Tag: new report

Orgreave Truth and Justice: 40 years on, the case for an Inquiry

The Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign (OTJC) today release a new report: ‘Orgreave Truth and Justice: 40 years on, the case for an Inquiry’ which contains some new information recently uncovered – including public statements of police and government vs the truth of their private acts.

Orgreave represents one of the most serious abuses of power by police and government in this country’s industrial and trade union history, the truth of which has never been told or acknowledged by the State.

Instead, successive Conservative Governments and senior police have worked to cover it up. It is important that the truth is established via an independent inquiry and that the police and government are brought to account.

Today, a copy is being hand delivered to the Home Office, and the major political parties on the 40th anniversary – 18 June 2024. Courtesy copies are being sent to the Cabinet Office. A further copy shall be delivered to the new Home Secretary following the election.

To help restore public trust in government and police, through an inquiry, the OTJC wants:

• the public to know the truth;
• to reset standards in public life;
• to reinforce the operational independence of the police;
• to reset democratic diligence in public office;
• a public acknowledgement and apology.

Due to the age and health of many miners impacted we need to quickly secure an inquiry and a public acknowledgement of why and what the State did to the miners and their communities.

Orgreave, 18 June 1984 represents one of the most serious abuses of power by police and government in this country’s industrial and trade union history, the truth of which has never been told or acknowledged by the State. 

Instead, as this report confirms, successive Conservative Governments and senior police have worked to cover it up. Many files remain unexamined or inaccessible to the public until at least 2066.

Patrick McCarroll, Miner at Orgreave said: “At Orgreave I was terrified. Anyone that says they weren’t is a liar. We were in the field, near the back. There were dogs everywhere. I was chased all the way. The dogs were barking, I ran across the railway line, away from them.

“I ran and ran, there was an Asda, I ran through that, there were horses chasing men through the car park. There were people hiding up trees, people trying to hide everywhere”

Kate Flannery,  Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign Secretary said: ““It is important that the truth is established via an independent inquiry and that the police and government are brought to account for their actions at Orgreave on 18 June 1984.

“This day is particularly significant as it shines a light on what was going on in mining villages and communities throughout the year-long 84/5 miners’ strike. With the National Archive files released it is obvious that Conservative Prime Minister,

“Margaret Thatcher’s involvement alone is enough for an inquiry into Orgreave on 18 June 1984. There are STILL many government files held back – some of which are under lock and key until at least 2066. An inquiry should reveal what is in those files and what has been held back for 40 years.”

Kevin Horne, Miner arrested at Orgreave said: “There has been no accountability of policing at Orgreave. This sent a very clear message that the police could employ violence with impunity.

“This must surely have set a culture for the police cover up in 1989 at Hillsborough. The police lied in their statements and in court about what they did at Orgreave. We want the answers to questions about the lying and violent behaviour of the police. “We want to know how police officers were briefed and why they were not held to account by the Director of Public Prosecutions or their own employer.”

An inquiry of full disclosure can help to right the wrongs of the past and influence the future behaviour of public officials. An early and suitably empowered inquiry into government and police action in relation to events at Orgreave on 18 June 1984 is essential.

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Corridor care: Royal College of Nursing declares ‘national emergency’ and demands political action

Nursing staff are regularly forced to provide care to patients in chairs and corridors, compromising patient safety and dignity. RCN IS asking members to call it out and join their fight to eradicate the practice.

An RCN report reveals more than 1 in 3 (37%) nursing staff working in typical hospital settings delivered care in inappropriate settings, such as corridors, on their last shift. Our survey of almost 11,000 frontline nursing staff across the UK shows the extent to which corridor care has been normalised.

Patients are regularly treated on chairs in corridors for extended periods of time, sometimes days. We say that these instances must now be determined as ‘Never Events’ in NHS services, in the same way that having the wrong limb operated on or a foreign object being left inside a patients’ body already are. 

We’re asking for mandatory national reporting of patients being cared for in corridors, to reveal the extent of hospital overcrowding, as part of a plan to eradicate the practice. We also need members to raise concerns when care in inappropriate settings takes place. 

In a new RCN report, Corridor Care: Unsafe, Undignified, Unacceptable, our survey findings and member testimonies show the full grave picture of corridor care across the UK.

Of those forced to deliver care in inappropriate settings, over half (53%) say it left them without access to life-saving equipment including oxygen and suction. More than two-thirds (67%) said the care they delivered in public compromised patient privacy and dignity.

Thousands of nursing staff report how corridor care has become the norm in almost every corner of a typical hospital setting. Heavy patient flow and lack of capacity sees nursing staff left with no space to place patients. What would have been an emergency measure is now routine.

