Tag: NHS Lothian

Vaccination Clinics in NHS Lothian

Adults over the age of 18 are being urged, where possible, to book their booster vaccination appointment in advance using the online portal to help avoid queues and keep everyone safe. 

You can book your appointment at: http://www.nhsinform.scot/vaccinebooking

When you book an appointment, you can select the venue that you wish to attend. Confirmation of your booking, including the time and location will be sent to the email address linked to your portal registration.

DROP- IN CLINICS FOR BOOSTER VACCINE

Drop-in clinics for booster vaccinations for people over the age of 40 have been rolled out in some vaccination clinics across Lothian. However, it must be stressed that if you choose to use a drop-in clinic, instead of booking an appointment in advance, you may have to wait in queues to be seen.

If you choose to drop-in, please help keep everyone safe by wearing a mask and maintaining social distancing, even if you have to queue outside. If you have already booked an appointment and choose to drop-in beforehand, please cancel your slot to ensure it doesn’t go to waste.

There are lists of vaccination clinics running across Lothian which offer pre-booked appointment slots, but only some in East Lothian, Edinburgh, Midlothian and West Lothian will offer dedicated drop-in clinics for people aged 40 and over.

Available Drop-in clinics

Edinburgh:  

Allermuir Health Centre, 165 Colinton Mains Drive, Edinburgh EH13 9AFSaturday and Sunday9.30am – 3.30pm
Craigmillar Medical Centre, 106 Niddrie Mains Road, Edinburgh EH16 4DTSaturday and Sunday9.30am – 3.30pm
Tollcross Health Centre, Ponton Street, Edinburgh EH3 9PXSaturday and Sunday9.30am – 3.30pm
Gracemount Health Centre, 24 Gracemount Drive, Edinburgh EH16 6RNSaturday and Sunday9.30am – 3.30pm
Leith Community Treatment Centre, 12 Junction Place, Edinburgh EH6 5JQ7 days9.30 – 11.30am – 1 -6pm (last drop in 3.30pm Saturday and Sunday)
Pennywell All Care Centre, 1 Macmillan Crescent, Edinburgh EH4 4WL7 days9.30 – 11.30am – 1 -3pm
Sighthill Health Centre, 380 Calder Road, Edinburgh EH11 4AU7 days9.30 – 11.30am – 1 -3pm
Lowland Hall, Royal Vaccination Centre, Ingleston, Newbridge EH28 8NB7 days9.30am – 6.30pm
Ocean Terminal (first floor)7 days12 – 6.30pm
Conan Doyle Medical Centre, 4 Nether Liberton Loan, Edinburgh EH16 5TYSaturday9.30am – 3.30pm
Mountcastle Health Centre, 132 Mountcastle Drive South, Edinburgh EH15 3LLSaturday9.30am – 3.30pm
South Queensferry Medical Practice, 41 The Loan, South Queensferry EH30 9HASaturday9.30am – 3.30pm
Pentlands Medical Centre, 44 Pentland View, Currie EH14 5QBSunday9.30am – 3.30pm


You can find out more about all the vaccination clinics running across Lothian and stay up to date with the latest news via the websites of the Health and Social Care Partnerships:

·       Midlothian Health and Social Care Partnership

·       West Lothian Health and Social Care Partnership

·       Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership

·       East Lothian Health and Social Care Partnership

1st and 2nd DOSES

We are still encouraging those who have yet to receive their first dose or who are now due their second dose of the COVID vaccine to come forward.

Please note, as per the latest Scottish Government guidance, we are currently not offering second doses for those aged 12-15.

AstraZeneca, Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines are available at all the below locations. If you are using public transport to get to your appointment, see details below. You might find it useful to plan your journey either on Traveline Scotland’s website or Lothian Buses.

Pyramids Business Park, Easter Inch Steadings, Bathgate EH48 2EH. Mon-Sun, 08:00-19:00

You can get directions for driving here, and Lothian Buses’ travel advice is here. 

Lowland Hall, Royal Highland Vaccination Centre, Ingliston. Mon-Sun, 08:00-19:00

You can use Lothian Buses to attend the mass vaccination centre at Lowland Hall; see this document for more information. 

