World Suicide Prevention Day takes place next Friday – 10th September 2021. This year the international theme is ‘Creating Hope Through Action’.
NHS 24 are encouraging everybody to think about taking one simple action to create hope and support ourselves and people around us who might be struggling, before pressures become a crisis. NHS 24 are supporters of United to Prevent Suicide.
The short animation ‘Ask, Tell – A healthy conversation’ gives practical tips on how and when to have compassionate conversations with people who may be experiencing suicidal thoughts or mental distress.
Anyone in Scotland in need of urgent help with their mental health can contact the NHS 24 Mental Health Hub on 111. This service is available 24/7/365.
Many people who call are experiencing thoughts or worries about suicide. The teams are able to help in a number of ways with compassionate listening, strategies to stay safe, or referral to support services for practical help with problems such as money or relationships.
Some callers are referred to their GP or community mental health team. Occasionally they refer callers to emergency services. NHS 24 work closely with the Scottish Ambulance Service and Police Scotland to offer a compassionate, appropriate, safe response to everyone calling.
The Breathing Space service is a confidential phone line for anyone in Scotland over the age of 16, feeling low, anxious or depressed.
Open Monday – Thursday 6pm to 2am, and all weekend Friday 6pm -Monday 6am.
Call free on 0800 83 85 87
Donald Macintyre, Associate Medical Director, NHS 24 said: “Taking care of our mental health has been so important during the pandemic.
“I would encourage everyone to take a small action to improve their own wellbeing and to learn about safe ways to have what might be a difficult conversation with someone who may be struggling. Often a brief, caring chat can have a major impact. Our mental health teams are here to offer a compassionate response to anyone who needs urgent help.”
An action could be as simple as trying out the new Mental Wellbeing Signposting tool on NHS inform, which helps users navigate to free online courses provided by the SilverCloud platform or to the most helpful mental wellbeing resources on NHSinform.
SilverCloud courses have been designed by clinical experts and provide support for a range of conditions including sleep problems, general mental wellbeing and stress.
New research by Acas has found that over a third (36%) of British employers have seen their mental health support improve since the start of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Acas commissioned YouGov to ask businesses in Britain about whether they had seen a change to employee mental health and wellbeing support in their organisation since the start of the pandemic. The poll found that:
Over a third (36%) said it had got better;
Nearly one in ten (9%) said it had got worse;
Half (50%) reported it as staying the same; and
6% of employers did not know.
Acas Chief Executive, Susan Clews, said: “The pandemic has been a challenging period for everyone and it’s great to see that over a third of bosses have managed to improve their organisation’s mental health support for their staff.
“However, nearly one in ten employers have seen this support deteriorate so it is important for businesses to invest in the wellbeing of their workers as they open up again.
“Acas has good advice and training on how to support and manage mental health and wellbeing at work.”
Acas advice for employers on managing mental health during COVID-19 includes:
Be approachable, available and encourage team members to talk to you if they’re having problems;
Keep in regular contact with your team to check how they are coping;
Be understanding towards the concerns and needs of your staff while they work in new or unexpected ways. For example, working from home or managing childcare while working;
Address any individual communication preferences such as asking team members if they prefer to talk over the phone, through video meetings or by email; and
Look after your own mental health and get support if you feel under more pressure than usual. This support could be a colleague at work, a mental health network or a counsellor.
To mark World Suicide Prevention Day Police Scotland has joined forces with partners to arrange a series of drop in events throughout Edinburgh, beginning on Sunday (5th September) at Middle Meadow Walk in the Meadows.
Sergeant Mark Innes from our Prevention, Intervention and Partnerships (PIP) team said:“Suicide should never be inevitable. 805 people died by probable suicide in Scotland in 2020 and we all have a part to play in preventing suicide: it is everyone’s business to help.
“Part of our role at the PIP is to raise awareness of the support provided by our partners in relation to suicide prevention and supporting people bereaved by suicide. We work closely with partners including Chris’s House, SAMH, Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide, Penumbra, Samaritans and many others through Edinburgh’s Health and Social Care Partnership and the Thrive Edinburgh network.
“In the days leading to 10th September we will be holding partnership information stalls throughout Edinburgh to raise awareness of the support available and let people know where they can get help if needed.
A list of where we will be and when will be published soon.Talking can save lives and we hope that we can encourage people to seek support from the people that are best placed to help.”
