NHS Lothian – Page 25 – The NEN

Cutting Edge: Laser Epilepsy Surgery to be brought to Scotland

· This is the first time MRI-guided Laser Interstitial Thermal Therapy (LITT) will be available in Scotland

· The surgery is currently only available at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London or in Houston, Texas

· The current surgery choice in Edinburgh is open brain surgery, which is around seven hours and leaves an ear to ear scar. LITT will reduce this to two hours and is much less invasive

· Children and young people who will be referred for this surgery have refractory (medication resistant) epilepsy and can have up to 100 ‘drop down’ seizures a day

· In appropriately selected cases, LITT surgery can stop seizures entirely and cure the child’s epilepsy

Children and young people living with severe epilepsy in Scotland will have the life-changing chance to be seizure free, thanks to the funding of a world class laser coming to Edinburgh’s new children’s hospital.

A partnership between the Welch Trust, Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity (ECHC) and NHS Lothian is bringing MRI-guided Laser Interstitial Thermal Therapy (LITT) for Edinburgh’s Royal Hospital for Children and Young People (RHCYP) – the first time this laser technology will be available in Scotland.

LITT is a new and proven, minimally invasive treatment which uses a laser to remove brain tissue that is causing seizures. Children and young people who will be referred for laser surgery are diagnosed with refractory (medication resistant) epilepsy; they may experience severe and frequent ‘drop down’ seizures, up to 100 in one day. In appropriately selected cases, laser surgery can stop seizures entirely and cure the child’s epilepsy.

LITT surgery treatment is currently only available at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) and in Houston, Texas. The laser equipment will be part of the Scottish National Paediatric Epilepsy Surgery Service, based at the RHCYP in Edinburgh, meaning children will come to the capital from all over Scotland to have the surgery.

The current surgery choice practiced in Edinburgh is open brain surgery, which lasts around seven hours, has a longer recovery time and results in a scar across the top of the child’s head.

The LITT precision technology will reduce this surgery time to around two hours, is much less invasive and has a shorter recovery time. It is expected that up to six children a year could benefit from the laser surgery, aged from infants to adolescents, with a similar number of adults also benefitting annually.

Following a request from the National Epilepsy Surgery Service to ECHC to support this initiative, the charity identified the Welch Trust as the ideal funder and agreed a partnership to make this project a reality.

Victoria Welch, Trustee of the Welch Trust, said: “We are very proud to be able to gift this LITT technology to the new Royal Hospital for Children and Young People. As a Paediatric Nurse, I understand the importance of having the best equipment in the hospital to expedite the curing of patients with complicated conditions and ultimately save lives.

“When we were made aware of this need, we didn’t have to think too long about it. Our focus continues to be to invest in high impact programmes that save lives or significantly improve the quality of life for very sick or terminally ill children. We look forward to continuing our partnership with the Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity and expanding our support across other areas of critical care.”

Roslyn Neely, CEO of Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity, said: “With the new children’s hospital now open, we are thrilled to have partnered with the Welch Trust to bring the world-class LITT equipment to Scotland for the first time.

“It is always very satisfying for us to be able to join with another funder who have a similar desire to support the hospital with projects that will transform children’s health.

“Having the laser surgery available in Edinburgh gives families more choice in their place of care and means they will no longer need to endure the financial and emotional cost of national or international travel and separation at a very stressful time. It will also place Edinburgh and NHS Lothian on the map as a world-leading provider of epilepsy surgery and treatment.”

Dr Edward Doyle, Associate Medical Director, Women and Children’s Services, NHS Lothian said: “Across NHS Lothian, we continually look at new and emerging technology and treatments to see how they could benefit our patients.

“We are delighted that through the support of both the Welch Trust and Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity, we will be the first in Scotland and only the second location in the whole of the UK to offer LITT surgery.

“Severe epilepsy can be very difficult to live with and puts an enormous strain on families. Having a world-class cutting edge treatment option available here in Lothian, which is both less invasive and which reduces recovery time, will make a huge difference to lives of children and their families across Scotland.

“This treatment really does have the potential to transform lives and our teams at the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People are delighted that they will soon be able to offer it as a treatment option.”

The new laser equipment is compatible with the intra-operative MRI suite at the RHCYP. It is expected to arrive in summer 2021, followed by a period of intensive training prior to the first surgery taking place.

Celebrating International Day of the Midwife

Celebrating the outstanding efforts of midwives and midwifery students across the UK:

Responding to the International Day of the Midwife, Andrea Sutcliffe CBE, Chief Executive and Registrar for the Nursing and Midwifery Council, said: “Today is an important opportunity for us to recognise and celebrate the incredible efforts of UK midwives and midwifery students who, despite facing uncertainty and adapting to new ways of working, have continued to provide safe, kind and effective care and support for women and their families throughout the coronavirus pandemic.