Gorebridge Vaccination Centre, Hunterfield Road, Gorebridge, EH23 4TX. Mon-Sun, 08:00-19:00

If you’re travelling to Gorebridge Vaccination Centre by bus, you can plan your journey using Borders Buses or Traveline Scotland (as mentioned above). 

Edinburgh, Leith: Ocean Terminal, 74 Ocean Dr, Leith, Edinburgh EH6 6JJ. Mon-Sun, 11:00-19:00.

Edinburgh, Leith: Leith Community Treatment Centre, Junction Place, Edinburgh, EH6 5JQ. Mon-Fri, 08:30-12:00 / 13:00-18:00. 

Bonnyrigg: Midlothian Community Hospital, 70 Eskbank Road, Dalkeith, EH22 3ND. Mon-Fri, 08:00-19:00. 

Haddington: East Lothian Community Hospital, Alderston Road, Haddington, East Lothian, EH41 3PF.  Open for appointments only, between 8.20am and 4.30pm, seven days a week. Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca all available. 

Musselburgh: Musselburgh Primary Care Centre, Inveresk Rd, East Lothian, Musselburgh EH21 7BP. Open for appointments only seven days a week between 8.20am and 4.30pm. 

NHS Lothian to reopen EICC as mass vaccination centre

NHS Lothian will re-launch a city centre mass vaccination centre as part of the battle to beat the OMICRON variant of COVID-19.

Vaccination teams will move back into the Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC) to open on Tuesday at 9am (December 21) to help provide lifesaving vaccines to as many people as possible.

The clinic will offer a combination of booked and drop-in appointments to help make it as easy for people to get their booster.

Just a month ago, on November 16, the programme was delivering 5,500 booster vaccines. Now a total of 10,942 doses are being administered in one day.

NHS Lothian is confident that the reintroduction of the EICC and opening of the Corn Exchange in East Lothian will help boost that figure even higher.

Pat Wynne, Nurse Director, Primary and Community Care, NHS Lothian, said: “Vaccination is more important now than it has ever been and we are really pleased to be back in the EICC in the heart of the city once more.

“We would urge anyone who still needs a first, second or booster dose of the vaccine to make an appointment or drop in to the EICC or one of the many other clinics in Lothian as soon as they are eligible.

“The best way to get your vaccine is to book in advance, using the online booking portal. That way you can avoid queues and help keep everyone safe.

“We are expecting our sites, especially our dedicated drop-in clinics, to be busier than ever before. We will run separate queues for booked and drop-in appointments, but people should be prepared to wait if they are attending a drop-in. If you do have to queue, please be sure to wear a face mask over your mouth and nose and keep your distance – even if you’re outside.”

Vaccination teams have been working flat out with EICC team to prepare the clinic for a re-opening as part of the nationwide effort to help protect lives.

Marshall Dallas, CEO of the EICC, said: “We are proud to continue to support NHS Lothian and NHS Scotland with the roll-out of the vaccine and now the vaccine booster.

“Traditionally, our venue would be closed over the Festive period, allowing our team annual leave during this time, so I can’t credit our people enough for giving up their holiday time to be on site at the venue to make this possible.  

“Since re-opening to events in August, we have safely and successfully hosted a series of back-to-back conferences, and we look forward to welcoming delegates back to the EICC early in the new year.”  

A total of 15 vaccination stations will run in the Cromdale Hall initially while more work is done to extend the facility to provide 25 booths. The rest of the venue, including the Lennox Suite, will continue as normal for conference and events.

Mr Wynne added: “We are grateful to all of the teams from the EICC for working with us once again and helping to pull this together at such short notice. Centre staff would normally be on annual leave soon and they have cancelled their holidays over the festive period just to help re-launch the clinic – we could not be more thankful.”

The EICC will join a list of other vaccination centres, which are being run by the four Health and Social Care Partnerships within Lothian, and is designed to bolster those efforts.