Scottish Government funding to boost men’s mental health football programme
A programme to use the power of football to help support people experiencing poor mental wellbeing, using the connection to professional football, has been enhanced by funding from Scottish Government.
The Changing Room – Extra Time has been awarded £100,000. The new programme builds on The Changing Room, an existing support service which uses football to bring men together to tackle mental health.
The Changing Room, which is funded by Movember and supported by the Scottish Professional Football League Trust (SPFL Trust), was first created in 2018 at Hibernian Football Club, and rolled out to Heart of Midlothian Football Club later that year.
Aimed at men in their middle years, the Changing Room is a 12-week programme which uses football to bring men together to tackle mental health.
Extra Time aims to give people the opportunity to speak in more depth about their mental wellbeing and to come together to explore areas which are giving them particular challenges or concerns.
The project will be delivered by SAMH (Scottish Association for Mental Health) in partnership with the SPFL Trust and associated community trusts at Aberdeen (AFC Community Trust), Rangers (Rangers Charity Foundation), Heart of Midlothian (Big Hearts) and Hibernian (Hibernian Community Foundation) football clubs.
The Extra Time initiative will provide an opportunity for people to explore specific areas that often challenge them including how they view themselves, think and feel – all of which impacts on their mental wellbeing.
Mental Wellbeing Minister Kevin Stewart, who launched the initiative at Pittodrie, home of Aberdeen FC, said: “Mental wellbeing has never been more important especially as we continue to deal with the ongoing pandemic and I am pleased to see this programme grow and develop.
“Although the focus is on four of our biggest clubs, which are all situated in urban areas, there is significant reach within those clubs across wider Scotland. My message is simple, we shouldn’t be afraid to talk about how we are feeling. This is an excellent way to combine football to improve mental wellbeing.”
Billy Watson, Chief Executive at SAMH said: “We’re delighted that the Scottish Government is funding The Changing Room – Extra Time, which will provide people with an opportunity to focus on resilience and self-care by exploring areas that often challenge them.
“It can be a struggle for many of us to talk about how we feel, and football is a really powerful way of bringing them together and encouraging them to open up.
“The Changing Room pilot projects have shown the difference the right support can make. Extra Time is a result of the value of this unique form of support being recognised not only by our pilot partners, but now also the Scottish Government and our new football club partners.
“Together, we’ve designed this expanded programme to fit the needs of people across the country, and we look forward to starting the next chapter of The Changing Room.”
SPFL Trust operations manager Fiona Taylor said: “Football has an extraordinary power to inspire people to make changes for the better. We’ve seen this with other programmes such as Football Fans in Training, and the pilot of The Changing Room at Easter Road and Tynecastle.
“The Changing Room Extra Time brings together the expertise of SAMH and our brilliant community trust partners to deliver something which we know people are looking for; interaction, safe spaces and friendship. What better place to provide this, than in the sanctuary of a club’s changing room?”
Aberdeen FC Community Trust chief executive Liz Bowie said: “We’re absolutely delighted that The Changing Room Extra Time is coming to Pittodrie, because this programme has a track record of success in supporting men to improve their mental health. We are sure that the Red Army will get right behind the project.”
Secondary school students in Edinburgh have been responsible for a vital funding boost of £60,000 to local charities through their involvement in the Youth and Philanthropy Initiative (YPI).
The 20 schools committed to The Wood Foundation programme which sees young people work in teams to identify social issues impacting their communities and the charities addressing them. They then develop creative presentations in a bid to secure their school’s £3000 grant.
The top three social issues securing YPI funding this year were support for those facing health and ability conditions, services to address mental health and wellbeing, and action to tackle poverty in Scotland’s communities.
Ali MacLachlan, UK Director at The Wood Foundation, said: “Young people raising awareness of social issues and ensuring this vital funding reached communities at a time of acute need is so important.
“We are incredibly proud of the dedication and commitment shown by schools and students to ensure this important learning and funding opportunity continued with such vigour despite all the challenges of the school year from Covid-19.
“Giving young people a platform and a voice to lead their learning and make a difference to the issues they saw first-hand locally took on additional significance in a year when so much autonomy was taken away.
“We have been blown away by many of the presentations and have great hope that our young people are an exciting force for change.”
Nationally, 220 schools took part in the programme this year channelling £660,000 to charities. Since it was launched in Scotland in 2008, the active citizenship programme YPI has been responsible for more than £5m being granted to local charities championed by young people.