The report says corridor care is “a symptom of a system in crisis”, with patient demand in all settings, from primary to community and social care, outstripping workforce supply. The result is patients left unable to access care near their homes and instead being forced to turn to hospitals. Poor population health and a lack of investment in prevention is exacerbating the problem, the report says.

Professor Nicola Ranger, Acting RCN General Secretary and Chief Executive, said: “This is a tragedy for our profession. Our once world-leading services are treating patients in car parks and store cupboards.

“The elderly are languishing on chairs for hours and patients are dying in corridors. The horror of this situation cannot be understated. It is a national emergency for patient safety and today we are raising the alarm. 

“Treating patients in corridors used to be an exceptional circumstance. Now it is a regular occurrence and a symptom of a system in crisis. 

“Patients shouldn’t have to end up at the doors of our emergency departments because they can’t get a GP appointment, a visit from a district nurse or a social care package. But that is the reality. Corridor care is a scourge in our hospitals, but we know the solution is to invest in our entire health and care system – and its nursing workforce.”

Don’t allow corridor care to become normalised, call it out. Find out more about how to raise a concern. 

New research reveals charity generates over £300m of savings to public purse annually

Charity dedicated to preventing homelessness highlights true value to taxpayers during national housing crisis

A groundbreaking study into the impact of Scottish charity Right There has revealed it generates over £300m of savings every year for the public purse, through its unique approach to preventing and tackling homelessness. 

As Scotland’s national housing crisis deepens, the report, entitled “The difference Right There makes” takes a social return on investment approach to impact evaluation, and sets out how much Right There’s work saves the taxpayer through the likes of long-term health and social care, unemployment benefits, emergency accommodation and by helping to stop people’s problems from worsening.

It has been carried out in the context of the current landscape of economic, political, social, and environmental factors that have and are continuing to shape the third and public sectors, to show the social benefit to society achieved through the charity’s work. 

Right There, formerly Ypeople, part of the YMCA movement, has provided practical assistance, advocacy, and empowerment for 200 years, assisting individuals facing tough times.

The charity is built on the principle of meeting people where they are without judgement and walking alongside them, tailoring support to their ever-changing needs from providing safe homes to emotional wellbeing and family support as well as community outreach.

In addition to implementing programmes or interventions, Right There stands by individuals, offering unwavering life-improving support and a helping hand when they need it most. That includes accessing medical help, guiding them toward employment opportunities and, ultimately, a secure long-term home.

Through creating five archetypes, based on a series of ‘typical’ storylines about the lives of people that Right There helps, the study has mapped out the journey that supported individuals take, selecting relevant and realistic metrics to measure the impact of the charity as a financial cost to the public purse, had those individuals not been supported by Right There.

Savings that have been measured in the report include the cost of NHS treatment for issues such as substance use and poor mental health; the avoidance of future interactions with the criminal justice system; the benefits of individuals moving into longer term, more sustainable accommodation and savings to the Scottish economy in supporting individuals towards employment.

Janet Haugh, CEO of Right There said: “As a charity we are driven by the desire to help individuals, one person at a time. Our support is tailored to each person, and we pledge to be right there for as long as it takes. To see the impact of our support defined in such large financial terms is quite overwhelming. 

“Right There is saving taxpayers in excess of £300m annually through relieving pressure on NHS and social care costs, unemployment benefits and emergency accommodation.

“At a time when Scotland’s housing crisis is intensifying, budget cuts are increasing and the prediction that homelessness will increase by a third by 2026, compound just how critical our work is and the social benefits it delivers for society as a whole.”

The full report can be viewed here.

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Actress Brooke Kinsella: ‘This important report on knife crime is deeply shocking and shows how much more work we have to do’

THE sister of Ben Kinsella has paid tribute to a new report published by the anti-knife crime charity which set up following his murder.

Former Eastenders actress Brooke Kinsella said too many young people were carrying blades in the “blinkered belief it will make them safer”. 

Brooke, whose brother Ben was stabbed to death in 2008, was responding to a major study by the Ben Kinsella Trust which took two years to compile.

The charity spoke to more than 9,500 children and teenagers, and over 240 teachers and youth workers over two years to conduct a review into the impact knives are having across our neighbourhoods.

It revealed more than a third of respondents (36%) no longer feel safe walking the streets, and that one in four (25%) feel carrying a knife makes them safer. 

Alarmingly, the report also found 6% of kids aged just 10-11 years old have even considered carrying a blade.