Stay safe this winter: Keep A&E free for critical emergencies

Picture by John Young / YoungMedia 2010

People living in Edinburgh and Lothian are being urged to seek the right medical help and to only go to A&E if it is a critical emergency.

The call comes as hospitals continue to be under immense pressure and demand for health and social care services is expected to reach unprecedented levels this winter.

Dr Tracey Gillies, Medical Director of NHS Lothian explains: “Demand for our services is already at an all-time high, putting our staff under huge pressure.  Our emergency departments are extremely busy. Now, more than ever, it is vital people access the right care in the right place.”

NHS Lothian is asking anyone who feels unwell, or has a minor illness, to use NHS Inform online or visit their local pharmacy first.

Pharmacists can provide expert advice on a wide range of conditions, such as sore throats or stomach upsets. Many can also offer consultations and, if appropriate, prescribe medicines for impetigo, shingles, skin infections and for some women urinary infections.

People can also prepare by stocking up on remedies to treat common illnesses at home, check repeat prescriptions and order only what is needed in plenty time to cover the festive break.

Local GP practice teams have a wide range of health professionals who can help with routine or urgent care.  There are now more ways to access this care with many able to help more quickly with phone consultations. Anyone who needs to be seen face-to-face will be given an appointment.

If people have a minor injury or think they need to attend A&E, but it is not a critical emergency, they should call 111 first, day or night. They can refer people to the right service, which could include a video call for minor injuries, or an out of hours appointment for urgent care that can’t wait.

For critical emergencies such as severe injury, a suspected heart attack or stroke, severe breathing difficulties or bleeding always call 999 or attend the nearest A&E.

With COVID-19 still among us, it is also vital that people test themselves regularly at home for COVID-19, if they don’t have any symptoms.

Kits can be picked up at lots of high street pharmacies and can also be ordered online from NHS Inform. 

Picture – Chris Watt @chriswattphotography

Dona Milne, Director of Public Health and Health Policy, NHS Lothian said: “We want everyone to stay safe and well and to be able to enjoy the festive season with their loved ones. People don’t always have COVID symptoms but can still pass it on. That’s why it’s important to test at home twice weekly and each time before socialising with others.”

Amid concern about the rapid spread of the Omicron variant of the COVID virus which is much more easily passed from person to person, Ms Milne urged everyone to follow the latest Scottish Government guidance and be extra careful:

Ms Milne added: “There are a few steps you can take to stay safe. Please do a test before you meet up with people and try to meet in smaller groups of no more than three households.

“If you are indoors, make sure there is ventilation – just opening a window a little makes a big difference. And following the guidance on wearing masks, hand-washing and social distancing is hopefully second nature by now, so we thank the public for continuing to follow the rules.”

The main symptoms of COVID-19 include a high temperature, a new cough that lasts for more than an hour or three or more coughing episodes in 24 hours, or a loss or change to smell and taste. 

Anyone who develops any one of these symptoms, no matter how mild, should book a PCR test online via NHS Inform and self-isolate until they get the test result. Self-testing is not appropriate for people who have these symptoms.

For more information about how to access the right care in the right place and stay safe this winter please visit: services.nhslothian.scot/rightcare

“Horrendous”: Deaf children seriously failed by NHS Lothian

An extensive expert review has found failings in the standard of hearing tests carried out for children in NHS Lothian’s Paediatric Audiology service.

The review, conducted independently by the British Academy of Audiology (BAA), identifies significant concerns about hearing tests that were not carried out to the required professional standard, with consequences for children and their families.  In some cases, diagnosis of hearing loss or impairment may have been missed or delayed.

Early identification of hearing loss or impairment from birth is important because the earlier it is picked up, the more successfully it can be treated with hearing aids or cochlear implants and the better the outcomes for the child.

Tracey Gillies, Medical Director NHS Lothian said; “We are very sorry and saddened to learn that there are some children whose conditions were not diagnosed correctly, or as early as possible, as a result of testing that was not up to standard.

“Due to these failings, the diagnosis of hearing loss or impairment in six children was missed.  Diagnosis of a further six children was significantly delayed with long term consequences for these children. Their long-term development of speech and language will be affected and these children will require specialist support.”

