Thanks to everyone who has given us feedback so far by completing our survey!
GIC are passionate about providing the best possible service to our clients and we are delighted with the results and the many positive comments we’ve received since April:
THIRD SECTOR INTERFACE BRIEFING NOTE:
The financial situation of the Edinburgh Integration Joint Board (EIJB) is very challenging. In 2025/26, the IJB seek to realise around £51m of savings. Future years will see further savings required, currently estimated to be £76m in 2026/27 and £105m in 2027/28.
These savings will be difficult and their impact will be substantial. So, managing change, and ensuring key services are delivered to communities will require collaboration by the IJB and city partners, including the Third Sector.
On November 1 2024, Third Sector representatives presented deputations to the EIJB challenging proposals around the Third Sector Grants Programme and an in-year cut (2024/2025). The IJB did not approve the proposal for the in-year cut with an alternative proposal being approved.
Following that meeting, the IJB invited Third Sector representatives to talk through concerns and identify areas to work together. To inform those meetings, EVOC and their TSI partners collaborated with the Edinburgh Community Health Forum and representatives of other Third Sector interests across the city to create a Reference Group.
The purpose of the Reference Group is to:
The Reference Group has rapidly considered the short-term issues around funding, and the longer-term issues of future partnership models, sharing a briefing note with the IJB on issues and options in early December. The engagement with EIJB has been positive given the difficult circumstances, and this positive engagement has resulted in an EIJB paper to the December Board which recommends:
In the current landscape this is a positive outcome for the Third Sector, informed directly by the voice, needs and priorities of the Sector.
Given the challenges to funding for the Third Sector and the impact cuts will have to the viability of Third Sector Organisations, the Reference Group have also argued the need for a cross city partnership approach to investment.
Following the November 1 EIJB meeting, the TSI wrote to the Chair of the EIJB, the Chief Executive of City of Edinburgh Council and NHS Lothian asserting the need to [a] reset investment [b] reform ways of working [c] repair relationships. In the immediate term, a key priority is to secure a commitment from City of Edinburgh to invest to mitigate the risks to critical and anchor organisations.
On December 10 the Council Policy and Sustainability Committee considered and approved a proposal that recognised that the Council may need to provide core or foundational funding to stabilise vital third sector organisations. The TSI with ECHF collaborated to present a joint deputation, welcoming the Council proposal, and offering support.
Council officers were instructed to:
The Reference Group will continue to meet and shape the next steps. An immediate priority is to agree on Terms of Reference and confirm representatives in the Group. We will be sharing a set of proposals before Christmas for your consideration.
A strong voice is essential to shape the long-term relationship with the EIJB and in particular the workshop series in spring 2025.
The Edinburgh TSI with EVOC and others from the Reference Group will support the paper to the EIJB on December 17 on progress on the Third Sector Grants Programme and the next steps in working collaboratively with the Sector, and also with the City of Edinburgh Council.
The EIJB Paper is available here: 6.3 Third Sector Commissioning 25-26 Engagement Update.pdf
If you need any further information in advance of the IJB meeting tomorrow (Tuesday 17 December), please get in touch with us or reach out to any member of the Reference Group.
We will also provide regular briefings on progress, through the fortnightly EVOC E-news and targeted updates on key information as necessary.
Dairmaid Lawlor, TSI Chair
How to Cope with the Winter Vomiting Bug
We have some important advice for dealing with norovirus, also known as the winter vomiting bug, after a recent increase in calls to the 111 service.
Norovirus is a stomach bug that causes vomiting and diarrhoea. While it can be very unpleasant, it usually goes away in about 2 days. Symptoms include:
Diarrhoea
Vomiting
High temperature
Headache
Aching arms and legs
Unfortunately, norovirus spreads easily and quickly. If you catch it, here’s what you should do:
Stay off work or school until at least 48 hours after symptoms have stopped.
Avoid visiting anyone in hospital during this time.
Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly with soap and water, especially after using the toilet and before handling food.
Remember, alcohol-based hand gels don’t kill the virus.
To prevent spreading norovirus, maintain basic hygiene and cleaning:
Disinfect surfaces and objects that could be contaminated using a bleach-based household cleaner.
Wash clothes and bedding separately on a hot wash (60°C).
Don’t share towels and flannels.
Clean toilets and surrounding areas with a bleach-based household cleaner.
Dr. Ron Cook, NHS 24’s Medical Director, advises: “If you experience sudden diarrhoea and/or vomiting, stay at home until you’re feeling better.
“There’s no treatment for norovirus, so you have to let it run its course. Drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration and avoid giving fizzy drinks or fruit juice to children as it can make their diarrhoea worse.
“Babies should continue to feed as usual. You don’t usually need medical advice unless there’s a risk of a more serious problem. Alleviate fever or aches with paracetamol and get plenty of rest.
“If you or someone you’re caring for shows signs of dehydration, use special rehydration drinks from your local pharmacy. Once you feel like eating, try plain foods like soup, rice, pasta, and bread.”
Stay healthy and take care this winter! 
Labour Lothians MSP, Sarah Boyack has written to Cabinet Secretary for Health, Neil Gray, seeking clarity over the next steps for the recently announced replacement eye hospital.
Last week’s budget brought the news campaigners have long been waiting for, that a new eye hospital is going ahead in Edinburgh.
This is after multiple U-turns from the Scottish Government and the current facility being not fit for purpose for 10 years.
Ms Boyack has been a long-time campaigner for the hospital and is now seeking more concrete next steps following the announcement.
In her letter, Ms Boyack highlights that patients and campaigners ‘need clarity’ and urges Neil Gray to lay out the timeline for delivering the hospital and when the construction work will commence.
She also seeks reassurances about whether Mr Gray will meet with stakeholders and campaigners to update them on the progress with the eye pavilion.
The fate of the current Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion was thrown into the spotlight recently when it was revealed that it would have to shut for a minimum of 6 months due to urgent repairs.
These repairs were further complicated by the discovery of asbestos.
The disrepair and age of the current building is one of the main reasons cited by campaigners as to why a new hospital is so desperately needed.
Commenting on her open letter, Sarah Boyack MSP said: “I am incredibly relieved that this project is finally going ahead.
“However, we have seen multiple U-turns in the past on the eye hospital.
“We need urgent clarity on the next steps.
“This project must be completed as soon as possible so that patients finally get the facility they deserve and require.
“I want to work constructively with Neil Gray on this.
“Patients and campaigners deserve clarity and I hope The Health Secretary takes up my suggestion to meet with stakeholders.”
Four community nurses from across Lothian have received the prestigious title of Queen’s Nurse.
Fab Four Laura Miller, Mags Morrow, Ryan Bell and Louise Healey successfully completed the intensive programme to be awarded the Queen’s Nurse title at a special ceremony at the Grassmarket Community Project in Edinburgh.
They were chosen to participate in an intensive nine-month development programme, organised by the Queen’s Nursing Institute Scotland (QNIS).
The programme included residential workshops, online sessions, and one-on-one coaching to enhance their skills and expertise. Laura, works as the Clinical Team Lead for District Nursing and Mags is the Clinical Nurse Manager, Lead Advanced Nurse Practitioner, and CWIC Service Operational Lead in East Lothian Health and Social Care Partnership.
Ryan is the Team Lead at Midlothian Older Adults Mental Health and Dementia Team, while Louise is the Team Manager of the Midlothian Community Adult Mental Health Team and Intensive Home Treatment Team; in Midlothian Health and Social Care Partnership.
Alison Macdonald, Executive Director for Nursing at NHS Lothian, said: “Our nurses across Lothian consistently deliver outstanding care, and it’s wonderful to see their efforts celebrated through the prestigious Queen’s Nurse Awards.