Commenting on the report, Brooke said: “This important report is deeply shocking, and shows just how much more work we have to do. 

“Since my brother’s death, the Ben Kinsella Trust has worked tirelessly to help reduce knife crime, and to educate young people about the misery blades bring to communities.

“This report underlines the fact that so many young people are fearful about knife crime.  But also, that too many are also prepared to carry one in the blinkered belief they think it will make them safer.

“The number of young people, especially girls, who feel unsafe on the streets is particularly shocking as is the age at which people are thinking of arming themselves with knives. 

“Change starts with education. And the Ben Kinsella Trust will continue to help schools to inform young people about the dangers of blades and shatter the myth they keep you safe. This is vital to ensure other families aren’t left devastated like we were by knife crime.”

The report also revealed how:

● Over one-third (36%) of young people no longer feel safe in their own neighbourhoods.

● Two-thirds (64%) feel anxious about knife crime in their area.

● And, notably, 43% of girls specifically mentioned feeling unsafe where they live.

● A quarter (25%) said they knew someone who had carried a knife.

The report, funded by the London Violence Reduction Unit, was based on data collected over a two year period (2022-2023) from participants who visited a Choices and Consequences Exhibition run by the unit in Islington and Barking.

The report features the views of 9,507 young people aged 10-17 and 247 teachers and youth workers. The workshops conducted at these exhibitions engage young people with real-life stories, immersive theatre and foster open discussions, promoting trauma-informed practices and positive interactions.

And the report found the exhibitions “not only positively impacted  young people, but it empowered educators too. 

It found teachers are more likely to integrate anti-knife crime lessons into their curriculum after participating in the program and that they felt more equipped and motivated to address this critical issue.

The report gauged beliefs before and after attendance at the exhibitions, and it found:

● The number of young people who thought a knife would protect them drops from 24% to 5%.

● 73% who had considered carrying a knife pledged never to do so following the workshop.

● 89% of attendees pledge never to carry a knife.

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Home, sweet home? North Edinburgh’s housing emergency

LOCAL PARENTS LAUNCH DAMNING REPORT ON HOUSING CRISIS

North Edinburgh Parents Action Group has launched an exhibition and publication highlighting the horrific housing conditions local people are being forced to live in. 

The group also screened a new film about the lived experience of a local woman’s heart-breaking attempts to secure a decent home for her children.   

North Edinburgh Parents Group hope that the event held at Royston Wardieburn Community Centre yesterday will draw attention to the significant impact that  poor housing  is having on  local families’ physical and mental health and will send a clear message to politicians at all levels of government that urgent action is required to tackle North Edinburgh’s housing crisis. 

Guests were welcomed by Royston Wardieburn Community Centre chairperson Billy Fitzpatrick and the event was launched by Forth SNP councillor Stuart Dobbin, who has been taking a particular interest and holding surgeries on the issue:

“Living in a home safe from Damp and Mould should be a basic right that all Council and Private tenants should enjoy.

“This important event was made all the more powerful and moving by hearing the testimony of women who, with their families, have to live with Damp and Mould and the exhibition showing pictures from inside their homes.

“Dampness creates a risk to our physical health and our mental health.  It impacts on the future life chances of our children.  And if not addressed, it places additional burdens on our doctors and the wider NHS services.

“This is the issue that I am most passionate about addressing as a Councillor.  By my estimate about one quarter of all Council dampness cases in Edinburgh are in North Edinburgh. 

“I have been raising cases and campaigning within the Council for faster action to be taken to eradicate damp from tenants homes, and as a result, the Council has now set up a dedicated, skilled team to do just that. Early days and a lot to do.

“I want to hear from residents who have damp and mould, or are having difficulty getting the problems addressed. 

“I will be at Pilton Community Health Project tomorrow morning (Friday) from 09.15-11.00 if anyone needs to discuss this or any other matter that I can help with.  Or you can email me – cllr.stuart.dobbin@edinburgh.gov.uk”

Few who attended the event could fail to have been moved by the heart-rending stories of local woman struggling to be heard. The women, for many of whom English is not their first language, bravely shared their dreadful experiences to a packed room.

As one said after the event: “Speaking to a big crowd made me very nervous and I wasn’t sure that I would be able to do it.

“But we all did do it – we had to do it. We want people to hear how we are living.”

A spokesperson for the group said: “We understand that there are no simple solutions or easy fixes to Edinburgh’s  current housing emergency.

“However, Edinburgh is one of the richest cities in the country and it is time that all levels of government – Edinburgh Council, the Scottish Government and the UK government –  come together and prioritise spending on improving  housing conditions in this city. 