It is Scotland’s largest independent initiative being delivered in education, having empowered more than 230,000 young people to advocate for causes they care passionately about while developing vital skills.
Barbara Johnstone MBE is Organiser and Trustee of Ravelrig RDA which secured two grants this year. She said: “The successful groups were impressive from the start and had really interesting questions.
“They clearly took on board all I had shared with them in their presentations. YPI is so beneficial for the personal growth of the youngsters and the reward for us is massive.”
Hannah Treagus was one of the students in the successful team. Hannah has volunteered at Ravelrig RDA for more than two years. She knew the incredible role the horses and centre had to play in supporting families dealing with a host of issues.
Hannah said: “Fundraising has been really hard hit by Covid-19 and I really wanted to share the passion I have for Ravelrig RDA through YPI. We worked really hard on our presentation and were really determined to do well. I am so pleased we secured this funding which will go towards a new horse when the centre can reopen properly.”
As an education programme, teachers believe that YPI is improving young people’s skills for learning, life, and work in areas such as teamwork, decision making, research, creativity, communication, problem solving and resilience. They also believe students are becoming more empathetic and engaged in their communities, better able to discuss social issues and committing to be active citizens.
YPI is managed and majority funded by The Wood Foundation and is supported by a network of likeminded funding partners. In Edinburgh it is supported by abrdn. Its Head of External Affairs Jeff Newton said:
“YPI enables young people to make a real difference to their local communities whilst showcasing their commitment, creativity, and innovation. We are proud to be a lead funder of the programme which enables young people to have their voices heard in the Edinburgh community.
“For the past three years colleagues have been involved with mentoring students and judging YPI Showcases, and we have always been incredibly impressed by the maturity and conviction of the presentations.”
The Wood Foundation is a venture philanthropic organisation committed to addressing social inequity and investing in developing young people in Scotland, as well as economic investment in the UK and East Africa. It was established by its Chairman Sir Ian Wood and his family in 2007.
During the pandemic, patients have been seen and treated based on their clinical urgency and we will continue to do so whilst we remobilise our NHS.
Patients are being classified in the following groups:
Priority Level 1a Emergency – operation needed within 24 hours
Priority Level 1b Urgent – operation needed within 72 hours
Priority Level 2 Surgery – scheduled within 4 weeks
Priority Level 3 Surgery – scheduled within 12 weeks
Priority Level 4 Surgery – may be safely scheduled after 12 weeks
NHS Scotland is working hard to increase the services available as safely and as quickly as possible. Clinicians and Clinical Experts are continuously reviewing how they deliver services to provide additional appointments to support your care.
About your appointment
It is important to attend your appointment or to let us know if you no longer need to attend.
Make sure you read any information provided in advance of your appointment so you know what to expect and can make the relevant preparations.
Keeping an eye on your condition
It is important to attend your appointment or to let us know if you no longer need to attend.
Make sure you read any information provided in advance of your appointment so you know what to expect and can make the relevant preparations.
Self Help
If you require further advice on your condition, please contact the hospital team you are awaiting an appointment with.
If your condition or symptoms worsen while waiting, you should contact your GP Practice.
Your local pharmacist or a trained member of the pharmacy team can give you advice and provide over-the-counter medicine if needed.
Call NHS 24 on 111 for further advice on managing symptoms.
If you consider your condition or symptoms to be life-threatening, then you should call 999 immediately.
Other Support
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, or that your mental health and well-being has been affected by the delay in your treatment, you can call:
NHS 24 on 111, 24 hours a day, and select the Mental Health option from the telephone prompts
Breathing space on 0800 83 85 87 is open weekdays Monday-Thursday, 6am to 2am, and weekends Friday 6pm to Monday 6am
Living Life on 0800 328 9655 is open Monday-Friday 1pm to 9pm
The Poverty Alliance have launched Weathering the Storm, a summary report from the Get Heard Scotland (GHS) programme in 2020/21.
GHS is a programme coordinated by the Poverty Alliance and funded by the Scottish Government as part of Every Child Every Chance, the Scottish Government’s Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan.
GHS is designed to help people on low incomes get their voices heard on the policies and decisions that most impact their lives and their communities.
Get Heard Scotland gathers evidence on the experience of poverty, from people who are living on low incomes, as well as from organisations and groups working on the ground to help address poverty. Crucially, it focuses on the solutions needed to loosen the grip of poverty on people’s lives.