“We are especially proud to have not one, but four exceptional individuals receive this esteemed recognition this year. Congratulations to each of them on this incredible achievement.”
The legacy of Queen’s Nursing in Scotland dates back to the late 19th century, when nurses underwent specialised training to serve as district nurses, providing essential care to the ‘sick poor’ in Scotland’s communities.
Until the late 1960s, the Queen’s Nursing Institute Scotland (QNIS) oversaw the training of District Nurses, who became known as Queen’s Nurses. These nurses played a vital role in delivering healthcare and health education directly to people in their homes, earning respect and trust within their communities.
The original Queen’s Nurse title was awarded until 1969, when the introduction of a national certificate for district nursing marked the end of QNIS’s training programs.
In 2017, the Queen’s Nurse title was reintroduced in Scotland. Each year, around 20 community nurses and midwives are selected to participate in the Queen’s Nurse Development Programme (QNDP). Upon completion of this rigorous program, they are awarded the title of Queen’s Nurse. Today, there are more than 170 contemporary Queen’s Nurses serving communities across Scotland.
Every year, the programme requires participants to choose an issue for development which will have a significant impact on those they care for, so that the learning during the nine months is applied in practice. There is an expectation that this work will have a focus on promoting equity and inclusion.
Community nurses and midwives play a crucial role in supporting their communities by delivering a broad range of services. Their work includes providing complex care for older adults, offering support for individuals struggling with substance misuse, and advocating for people with learning disabilities.
This dedicated group also encompasses professionals in community mental health, district nursing, school nursing, care home nursing, and health visiting, all of whom are essential to the health and well-being of the populations they serve.
Dr Sarah Doyle, QNIS Chief Executive and Nurse Director, said: “QNIS is delighted to award the Queen’s Nurse title to these fantastic nurses.
“Community nurses and midwives occupy a unique position in Scotland’s health service, working as they do in the heart of communities, championing the cause of those who are not heard, helping those facing real adversity.
“They do extraordinary work, every day. The Queen’s Nurse Development Programme supports participants to build their confidence, inspiring them to find and lead creative responses to the challenges faced by their colleagues and the communities they serve.”
Funding for NHS Lothian candidates to undertake the development programme was provided by NHS Lothian Charity.
For more information on QNIS visit: https://www.qnis.org.uk/
Photo by Lesley Martin.
Dear colleagues
I am writing to you to provide an update on Edinburgh TSI* activity since the EIJB Board meeting on November 1 and to invite your collaboration on the next steps.
Though it was welcome that the IJB agreed not to proceed with an in-year cut to the Third Sector Grants Programme, the process leading to that decision, and risks flowing from the meeting on November 1 remain very challenging.
Resolving the funding position for the Third Sector Grant recipients, and all third sector funding from the IJB for 2025/6 alongside co-designing the conditions of success for any future model of working in partnership is a key priority for the Sector, and as a consequence, for the Edinburgh TSI.
We believe the IJB proposals need to be part of a wider strategic conversation in the city about how we invest in the Third Sector, ensuring we have the right investment in the right places with the right capacity to deliver the most impact.
Edinburgh TSI letter following November 1
In the lead-up to the November 1 IJB meeting, we worked collaboratively with the Edinburgh Community Health Forum, and others across our sector to draw out information for briefings from affected TSOs through phone calls, questionnaires and meetings. This concluded with a detailed rebuttal of arguments in Paper 7.2, as presented to the IJB as well as a TSI deputation. The deputation sought to build on the arguments put forward by organisations for time to plan better and work differently.
Following that meeting, I wrote on behalf of the TSI to the Chair of the EIJB, the leader of the Council, the CEC Chief Executive and the NHS Lothian Chief Executive. I emphasised the need for:
Edinburgh IJB engagement on Third Sector Grants and contracts
Agreeing on a funding settlement for 2025/6 is a key objective for the Third Sector, both for the Third Sector Grants Programme and for the larger contracted services with Third Sector Organisations.
