Students across Lothian are encouraged to ensure their vaccinations are up to date before heading off to college or university this year.
Infectious diseases such as meningitis, septicaemia (blood poisoning) and measles can spread easily in universities and colleges. Vaccination offers the best protection against these diseases, which is why it’s important to check your vaccines are up to date.
Students are 11 times more likely to develop invasive meningococcal disease, which causes meningitis and septicaemia. The meningitis ACWY (MenACWY) vaccine helps to protect against these very serious diseases. Students who have missed having the vaccine, can get it up to the age of 25 years.
Parts of the UK and other countries in Europe have been seeing an increase in the number of people getting measles, and evidence suggests students are at higher risk. That’s why it’s important to check you’ve had two doses of the MMR vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps and rubella and has saved over 4,500 lives across the UK.
Pat Wynne, Nurse Director for Primary and Community Care, NHS Lothian, said: “These diseases can be severe and, in some cases, life threatening.
“Students are at increased risk due to the large amounts of mixing with new people in enclosed spaces. Increasing cases of measles and meningococcal disease in particular were observed earlier this year.
“Vaccines are the best way to ensure you’re protected and these are offered for free on the NHS in Scotland. These vaccines are offered as part of the routine childhood immunisation schedule however if they’ve been missed, it’s not too late to catch up.
“Ideally, they should be given at least two weeks before the new semester starts.”
There is also still time to get the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. It helps protect against HPV-related cancers including head, neck and cervical cancer and also protects against over 90% of genital wart infections. Most students will have had the HPV vaccine at school if eligible but if not, students may still be able to get it up until the age of 25.
If you are under 25 years and you’ve missed any vaccinations, call the Vaccination Enquiries Line on 0300 790 6296. If you are 25 or over, call your GP practice. They can check your records and arrange a referral if it is required.
International students may be able to get additional vaccines that were not available where they lived before.
In a ground-breaking first for Scotland, laboratory specimens have been flown from one NHS board to another – by drone.
This step forward by the Project CAELUS initiative, led by AGS Airports in partnership with NHS Scotland, took place during a three-week flight trial between NHS Lothian and NHS Borders.
Live flying took place between the Edinburgh BioQuarter next to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh and Borders General Hospital in Melrose.
Invited guests were involved in a special event on Wednesday (21st August) showcasing the live flight trial with presentations around the work conducted by Project CAELUS.
Currently, laboratory samples which inform urgent clinical decision-making are transported by road and can take up to five hours between NHS Borders and NHS Lothian due to due to needing to make multiple pick-ups.
Innovation activity being conducted by Project CAELUS could see this delivery take 35 minutes, enhancing the transport provision, particularly for rural areas.
Project CALEUS is working with 16 consortium partners to deliver what will be the first national drone network that can transport essential medicines, bloods and other medical supplies throughout Scotland including to remote communities.
Fiona Smith, Project Director for Project CAELUS said: “Our consortium has been working extremely hard to get to this stage and we are delighted we have been able to test this important use case for the NHS.
“Transporting laboratory specimens by drone could speed up the clinical decision making allowing for same day diagnosis and treatment.
“It is also one of the first times in the UK that there has been a demonstration of beyond the visual line of sight medical drone operations transiting between controlled and uncontrolled airspace.
“This is an important milestone for our project and we now look forward to testing more potential use cases by drone across Scotland in the coming months.”
Hazel Dempsey is the CAELUS NHS Scotland programme lead: “Our aim, from an NHS perspective, is to explore opportunities where drone technology could benefit patients and NHS services in urban, remote, rural and island landscapes.
“The NHS is reliant on van logistics that have provided valuable service for decades, however these can take time, travelling hundreds of road miles each day. In some parts of Scotland, patients who live in remote and rural locations are dependent on ferry or airline availability.
“This project will enable the NHS to consider if drone technology is viable and able to contribute to improving the health and wellbeing of our population. This project will position the United Kingdom and NHS Scotland as a leader in healthcare and aviation industries.”
CAELUS (Care & Equity – Healthcare Logistics UAS Scotland), is part funded by the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Future Flight Challenge.
It brings together 16 partners including the University of Strathclyde, Skyports Drone Services, NATS and NHS Scotland.
In the latest live flight trials, tests were also carried out on how NHS staff in future would engage with the drone both physically and digitally.
Dr Tracey Gillies, Medical Director and Executive Lead for Innovation, NHS Lothian said, “Across NHS Lothian, we are continually exploring ways to innovate and enhance our patient experience.
