An Edinburgh ambulance crew have been praised for saving the life of a man who had an allergic reaction to wheat after eating a Scottish morning roll while on holiday.
Terry and Elizabeth Hanson, of Blaydon, Tyne and Wear, have passed on their thanks to Scott Atkinson, Paramedic, and Andrew Innes, Technician, both of Edinburgh City Station.
The pair were on holiday and were walking in Newhailes around 2pm when Terry had a reaction to wheat, which quickly turned into anaphylaxis.
Terry, 71, said: “We were visiting friends. I had breakfast, and I foolishly had a Scottish morning roll, even though I knew I had an allergy to wheat flour.
“Everything was okay until I started walking and the times I’ve had anaphylaxis in the past, it’s always been associated with eating wheat flour and then exercising afterwards, so it was just totally the wrong thing to do.”
Elizabeth said: “I noticed he was very pale and just didn’t look right. He kind of staggered to a bridge. After a few minutes, he totally lost consciousness.”
She said a group of cyclists passing by stopped by; one called an ambulance and Elizabeth administered an EpiPen.
She explained: “The ambulance arrived very, very quickly and just in time to save my husband’s life. The two ambulance staff were accompanied by a university student who was observing and helping.”
She said they were “blue lighted” across Edinburgh by Scott and Andrew to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, adding: “My husband was seen immediately and stabilised. One of the ambulance staff found me in the waiting area and updated me with everything, even though it was extremely busy.
“Nursing staff also took the time to update me in the waiting area too.
“I am in no doubt that his life was saved by the swift actions of the ambulance staff and I would like to pass on our sincerest thanks and gratitude to them – I hope they realise how incredible they all are.
“The staff who attended to him were all very efficient and friendly. I feel he received the absolute best care that he could have possibly received.”
Following the incident on November 13, 2021, Terry was discharged at 3am the following morning.
He has now recovered at home and added: “I just want to say thanks very much to the ambulance crew for saving my life. I’m sure I would not have made it if not for them.”
NHS Lothian Children’s Services is giving thousands of children and young people across Scotland access to important wellbeing resources with the launch of a new digital Wellbeing Hub.
Following the launch of the new Children’s Services website, a Wellbeing Hub has been developed to provide an interactive, engaging platform with expert support for young people aged 12–17 in Scotland. A children’s section for 5–11-year-olds has been launched at the same time.
The Wellbeing Hub was designed in collaboration with 10 key partners including CAMHS, the Children’s Rights Commissioner for Scotland, Young Scot, Chalmers Sexual Health Services, and Sleep Scotland who were all instrumental in providing outstanding resources and offering guidance in the development of a Wellbeing Hub that would be fit for purpose for children and young people across Scotland.
The new hub features a wealth of information to support a young person’s physical and mental wellbeing with topics such as anxiety, body image, social media, sleep, healthy relationships and consent featuring on the website.
The Wellbeing hub also incorporates Children’s Health Scotland’s SMS self-management service, advice about drugs, alcohol and tobacco, and support for young carers.
Young people will be able to access tools and resources, including top tips, videos and animations to help manage their own wellbeing. With an increasing focus on the benefits of youth work, the Hub also includes a tool to ‘Find a Youth Club’ along with how to speak to a youth worker while in hospital.
NHS Lothian worked with Passion4Social, a social enterprise that nurtures the talent of people with disabilities, to develop and build the site with funding made available through Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity.
Zoe Paige, Project Manager, Children’s Services, NHS Lothian, said:“Protecting and providing for the wellbeing and health of children and young people is a priority for the Children’s Services at all times and we know that there is a growing need for people to have digital choices if they are struggling and need to reach out, and the pandemic has only made this need more urgent.
“Colleagues and partners have been eager to bring helpful content together and make our Wellbeing Hub a reality. It was really important that we made our Wellbeing Hub as engaging and interactive as possible.
“The Wellbeing Hub encourages young people to feel empowered to seek out information on many things they might be struggling with or need advice online within a few clicks.
“The Children’s Services team at the RHCYP are always looking for ways to improve access to wellbeing support and we’re proud to continue to expand our Children’s Services website to support children and young people and their families. We have ambitious plans for its continued development.”