“Babies didn’t stop for Covid-19 and midwives and midwifery students have made such an important contribution to the way the UK has responded. I’m glad we have this opportunity to celebrate their skill and professionalism and thank them for their positive impact on the women, new born infants and families they care for and support.”

Midwives have shown resilience and steadfast support for pregnant women and their babies this past year throughout NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde’s maternity services.

NHSGGC is celebrating the International Day of the Midwife, which always is a day of reflection of the valuable role that midwives play across the world, and especially important in the face of the pandemic.

And the Labour Ward staff team at the Princess Royal Maternity have shown the incredible contribution midwives make to the wider community too. 65 staff took part and raised £8,400 for Quarriers last month by walking an incredible 9850.88 miles – equivalent to walking to Australia from Glasgow!

The 6500-mile adventure was the brainchild of Charge Midwife Jen Johansson, who wanted to do something to help people who might be struggling in these difficult times.

Jen Johansson, Charge Midwife, Labour Ward, Princess Royal Maternity, commented: “Our role as midwives is to empower and support women during their pregnancy and birth to enable them to have a positive experience.

“It’s a very special and precious time for women. When we are with ladies in labour, that can be our full 12 hour shift – we have to ensure a safe outcome for mum and baby.

“I always wanted to be a midwife from the age of 14 and have now done it for 15 years. We get to spend a lot of time with women and their families getting to know them. Especially in the labour ward, we have a special rapport with women. We are ensuring the safe arrival of precious life, it’s amazing.”

The restrictions to hospital visiting across Scotland meant that midwives were often the only support for women other than their partners while in hospital.

Evelyn Frame, Chief Midwife, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, said: “the theme for this year’s International Day of the Midwife is ‘Follow the data: Invest in Midwives’ and we look forward to coming together as a global community to advocate for investment in quality midwifery care around the world”.

This year’s theme is timely as it will coincide with the launch of the 2021 State of the World’s Midwifery Report that provides an updated evidence base and detailed analysis on the impact of midwives on maternal and newborn health outcomes and the return on investment in midwives.

As Chief Midwife Evelyn is extremely proud to be part of such a wonderful midwifery family across NHS GGC and would like to pass on her personal thanks to each and every member of the team who have gone above and beyond over the past year, putting women and their families at the heart of the care they provide.

Dr Margaret McGuire, Director of Nursing, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, said: “Midwives always provide skilled, high quality care and understand what matters to the woman and her family.

“They put women first and this past year they have gone above and beyond to provide woman centred and safe care. At the core of everything they do is making the pregnancy, birth and postnatal experience as positive as possible for the woman and those who matter to her.

“My sincere thanks and praise goes out to every midwife in Greater Glasgow and Clyde on this the International Day of the Midwife.”

NHS Lothian is also celebrating their midwifery team:

Today, we are celebrating five midwives for #InternationalDayoftheMidwife under the campaign #AMillionPaths.

First up is Vickie Davitt, a gender-based violence midwife:

NHS Lothian announces changes to hospital visiting policies

NHS Lothian is delighted to announce changes to its hospital visiting policy which will mean that every patient across Lothian will be able to have at least one visitor where circumstances allow.

The move, which is in line with Scottish Government guidance, recognises that family support plays a fundamental part of care for a person in hospital. The changes came into effect yesterday (Monday 26 April).

Professor Alex McMahon, Executive Director for Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Healthcare Professionals, NHS Lothian said, “It is fantastic to see a change in visiting come into force across Scotland.

“Being in hospital at any time can be difficult, but being unable to see visitors can make the experience even more challenging. This change really will mean so much for our patients, as well as their families and friends.”

Each prospective visitor should speak to their relative or friend’s care team to establish a visiting plan. To help minimise overcrowding on sites and within wards, each visit must be planned in advance. To book a visit, you should speak to the ward staff in the first instance.

Please do not visit if you have symptoms of COVID-19, such as a new continuous cough, a high temperature and/or loss of taste or smell, or if you have been identified as a contact of someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.

Each patient can have one designated visitor. In unique circumstances, more than one person may be permitted to visit, such as in situations where patients are nearing end of life, for patients with dementia, for children who want to visit, or for those who cannot visit independently.

In order to keep our patients as safe as possible, the guidance may need to be amended at short notice. If this is the case, we will tell you why and keep it under review where possible.

On arrival to our facilities, please check-in with a member of the ward team who will make sure that it is safe to visit. During your visit, you must wear a face covering and follow infection control guidance.

Social distancing of two meters must be adhered to in all communal areas of the hospital. To provide our patients with support, holding hands is permitted during your visit, but hand hygiene requirements must be followed prior to, during and after your visit.

