Tag: mental health

Musselburgh: Scotland’s first mentally healthy golf club

An inaugural wellbeing tournament on Saturday 11th September will mark Musselburgh Golf Club’s first steps to becoming a mentally healthy golf club.

Teaming up with two mental health organisations, NHS 24’s Breathing Space service and the charity Samaritans, alongside partners Network Rail, the Club aims to drive conversations to support better mental health locally.

Stuart Wright, Captain of Musselburgh Golf Club, said: “Just as we have physical health, we all have mental health too. As a club we recognise that golf can connect people and have tremendous benefits to our wellbeing.

This past year has been a challenging time for so many – we want to ensure our club members and the wider community feel supported. By developing a Wellbeing Strategy and hosting a series of events, training and other activities over the year we hope to make mental health a priority at the club. We’re looking forward to hosting our very first Wellbeing Tournament.”

The Wellbeing Tournament takes a three ball format and will raise awareness of the support provided by mental health services such as Breathing Space and Samaritans. The Tournament coincides with World Suicide Prevention Day on 10th September. 

Tony McLaren, Breathing Space National Coordinator, said: “Musselburgh Golf Club is doing a tremendous job in taking forward this mental wellbeing agenda.

“The Wellbeing Tournament will provide an opportunity to unveil a special ‘Take some Breathing Space’ bench at the clubhouse, offering members and the wider community a place to connect and reflect. We hope that the important work they are doing can be replicated by other clubs in the future.”

Over the coming months, ‘Learn to Listen’ workshops will be delivered by Samaritans’ Edinburgh branch to club staff and members to improve listening skills and develop SHUSH listening tips to listen effectively to others.

This will be complemented by wellbeing talks from Breathing Space with the aim of removing the stigma sometimes associated with mental ill-health.

Rachel Cackett, Executive Director of Samaritans Scotland, said: “Musselburgh Golf Club’s commitment to supporting and promoting mental and emotional wellbeing is a fantastic example of how sports and community groups can play a leading role in supporting open conversations about mental health and fostering meaningful connections.

“The Wellbeing Tournament and wider activity at the club is one of many examples where Samaritans, supported by Network Rail and a range of partners like Breathing Space, are working with local communities to champion mental health & wellbeing and ensure that more people know they don’t have to face difficult times alone.

“We’re are delighted to be able to support Musselburgh in their journey towards becoming a mentally health golf club through initiatives like our Learn to Listen workshops and we hope that their commitment will inspire other clubs across Scotland to consider how they can champion mental health and wellbeing within their communities.”

Minister for Mental Wellbeing & Social Care Kevin Stewart said: “Mental health and wellbeing is everyone’s business, so I welcome the partnership approach being taken by Breathing Space, Musselburgh Golf Club, Samaritans and Network Rail in running this wellbeing golfing event and installing the Breathing Space bench.

“This helps remind us all of the value of looking after our own wellbeing and caring for family, friends and colleagues. My message is simple – we shouldn’t be afraid to talk about how we are feeling.

“This event is an excellent way to combine sport and improving mental wellbeing. I hope that, over the coming years, many members and visitors to the club will find the Breathing Space bench a useful place to gather their thoughts, and to take time to reflect.”  

Young People’s Mental Health: Peer support for parents

A new Peer Support group for parents caring for a young person (11-25years) experiencing mental health issues is available.

The group will be run as part of the new Parents Carewell Partnership meeting online, fortnightly on a Friday from 10-11am.

The group aims to –
• Provide parents/carers with a safe space to share their experiences and hear from other carers in similar situations
• Help improve wellbeing
• Support parents/carers with ways they can help their child
• Navigate complex systems such as social work assessments and welfare benefits
• Help parents/carers find out more about their rights as a carer

If you’d like to find out more or to wish to attend a session, email Megan, VOCAL’s Parent Carer Support Practitioner at mcopley@vocal.org.uk

The Carewell Partnerships are Edinburgh-wide initiatives which support carers

Scottish Children’s Services Coalition: More than 1,600 children have been waiting over a year for mental health treatment

The Scottish Children’s Services Coalition (SCSC), an alliance of leading providers of children’s services, has called for significantly increased investment in mental health services and warned of a mental health pandemic as the impacts of Covid-19 on the young become clearer.

The call comes as new figures published today (7th September 2021) from Public Health Scotland indicate that at the end of June 2021, 1,686 children and young people had been waiting over a year for treatment from specialist child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) provided by the NHS. This figure represents a doubling from June 2020 (787).They also represent 14.4 per cent of those waiting for specialist treatment.