“We are serious about our demands and we are prepared to do whatever it takes to secure a decent place to live.  We hope that we do not have to resort to a class action which is the route that over 50 tenants from various local authorities have taken in order to secure a warm, safe home.   

“However, nothing is off the table. Enough is enough!”

Sara, who spoke at the event, said: “We welcomed the opportunity to tell our stories and have our voices heard. 

“We’re fed up of nobody listening to us and being blamed for causing the problem.  It’s not our fault. It’s well documented that people have been having problems with dampness and mould down here for decades and its time that  something was done about it for once and for all”. 

Susan, another member of the group, added: “We are really disappointed that the ‘high heid yins’ didn’t come to our event to hear our stories and see for themselves the conditions that people are  having to  put up with. 

“We will be making sure that they all get a copy of our report and we will be expecting to hear from them soon about how they are going to respond to our demands. They need to understand that  we’re not going away.” 

Dr Olivia Swann, Clinical Lecturer in Paediatric Infectious Disease at Edinburgh University, also spoke at the event. 

Thanking the women for their moving testimonies, Olivia’s presentation explained how homes are much more than just physical structures and made clear that “strong scientific evidence has shown that poor housing can affect someone’s physical and mental health throughout their life”. 

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Sara says this is an extremely worrying fact for those of us with young children who have been living in mouldy homes for most of their young lives.

Dawn Anderson, Director of Pilton Community Health Project (PCHP), who attended the event along with members of her Board, including former Leith MP/MSP and Holyrood Health Secretary Malcolm Chisholm, said: “We are very concerned about the problems the parents group has raised. 

“PCHP has been supporting people to get help for some time. One parent has been working with Media Education on a new film featuring the nine year battle of Anita, a local women, desperately trying to escape her damp house”.  

Dawn explained how it was fitting that the parents action group had called their exhibition ‘Home Sweet Home’: “It’s 40 years since PCHP was established in North Edinburgh and dampness and ill-health was one of the first issues the campaigners worked on.  Meetings with local parents led to a womens’ group forming. 

“They produced a slide show called “Home Sweet Home” and  presented it to health professionals in the area.  This resulted in The Scottish Executive backing a research project conducted by the University of Edinburgh  who established a direct link between dampness and ill-health all those years ago.

“There have been countless studies on this issue over the years  which have drawn the same conclusions. Sadly, we can see from Anita’s film and from the parents stories and photographs, little has changed and family’s in the area are still faced with health threatening living conditions.”

The Group is already planning a follow-up event to build on the momentum created by yesterday’s launch.

HOME

A poem by members of North Edinburgh Parents Action Group

The perfect home is

dry and warm

and doesn’t have mould or furniture on clothes.

It doesn’t

smell of dampness or chemicals or bleach

and there’s even

a drying area to dry your wet stuff.

It’s comfortable and safe and

doesn’t make you ill.

It isn’t overcrowded and

there’s plenty of room

for the kids to study and play

or just be alone.

In the perfect home

we’ve all got a bedroom

and there’s even a separate living room.

The perfect home doesn’t need lots of repairs

everything has been fixed and

is shiny and new.

But the best thing about it

and this we agree

our home is permanent

and is perfect for you and me.

The report:

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Scottish fox hunts trying to get around new law, report shows

Scottish hunts are attempting to ride roughshod over new anti-hunting laws, according to a new report released by national animal welfare charity the League Against Cruel Sports.

It comes as the first season draws to a close since the Hunting With Dogs (Scotland) Act 2023 was introduced.

Files have been passed to Police Scotland to investigate six incidents from the season, and at least one person has been charged with activities related to illegal hunting.

Robbie Marsland, director of League Scotland, said: “Scottish fox hunts appear to be trying to ride a coach and horses through the new law. 

“Whether they’re sneaking around with multiple dogs or saying they are drag hunting, it’s good news that Police Scotland are responding to the League’s evidence and that at least one person has been charged with illegal hunting. 

“This will be a clarion call to anyone who thinks they can get round this new law.”

The League’s investigators, who have decades of experience in monitoring and recording hunting, carried out field observations over six months, looking at patterns of behaviour of several hunts.

The Berwickshire, Jed Forest, Lauderdale, Duke of Buccleuch, and Dumfries and Stewartry mounted hunts were visited.

The charity, which this year will mark its centenary, lobbied Holyrood for tighter hunting laws in order to properly protect animals such as fox and hare that are chased and killed by packs of hounds.

It says one of the excuses three of the hunts are using – that they are following an artificial, non-animal-based scent – could be a smokescreen for illegal hunting. None are members of, or abide by the rules of, the Master of Blood Hounds and Drag Hunts Association.