“Lothian and the surrounding areas are very diverse, from city to country and coastal living. Drones could play an important role in helping to transport samples for testing or speed up the delivery of critical medical supplies.
“These exciting trial flights have been a collaborative effort between our clinical leads, South East Innovation Hub and partner organisations and I look forward to seeing further developments with this project.”
Laura Jones, Director of Quality & Improvement at NHS Borders said: “We are proud to be involved in Project Caelus, exploring how drone technology could provide an additional logistics service to enhance access to essential medical supplies particularly in rural parts of Scotland like the Scottish Borders.
“Our involvement in this project is part of our commitment to providing high quality person-centred care by modernising services so that they are fit for the future using the technologies that are available to us going forward.”
Since January 2020, the CAELUS consortium has designed drone landing stations for NHS sites across Scotland and developed a virtual model (digital twin) of the proposed delivery network which connects hospitals, pathology laboratories, distribution centres and GP surgeries across Scotland.
In October 2023, in a hugely successful trial, flying took place between Glasgow Airport and NHS Golden Jubilee in Clydebank. This initiative was showcasing the integration of drones with modern airspace.
Live flight trials were operated by CAELUS consortium member Skyports Drone Services. The UK-based operator is an experienced provider of drone delivery, survey and monitoring services. The company has a long history of operating medical drone deliveries, including the first drone deliveries with the NHS.
The Scottish Ambulance Service also carried out a simulation study in August to better understand the feasibility of delivering an Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) via drone technology.
Paul Gowens, Associate Director, Research and Innovation with the Scottish Ambulance Service, said: “We are delighted to be a key partner in Project CAELUS.
“Our recent study carried out in Edinburgh was a great success as we learned more about the feasibility of delivering an Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) via drone technology. We look forward to working alongside AGS and our partners on Project CAELUS on future milestones.”
Richard Ellis, NATS New Airspace Users Director, said: “This is a major step forward for the project and its fantastic to see many of the operational concepts we’ve helped developed be put into use.
“We are now a step closer to realising a truly integrated airspace where drones fly safely and seamlessly alongside conventional aircraft.”
The University of Strathclyde’s principal investigator for the project, Dr Marco Fossati, said: “The latest live flight trials mark an important milestone in the journey to developing a national medical transport drone network.”
Mike McNicholas, managing director for Infrastructure at AtkinsRéalis said: “It is a fantastic step forward for the project to make its first drone delivery and to see the ground infrastructure in use as part of the test flight.
AtkinsRéalis has been working closely with the AGS Airports-led consortium on the development of large, portable landing pads that can be folded up and stored when not in use, or moved to another location to receive another drone landing.
“Using a combination of digital twin technology and live test flights, Project CAELUS is able to trial various prototypes, taking learnings from each iteration to hone designs and land on something that can demonstrate the viability, scalability and efficiency of a drone network for medical deliveries across Scotland.”
Anne-Lisa Scaillierez, partner at The Drone Office: “Public feedback from our engagement activities has shown overwhelming support for using drones in medical logistics across Scotland.
“We’re thrilled by the significant progress achieved as part of Project CAELUS.”
David Hiller, Associate Director of Arup, said: “Arup has been enormously privileged to contribute to such a pivotal study, helping to better understand the human impacts of noise in relation to health and wellbeing.
“The study facilitated by CAELUS is one of the first of its kind and will support broader innovation globally. Cross-sector collaboration is both exciting and crucial as the capabilities of advanced air mobility technology evolve.”
Connected Places Catapult’s Ecosystem Director for Air Mobility & Airports, Andrew Chadwick said: “It is tremendous to see drones being used as part of Project CAELUS to transport essential medical supplies from one site to another, particularly as this is the first time a drone flight has operated in Scotland between two different NHS health boards.
“Connected Places Catapult has been working with NHS Scotland to develop the business and economic cases for these types of services alongside consortium members, and we look forward to exploring future opportunities for drone operations.”
Funding for projects to benefit patients and clinical staff
A total of £1.5 million funding in 2024-25 is supporting 12 projects to continue providing direct and personalised support to patients with cancer.
The Single Point of Contact (SPoC) pilots provide patients with ongoing contact to support them, putting them at the heart of all decisions and actions involving them throughout their care journey.
The NHS Lothian SPoC uses a centralised digital hub delivering telephone communication and support to patients with a range of cancer types.