Professor Cathy Richards, Lead Clinician and Head of Psychology at CAMHS, said: “At CAMHS, we are thrilled that children, young people and families in the Lothians and across Scotland will benefit from access to the Wellbeing Hub.
“Young people who use the new platform can access mental health resources and information that are designed to keep them engaged and they can find recommendations for additional resources based on their needs.
“The new hub contains information that has been created or recommended by the NHS Lothian CAMHS Psychology team. This includes some newly developed online information sessions for parents on supporting children with anxiety and access to computerised CBT.”
Leanne Hughes, Communications Officer, Healthy Respect (Chalmers Sexual Health Services), said: “Young People can sometimes be embarrassed or unsure about accessing Sexual Health Services.
“We hope that the Wellbeing Hub will help to normalise using our services and highlight what is available locally for those 13+. The hub signposts to key Sexual Health information and resources in a way that makes sense to young people.”
Bruce Adamson, Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland, said: “Children and young people have the right to good healthcare, to have decisions made in their best interests and to be a part of those decisions. They should also get all the information needed to make choices about care.
“Good healthcare means that children can get the care they need, when they need it and that adults support them to get all of their human rights. The Wellbeing Hub will help children grow in confidence and understanding about the rights that they are entitled to in healthcare settings and will signpost them to extra support.”
Alyson O’Brien, Sleep Services Manager at Sleep Scotland, said: “Sleep Scotland is delighted to be working with the Wellbeing Hub.
“Children’s Services are committed to the health and wellbeing of children and young people in Scotland, and we wanted young people to understand that a lack of sleep can be detrimental to their physical and mental wellbeing.”
Find out more information on @LothianChildren. These channels will share the latest news and updates from the Wellbeing Hub.
NHS Lothian’s Royal Hospital for Children and Young People is ready to celebrate a very special birthday today – Wednesday 23 March – marking one year since the world-class facilities fully opened.
The services moved to the new site from the old ‘Sick Kids’ gradually, with outpatients arriving in July 2020, CAMHS in January 2021 and finally the remaining services including inpatients and A&E in March that same year.
The building and facilities provide a world-class centre for child healthcare, enabling NHS Lothian to continue to build on the excellent reputation for trusted, quality care delivered by dedicated and expert teams.
To commemorate the birthday, activities have been arranged with both patients and staff in mind, and with generous support from a range of partners including Edinburgh and Lothians Health Foundation, Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity and Ronald McDonald House.
This includes the distribution of birthday-themed craft boxes with decorations for all wards; a birthday-themed projection on to the building; a drop-in photo booth; a birthday party with stalls, activities and live performances; complementary therapy & pampering sessions for families staying at Ronald McDonald House and treats for all staff which will distributed across each ward.
Allister Short, Service Director, Women’s and Children’s Services, NHS Lothian said, “The Royal Hospital for Children and Young people offers one of the most modern and best-designed children’s healthcare facilities in the world.
“I hope over the last twelve months, both patients and their families have been able to see what this means and the positive impact it has both for patient care and wellbeing.”
For the Simpson family from Torphichen near Bathgate, the facilities on offer not only help to provide a degree or normality but make a huge difference to the happiness of daughter Robyn.
Mum Michelle explained that the family have been in and out of hospital with Robyn ever since she was born, with the longest stay being four months.
She said, “It is really hard to have a child that is unwell. It places a real strain on you both physically, mentally and emotionally. Coming to the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People makes things just that bit easier – it’s bright, spacious and airy – feeling more like a hotel than a hospital.
“There are so many spaces especially for children and so many activities that they can get involved in – from art and craft to music. Seeing Robyn happy, even though she is in hospital, is incredible. It enables her to be a child rather than just a patient.”
Allister said, “The facilities on offer across the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People are truly incredible, however the services wouldn’t be anything without our talented and dedicated staff.
“Day-in-day-out they deliver so much to ensure the children and young people attending the hospital receive the very best care and support.”
Michelle added, “I can’t thank the staff enough. They offer so much support and reassurance as well as incredible care. It really does help to make it feel like a home from home whenever we’re here.”
For more information on The Royal Hospital for Children and Young People and the facilities that are available visit –children.nhslothian.scot.