Drag hunting has been an established pursuit for decades, typically takes place away from the natural habitats of hunted animals, and uses bloodhounds rather than fox hounds.

The League has evidence that at least one hunt is using fox hounds trained to follow animal scent rather than artificial scent, and is operating in areas where wild animals would be located.

Robbie said: “The next thing that needs to happen is that the Scottish Government should use its executive power to clamp down on bogus drag hunting and the League is seeking a meeting with the Minister to discuss just that.”

The full report and video footage are available at: https://www.league.org.uk/annual-hunting-report-scotland/

Benefit levels in the UK: MPs call for annual uprating guarantee

Committee calls for cost of living benchmark

The UK Government must outline the extent to which benefits should be supporting people with daily living costs and bring forward a plan so that benefit levels meet the new benchmark, a House of Commons committee said yesterday.

The Work and Pensions Committee’s report on benefit levels in the UK also calls on the Government to introduce a new ‘uprating guarantee,’ to uprate working-age benefits and the Local Housing Allowance rate each year, to end the uncertainty faced  by people claiming benefits.

The Committee also recommends that the Household Support Fund, which enables local authorities to help those in need, be made a permanent part of the social security system.

The recommendations follow a year-long inquiry launched after the Committee’s recommendation in its 2022 cost of living report to review the adequacy of benefits levels. The 2022 report highlighted evidence that a root cause of the financial challenges faced by households “lay in the fundamental inadequacy of social security support”, but the Government insisted that there was no objective way of deciding what benefits should be.

In response to that challenge, Thursday’s report says that the Government should develop a framework of principles and set a benchmark and objectives linked to living costs to measure the effectiveness of benefit levels.

If DWP finds that it is not meeting these objectives, it should set out how it intends to reach them, for example by increasing benefit levels when the financial situation allows.

The report also says that the Government should make an ‘uprating guarantee’ to increase benefits annually, based on, for example, prices. It would be required to set out its reasoning to Parliament if it decided to deviate from this guarantee.

On the Household Support Fund, the Committee welcomes the extension announced in Spring Budget 2024. The report says that it should become a permanent feature of the social security system to improve the ability of local authorities to plan their provision of discretionary support to households.

Rt Hon Sir Stephen Timms MP, Chair of the Work and Pensions Committee, said: “It is right that our benefit system incentivises work, but it should also provide an effective safety net for jobseekers, people on low incomes, carers and those with disabilities.  

“We have heard plenty of evidence that benefits are currently at a level that leaves many unable to afford daily essentials or meet the unavoidable extra costs associated with having a health impairment or disability.

“The Government has previously said that it is not possible to come up with an objective way of deciding what benefits should be.  Our recommendations are a response to that challenge, and the ball is now back in the Government’s court.

“On top of acknowledging and acting on a new benchmark and objectives linked to living costs, Ministers should commit to consistent uprating of benefits each year.  It is time to end the annual ‘will they or won’t they’ speculation and all the worry that brings to those who rely on the social security system for financial support.

“The Household Support Fund has provided a vital layer of additional support for households during the cost of living crisis.

“The Government should build on the extension announced in the Budget, and make it a permanent part of the social security system to allow councils to continue to reach those in their local areas who most need help.”

A full list of the Committee’s conclusions and recommendations is available on P74 of the report. The Report is also available in British Sign Language, audio and EasyRead formats.

“Older people need a voice”

Charity calls on Scottish Government to appoint Commissioner for later life

  • New report highlights just under three-quarters (72%) of those aged 65 and over in Scotland think the issues they face are badly understood by society
  • Almost 9 in 10 (89%) people aged 65 or over in Scotland support appointing a Commissioner
  • Despite wider scrutiny of the number of Commissioners in Scotland, the growing over 65s population shows that an Older People’s Commissioner is desperately needed.

The Scottish Government must appoint an Older People’s Commissioner (OPC) or risk people in later life in Scotland being ‘left behind’ according to a new report from national charity Independent Age.

The charity that supports people experiencing poverty in older age is calling on the Scottish Government to bring the nation in line with Wales and Northern Ireland, where older people have been represented by a commissioner since 2008 and 2011 respectively.

In the new report ‘We need a champion: Why Scotland should have an Older People’s Commissioner’ launched on 13 March, Independent Age outlines how the role could help older people across the nation and especially those on a low income. One in seven people – 150,000 individuals – in later life in Scotland are now in poverty, a figure that has risen in the past decade by a quarter.