There are different possible scenarios. A best-case scenario might be a one-year continuation of the grants programme while time is dedicated to coherently and collaboratively designing a sustainable “replacement” which enables the IJB to purchase what they need and want from the Third Sector while providing foundational funding for the wider sector.
This will require a series of conversations, some sense of prioritisation and scoping of how to manage change. The big challenge is time. Initial discussions are progressing between Edinburgh TSI and the IJB on immediate priorities, and a meeting has been invited with CEC.
To inform the discussions on funding, the Edinburgh TSI met with a group of Third Sector partners to scope priorities. This includes articulating the real consequences of making any cuts on the Sector and its ability to deliver outcomes with communities; seeking confirmation on the priority focus for the IJB in 2025/6, and inviting discussion on options around the best use of our joint resources through a process of co-design. These conversations will need to be ongoing. We welcome your views as to how best to shape them.
Edinburgh IJB engagement on Public Social Partnership
Any change to a way of working to a Public Social Partnership or some other commissioning model by the IJB demands an investment of time up front.
This time is needed to confirm commitment to co-design to ensure that any partnership is a partnership, and any working relationship is founded on clear conditions for success.
This needs an investment in learning from other PSP’s in the city, what worked, and what didn’t, and it needs clarity on roles and responsibilities. In the meantime, a clear transition arrangement needs to be set out, describing how current commitments and contracts are to be managed.
Following the November 1 meeting, the IJB have been reviewing budget and partnership proposals. They have invited a group of Third Sector representatives to discuss how to progress partnership working together on shared issues and challenges.
The purpose of the meeting is to start a conversation about how best to work together, who to engage and what success looks like. The next steps will need wider conversations within the sector and between the sector and the IJB, and we invite your views as to how best to shape this.
Reference Group Proposal
The Third Sector has important Board roles on the EIJB and other city institutions. However, at the EIJB meeting, Cllr Pogson asked if there was enough Third Sector representation on the Board.
A reformed Board may be a future possibility, but meanwhile, it is critical to be able to support the people who occupy these Board seats so the voices of the sector feed into them, support and challenge them.
This is particularly the case in the next year or so where there will be very challenging issues and decisions to consider, with significant impact for the Sector.
To try and make sense of where to best put attention around these issues, we have convened a small, embryonic group of sector people. We aim to build this into a Reference Group with representation from across the Sector to distil and amplify the voices of the sector around priority issues. This will evolve over the next few months, and we invite your collaboration.
Our initial sense is that the areas of focus are about:
We have developed Draft Terms of Reference for this Group, which builds on the current issues around the IJB but also focuses on the Third Sector as a whole.
Next steps
In sharing this context and background, it is my intention to work collaboratively to find a solution to the real risks we are facing as a sector.
In this context, I invite you to get in touch with initial feedback on the role of the TSI in shaping the Reference Group. In the meantime, Edinburgh TSI colleagues will continue to convene the sector through forums, networks and meetings, alongside the Edinburgh Community Health Forum.
Together, we can also continue to highlight the risks and impact of this loss of investment in the third sector, both individually and collectively.
Please get in touch and get involved. We recognise that our strength is in working together and supporting each other across our rich, diverse and talented Third Sector. I look forward to working with you.
DIARMAID LAWLOR,
Chair of the Edinburgh TSI
* The Edinburgh Interface is a collaboration between Edinburgh Voluntary Organisations’ Council (EVOC), Volunteer Edinburgh (VE), and Edinburgh Social Enterprise (ESE).
A baby boy who has spent his entire life at Edinburgh’s Royal Hospital for Children and Young People (RHCYP) has now had the honour of turning on the hospital’s Christmas lights.
One-year-old Gabriel Sebastian was born 17 months ago at the hospital and has not spent a single night at home since. His parents, Teena Thomas and Sebastian Paul, have never left his side.