The report that has been published today covers GHS engagement in 2020/21, which focused primarily on the local authority areas of Inverclyde and Renfrewshire. Covering issues like mental health, employment, food insecurity, digital access, debt, and social security, it provides an overview of the experiences of people living on low incomes – as well as of organisations working with people on low incomes – during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Peter Kelly, Director, Poverty Alliance, said: “Over the last 18 months, the grip of poverty has tightened on the lives of people across Scotland. But it is important to remember that, even before the pandemic, over one million people in Scotland were living in that grip.
“We know that not just listening to – but acting on – the voices and experiences of people living in poverty is key to ending poverty in Scotland. So we are pleased to publish this report today, that focuses primarily on Inverclyde and Renfrewshire but which has relevance for every part of the country.
“In both local authorities, there has been a genuine desire to find more effective ways of meaningfully involving people with experience of poverty in shaping local anti-poverty policy. We hope that the work as part of Get Heard Scotland will have contributed towards making participatory policy making the norm in the future.”
Public Health Scotland supports retaining the £20 a week uplift to universal credit and working tax credits, brought in by the UK Government in April 2020, to help create a Scotland where everybody thrives.
The social security top-up payment was introduced in April 2020 to help low-income households deal with the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and is due to expire in October.
The evidence is becoming stronger that increasing the incomes of the poorest, including by increasing means-tested benefits, can help narrow the gap in life expectancy and improve mental health and wellbeing.
All of those families affected claiming working tax credits are already in employment, as are 35% of people claiming universal credit. Another 31% of people claiming universal credit have health problems or caring responsibilities which compromise their ability to secure and retain jobs. Therefore, focusing on getting people into work, in itself, will not be sufficient.
Martin Taulbut, Public Health Intelligence Adviser at Public Health Scotland said:“People with higher incomes are healthier and live longer. Experiencing material hardship can have a profound direct impact on health by affecting our ability to buy the goods and services that support good health and underpin healthy life expectancy.
“The increase in value of universal credit and tax credits has reduced poverty, protecting the physical and mental health of low-income families and supporting working-age adults’ ability to find and keep good work. Decreasing the value of means-tested benefits is likely to result in a decline in the (already poor) health of the unemployed and low-income families, particularly after the experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“As well as enabling families to live healthier lives now, action taken to improve and protect the health of children from early in life pays dividends for decades. By embedding health and wellbeing into policy decisions across areas of economy, employment and mental health, Scotland has an opportunity to make real progress on national outcomes.”
Excellent advice from the National Wellbeing Hub …
The majority of Covid restrictions in Scotland have now been lifted. For many this will signal the beginning of the end of the pandemic, and a return to ‘normality’.
For some of us though, this is going to be an anxious time. We might be feeling anxious about going out, meeting friends, or going back into offices without the previous social distancing measures that were in place. This reaction is normal, and there are some simple things that you can do to help yourself.
If you’re worried about going back to the office speak to your line manager – they should be able to reassure you about what will be in place to keep you safe when you return.
Equally, if you’re going to be working from home for a little longer and are concerned about the impact this is having on your mental wellbeing, raise these concerns.
If you’re worried about getting back into ‘normal’ life, talk to friends, family or trusted colleagues about how you’re feeling. You might find they share your concerns – support one another through these times.
Most places are going to feel busier, but with cafes, pubs, restaurants, and shops more accessible, outdoor spaces like parks and public gardens may be that bit quieter.
You might feel more comfortable easing yourself back into things by meeting people outdoors to begin with. Just because we can meet more people in more places doesn’t mean that we have to. Take things at your own pace and build up confidence gradually.
The pandemic has taught us all how to keep connected at a distance, and to develop creative ways of keeping ourselves entertained. Just because things are opening up again doesn’t mean we can’t continue with some of these things.
When you are out and about, try to keep in mind some of the things we still have to keep us safe from the virus such as wearing a face covering in shops and on public transport. Most of us will now have had both doses of the vaccine. While this won’t make you invincible, it does make it much less likely that you will catch Covid and that the severity of illness is lessened.
Think about your breathing. Taking slow, deep breaths, in through the nose and out through the mouth, as you’re walking out the house. Have a listen to this 10-minute guided relaxation podcast.
Keep a routine. Regular sleep and activity will help you feel more in control. If you’re having difficulty sleeping, try Sleepio.
Be kind to yourself and other people. We’ve never had to deal with a situation like this before, so don’t be hard on yourself for the way you’re feeling. Try not to be too hard on others either. It can feel frustrating seeing people slip back into the ‘old normal’, but remember, restrictions have been tough for everyone and we will all feel differently about the easing of restrictions.