Ms Gillies continued “Delayed diagnosis of hearing loss in a further 48 children is also likely to have resulted in some harm, though the longer-term impact of this will depend on the individual circumstances of each child. Some children may require to be retested.

“We have already written to the most severely-affected families individually to offer support and a face-to-face meeting to discuss their child’s condition. We have also arranged appointments for those children whom the review recommends should be tested again.

“In addition, measures have been put in place to identify young children currently in the system whose cases may require clinical review. If any concerns are found, the families will be contacted immediately.

“We apologise sincerely to all affected children and their families for these failings and for the worry and distress caused. We would encourage families who may have concerns to contact our helpline for information on 0131 465 5457. Lines will be open on Monday to Friday from 9am to 4pm.

“We have been engaging closely with the National Deaf Children’s Society and would like to thank them for the support they are able to provide families via their own helpline, which can be contacted on 0808 800 8880.”

NHS Lothian commissioned the full, external review of the service following criticism in May about the diagnosis and care of a child with hearing difficulties. The review is part of the Health Board’s response to the recommendations made by the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman who investigated that case.

Other actions already taken include the appointment of an additional senior expert to provide support in Paediatric Audiology, a comprehensive training programme for service staff and support from NHS Ayrshire and Arran and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde with testing in the interim.

The review consisted of an audit of cases from 2009 -2018, an appraisal of the clinical governance structures in place as well as a week’s residential visit by external experts to observe working practices in the service.

NHS Lothian Chief Executive, Calum Campbell said: “The thoroughness of the review reflects our determination to improve the service and outcomes for the children in our care.

“We note that the report was positive about some aspects of the care of the audiology team who are committed to working hard to improve the quality of testing provided by the service.  

“A number of improvements have already been made and a detailed action plan has been developed to implement all the recommendations of the BAA in full.

“We continue to work closely with the BAA and would like to thank them for their diligence and support in conducting the review.

“I apologise to the affected families and give them my assurance that lessons have been learned and that the recommendations from the review are being implemented in full.”

The National Deaf Children’s Society has called for a sweeping review of children’s audiology services in Scotland after almost a decade of failures by NHS Lothian.

At least 887 children are known to have been affected during the nine-year period, 155 significantly, but the actual number could potentially include thousands more and the problems have continued.

The charity has spoken out after a new report, published yesterday, uncovered repeated mistakes by NHS Lothian’s audiology service, with at least 100 deaf children among those affected.

The report reveals cases of deaf children being wrongly deprived of crucial technology, incorrectly discharged or identified years later than they should have been. Some have been left with life-changing consequences as a result.

In response, the charity has today written to the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, Humza Yousaf MSP. The letter calls for an assurance that such catastrophic errors will never happen again and asks for urgent Government action to improve audiology services across the country.

The failures were revealed in a new audit report, carried out by the British Academy of Audiology to examine NHS Lothian’s children’s audiology caseload of 22,900 from 2009-2018.

It sampled 1,007 cases and found there were concerns about assessment and care in 887 of them (88%). Of those, 155 had “significant concerns”.

The specific findings of the report include:

  • The average age of children identified as deaf under NHS Lothian was 1,653 days (4.53 years old), compared to 109 days in England. The report says this appeared to have gone “unreported and un-noticed.”
  • 12 children were eligible for cochlear implantation, but this was significantly delayed, to the extent where some missed out on getting them altogether.
  • There was no evidence that nine of the children were offered a hearing aid, even though it would likely have helped them.
  • 49 children had a delayed identification of hearing loss or the fitting of their hearing aid was delayed.
  • 30 were not offered the right hearing aids.
  • The remainder of the 155 were wrongly discharged or mismanaged.

As a result, the National Deaf Children’s Society is calling for a review of children’s audiology services across Scotland. It wants to see the Scottish Government introduce national leadership for services, robust data collection and a mandatory program setting out clear standards for care.

Without urgent action, the charity says there’s a real danger that many more deaf children risk not getting the quality of care they need.