Gabriel has Spondyloepimetaphyseal dysplasia – a 1 in a million genetic condition so rare that doctors cannot predict how it might shape his life. He may be short and could have facial abnormalities and brittle bones. He is unable to breathe by himself so has a tracheostomy.
Yesterday afternoon, alongside his proud parents, and Hibs captain and Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity volunteer Joe Newell, Gabriel pressed the big red button to light up the 20ft tree and surrounding area of the hospital which has cared for him since birth.
Mum Teena said: “At our five month scan, we were told something was wrong with our baby. His bones weren’t really there, his spine barely developed, his tiny arms and legs too short. And there was a 50% chance that he would be stillborn.
“But I could feel him moving so strongly, like he was saying, ‘I want to come into the world Mama.’ How could we not fight for him?
“We prepared for the worst but clung to hope. We bought a Moses basket, decorated his room. We thought, ‘We’ll be in hospital maybe five days, then he’ll come home.’ He was born on 2nd June 2023. We’ve been living here ever since.
“Gabriel’s smile is the most powerful thing. Through every invasive operation, every painful procedure, every heart-wrenching emergency, he comes back smiling. And that keeps us going.”
Teena and Sebastian will always be grateful for the incredible care and support they and Gabriel have received from the RHCYP, as well as from Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity (ECHC).
The family is supporting ECHC’s Christmas appeal, which asks supporters to help bring the sparkle to seriously ill children and families in hospital this Christmas.
Teena continued: “The care and love we have been shown by everyone at the RHCYP has been outstanding. Everyone has been such a huge part of his journey. It’s thanks to everyone there that Gabriel is here with us this Christmas.
“We are honoured to have Gabriel switch on the Christmas lights for ECHC. We’ve missed out on so much of what it is to be a ‘normal’ family. This is what the charity really understands. We never wanted him to be treated like a child who is ill. Even in the chaos, he gets to play, to laugh, to have moments of happiness. ECHC makes this happen.
“Gabriel’s future is uncertain. We don’t know if he will ever breathe on his own. We don’t know if he will speak or eat. But we do believe he will be with us. If you’re heading home this Christmas, please spare a thought for children like Gabriel who will be in hospital instead this year.”
The Christmas Light Switch On is just one of many hospital activities that ECHC has planned to make this Christmas one to remember for children who are sadly too unwell to spend it at home.
Pippa Johnston, Deputy CEO at ECHC, said: “We would like to say an enormous thank you to Gabriel and his wonderful family for helping to make the hospital’s Christmas light switch on so memorable. They are a remarkable family and Gabriel is a little star in every sense of the word.
“Every year, in partnership with our friends at NHS Lothian, ECHC works hard to bring the sparkle to the hospital at Christmas. We rely solely on donations to do this. We are asking the people of Edinburgh (and beyond) to help make Christmas extra special for children in hospital this year.”
Anne Milburn, General Manager for Women’s and Children’s Services at NHS Lothian, said: “Christmas can be a really difficult time for patients who are unwell, and so watching Gabriel and his family turn on this year’s Christmas lights at the RHCYP has brought a real sense of festive cheer. I’d like to extend our thanks to them for making the light switch on so special.
“Our expert staff and ECHC go above and beyond every day of the year to make sure that children experience the best care, and so it’s important that those who will be spending most of the festive period in the RHCYP still experience the magic of Christmas.”
To make a donation to ECHC’s Christmas appeal, visit www.echcharity.org/donate
New figures have revealed that almost 1000 people within the NHS Lothian region are waiting for life changing hybrid closed loop (HCL) system.
This is a devastating blow for diabetic patients who face extensive wait times to receive the technology.
Hybrid closed loop systems work to automatically adjust glucose levels depending on a patient’s blood sugar.
This is in stark contrast to the current system where the patient must manually adjust and administer the insulin themselves.
Paul Hughes, who works for Edinburgh Council and has had diabetes for 24 years, finds himself stuck on the waiting list for a HCL system.