With already under-resourced and overstretched services facing overwhelming pressure due to increased demand, the SCSC has raised concerns over a potential “lost generation” of vulnerable children and young people whose mental health is being impacted by Covid-19. 

Even prior to the pandemic cases of poor mental health were at unprecedented levels and there are a growing number of vulnerable children who cannot access adequate support. This was further reinforced by a recent blog post from Antony Clark, a director for public health watchdog, Audit Scotland, who noted that “serious concerns have existed for years”, and that action was now more urgent given the impact of the pandemic on young people.

Figures issued last month showed that self-harm among the young in Scotland was at its the highest level for 14 years and this is undoubtedly only the tip of the iceberg.3

While 4,552 children and young people were treated over the period April to June 2021 by CAMHS, only 72.6 per cent were seen within the Scottish Government’s waiting time target for the NHS of 18 weeks from referral to treatment (met for at least 90 per cent of patients).4 Nine out of 14 health boards failed to meet this target (full table in Notes to Editors).

In addition to increased investment in mental health services, the SCSC has called for a renewed focus on expanded prevention and early intervention services, reducing the need for referral to costly specialist CAMHS. It has also called for greater partnership working between the public, private and third sectors as well as greater awareness of the services on offer, especially those at a community level.

A spokesperson for the SCSC commented: “These frightening statistics highlight the challenges ahead and while we welcome a commitment by the Scottish Government to increase investment in mental health services to 1 per cent of NHS spending over the next five years, we need this investment now. 

“This increased investment should not however just apply to the NHS and one of the key problems is that early intervention support has not been available due to funding restrictions.  Investing in early intervention limits the need for highly costly CAMHS and increasing resourcing in support services and intervention strategies must be a priority for this government.

“We have for some time raised concerns over a potential lost generation of vulnerable children and young people, whose mental health is being impacted even further by the Covid-19 pandemic.  It is more important then ever that children can access the support they need, when they need it, irrespective of where they live.

“This is a crisis we can overcome, but it will require a similar energy and commitment to that demonstrated for Covid-19 if we are to achieve this and prevent many young people giving up on their futures.”

Free Life Coaching for Men

Great opportunity as part of PCHP’s Community Wellbeing Programme:

We are able to offer men fully funded places on a 6 week programme with Leith’s Barry Craig Life Coach, and Exercise trainer.

To book your place call Israel Salinas on 07784 897 607 or email israelsalinas@pchp.org.uk

#Wellbeing

#NorthEdinburgh

NHS 24 backing call for Hope through Action on World Suicide Prevention Day

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.

It takes less than 5 minutes to watch. www.unitedtopreventsuicide.org.uk

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.

nhsinform.scot/get-help-with-your-mental-wellbeing

Acas: Employee mental health support has got better since the start of the pandemic

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.

For the full Acas advice, please see: www.acas.org.uk/coronavirus-mental-health 

Police to mark World Suicide Prevention Day

World Suicide Prevention Day – 10th September

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.”

Extra Time for The Changing Room health initiative

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.”

YPI students secure £60,000 for charities in Edinburgh

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.

 City of Edinburgh 

Balerno High School Kirknewton Community Development Trust 
Boroughmuir High School Stepping Stones 
Castlebrae High School Thistle Foundation Health & Wellbeing 
Craigmount High School Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity 
Craigroyston Community High School Ferrywell Youth Projects 
Currie Community High School Kids Love Clothes 
Fettes College TalkTime Scotland 
Firrhill High School Lothian Veteran’s Centre 
Forrester High School Conscious Edinburgh 
George Watson’s College Cyrenians 
Gracemount High School St Columbas Hospice 
Holy Rood RC High School Steps to Hope 
James Gillespie’s High School Ravelrig Riding for the Disabled 
Leith Academy Joshua Nolan Foundation 
Liberton High School Edinburgh Women’s Aid 
St Augustine’s High School The Welcoming 
St George’s School  Ravelrig Riding for the Disabled 
Stewart’s Melville College Children 1st 
The Edinburgh Academy U-Evolve 
The Mary Erskine School Alzheimers Scotland 

Waiting times: what’s happening?

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

Your rights and responsibilities

Under the Charter of Patients Rights and Responsibilities, you have certain rights and responsibilities when using the NHS in Scotland.

For waiting times, It’s important that these be respected if patients are to receive treatment in the shortest time possible.

Your rights and responsibilities apply to waiting times in the following ways:

  • Availability
  • Appointments
  • Attendance

Find out more about how your rights and responsibilities apply to waiting times.