Locally, it wants NHS Lothian to commit to following the recommendations made by the report, review its past caseload to avoid repeating the same mistakes and announce a clear plan on how it will catch up and deliver for deaf children and their families.

The charity is also strongly advising all affected families to seek independent specialist legal advice. It is already offering support to families affected and says that anyone who is worried about the report should contact its helpline.

Susan Daniels, Chief Executive at the National Deaf Children’s Society, said: “The horrendous findings in this report represent a real-life nightmare for the families involved.

“They placed their trust in a service that was supposed to help, only to be completely let down. Some will be left with life-changing consequences, while many others across Scotland will now be facing the very real fear that the same thing could happen to them.

“Early identification and the right care are vital in helping deaf children develop language and communication at a crucial age, so this must never be allowed to happen again.

“This means we need urgent action from the Scottish Government, starting with a thorough review of children’s audiology services across the country. Until we have national leadership, better data collection and mandatory standards that services must comply with, thousands more deaf children could be at risk and families won’t be able to rest.

“We’re already in touch with several families affected and we’ve provided them with support and guidance. Anyone else who’s been affected, or feels worried about this issue, can contact our helpline or visit our website at www.ndcs.org.uk.”

Lothian MSP, Miles Briggs said: ““These findings by the British Academy of Audiology are extremely concerning and families in NHS Lothian have been totally failed.

“It is crucial that all 36 recommendations for the paediatric audiology service are implemented as soon as possible.  

“The average age for diagnosing hearing loss in NHS Lothian is far too late and measures must be put into place to ensure that children with hearing loss are diagnosed much sooner.

“I have written to the Health Secretary to request a meeting about why it takes four and half years in NHS Lothian for a child to be diagnosed with hearing loss, compared to 109 days in England.”

Copies of the report are available:

BAA Summary Report

BAA Audit Report

BAA Governance Report

NHS Lothian Helpline:  0131 465 5457 Mondays to Fridays 9.00am to 4.00pm. 

National Deaf Children’s Society Helpline:  0800 800 8880 Mondays to Fridays   9.00am – 5.00pm

For information and services provided by the National Deaf Children Society, please visit their website https://www.ndcs.org.uk/our-services/

NHS Lothian marks milestone with 1.6m vaccinations

Vaccination teams in Lothian have administered a massive 1.6m doses of the lifesaving COVID-19 vaccine in just 12 months.

As NHS Lothian yesterday marked a year milestone since the first vaccination was administered, figures show that vaccinators have delivered massive numbers of first, second and booster doses of the vaccine, helping in the battle to save countless lives and prevent serious illness.

A total of 712,827 first doses, 657,528 second doses and 266,153 doses of the booster vaccine have been delivered since the programme began, as well as 8,324 doses for patients who are severely immunosuppressed.

Since the annual flu vaccination programme began some weeks ago, vaccination teams have also delivered 278,517 doses of flu vaccine to people who are eligible.

The Cabinet Secretary for Health Humza Yousaf visited the team in Lowland Hall vaccination centre in Royal Highland Centre, Ingliston, yesterday to mark the anniversary of the programme and thank staff for their outstanding efforts.

Laura Hall, centre manager, said: “When I look back on the last year and everything we have achieved, I feel really proud.

“In Lowland Hall so far, we have delivered 330,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine as part of the Lothian-wide programme. It is a massive achievement.”

NHS Lothian’s vaccination programme, which is the largest of its kind ever to be undertaken, began on 8 December 2020 and over the last 12 months has evolved and grown at rapid pace.

Now, amid fears around the new OMICRON variant and during the run-up to Christmas, the teams are facing one of their busiest stages yet.

Teams have geared up across the board to make more appointments available in all of the centres in Lothian.

Pat Wynne, Nurse Director of Primary and Community Care, NHS Lothian, said: “We have come such a long way in the last year, but we still have more to do.

“We are receiving emerging new information and evidence about the new OMICRON variant, but vaccination remains our best defence.

“Our teams are gearing up across Lothian to make sure we can administer as many doses as possible. We would urge anyone who is eligible for any doses of their vaccine to make an appointment or use one of our drop-in clinics.”