Around 40% of calls are diverted away from Clinical Nurse Specialist workload, which has led to improvements in the quality of their telephone contacts. Patient engagement work carried out by NHS Lothian and Healthcare Improvement Scotland has indicated high satisfaction with the service.
Confirming the funding, which is included in the 2024-25 Budget, as he met nurses at Edinburgh Cancer Centre with experience of the service, First Minister John Swinney said: “We are fully focused on improving cancer survival, and delivering excellent and accessible care is at the core of how we do that.
“The Single Point of Contact Service meets requirements identified by Boards to deliver improvements in communication and support for patients with navigating cancer care.
“By taking in the region of 2,000 calls per month and providing person-centred support to those patients throughout their care journey, the Edinburgh Single Point of Contact project provides consistent access for patients to have conversations about their care, freeing up capacity for specialist staff to focus on the most complex cases.”
Katie Gibson, Neuroendocrine Tumour Clinical Nurse Specialist at the Edinburgh Cancer Centre, said: “I’ve seen first-hand how the SPoC service has transformed our ability to care for cancer patients.
“The centralised system streamlines communication and allows us to spend more quality time with those who need it most.
“As a result, patients are aware of who to contact for the support and advice they require from diagnosis , treatment and beyond.”
Over £1.5 million will support 12 pilot projects across Scotland to deliver a single point of contact to people diagnosed with cancer.
Funding has been delivered in response to needs identified by individual Boards and proposals submitted by them, pilots vary by cancer type and location:
NHS Lothian has received £ 343,740 to support the telephone-based SPoC service at Edinburgh Western General, serving boards within the South East Scotland Cancer Network
NHS Borders has received £82,000 for 3 cancer care co-ordinators, providing support across a variety of cancer sites
NHS Dumfries and Galloway has received £71,000 for 2 cancer co-ordinator posts, providing a telephone-based support service across a range of tumour sites
NHS Fife has received £107,354 to staff a Single Point of Contact Hub, dealing with all urgent suspected cancer referrals.
NHS Forth Valley has received £67,556 for 2 healthcare support workers (HCSW) providing a single point of contact for 7 tumour groups
NHS Ayrshire and Arran, NHS Forth Valley, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, and NHS Lanarkshire have received total funding of £202,668to develop a regional approach to digital remote follow up of prostate cancer patients in the West of Scotland
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has received £67,566 for 2 support workers to augment specialist gynaecological nursing support and £141,324 for 4 SPoC roles across GGC sites to smooth and facilitate the patient journey, for people diagnosed with lung cancer
NHS Grampian has received £84,500 for 3 posts to provide a joint service with Macmillan Navigators, providing support following an Urgent Suspicion of Cancer (USC) referral
NHS Highland has received £270,680 for 7 Cancer Support Workers providing tailored support throughout diagnostic pathway and onto treatment
NHS Tayside has received £33,288 to provide support for people diagnosed with advanced Upper Gastrointestinal or Hepatopancreatobiliary tumours and lung, renal and prostate cancers
NHS Western Isles has received £68,000 for 2 HCSWs, as part of the Macmillan Team, to support people with all types of cancer
Health Improvement Scotland is currently carrying out a scalability assessment of all 12 projects in order to identify best practice and how best to scale and expand these pilots.
NHS Lothian recently led a project to reduce waste and carbon emissions caused by incorrectly disposed inhalers.
Across Scotland, respiratory disease is common, however the treatment for this is a major carbon hotspot. Emissions caused by incorrectly disposed inhalers contribute to air pollution, potentially exacerbating respiratory conditions and affecting the overall health of our communities.
Jane Hopton, NHS Lothian Environmental Sustainability Lead said: “The carbon footprint of respiratory disease is largely due to the current propellant gases found in some inhalers. These gases have 1,430 or 3,220 times the global warming potential of CO2, depending on the brand of inhaler.
“By disposing of used, unwanted, or expired inhalers properly, we can ensure the safe destruction of the residual propellant gases and in doing so, help to reduce their carbon footprint.”
This project, which was funded by NHS Lothian Charity as part of their Climate Challenge Grant initiative, asked participating community pharmacies to add stickers to dispensing bags containing inhalers. The stickers stated, “please return unwanted or expired inhalers to your pharmacy for environmentally safe disposal.”
In total, five community pharmacies took part in the pilot project. After 10 weeks of adding the stickers to bags, the number of inhalers returned was four times more than prior, representing a 300% increase.
