles within our Integrated Clinical Hub all have a role to play in understanding patients’ need at point of call, and that they receive the most appropriate care and support to ensure there is a positive impact across the whole system.
“If the patient’s symptoms are not immediately life-threatening, they can then benefit from a clinical assessment with a senior experienced clinician to agree how help can be best provided. Frontline emergency clinicians can also be supported by more senior clinical staff via telephone and video, aiming to enable the patient to access the most appropriate pathway or care provision to address their need. This can help reduce pressure within Scotland’s Emergency Departments.
“To help our staff, we also would like to remind people that if you need urgent care, but it’s not life-threatening, you can call NHS 24 on 111, day or night, or your GP during opening hours.”
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: ““We are facing a challenging winter ahead for the NHS and it’s initiatives such as the integrated clinical hub that can help ensure patients receive appropriate care at home or in the community and alleviate pressures on our already busy A&E departments.
“There are a range of pathways of care and not every call to 999 needs an ambulance or a trip to A&E as demonstrated by stats out today. Experienced clinical staff are on hand to triage calls and get patients the right care at the right place.
“Once again, I would like to thank Scottish Ambulance Service staff for their tremendous work and dedication.”
More than 90 dentists withdrew from NHS Lothian dental list from 2021 to June 2022, a Freedom of Information request submitted by the Scottish Labour has revealed.
Sarah Boyack warns of a health crisis as waiting times for A&E and NHS dentistry continue to spiral, while delayed discharges have gone up.
Scottish Labour’s FOI request revealed that between 2021 and June 2022, 92 dentists withdrew from NHS Lothian dental list. As at beginning of June this year, out of the 163 general dental practices in Lothian, only 51 confirmed that they are accepting patients, with some accepting children only.
Since 8th May 2022 and up until 11th December, there has been only one week during which the percentage of people seen within Scottish Government’s 4-hour target was above 70 per cent – in the week ending 11th December more than 1,756 people were stuck in A&E for more than four hours – only 63.6 per cent of those attending NHS Lothian’s emergencies were seen within 4 hours. In the same week, 353 people were stuck in A&E for more than 12 hours.
This comes as the recent monthly report on delayed discharge shows rates in NHS Lothian for October 2022 soaring to 1,644 compared to 1,420 in September 2022.
This makes NHS Lothian the second-worst performing health board in Scotland, only topped by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, with 3,848 delayed discharges in October 2022.
October recorded the highest average number of beds occupied per day due to delayed discharges in Scotland since the current guidance came into place in July 2016.
Scottish Labour MSP for Lothian Sarah Boyacksaid: “Another month, another set of damning statistics from NHS Lothian.
“On top of the cost of living crisis, which is taking its toll on people’s mental and physical health, we see piling pressure on our NHS, worsening patients outcomes and huge waste of public money.
“With the freezing cold, people will get sick and they will require care. That’s why we need support to GPs to allow them to respond to the rising demand and handle cases, whenever possible, at primary care level.
“These are not just figures – it is someone’s dad, friend or life partner; it’s the NHS staff who is overworked and underpaid; it’s the people who left our health service because they simply couldn’t cope.
“With a general election approaching, now is the time focus on what really matters and make a difference for millions of people.”
The Scottish Children’s Services Coalition (SCSC), an alliance of leading providers of specialist care and education to vulnerable children and young people, has raised concerns over an increase in the number of pupils identified with additional support needs (ASN), against a backdrop of a lack of support and proposed budget cuts.
It has also voiced similar concerns over a declining number of those with complex needs receiving a co-ordinated support plan (CSP), the only education plans that are legal documents. This is despite a Scottish Government promise that there would be no decline in the numbers of those receiving them.
The figures were released yesterday (13th December) in the Scottish Government’s annual census of pupils and teachers in publicly funded schools.
These figures show that the number of pupils with ASN, such as autism, dyslexia and mental health problems in 2022 has reached a record high of 241,639. Of this total 57.2% are boys. This represents 34.2% of the pupil population, rising from 118,011 in 2012, and a more than doubling (104.8%) in numbers from that year.
An increase in demand is however set against a backdrop of proposed budget cuts and a lack of specialist ASN teachers, support staff and the resources needed to support this. This is also exacerbated by the ongoing impacts of Covid-19 lockdowns and the cost-of-living crisis, with those with ASN drawn proportionately from the poorest backgrounds, as well as an increase in those experiencing mental health problems.
The SCSC has also raised concerns over a decline in the number of those receiving a CSP. These are statutory education plans prepared by local authorities to identify and ensure the provision of services for children and young people with complex or multiple ASN.
The only education plans that are legal documents, CSPs require services such as education, health and social work to work together to give a child or young person the support they need. This provides some guarantees of entitlement to additional resources and legal redress, placing statutory duties on local authorities to review and ensure the provisions contained within it are being met.