To keep up to date with the latest news from across Lothian’s Children’s Services, follow them on social media – LothianChildHealth on Facebook and @LothianChildren on Twitter.
Meanwhile, demolition of the old Sick Kids continues …
TODAY (Thursday 17th March) and tomorrow, Friday 18th March, there will be a pop up vaccination clinic from 9am – 2.30pm at the North Edinburgh Community Resource Centre on Pennywell Road.
All vaccines including boosters can be administered.
Over 75s, immunosuppressed individuals and those living in care homes are now able to receive an additional COVID-19 booster vaccination as part of its efforts to protect those at highest risk from COVID-19.
These people will be invited as they become eligible from at least 24 weeks after their last booster, with the first groups receiving appointments from this week.
Jane McNulty, Director of Nursing for Primary and Community Care, NHS Lothian, said: “We are delighted to offer this further vaccination to the most vulnerable to people in our society.
“The degree of protection the vaccine offers wanes over time, which is why booster vaccination is needed to maintain the best protection against COVID-19 for those at highest risk of severe effects of the virus.
“The spring booster will improve your level of protection significantly and is the best way to protect your health and those around you.”
NHS Lothian will also start offering vaccinations to all children aged 5-11 in Lothian on Saturday 19 March, following its initial offering of the childhood vaccine to children most at risk from COVID-19 and children living with an immunosuppressed person.
Letters will be sent out to parents and carers in the coming weeks inviting them to bring their child to a child vaccination clinic in the Lothian area.
Paediatric vaccinators will be available at the clinics to answer any questions people may have about the COVID-19 childhood vaccine.
Parents and carers to do not need to contact NHS Lothian proactively to arrange an appointment.
Ms McNulty added: “The primary aim of our vaccination programme continues to be the prevention of severe disease, hospitalisation and mortality, arising from COVID-19.
“I encourage anyone who is still to have any dose of the COVID-19 vaccine to get vaccinated as soon as they are eligible.”
Established vaccination clinics for over 12s will continue to operate separately from these clinics, with NHS Lothian still encouraging all over 12s to get any outstanding vaccinations.
Over 18s can receive their first, second and booster vaccinations at all drop-in clinics. Those aged 12-17 can also attend for their second dose if it has been at least 12 weeks since their first dose and they have not tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 12 weeks.
More information on the 5-11 vaccination programme is available on NHS Inform:
New equipment is helping NHS Lothian to provide “first class treatment” to cervical cancer patients in the South East of Scotland.
Cervical cancer is the most common cancer in women under 35 and around eight women are diagnosed with cervical cancer each day in the UK.
The new brachytherapy kit, from Elekta, allows the delivery of a high dose of radiation directly into the tumour and minimises damage to the surrounding healthy tissue.
Brachytherapy is a form of internal radiation therapy which targets the cancer directly.
Dr Mark Zahra, Consultant Clinical Oncologist & Clinical Lead for Radiotherapy at Edinburgh’s Cancer Centre, said: “This kit will help us to continue to provide first class treatment to patients with cervical cancer.
“It gives us more options than our previous brachytherapy equipment as it can treat larger tumours and expand the dose of radiation to the tumour, whilst protecting the normal organs.
“The Elekta kit is used alongside image-guided technology to really tailor treatment to the patient’s anatomy and needs and minimise the long-term health effects of radiotherapy.
“Together we expect these technologies to have a real impact on patients’ cure rates and comfort.”
Edinburgh Cancer Centre has used image-guided brachytherapy for gynaecological cancers for over 10 years and is the first in Scotland to use Elekta technology. The technology will now be routinely used for all eligible patients in the South East of Scotland with gynaecological cancers.
Dr Zahra continued: “Edinburgh Cancer Centre is a leader in innovative treatments and progress such as this could not have been possible without a huge team effort.
“We strive to provide the best possible care we can and share our research and learning to help improve outcomes for patients everywhere.”
Over 99% of cervical cancers are caused by HPV. HPV is very common and four out of five people in Scotland will have it at some point in their lives.
HPV vaccines are offered to all S1 pupils and can prevent around 75% of cervical cancer cases. Alongside the vaccine, it’s vital to attend cervical screenings (smear tests) when invited.