The report was compiled through interviews with older people and organisations that work with them alongside Scottish nationally representative polling. The call for an OPC has also been backed by over 30 organisations across Scotland.

Recent polling commissioned by the charity shows that almost three in four (72%) of those aged 65 and over in Scotland think the issues they face are badly understood by society1. OPCs already exist in Wales and Northern Ireland and have taken the lead on campaigning about cross cutting issues that affect older people from all walks of life, from bus passes and care during COVID to the uptake of social security entitlements.

An OPC would be an independent voice for older people in Scotland, bridging the gap between the issues and needs of older people and the institutions that impact their lives, including the Scottish Government, local councils, the NHS, civil servants and businesses. They would ensure older people’s voices are heard, by advocating on their behalf and working alongside community groups to listen to the experience of those in later life.

The population of Scotland is ageing. Currently over one million people, or one in five, are over 65 and by 2040, this will rise to one in four people across the nation. The charity says that an OPC will help society prepare for this change, giving people in later life an independent voice and work across Government departments to ensure a joined-up approach to policy making. Polling from Independent Age shows that almost 9 in 10 (89%) people aged 65 or over in Scotland support appointing a Commissioner2 and polling from Age Scotland found that 7 in 10 (71%) of respondents of all age groups were in favour.

As well as ensuring everyone’s voices are heard as we age, the new report looked into three key problems affecting people in later life living in financial insecurity, and how a Commissioner could help resolve them.

An OPC could help lift more older people out of poverty

Polling commissioned by Independent Age found that one third (33%) of over 65s living on an annual household income of less than £15,000 can only just afford their essentials and often struggle to make ends meet3. Almost half (43%) of older people living on an annual household income of less than £15,000 are worried about not being able to afford food and drink when considering their financial situation over the next 6 months4.

Independent Age says that without a long-term Government strategy to combat pensioner poverty, it will continue to rise.

Research from the charity found that if Pension Credit, the top-up for older people on a low income, was received by everyone who is eligible in Scotland, an estimated 38,000 older people would immediately be lifted out of poverty.

Commissioners in Wales and Northern Ireland have led the way in driving Pension Credit uptake, campaigning to improve take-up by raising awareness and connecting older people with social security advisors. An OPC for Scotland could ensure advice and information about finances effectively reaches older people or bring together government departments to focus on increasing uptake of financial entitlements.

An OPC could help prevent fuel poverty for older people

Polling commissioned by Independent Age found that over half (59%) of older people living in Scotland on less than £15,000 a year reduced heating usage in their home over the last winter to help manage the cost of living5 and the latest Scottish Government statistics show that a staggering 36% of older households live in fuel poverty. 

The charity says that rising costs across the board, including energy and food are squeezing people from every angle, there is often no room in older people’s fixed budgets to absorb these extra costs.

An OPC could advise the Scottish Government on how older people in financial insecurity can be helped to make their homes energy efficient, ensuring the Scottish Government also reaches its Net Zero targets. An OPC could also work with energy companies to ensure they are identifying and targeting financial support at older people on a low income who may not be aware they qualify for help.

An OPC could help with inadequate housing

Older people often have specific needs for their homes, such as a shower or a ground-floor flat. However, older people are often excluded from the planning and development of homes, and it can be difficult to find an appropriate home, especially on a low income, and this is sometimes keeping those in later life in unsafe, unsuitable or unaffordable homes.

The charity has heard from older people who are terrified of complaining to their landlord about necessary repairs and others who say their homes are freezing, damp and mouldy. One interviewee said that “I know if I complain to my landlord, it will get me nowhere but homeless”.

An OPC could ensure policy makers are informed about the housing requirements of older people now and in the future, making sure they build the right homes for an ageing population. They could also help support the elimination of discrimination against older people in housing issues.

Debbie Horne, Scotland Policy and Public Affairs Manager at Independent Age said: “Older people in Scotland have spoken: they need a champion. For too long, people in later life have felt like their issues don’t matter. The time for an Older People’s Commissioner is now.

“Problems for people in later life who are in poverty, such as being priced out of basic needs, including food and fuel, and living in insecure or inappropriate housing are going to get worse, not better, without someone who can listen to the needs of those affected and campaign for change.

“As well as being a voice for all older people, a Commissioner could ensure those who are seldom heard, like those in financial hardship, are considered when making policy decisions.

“We need an independent Older People’s Commissioner who can work with Government, engage with community groups and give older people a voice. Scotland’s population is ageing. And pensioner poverty is rising. Our society needs to change so we can all look forward to living well in later life. An Older People’s Commissioner can help.”