Despite a Scottish Government promise that there would be no reduction in the proportion of pupils receiving them since their introduction in 2004, there has been a significant fall in the number of pupils with a CSP. Declining from 3,448 in 2012 3 to 1,401 in 2022, this amounts to a drop of 59.4%. This is a reduction from 2.9% to 0.6% of those with ASN.
A spokesperson for the SCSC commented: “While more children and young people are being identified as having ASN, this is against the increasingly challenging backdrop of a lack of specialist teachers, support staff and the resources needed to support them. This clearly has an impact not only on the individuals concerned but also on their peers and teachers.
“Such support is critical, especially post the Covid-19 pandemic and the damaging impact this has had on many of our children and young people, exacerbated by the cost-of-living crisis, which is hitting the poorest hardest.
“We are also concerned that despite an increase in the numbers of those with ASN we are experiencing a decline in the use of CSPs, which are designed to support those with the most complex needs.
“The Scottish Government and local authorities need to work in collaboration with the private and third sectors to provide the necessary resourcing and support to address the needs of children and young people with ASN. They must also work together to ensure that those who are entitled to a CSP receive one.
“With those with ASN drawn disproportionately from poorer neighbourhoods, if we are to genuinely close the educational attainment gap they must get the care and support they need when they need it.”
New polling also reports significant impacts on family life and siblings
Findings also report impact on working life of parents
New polling for Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity (ECHC) by The Diffley Partnership has exposed a dramatic concern among parents for their children’s mental wellbeing.
The polling has shown that:
50% of parents think their child has experienced mental ill health, with over one quarter considering it moderate or serious
Nearly 60% of those parents reporting a mental health issue consider it to have a fair or great impact on their family life, with over 60% considering it to have such an effect on their childrens’ friendships and social activities
Almost half believe their child’s mental health issues have a great or fair impact on the other children in the household
More than one-quarter of parents with children whom they believe have a mental health issue have had to take time off work as a result
ECHC exists to transform the lives of babies, children and young people in hospital and healthcare so they can be a child first and a patient second. All its work streams are centred around this objective, putting children and young people at the heart of everything it does, and its activity includes support for child and adolescent mental health services.
It is currently considering enhancing its services for children and wellbeing with a mental health concern to reflect the increased need illustrated by this polling.
Commenting on the polling, ECHC’s Chief Executive Roslyn Neely said:“The data from this poll is deeply concerning. The truth is that we simply don’t know enough about the impact that life in the 2020s – with a period of social exclusion layered on top of unprecedented social media exposure – is having on young people’s mental health.
“However, what we do know is that we are seeing more problems than ever before, and we believe we can play a part in solving them.
“We are working on a ground-breaking programme which will not only help the young people experiencing mental ill health, but their families too.
“There is no more time to wait. We cannot simply cross our fingers and hope that our young people work out any problems without help. There is too much at stake.”
The polling follows a wellbeing and resilience report compiled by ECHC following in-depth consultations with the parents of children and young people who had experience with CAMHS or mental health issues.
Roslyn Neely added:“These in-depth consultations provided us with a wealth of information which, critically, show us that parents explore a range of different sources of help for their children, including CAMHS, GPs and schools.
“ECHC is now discussing the possibility of creating another route down which parents and young people can go.”
One third of children not being seen within waiting time target
The Scottish Children’s Services Coalition (SCSC), an alliance of leading providers of specialist children’s services, has called on the Scottish Government to deliver a budget for mental health as new waiting time figures out yesterday (6th December) highlight that a third of children and young people are not being seen within its waiting time target.
Figures published by Public Health Scotland indicate that over the quarter covering July to September 2022, a third (32.1 per cent) of children and young people had been waiting more than 18 weeks from referral before starting treatment at child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS).1
The Scottish Government target is that 90 per cent of children and young people should start treatment within 18 weeks of referral to CAMHS.
A total of 4,990 children and young people started treatment at CAMHS in the quarter ending September 2022, an increase of 30.2 per cent from 3,833 starting treatment in the quarter ending September 2021.
The figures however come on the back of a planned £38 million cut to planned mental health spending by the Scottish Government in its forthcoming budget, to be revealed on 15th December.
This cut in spending is despite a mental health emergency, which is set to worsen given the cost-of-living crisis and services already at breaking point.
The SCSC has called on the Scottish Government to reverse its decision and prioritise mental health spending, avoiding a potential lost generation of children and young people with mental health problems, such as anxiety, depression and self-harm.
Even before the pandemic, cases of poor mental health in children and young people were at unprecedented levels, with services struggling to keep pace with growing demand, leaving an increasing number of vulnerable individuals unable to access support. The Covid-19 pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis have further exacerbated this situation.
The SCSC also noted that without increased spending it is unlikely the Scottish Government will be able to achieve its target, as outlined in the NHS Recovery Plan, to clear waiting lists by March 2023 and ensure that at least 90 per cent of children and young people referred to CAMHS start treatment within 18 weeks.
A spokesperson for the SCSC commented: “The latest figures highlighting that a third of children and young people are not being seen within the Scottish Government’s 18-week waiting time target is extremely alarming.