Professor Jacqueline Taylor has been appointed as the chair of a National Audiology Review Group.
The former NHS Clinical Director and Associate Medical Director will oversee the review of hearing services provided to both children and adults in Health Boards across Scotland.
It comes after a report published in December 2021 outlined a series of errors in the treatment provided to children by Paediatric Audiology in NHS Lothian. The group will provide recommendations for a national plan for the service.
Health Secretary, Humza Yousaf said: “I would like to thank Professor Taylor for agreeing to take on this important role which will help shape the future of audiology services in Scotland moving forward.
“Professor Taylor is one of the most respected medical figures in Scotland and I know that she will provide the necessary leadership and oversight for this vital work.
“I am determined that our hearing services are fit for purpose in Scotland following the unacceptable failures in NHS Lothian which came to light last year and this group will help identify any wider issues and areas for improvement.”
Professor Taylor said: “I look forward to working with this group over the coming months. “We expect to engage with the widest range of professionals and stakeholders in this area, identifying any gaps in provision but also learning from good practice.
“NHS Scotland provides some of the best healthcare treatment in the world, but where issues emerge it is important to understand what went wrong and how this can be rectified.”
The remit of the review, its full membership and timetable for reporting is now being finalised with the Chair.
The National Deaf Children’s Society has responded to the Scottish Government’s announcement that Professor Jacqueline Taylor has been appointed as the chair of a National Audiology Review Group.
Mark Ballard, Head of Policy for Scotland at the National Deaf Children’s Society, said:“We welcome the appointment of Professor Taylor and it’s a clear signal that the Scottish Government is treating this issue with the gravity it requires.
“The total number of families affected by NHS Lothian’s failures is still unknown. Among those that were, there are deaf children who have been left dealing with life-changing consequences.
“We need this review to not only right a serious injustice, but also to make sure that this isn’t happening in other areas across Scotland.
“It is a crucial step towards making sure that no family ever has to go through this again.”
At risk youngsters in most deprived communities to get varnish treatment
DEDICATED dentists from five Edinburgh practices have pledged their time in the urgent fight to stem a growing oral health emergency affecting the country’s children.
Between them, Bellastane Dental Care, Earl Grey Dental Practice, Gilmore Dental, Fairmilehead Dental Practice & Implant Centre and KF Dental are part of Clyde Munro Dental Group’s target of treating at least 1000 children with a fluoride varnish (FV) application in dedicated out of hours clinics by the close of 2022 – one of the most effective treatments for preventing tooth decay in children from the age of two.
Typically offered up to twice a year, the pandemic-induced backlog means it is not currently as readily available to families under NHS services.
The pledge comes after worrying statistics showed that 850,000 fewer patients had been seen in the past two years compared to 2017-2019. In children’s services just 55% of children in the most deprived areas have seen a dentist.
The latest data show that primary school children from the most deprived communities experience more than four times the level of tooth decay compared to children in the least deprived areas.
These stark and persistent inequalities have widened as a result of the pandemic, with the collapse in access to routine services, the suspension of public health programmes and the impact of sugar-rich lockdown diets.
Tooth decay in children is a major health problem in the UK – and despite being entirely preventable is one of the most common reasons for hospital admission in children.
Jacqui Frederick is Group Clinical Director at Clyde Munro and one of the group’s dentists to have helped more than 100 young patients access FV treatment in 2021, since Clyde Munro started the children’s clinics in the last quarter of last year.
She said: “We’re a predominantly NHS-based group and we take our responsibility as Scotland’s biggest dental group seriously.”
“As you might imagine, our dentists are deeply concerned at falling numbers of young patients accessing NHS dentistry services. The pandemic has set back the oral health of so many people and we want to be a part of the fightback.
“We wish we didn’t have to volunteer time out of hours to get this done – but in doing so we can reach out to those in need, any concerned parents or guardians can contact their nearest Clyde Munro practice to enquire about FV clinics.”
FV application is a dental treatment that takes around 10 minutes and Clyde Munro will prioritise its practices that are within reach of many of Scotland’s more deprived communities. It will not require the parent or the child to be a registered patient. It will release dates and times of its clinics regularly on its website.