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Council ‘On the Right Track’?

EDINBURGH’S WALKING, WHEELING AND CYCLING TRENDS REVEALED

The biggest assessment of walking, wheeling and cycling in urban areas in the UK and Ireland

Half of Edinburgh residents want to see more spent on walking, wheeling and cycling improvements across the city, according to a new report.

The biannual Walking and Cycling Index, delivered in partnership between Sustrans and the City of Edinburgh Council, draws on independent survey feedback from a cross-section of more than 1,200 residents in the Capital, surveyed in 2023.

Today Sustrans joined the City of Edinburgh Council to officially launch the Index with a panel discussion on access to walking, wheeling cycling in the city.

Amongst the findings, the report shows that 50% would like to see more spent on cycling while 57% want investment in walking and wheeling and 68% support an increase in spend on public transport. Almost half of residents want to walk and wheel (45%) and cycle (49%) more too, along with a quarter who want to use public transport more, and improved infrastructure is key to this.

Regular walking and wheeling remains as high as 2021, with two-thirds of people travelling by foot or wheel five days a week. The annual number of cycling trips has increased to 30.7 million from 24.4 million in 2021, although the number of residents cycling at least once a week dropped slightly from 26% to 22%.

The majority of residents think their local areas could be improved through a 20-minute neighbourhood approach – with more and easier to access shops and everyday services (say 79%) and parks and greenspaces close to home (according to 78%) amongst the incentives to walking and wheeling more. 

Sixty-nine per cent agree they can already get to many places they need to visit without having to drive.

Councillor Scott Arthur, Transport and Environment Convener, said: “As ever, the Walking and Cycling Index makes an extremely interesting read, and it’s thanks to the many people from all parts of the city who took part in the survey last year.

“Edinburgh is a compact, walkable city, as demonstrated by the many people who already regularly walk, wheel and cycle here. However, what’s clear from the Index is that there’s still much to be done to encourage even more people make the shift to travel on foot, wheel, bike or, in some cases, public transport.

“Thankfully, we’re on the right track, with an ambitious programme of development underway which will transform the way people travel around the city, and the results of the Walking and Cycling Index reassure us that we have the backing of Edinburgh’s residents to invest in these kinds of changes.

“The majority of residents think local areas could be improved through a 20-minute neighbourhood approach, and we will consult on this approach via our proposals to make Dalry greener, healthier and more vibrant.

“From our recent ban on pavement parking to the completion of the City Centre West to East Link, as well as longer term plans like the tram line between Granton and the BioQuarter and City Centre Transformation, we’re working to make Edinburgh a truly people-friendly city.”

Karen McGregor, Director, Sustrans Scotland, said: “I’d like to thank the people of Edinburgh who gave us their time to take part in the Walking and Cycling Index. The results show that making walking, wheeling and cycling the most accessible and desirable form of transport is of great importance to people, especially during the current cost of living crisis.

“There is clear evidence that people in Scotland’s capital want the option to walk, wheel and cycle to where they need to get to more often. The recent ban on pavement parking in the city is a huge step forward, but the Index also shows that people living in Edinburgh want safe, accessible cycle paths and pedestrian crossings; and they want more investment in public transport.

“The latest Index results show that The City of Edinburgh Council has the backing of the public to build on the work it has already started to make it easier for people to walk, wheel and cycle to get around.”

Other findings in the Index include inequalities and varied perceptions of walking, wheeling and cycling amongst different groups. Twenty-eight per cent of men cycle at least once a week compared to 16% of women, while the proportion of white residents who walk or wheel at least five days a week (67%) is higher than people from ethnic minority groups (55%).

Participants in the survey shared their views on the kinds of improvements that would encourage them to walk, wheel and cycle more. Some of the changes that would encourage people to travel by foot or wheel are fewer cars parked on pavements (67%), nicer places on streets to stop and rest (71%) and wider pavements (68%).

Seventy-three per cent said more traffic free cycle paths away from roads and 65% highlighted segregated cycle paths on roads as improvements that would help them to cycle more, while 58% support building more cycle paths physically separated from traffic and pedestrians, even when this would mean less room for other road traffic.

The report also emphasises the benefits already being delivered by people walking, wheeling and cycling in the Capital. By taking up to 160,000 cars off the road every day, each year they help prevent 1,314 serious long-term health conditions, create £262.6 million in economic benefits and save 42,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions.

Read the full Edinburgh Walking and Cycling Index 2023 report.

New report shows patients value NHS diagnostic services but face barriers to access

UK patients want better access to early and accurate diagnosis of health problems, according to new survey data from the Patients Association.