Try one of these apps. Daylight or Feeling Good are very helpful for managing anxiety, and Silvercloud has a number of programmes to help reduce stress and build resilience. Visit the Free apps and online programmes page of this site for details on how to register for these.
The Scottish Young Carers Festival will sadly not go ahead in its usual format in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 2021 would have been the Festival’s 14th year, providing young carers with a much needed break from their caring responsibilities.Young carers provide unpaid care for a family member or a friend, who is ill, frail, disabled or has mental health or addiction problems.
The Festival provided the opportunity for young carers to meet other young people in similar situations, share new experiences and of course, have fun! The event also provided a national celebration for young carers to share their experiences, the impact that caring has on them and to suggest changes that could make their lives better.
Carers Trust Scotland and the Scottish Government have been working with young carers and their services to continue the delivery of an online Festival, and have responded to young carers’ feedback from last year to make this year’s Festival the best it can be!
Scottish Government funding is providing over £100,000 for Carers Trust Scotland to administer a small-grant scheme to eligible young carer services. These services will be able to apply for funding to provide fun and respite to the young carers they support. The outcomes of this scheme are broad to ensure that services can take a local, tailor-made approach in supporting their young people and provide meaningful respite in a safe way.
Furthermore, Carers Trust Scotland will bring the fun to young people through our online Festival activity! On Tuesday 3 August, the Scottish Young Carers Festival 2021 webpage will launch, where young carers can access over 40 pre-recorded workshops.
These will cover a whole range of topics including Just Fun, Life Skills and Self-Care, at the request of young carers. There will be the opportunity for young carers to take part in dozens of activities including; mindfulness, magic, comedy, arts and crafts, and learning a language!
The Festival also provides young carers with an opportunity to have their voices heard. On Wednesday 4 August, Carers Trust Scotland will be hosting a “Young Carer Voice: Consultation Event” providing young carers the opportunity to discuss important issues and speak directly to key decision makers.
The event will include interactive consultation workshops, followed by a Q&A panel.
This year’s alternative Scottish Young Carers Festival takes place during a time which remains relatively challenging for unpaid carers.
Recent research undertaken by Carers Trust Scotland highlights the experiences and challenges that the pandemic has created for unpaid carers, and consequently, carer support workers and carer services.
Many unpaid carers found that they were spending more time caring, with less opportunity to get a break. Many felt the needs of the person(s) they care for had intensified, and found their responsibilities increasing as a result of other services being paused or closed. This impacted on unpaid carers’ mental and physical health.
These results highlight the need for continued support to young carers and the opportunity for meaningful respite and engagement opportunities throughout the year. Despite the cancellation of our Scottish Young Carers Festival, our small-grant scheme and online activities aim to provide fun and respite to these young people in alternative, safe ways.
Minister for Mental Wellbeing and Social Care, Kevin Stewart MSP, said:“We know – because young carers have told us – what a difficult time they have had during the pandemic. I want to thank them again for all they have done and continue to do for their loved ones and for our communities.
“I am looking forward to taking part in the Young Carers Festival consultation event, and hearing directly from young people about their experiences and any help they need.
“We know how important it is for young carers to have a break from the routine and a chance to come together and enjoy themselves. This isn’t easy in the current circumstances, so I am delighted to see the innovative approach that has been taken to this year’s online Festival.
“Alongside the Festival, we have provided £100,000 for local young carer services to run additional fun activities for the young carers they work with.
“The Festival is not just a chance to take a break from caring, it is an opportunity to let us know what we are doing right and what we could be doing better. The Scottish Government will continue to engage directly with young carers, and listen to what they are telling us to ensure that we address their needs.”
“We are delighted to be working again with Scottish Government to deliver these new kind of Festival activities for young carers across Scotland for 2021.
“The pandemic has been difficult for a lot of young carers and many have reported taking on additional caring responsibilities, feeling isolated, and feeling disconnected to their friends and wider communities.
“Although some young carers may be disappointed that the annual Scottish Young Carers Festival can’t take place again in the usual way, the small-grant scheme provides opportunities for local young carer services to plan and deliver activities to ensure young carers still have an opportunity to get a break from caring and have fun.
“The Young Carer Voice consultation event will also give young carers across Scotland a meaningful opportunity to have their voices heard by key decision makers and discuss the issues that matter to them most.”