The group has 54 practices, from Orkney to the Borders and is represented in all of Scotland’s cities and many of its towns, with 400 staff supporting 460,000 patients.
Clyde Munro provides quality, affordable, general and cosmetic dentistry in well equipped, modern practices. Locations are convenient and accessible making it easy to visit the dental facilities.
NHS Lothian has recorded record numbers of staff levels this year with 23,116 employed by the health board – a 15.1% increase over the past five years.
Scotland wide, more than 155,000 staff have been hired, with increases in whole-time equivalent (WTE) staff for ten consecutive years.
Across NHS Lothian there has been a 4.3% increase in the past year in staffing levels and a 15.1 % increase in the past five years.
Edinburgh Pentlands SNP MSP Gordon MacDonald said: “Our staff across NHS Lothian have shown incredible dedication and commitment to our health service in the past two years and beyond. We will never be able to thank them enough for their heroic efforts.
“Under the Scottish Government, staffing levels in the NHS have increased to record levels. The Scottish Government’s long-term investment in the workforce has accelerated since the outset of the pandemic and we are seeing that in reality, with a 15.1% increase over the past five years here in NHS Lothian.
“The SNP also continues to recognise the effort of our staff having offered them the best pay rise in the UK. They also continue to be the best paid health staff compared to their counterparts in the rest of the UK.”
The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, Humza Yousaf MSP, announced the appointments of seven new Non-Executive Directors to NHS Lothian Boardyesterday.
They are; Nadin Akta, Philip Allenby, Andrew Fleming, Elizabeth Gordon, George Gordon, Peter Knight and Val de Souza.
Mrs Nadin Akta holds a MSc degree in Intercultural Business Communication and TESOL. Her interests are in cultures, cross cultures, barriers and challenges for ethnic minorities in Scotland and she has a wide knowledge from working with BME communities through her previous jobs in a professional capacity and through volunteering with charitable organisations across the Lothians.
Nadin previously work with East Lothian Council and other charity organisations as an Integration Coordinator and TESOL Teacher. More recently, she has been working at the University of Edinburgh as an Outreach and Projects Coordinator for the BME communities in the Lothians.
Mr Philip Allenby is a Scottish Solicitor and Notary Public, with over 20 years’ international legal and business experience. He was previously Chief Counsel, Governance and Compliance, Europe with BT plc.
Phil is a lecturer and senior tutor at the University School of Law. He holds degrees in mathematics, information technology and law.
Mr Andrew Fleming is a retired senior civil servant with experience in designing and delivering strategic improvements across a range of public policy areas, including health, tax collection, justice, community safety, environment and heritage.
He is currently Convenor of Evaluation Support Scotland – a charity which supports Third Sector organisations to measure their impact. Andrew has a professional background as a social researcher.
Mrs Elizabeth Gordon spent the first 10 years of her career as a Solicitor in private practice in the occupational pensions team of a large Scottish law firm. Her time working in this field included many years of significant and complex legal change as the UK Government transformed regulatory protection for members of occupational pension schemes.
Clients included boards of trustees of UK-wide pension schemes and work involved advising on changes in the law and regulatory compliance, interpretation of trust deeds and pensions aspects of corporate transactions. Elizabeth then took up a new post, with a wide-ranging remit, managing a large, independent provider of NHS dentistry in Edinburgh and has been there for over 14 years.
Her focus has always been to ensure that the dental practices provide a service that prioritises safe, high quality NHS patient care and compliance alongside the wellbeing of the clinical team. Elizabeth looks forward to combining her experience and knowledge acquired in a primary care management setting with the skills developed from her legal education and background.
Mr George Gordon is ‘a longstanding community activist who has instigated and set up numerous groups and organisations within his own community, which has given him a good skill set in the requirements of the local population both in areas of health, wellbeing and services that are vitally important in areas of multi-deprivation and poverty’.
As the Sustainability Spokesperson for the City of Edinburgh Council, he has worked tirelessly to ensure long-term benefit in the capital; and as the Disability and Diversity Spokesperson he has ensured that all people are fairly represented and gain the services tailored to their own individual needs, which is in keeping with NHS Lothian’s patient centric goals and aspirations.