Gillian McAuley added: “While this is a huge step forward, we would urge the public to please be patient with us, and to support this change by observing the different requirements such as wearing face coverings and practicing good hand hygiene. Our teams will be on hand to provide support and if you have any questions, please do speak to them.”

We encourage all visitors to take a voluntary Lateral Flow Test prior to visiting. Information on how to order Lateral Flow Tests is available on the Scottish Government’s website.

Tests can also be collected from COVID testing centres in the afternoon or early evenings. If you do not wish to have a test or are not able to, you will still be permitted to visit

The name and contact details of all visitors will be kept and given to the NHS Scotland Test and Protect Team to assist with contact tracing in the event of a possible case of COVID-19.

Young Scot Award for NHS Lothian’s Youth COVID Volunteers

Young Scot has crowned a group of 16–25-year-olds from across the Lothians as the winners of the Volunteering Award at the prestigious Sunday Mail Young Scot Awards 2021.

The group have donated a combined total of 17,000 hours to support NHS Lothian throughout the pandemic, working across the health board to make a genuine difference to the lives of hospital patients throughout the pandemic.

The selfless young people help to ensure wards are sufficiently stocked with PPE, befriend patients by spending hours by their bedside to provide vital social interaction and distribute donations to those most in need.

The group’s commitment to supporting the NHS and its patients during an incredibly challenging period for the nation impressed the judges and saw them take home this year’s award.

The annual awards are now in their fifteenth year and aim to recognise and inspire the nation’s young people, celebrating their outstanding achievements across 13 categories including equality and diversity, entertainment, and the environment.

The winners were announced during a live online ceremony, with thousands of guests from across the country logging on to watch the virtual celebrations. Scottish TV Presenter Jean Johansson hosted the evening and was joined by famous faces including Gemma Cairney, Max George and Alesha Dixon to celebrate the nation’s young people in style.

This year’s award winners join an esteemed roll call of previous recipients including Sir Andy Murray, Olympian Laura Muir and Netflix star Ncuti Gatwa.

A spokesperson for the group said: “We’re all so honoured to win the Volunteering Award and have our efforts recognised.

“Although really challenging, it’s been rewarding to volunteer throughout the pandemic especially when the schools were closed and we needed to keep busy. We’ve all made friendships that I’m sure will last a lifetime.”

Louise Macdonald OBE, Chief Executive, Young Scot, said: “The quality of entries this year was absolutely outstanding, and we were blown away by the incredible stories of our nominees, finalists and winners and the impact they have had in their local communities across Scotland.

“This year’s online ceremony was a fantastic opportunity to shine a spotlight on Scotland’s young people, who have done so much to continue to inspire, support and motivate those around them despite the challenges of the past year.”

Award host, Jean Johansson, said: “It was an absolute honour to host this year’s Sunday Mail Young Scot Awards.

“I was inspired by listening to the winners’ stories and their commitment to helping others in their community during the pandemic is truly remarkable. Congratulations to our winners and finalists!”

New Skills Boost course guarantees jobs in health care

A new course, which launched this week, will provide people in the region with a direct progression route into a health care support worker role.

The three-week Skills Boost for Health Care course, delivered in partnership by Edinburgh College and NHS Lothian, is designed to equip people with the skills they need to become a health care support worker within the NHS and aims to provide employment opportunities for people in the Lothians who may have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

All course participants have undergone a values-based interview process with the College and NHS and will study a three-week intensive course to prepare them for the workplace.

The course includes college-based and NHS-based learning and will take a multi-disciplinary, measured and meaningful approach to help launch participants into a career in health care.

Subjects will include: Professionalism, reflection, legislation; Infection Control; Health and Safety; First Aid; Basic Life Support (Adult); and Public Protection. Participants will also learn about the career pathways available to them within the NHS.

The first cohort of future health care support workers began the three-week course on Monday 19 April 2021 and upon successful completion and compulsory employment checks, will undertake their new roles from Monday 10 May 2021.

Edinburgh College Head of Health, Wellbeing and Social Science Anne-Marie Sturrock said: “We are excited to launch the Skills Boost for Health Care course in collaboration with NHS Lothian.

“The course not only gives students an opportunity to learn new and valuable skills, it also guarantees them a health care support role within the NHS – providing education and employment hand-in-hand.

“Supporting the NHS and addressing unemployment in the region are key drivers behind the development of this course and partnership delivery. I hope that this will be the first step in successful careers in healthcare for all of our participants.”

NHS Lothian Executive Director for Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Healthcare Professionals Alex McMahon said: “We are always very keen to encourage and support the development of new routes to bring prospective health care professionals into NHS Lothian and we are delighted to be working with Edinburgh College to deliver this particular course.

“NHS Lothian aims to support staff to provide high quality care that is safe, effective and person-centred for every person every time. We know that whatever the future holds, our most valuable resource is our staff. It’s their enthusiasm, expertise, and commitment to care that ensures we deliver that high-quality care.”