Jane added: “This has been an important project, and one which demonstrates how small changes can make a valuable contribution to supporting our sustainability goals.
“Our thanks go to staff within the Community Pharmacies that were involved for their support in making this pilot such a success. I look forward to seeing this work develop, as collectively we explore all opportunities to reduce our carbon footprint.”
While dry powder inhalers do not contain propellants, they are currently not recyclable due to the multiple types of plastic and components in them. Patients, however, are encouraged to dispose of these items safely and can return them to a pharmacy to do this.
The second phase of this project aims to increase effective prescribing for respiratory conditions by improving access to information that supports clinical decision making and promotes good inhaler techniques.
This is in recognition of the new Scottish Government quality prescribing strategy for respiratory conditions which recognises that the most environmentally friendly inhaler is one that patients can, will and do use correctly.
Resources have been developed to support this, including posters for healthcare staff and educational posters to support patients with their inhaler technique. These have been distributed to staff in primary and secondary care by the Respiratory Managed Clinical Network.
Katie Johnston, Respiratory Lead, Primary Care Pharmacist, NHS Lothian said: “Lots of people use inhalers and often do not think about the environmental impact these can have.
“Community pharmacies are ideally positioned and essential to support improved respiratory care and to help reduce the environmental impact of all medicines.
“Feedback regarding the resources has been very positive and the Managed Clinical Network plans to continue to develop and share information to ensure inhaler waste continues to be reduced, the carbon footprint from inhalers is minimised and every patient is prescribed an inhaler device that is suitable for them.”
NHS Lothian has become one of the first health board in Scotland to trial a new physio clinic app to unlock faster, personalised treatment for patients.
The new platform – called Flok Health – provides same-day access to automated, responsive video appointments with an AI physiotherapist via a smartphone app.
Flok is the first platform of its kind to have been approved by the Care Quality Commission as a registered healthcare provider, creating a brand new treatment pathway for physiotherapy patients.
Alison MacDonald, Executive Nurse Director, NHS Lothian, said: “Technological developments such as Flok have the potential to substantially improve the care and journey for some people with back pain by complimenting the range of healthcare services available.
“We’re looking forward to continuing working with Flok to further understand and explore the potential for how we could integrate such technology with our current therapy provision.”
As part of a series of three-month pilot studies between May and December 2023, over 1000 NHS staff who were suffering from back pain self-referred to Flok’s AI physiotherapy clinic to receive treatment.
An initial video assessment was held with each of the staff members from NHS Lothian, NHS Borders, Cambridge University Hospitals, and Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, and an AI physiotherapist to evaluate their symptoms and ensure Flok could safely provide the right treatment for their condition.
Once approved for treatment, patients had a weekly AI video appointment with their digital physio, which could be accessed at a time that suited them from the comfort of their own home.
During these appointments, the AI physiotherapist was able to prescribe exercises and pain management techniques, monitor each patient’s symptoms, and adjust their treatment in real-time.
The majority of patients were initially prescribed six treatment appointments with Flok’s AI physio. After these weekly appointments had been completed, patients were given unlimited access to personalised sessions for several months, during which they could focus on preventative care and reducing the risk of recurrent issues, in line with their needs.
Nearly all (97%) of the patients who self-referred to Flok within Lothian received an automated triage outcome. More than nine out of 10 (92%) were immediately approved for AI physio and given access to an appointment that same day. A handful (5%) were automatically referred to another NHS service, including NHS 111 or their GP).
The remaining three per cent of patients were given an additional assessment via telehealth appointment with a member of Flok’s clinical team. All but one of these individuals were then cleared to receive treatment with the AI physio, with the remaining patient successfully referred to an alternative service for urgent care.
In the latest service evaluation, all of the patients who took part in the survey said their experience with Flok had been at least equivalent to seeing a human physiotherapist, with nearly six in 10 (57%) of patients saying they thought the AI physio experience was better than the traditional alternative.
The digital service was also effective, with more than four in five participants (86%) reporting that their symptoms had improved during treatment with the Flok platform.
Finn Stevenson, Co-Founder and CEO at Flok Health, said: “Around 11 million people suffer from back pain in the UK and 20% of us will visit our GP with a musculoskeletal problem each year. But it’s getting harder and harder for patients to access the physiotherapy they need.