I has served (EH? – Ed.)on various NHS Lothian committees in his Local Authority stakeholder member role and looks forward to continuing his work within the Board in highlighting disability issues that affect services and in ensuring that community and citizens are at the heart of all of our services.
Mr Peter Knight has been a leading information professional for NHSScotland for some four decades and brings wide perspectives on the development and use of data in support of decision making.
His experience has spanned quality of NHS care, future planning, health and social care integration and topics in public health. He has worked at all levels: directly with clinicians and front-line health and social care professionals through to informing the decision-making of Chief Executives and Chief Officers.
He has had spells in the Scottish Government supporting the development of health and social care policy, monitoring NHS performance and advising Ministers. Latterly, his interests have included older people services and the development of information in social care and primary care.
Peter is shortly to retire from NHS employment.
Mrs Val de Souza is a Social Worker by profession and has held a number of senior leadership roles in health, social care and social work in Scotland. She spent the last 5 years as Chief Officer for South Lanarkshire’s Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP), and Director of Social Services, working across NHS Lanarkshire and South Lanarkshire Council.
In these roles Val was responsible for community health services, primary care, palliative care, allied health professionals and social work services. Prior to this she was acting Chief Officer for Stirling and Clackmannanshire HSCP and the Chief Social Work Officer for these two local authorities, which included responsibility for two national prisons, Glenochil and Cortonvale.
Val was instrumental in introducing and implementing the Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007 and continues to have a keen interest in all aspects of Public Protection and social justice. With over 30 years’ experience of strategic and operational management she is committed to promoting interagency collaboration and multidisciplinary working.
She is a graduate of University College Dublin, and holds postgraduate qualifications from the Universities of Edinburgh and Robert Gordon Business School. Val has recently been appointed Chair of the Bairns Hoose, and is a professional adviser for Positive Help, an Edinburgh based charity supporting child and families affected by HIV and Hepatitis C.
They new directors ‘will play an important role in helping to set the strategic direction of NHS Lothian as we recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and remobilise our services’.
By providing purposeful scrutiny and assurance on the decisions the Board makes, Non-Executive Directors ensure the Executive Leadership Team is held to account and supported to manage risks to the quality, deliverability and sustainability of service. They are also important in giving public confidence that the Board acts in the best interests of patients and the public.
Appointment
The appointments for Mrs Nadin Akta, Mrs Elizabeth Gordon, Mr Peter Knight and Mrs Val de Souza will be for three years and will run from 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2025.
Mr Philip Allenby’s appointment will be for four years and will run from 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2026.
Mr Andrew Fleming’s appointment will be for four years and will run from 11 April 2022 to 10 April 2026.
Mr George Gordon’s appointment will be for three years and will run from 16 May 2022 to 15 May 2025.
The appointments are regulated by the Ethical Standards Commissioner.
Remuneration
The appointments are part-time and attract a remuneration of £8,930 per annum for a time commitment of one day per week.
Other ministerial appointments
Mr George Gordon is the Edinburgh City Council Local Authority member on the NHS Lothian Board, for which he receives a remuneration of £8,930 per annum for a time commitment of one day per week. Mr Gordon will be standing down from this role on 30th April 2022.
Mrs Val de Souza is Chair of Bairns Hoose, for which she receives a daily rate of £300 for a time commitment of four days per month.
Mrs Nadin Akta, Mr Philip Allenby, Mr Andrew Fleming, Mrs Elizabeth Gordon and Mr Peter Knight do not hold any other public appointments.
Political activity
All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process.
However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees’ political activity within the last five years (if there is any to be declared) to be made public.
Mr George Gordon holds the position of Scottish National Party (SNP) councillor for the Forth Ward. In administration in the city of Edinburgh, he has spoken on behalf of the party and council.
Mr Peter Knight has leafleted and canvassed for the Scottish Labour Party and attended the count for the 2019 General Election on behalf of Edinburgh North and Leith Constituency Labour Party.
Mrs Nadin Akta, Mr Philip Allenby, Mr Andrew Fleming, Mrs Elizabeth Gordon and Mrs Val de Souza have had no political activity within the last five years.