“Since the pandemic, demand on services has increased and the cost-of-living crisis is only going to make matters worse, creating a potential lost generation of vulnerable children and young people.
“We are facing a mental health emergency and many of our children and young people are at breaking point, with stress and anxiety reaching alarming levels because of the effect of the cost-of-living crisis.
“However, this concerningly comes against a background of a proposed cut to mental health budgets, meaning that some of our children and young people simply won’t get the help they desperately need, with potentially catastrophic consequences.
“We would urge the Scottish Government to reconsider its proposed cuts to the mental health budget and make this a budget for mental health.”
1 Public Health Scotland, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services: Waiting Times in Scotland, Quarter Ending September 2022, 6th December 2022.
The Scottish Children’s Services Coalition (SCSC), an alliance of leading providers of specialist children’s services, is urging the Scottish Government to up its game in response to figures from the Mental Welfare Commission noting an increase in the number of young people under 18 being admitted to non-specialist hospital wards for the treatment of mental illness.
In 2021/22 there were 90 admissions involving 80 young people to mainly adult wards, an increase on 2021-21 when there were 86 admissions involving 62 young people.
Admission of a young person to an adult ward should only be acceptable in rare situations.
However, despite a greatly increased demand on mental health services, there are currently only 48 specialist hospital beds provided by the NHS in Scotland for children and young people (aged 12 to 18) with mental health problems.
Given the lack of provision, many children and young people with severe mental health problems are therefore being admitted to non-specialist adult and paediatric hospital wards, settings which are in many cases inappropriate to their needs.
The coalition has urged the Scottish Government to ensure that there are adequate specialist bed numbers that can address need, including provision north of Dundee. It has also called on it to refocus its efforts on prevention and early intervention, ensuring that issues do not escalate so that they require the provision of these specialist services.
Under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment (Scotland) Act 2003 Health Boards are required to provide appropriate services and accommodation for young people admitted to hospital for treatment of their mental disorder.
Given admissions to non-specialist mental health wards, it is clearly arguable whether appropriate services are being provided.
There are a number of differences between specialist units and wards designed to treat the needs of adults with serious mental illness, both in terms of staff training and the overall ward environment.
Given this, there is a clear concern that the needs of a young person may not be met in a comparable way when admitted to an adult mental health ward as opposed to a specialist CAMHS inpatient unit.
A spokesperson for the Scottish Children’s Services Coalition commented: “We are clearly concerned about the increasing number of those being admitted to adult mental health wards, often inappropriate to their needs, both in terms of staff training and the ward environment.
“The Scottish Government needs to up its game on this and provide adequate facilities, ensuring that there are sufficient specialist bed numbers for those requiring them. There is also currently no provision north of Dundee and this requires to be urgently addressed.
“For children and young people who require inpatient mental health care, a lack of such services means that they frequently remain at home, often until the family reaches crisis point, leaving them feeling isolated and delaying recovery.
“These are among the most vulnerable members of our society and we owe it to them to give them the adequate care and support that they need.”
Holding on to small moments of joy and positivity is going to be particularly important this winter, with the cost of living and energy crises likely to continue making things difficult for people across the UK.
Psychologists from the British Psychological Society have given their advice and tips for finding the light this winter when things are feeling tough.
“We often see a rise in people feeling down or struggling as winter hits, particularly after the clocks go back, making our evenings darker, and as the cold weather begins to bite”, says Dr Joan Harvey, a chartered member of the BPS.
“This year we have more stresses and challenges than normal, with the cost of living crisis causing incredibly difficult decisions for people as they struggle with soaring prices. Increased stress in the run up to Christmas is normal, and this year even more so with budgets stretched and many re-assessing their plans.
“We hear a lot about Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), which people sometimes experience during the winter months, and this year we might expect to see more people struggling with a combination of SAD and cost of living induced stress and worry,” adds Dr Harvey.
“There are things that we can do to manage our mental health this winter. While these tips will not tackle the incredibly difficult challenges and choices they have to make, I hope they will serve to help a few people.”
Set small goals and targets – don’t try and set yourself massive to-do lists or targets, but instead keep goals small and achievable. The sense of achievement from achieving your targets and goals can be a real boost.
Get as much daylight as possible – where you can, get outside in daylight hours for a walk or some fresh air, the more light the better. If you have flexible hours at work try to schedule some time in for a walk on your lunchbreak.
Lamps similar to daylight – these can be really effective if you are struggling to get enough daylight and it is impacting your mood. These can come on in the morning in time to wake you up, or they can be used in the evening.
Manage expectations around seasonal festivities – for many, this year will pose a really difficult financial challenge. A way to combat some of the problems we are all facing might be to go for more personalised presents, including some that you can make yourself. Anything practical can help us feel more hopeful about what we can achieve and for less money too.
Seek support if you are struggling – if you are struggling then do reach out to either a friend, family member or your GP. There is support out there and you don’t have to struggle through on your own.