New Centre for Blood Cancer Patients at Western General

Philanthropy opens doors for Haematology patients

A £13 million investment has transformed services for blood cancer patients across South East Scotland at the newly opened Edinburgh Haematology Centre.

Located at the Western General Hospital, the centre has been rebuilt, expanding and improving day ward facilities, and enabling a major service redesign to enhance the range of treatments on offer.

Now patients can benefit from intensive chemotherapies and innovative treatments, such as outpatient bone marrow transplants saving them up to a three week stay in hospital. A new relatives’ suite and buddy beds also help to better support inpatients.

The majority of funding (£12.3 million) was gifted by a private donor, who wishes to remain anonymous, to significantly improve the experience at the centre for patients, carers and staff.

“This was an amazingly generous donation which will benefit patients and staff for many years to come”, explains Dr Peter Johnson, a Consultant Haematologist who led on the refurbishment.

“The vision was to create a welcoming, calm, clinically excellent and aesthetically pleasing environment that would help patient wellbeing and was representative of the quality of healthcare being delivered. We are extremely grateful to the donor for this exceptional donation.”

NHS Lothian, and its official charity – Edinburgh and Lothians Health Foundation (ELHF), worked with patients and staff on the redesign and to develop an inspirational arts and therapeutic design programme.

A series of bespoke artworks and installations made by specialist artists and makers are displayed throughout the centre, helping to create a sense of calm and visual interest.

Jane Ferguson, Director of Edinburgh and Lothians Health Foundation explains: “We can’t thank the donor enough for their generous charitable donation, which has enabled us to take forward creative and innovative techniques to enhance and really elevate the space.

“Being diagnosed with a serious illness is a traumatic experience so we wanted to create an environment that was warm and comforting and would help reduce some of that anxiety and stress. The end result is truly beautiful and the difference in experience for patients now and in the future will be transformational.”

Fiona Smith, Senior Charge Nurse of Haematology Day Treatment added: “The changes have really made a huge difference. Care is much more than treatments and medicines. 

“Being able to provide privacy and a calming environment helps to relax patients and having more space and cutting-edge equipment helps us to do our job even better.”

Neil Clifton is one of the patients benefitting from the new centre. He recently received a stem cell transplant as an outpatient for treatment of Myeloma.  He says: “It really doesn’t feel like going into a hospital anymore. The centre is much brighter and more pleasant.

“Having a private room for my treatment in the day unit really helped to make me feel safe and comfortable and being able to receive it as an outpatient is much more convenient.”

The Edinburgh Haematology Centre forms part of a wider masterplan at the Western General Hospital site to improve patient services including significant investment in cancer care and facilities.

NHS Lothian also has a vision to build a new Regional Cancer Centre at the hospital site designed to be a world leader for cancer research and innovation.

LEAP of Faith

£11 million for two drugs projects

More than £11 million has been awarded to two drugs projects to enable them to expand their residential rehabilitation service as part of a commitment to increase the number of beds in Scotland by 50% to 650 by 2026.

River Garden Auchincruive in South Ayrshire will use the funding over the next five years to increase capacity from seven to 56 residents and build a unit to meet the specific needs of women.

NHS Lothian will receive around £5 million to create capacity to support around 600 additional placements over five years at Lothian and Edinburgh Abstinence Programme (LEAP) and increase capacity at the Ritson detoxification clinic from eight beds to 12. This will enable the board to develop a pathway to rehab for those using complex polysubstances and illicit benzodiazepines.

The funding is part of the additional £100 million announced as part of the National Mission to improve access to residential rehabilitation.

In a statement to Parliament on progress with Residential Rehabilitation, Minister for Drugs Policy Angela Constance outlined plans to ensure that by 2026, at least 1000 people are publically funded to go to rehab every year – a 300% increase on the number prior to the launch of the National Mission.

Drugs Policy Minister Angela Constance said: “While there is much to be done to address our drug deaths crisis we are making changes to support people to access the treatment and recovery that is right for them.

“Our commitment to increase the number of publically funded places by 300% and the number of beds by 50% will provide options for those who can safely access and who want to access residential rehab.