“Creating faster, more convenient access to physiotherapy services is vital to tackling this crisis. Harnessing new technologies, like AI, can help us unlock individualised treatment for thousands of patients, while reducing pressure on NHS services and freeing up capacity for treating those in need of in-person care.
“We’re proud to be leading the charge on this at Flok. It has been incredible to see the positive impact that AI physiotherapy can have throughout our initial trials with NHS Lothian, NHS Borders, Cambridge University Hospitals and Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. We’re excited to be working closely with the NHS to develop this new technology and create a new care model for on-demand personalised treatment at population scale.”
It’s common to fire up the BBQ in sunny weather. But, it’s important to follow food safety advice.
This helps to avoid contaminating your food and food poisoning.
Do
follow all instructions on the packaging – some foods can be cooked from frozen, while others need to be defrosted in advance
defrost meat thoroughly before cooking, ideally in your fridge
cook food in the oven before finishing on the barbeque to ensure it’s cooked all the way through
keep meat and ready to eat foods separate – like salad and bread
turn food regularly to cook it evenly
use separate utensils for raw and cooked meats
heat foods until steaming hot before eating
wash ready to eat salad bags and all foods that can be eaten without peeling
Don’t
do not use a sauce or marinade for cooked food that’s had raw meat in it
do not wash uncooked meat
do not eat hot foods that have been left out in the heat – especially foods like cooked rice, cooked meats, shellfish and dairy products
Avoiding bugs and germs outdoors
The summer months are an opportunity to get out and enjoy outdoor spaces. This can be brilliant for both your physical and mental health. But, be mindful that a small number of people each year are affected by infections caught outdoors.
Do
wear gloves while gardening, especially if you handle compost, as there can be Legionella bacteria
wear a mask if you’re working on anything dusty
wash your hands after doing outdoor activities
wash your hands thoroughly if you’ve been in contact with farm animals or the environment where they’re kept – like a gate, fence or building
be aware of when and where you can be bitten by ticks – ticks in Scotland can carry the germ that causes Lyme disease
take plenty of clean drinking water when you’re outdoors
use chemical treatments or boil water to make untreated water safe to drink
Don’t
do not drink untreated water – germs like E.coli can contaminate lochs, rivers and burns and can be harmful if swallowed
Edinburgh resident John Rowan (68) has had to go private for hearing aids after waiting over a year for his regular hearing aid check, despite the Scottish Government setting a waiting time target of 18 weeks.
Mr Rowan’s hearing loss originated from contracting measles as a child and the legacy of contracting measles is now affecting his hearing in later life.
Despite being retired, Mr Rowan is heavily involved in the charity sector and until recently, sat on the board of a Scottish-wide charity and he volunteers with several others.
In May 2023, Mr Rowan self-referred himself for a new hearing test and was added to the waiting list. Despite assurances his appointment would be in May 2024, he was not invited to an appointment.
The further deterioration in his hearing has left him struggling to hear basic conversations.
Due to this, Mr Rowan took the decision to go private to receive hearing aids.
Labour MSP for Lothian, Sarah Boyack, has been pursuing this issue on Mr Rowan’s behalf.
However, the NHS confirmed to Ms Boyack in May 2024, that due to pressure there was no confirmation for when Mr Rowan would receive his appointment.
Only after Mr Rowan had paid out of pocket for his hearing aids did the NHS get back in touch to confirm an appointment for August 2024.
Mr Rowan said: “My hearing test was due in May, however, unfortunately it was pushed back with no date given to me for when I might be tested.
“Due to the ongoing delay, I had to resort to going private to ensure I got the hearing aids I desperately needed.
“My loss of hearing affects me in day-to-day life, as I struggle to listen to conversations which I need to hear in the roles that I do with the voluntary sector.
“I am incredibly concerned if more is not done to tackle these waiting times then my hearing will only deteriorate further.”
Sarah Boyack MSP added: “Mr Rowan’s case illustrates the dire state that the Scottish Government have left NHS Lothian in.
“These delays and missed targets dramatically affect patients’ lives.
“It is unacceptable that Mr Rowan is facing further deterioration of his hearing due to delays.
“The Scottish Government must address the crisis in NHS Lothian as an immediate priority.
“No one should be having to pay out of pocket simply to be able to hear conversations with friends and family.
“If they don’t I fear cases such as Mr Rowan’s will only become more common.”
Most insect bites and stings can be treated through the following steps:
Wash the affected area with soap and water.
Apply a cold compress.
Take painkillers like paracetamol or ibuprofen to help with pain or swelling.