Many patients would consider paying to get tests done privately if they faced a long wait for NHS tests.

  • Nine in ten (90%) of UK patients say it should be more straightforward to get the diagnostic tests they need
  • Three in five (60%) said they would be willing to pay to get a test done if they faced a long wait, or the test they needed was not available
  • More than three in five (61%) believed being able to test at home could help speed up diagnosis
  • Patients want to know how to get the tests they need, why they are having them, and when they can expect results.

The survey, undertaken in partnership with Roche Diagnostics UK and Ireland, represents the views of more than 1,000 patients from across the UK, who had received diagnostic support from the NHS in the preceding six months.

Nine out of ten (90%) of the people who completed the survey said it should be easier to obtain access to the diagnostic tests they need. They also wanted:

  • Better understanding of why they were being sent for a test
  • Increased speed and urgency
  • Improved access
  • A greater sense of empowerment when it comes to diagnostic tests, results, and subsequent treatment and care.

Access challenges

The findings demonstrated several challenges experienced by patients in gaining access to diagnostic tests.

  • One-third of respondents (33%) said when they tried to get a test, they found there were no appointments available locally. This reflects national data on the large numbers of patients unable to access diagnostic tests and services, even before consideration is given to any waiting lists for any treatment they may need.
  • Almost four in five (78%) patients felt testing facilities should be provided closer to patients’ homes to make access easier
  • Seven in ten (70%) wanted a clearer understanding of how to access tests. Some respondents highlighted that services are sometimes not available as advertised.

Speed and urgency of access to testing was another significant problem identified by survey. Only one in ten (11%) of respondent said they have never had any issues getting either a test or their results, or faced no consequences if they did.

For those living with long-term conditions, delays and difficulties in accessing diagnosis have had significant consequences. Nearly one in five (17%) respondents said their long-term recovery was set back significantly.

Many more reported consequences for their mental and physical health, and their wider work and family life.

Respondents were also unhappy about a lack of access to, and clear explanation of, test results. Almost nine in ten (88%) patients wanted a realistic timeline for their test results to come through and a similar number (87%) called for a better explanation of what those results meant for them and their treatment.

Patient-created solutions

The survey discovered patients are finding ways around the challenges they faced. For example, when asked whether they would be willing to pay to get a test done privately if they faced a long wait or if the test they needed was not available on the NHS, three in five (60%) of respondents said they would. This included patients who did not consider themselves to be ‘rich’.

The finding that so many patients would consider paying for tests shows the importance they place on getting a timely and accurate diagnosis, even if they had to pay.

Sustainable solutions

The survey’s results show many patients have a clear view on how diagnostic services in the UK could be improved.

Being able to test at home was seen as one way to make services more accessible. Nearly two thirds (61%) of respondents believed expanding opportunities to test at home could help speed up diagnosis.

When asked about specific examples, the numbers were even higher, perhaps building on our collective experience of testing at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. More than three quarters (77%) said they would be happy to test themselves at home.

Investing in diagnostics and new technology was supported by most respondents. For example, more than half (57%) the respondents felt the use of new technology such as artificial intelligence could speed up diagnosis and reduce pressures on the NHS – an important factor since nearly one-third (29%) said they delayed seeking tests to avoid wasting NHS time and resources.

Looking to the future

Almost nine in ten (86%) felt testing and diagnosing conditions more quickly would help reduce the NHS backlog. While patients want to feel more empowered in taking charge of their own health, they are also keen that solutions are sought to support NHS efficiency and sustainability in the longer-term.

Rachel Power, Chief Executive of the Patient Association, says: “Patients value diagnostic services – that’s very clear from the survey. Frustrations about access to tests came over loud and clear.

“Those taking the survey clearly value being partners in their care. And to partner with the professionals sending them for tests, patients need and want clear communication on how to get tests, why they need a test, and when they’ll get results. Healthcare professionals can improve patient-centred care when ordering diagnostic tests by explaining how, why and when.”

Geoff Twist, Managing Director, Roche Diagnostics, UK & Ireland says: “Tests that detect or diagnose disease early, or in some cases prevent it altogether, can play a vital role in the patient journey, and in helping the health system work efficiently.

“This report shows that patients themselves see and understand the importance of diagnostic tests, and that they will proactively seek them out to find the answers they need about their health.

“The message is clear. But to realise this we need a renewed policy focus, setting out how we can speed up getting existing diagnostic tests and innovations to the people who need them. Prioritising diagnostic services can help to relieve some of the pressure on our NHS today and protect it for generations to come.”

Download Patient Experience of Diagnostics Report