“The funding announced for these latest projects comes from the additional £100 million we are investing in residential rehabilitation over the next five and we are determined every penny of that will make a difference.”

General Manager of Royal Edinburgh Hospital and Associated Services David Pickering-Gummer said: “The grant will allow the LEAP service to increase capacity by 40% and increase bed numbers in the Ritson Clinic by 50%, to allow for stabilisation and detoxification prior to transfer to LEAP.

“There will be a greater focus on vulnerable groups and we will employ peers with lived experience to act as ‘bridges’ between community services and rehab. We will also focus on strengthening aftercare provision.

“The team are particularly thrilled to see the ‘Peer Bridge Project’ being funded, which will open the doors a bit more widely to vulnerable groups in keeping with Scottish Government priorities.

“We are grateful to the Scottish Government and to the local Alcohol and Drug Partnerships for having the vision to fund plans which will make a real difference to the lives of patients and their families who are struggling with addiction.”

River Garden Chair William Smith said: “All at River Garden are enormously grateful for the funding support from the Residential Rehabilitation Rapid Capacity Programme.

“This funding will enable the significant expansion of our residential capacity to create additional space for residents, and new staffing resource and facilities that specifically meet the needs of women.

“Existing residents come from across Scotland and we very much look forward to having the opportunity to help many more people sustainably recover from addiction in the beautiful setting and community of River Garden Auchincruive.”

Lothian MSP concerned at record number of patients – 17,432 – waiting for a key diagnostic test

Lothian MSP, Miles Briggs, has raised concerns about the number of people waiting on key diagnostic tests in NHS Lothian.

Diagnostic tests give doctors more information about a patient, so that they can confirm or rule out conditions and diseases. Key diagnostic tests include endoscopy and radiology. Endoscopy is where a long flexible tube with a light and camera shows images of a patients organs on a television screen. Radiology is the science of x-rays for taking images to diagnose a patient.  

The eight key tests and investigation are upper endoscopy, lower endoscopy (excl. colonoscopy), colonoscopy, cystoscopy, CT scan, MRI scan, barium studies and non-obstetric ultrasound.  

In NHS Lothian a record 17,432 patients were waiting to be seen for a key diagnostic test at the end of September 2021. This is an increase of 790 from the end of June 2021 when 16,631 patients were waiting, an increase of 4.75%.

The number of patients waiting for a diagnostic test in NHS Lothian has risen by 2,989 in the last year from 14,443 at the end of September 2020, an increase of 21%.

Over the last two years the number of patients waiting for a diagnostic test has risen from 10,657 at the end of September 2019 by 6,775 patients, 64%.

Across Scotland 125,557 patients were waiting to be seen for the eight key diagnostic tests, an increase of 8.9% (+10,304) from 30 June 2021 and 22.2% higher than at 30 September 2020.

Lothian MSP, Miles Briggs, said: “We are seeing a very concerning increase in the number of patients waiting for a key diagnostic test in NHS Lothian over the last two years.

“The number of patients waiting over 6 weeks has more than tripled over the last two years.

“Diagnostic tests are vital for doctors to be able to diagnose and treat patient’s diseases.

“The quicker a patient’s illness is diagnosed the sooner they can get treatment, which improves their chance of recovery.

“The pandemic will inevitably have impacted diagnostic tests in NHS Lothian, however consistent underfunding for the health board by SNP Ministers had made diagnostic waiting times very long even before Covid-19.”