Mr Hughes originally requested to be added to the waiting list in 2021 but found out, after inquiry, that he had not been added until 2023.
He is concerned that the ‘postcode lottery’ will mean he is not able to access an HCL system for the foreseeable future.
Mr Hughes has previously suffered a broken cheek and elbow from collapsing due to his blood sugar levels dropping too low.
He believes an HCL system is critical to improving his diabetes control and avoiding similar incidents in the future.
These figures were first revealed via FOI, by Labour MSP for Lothian, Sarah Boyack.
Ms Boyack has written an open letter (above) to Cabinet Secretary for Health, Neil Gray to ask what actions the Scottish Government is taking to urgently reduce these waiting lists.
Earlier this year, Ms Boyack hosted a roundtable of diabetic constituents who raised access to diabetes technology as a critical issue.
Commenting on these figures, Ms Boyack said: “The size of the waiting list is extremely alarming. This is life changing technology and patients across Lothian are in limbo waiting to receive it.
“I have had many constituents contact me, anxious about the lack of clarity for when they will receive an HCL system.
“The Scottish Government have announced funding to expand the HCL rollout, but it means nothing if it is not reaching people on the ground. That is why I have written to Neil Gray to ensure that type 1s across NHS Lothian are not left out in the cold when it comes to getting a HCL system”.
Paul Hughes added: “This technology would be life changing for me. I would no longer have to worry about my blood sugar dropping during the night, which currently keeps me awake.
“I am incredibly concerned about the long waiting list for those in NHS Lothian.
“I have sustained serious injury from collapsing due to low blood sugar so this technology cannot come soon enough.”
GREYFRIARS CHARTERIS CENTRE. THE PLEASANCE on 24th NOVEMBER
The RHCYP’s Memorial Service in Greyfriars Charteris Centre, 138/140 Pleasance, Edinburgh EH8 9RR, offers space for personal or shared reflection for those who’ve experienced the death of a child.
People of all ages, all beliefs or none, are most welcome:
NHS Lothian has taken the difficult decision to withdraw joint funding from a service that provides support to veterans in Lothian, following a stark financial review.
The health board has told Veterans First Point Lothian staff and patients that it can no longer provide its share – £214,778 – of the total budget required, to maintain the service amid the significant financial challenge facing health boards.
Veterans First Point Lothian was jointly funded by Scottish Government and NHS Lothian as a “one-stop shop” offering support, advice and mental health care for veterans. It is a multi-award-winning service that has provided support to over 2500 different veterans throughout the last 15 years.
By April 2025, the service will cease to exist in its current form and a significant redesign and move of premises is planned by March 2025.
It comes as NHS Lothian is forced to review all services and departments in a bid to make efficiency savings of seven per cent following the budget allocation made earlier this year.
Further reductions in part of the mental health budget of 4.6 per cent means that the health board can no longer continue to find its share of this service.
Tracey McKigen, Director of Royal Edinburgh Hospital and Associated Services, NHS Lothian, said: “This has been a really difficult decision and we apologise to all of our patients and staff who are affected. We would like to thank the team for their dedication and commitment to supporting our veterans over the years.
“This is no reflection on the quality of the Veterans First Point Lothian service, but it does serve as a stark reminder of the extremely difficult choices that we are facing every day as we balance the need to provide safe and effective healthcare while meeting the severe financial challenges facing health board and other public sector organisations.”
Scottish Government will allocate its 40 per cent share of the funding and NHS Lothian is currently reviewing the future service provision possible within the remaining budget.
However it does mean that Veterans First Point Lothian will no longer be able to accept new referrals or commence any new episodes of treatment. Veterans, who are impacted by the change, are urged to contact the team to discuss alternative support.
If veterans feel they need help or support and are not already part of Veterans First Point Lothian, they should contact their GP during the day, and at evenings and weekends they should contact NHS 24 on 111.