Diagnostic waiting times – Waits for key diagnostic tests 30 November 2021 – NHS waiting times – diagnostics – Publications – Public Health Scotland

Diagnostic Test & InvestigationIndicator 31-Mar-1930-Apr-1931-May-1930-Jun-1931-Jul-1931-Aug-1930-Sep-1931-Oct-1930-Nov-1931-Dec-1931-Jan-2029-Feb-2031-Mar-2030-Apr-2031-May-2030-Jun-2031-Jul-2031-Aug-2030-Sep-2031-Oct-2030-Nov-2031-Dec-2031-Jan-2128-Feb-2131-Mar-2130-Apr-2131-May-2130-Jun-2131-Jul-2131-Aug-2130-Sep-21
                                  
8 Key Diagnostic Tests & InvestigationsNumber on List 13,15612,09211,30410,79110,26110,08710,65711,63812,24812,62112,96813,36112,84413,84014,63714,27713,34913,81514,44314,37014,39115,24815,30615,10915,86416,43416,92516,63116,32116,64217,432
 Number Waiting > 4 Weeks 4,8844,5253,5283,1793,1002,9202,9953,6753,8544,7554,4274,8666,34511,64011,2329,8958,2117,4697,6807,5476,9368,3568,1517,9857,8038,3818,5108,8159,2069,4499,541
 Number Waiting > 6 Weeks 3,9263,4842,8252,4232,1712,0701,9132,2992,5973,0983,7933,2503,81410,33310,5308,8357,0906,2466,2656,2735,5266,1897,0126,2435,9596,1076,2516,5026,9657,2527,220
                                  
Upper EndoscopyNumber on List 2,1861,8681,4291,3341,0791,1531,0211,1161,2551,5441,6731,8261,9172,0162,0902,1862,2062,2652,3312,3092,2442,2972,2682,1862,1712,3422,4042,3122,3072,3332,385
 Number Waiting > 4 Weeks 1,6341,2828687777046435546277359691,0891,2501,5081,9211,9501,9331,8541,9001,9791,9551,8381,8831,9051,8521,7591,8921,9581,9211,9381,9411,926
 Number Waiting > 6 Weeks 1,4271,117759

NHS Lothian: Free staff parking permit scheme re-introduced at Little France to ease congestion

NHS Lothian is to re-introduce a staff car parking permit scheme on the Little France campus as part of a plan to help ease traffic congestion.

The scheme, which was suspended during the first lockdown of the COVID-19 pandemic, will be reinstated next year as a free permit for staff at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh (RIE) amid safety concerns around growing levels of congestion and queueing traffic on the site.

Jim Crombie, Deputy Chief Executive of NHS Lothian, said the site was unable to sustain the sheer volume of cars that arrive each day and the problem was causing delays for patients, staff and visitors, as well as blue light services which need access at all times.

He added: “The decision to re-introduce free staff car parking permits has been carefully considered and planned over recent months and is not a decision that was taken lightly.

“We have been experiencing significant congestion across the Little France campus which cannot be sustained. It causes delays to patients, visitors and staff and for the buses which are essential to service the hospital.

“Critically, however, it also causes serious issues for our blue light services which must be able to travel through the hospital site at all times.

“We are actively looking for additional long-term solutions for staff, including the implementation of a dedicated park and ride at Shawfair. In the meantime, a temporary new car park to provide more than 300 extra spaces on campus will also open in January.

“We will continue to engage with our staff throughout this process.”

The application process has been updated and staff who are interested in a permit are being asked to apply for the permit scheme, which will go live on January 17.

Forms will then be cross checked against the eligibility criteria, which is consistent across all NHS Lothian sites and includes questions about how far they have to travel, how long it takes, public transport links, the times of their journey and whether the role they perform requires them to move between sites during the course of a shift. Separate arrangements will be in place for those who have to attend in an emergency.

Staff who are already in possession of a staff parking permit will be able to use their current permit for one year, after which, it will be subject to an annual eligibility review.

Tracy Anne Miller, RIE Partnership Lead, NHS Lothian, said: “These next steps are essential. The site cannot cope with the levels of congestion we are experiencing. We will continue to engage with staff directly and help ensure they have equitable access to the scheme.”

NHS Lothian is actively investigating additional long-term solutions, and discussions are ongoing around the implementation of a dedicated park and ride at Shawfair.

In the meantime, a temporary car park, which will provide an additional 250 spaces will be available in January.

Staff are also being urged to consider car-share schemes. Where possible, car-sharing will be facilitated within departments, however plans are being developed to try and help match people from different departments, if required. More details will be released in due course. All car sharing schemes will be operated in line with Scottish Government guidance.