New testing centre at Edinburgh Napier in Craiglockhart

Walk-through testing is now available for people with #coronavirus symptoms at Edinburgh Napier University, Craiglockhart Campus Car Park.

Open 7 days a week – with appointments available from 8am to 8pm

Tests must be booked via http://nhsinform.scot/test-and-protect or by telephone on 0800 028 2816.

Free stop smoking service

Giving up smoking is not something you have to do on your own!

Contact Quit Your Way for free advice and support to help stub out the addiction. With specialist support and medication you are 4 times more likely to be successful in quitting.

Visit tinyurl.com/qywlothian and self-refer through the green “click to be contacted” button.

#NHSstopsmoking #GetSupportToQuit #DontWaitToQuit

Lift Off for NHS Lothian’s new helipad at New Sick Kids

NHS Lothian and the HELP Appeal are today (12 April) celebrating an important milestone as the new helipad located at the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People and the Department of Clinical Neuroscience (RHCYP/DCN) officially opens.

The helipad, located above the fourth floor of the RHCYP/DCN will serve both the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh and the RHCYP/DCN giving direct access to child and adult emergency departments, as well as all other clinical departments based on site.

Hospital helipads play a critical role in trauma care by helping to minimise the time it takes to transfer critically ill patients. Without them, patient treatment can be delayed, which can have a devastating impact on survival rates.

Dr Jon McCormack, Clinical Lead for Paediatric Major Trauma, NHS Lothian explained that having access to a helipad plays an important role in optimising patient flow pathways for both planned and emergency transfers.

He said, “The helipad will provide access to hospital services 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with three trained helideck responders being available to ensure safe landing and departure. This will help to enhance patient care by facilitating a seamless transition of patients from the air ambulance to in-patient services.”

The helipad was part funded through the HELP Appeal, which aims to ensure that patients who sustain life threatening critical injuries or illnesses are able to be flown directly by air ambulance to a Major Trauma Centre or key A&E hospital, where all the specialist clinical skills and medical equipment are immediately available, improving their chances of survival and recovery.

The HELP Appeal is the only charity in the country funding hospital helipads.

Robert Bertram, Chief Executive of the HELP Appeal said, “The amazing RHCYP, DCN and the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh treat some of the most seriously ill in Scotland. This lifesaving helipad will dramatically speed up the time it takes to transfer these patients from helicopter to hospital anytime of the day or night, giving them the best chance of survival and recovery.

“We had no hesitation in providing the £700,000 needed to ensure the hospitals had a state-of-the-art helipad – a crucial element in their emergency care offering – as it will save many lives.

“With brand new helipads opening in Applecross and Campbeltown, and the helipad opening in Edinburgh today, we are so pleased that the HELP Appeal is making a positive impact in emergency care across Scotland. We look forward to helping many more hospitals secure helipads in the future.”

Jim Crombie, Deputy Chief Executive, NHS Lothian said, “We are incredibly grateful for the support of the HELP Appeal in part-funding our new helipad.

“It really will make a positive difference to our patients and will no doubt save many lives not just here in Lothian, but across Scotland.”

NHS Lothian: Covid appointments

NHS Scotland will contact you about your coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination (jab, injection) appointment when it’s your turn.

We urge you to please make every effort to attend the appointment you have been allocated. This allows NHS Scotland to continue to vaccinate everyone as quickly as possible.

Getting to your vaccination appointment is classed as an essential journey. This means you can:

travel by public transport
share a car with someone not from your household
travel outwith your local authority area

You are advised to follow the standard guidance to protect yourself and others – wear a mask, keep a couple of windows slightly ajar to allow fresh air to circulate and sanitise your hands before and after the journey.

However, if you are still unable to attend or cannot get to the venue, you can rearrange your appointment. Every effort will be made to reschedule your appointment as soon as possible however it is important to understand that this is likely to mean you may have to wait longer for your appointment.

At the moment, vaccine supply is limited which in turn restricts our ability to reschedule appointments for people who wish to change the time or location of their appointments.

Call handlers on the national booking line and on NHS Lothian’s local helpline will do all they can to help you. Please be patient and treat them with respect.

There are cases when rearranging appointments is essential. You should rearrange your appointment if you:

are feeling unwell with symptoms of coronavirus
have recently tested positive for coronavirus
have been told by NHS Test and Protect that you are a close contact of someone who has tested positive for coronavirus
live with someone who has recently tested positive for coronavirus
live with someone who has symptoms of coronavirus

If you have recently tested positive for coronavirus, even if you have no symptoms, you should wait until 4 weeks after the date you were tested to get the vaccine.

National Covid Vaccination Helpline – 0800 030 8013
NHS Lothian Covid Vaccination Helpline – 0300 790 6296

NHS Lothian going greener

NHS Lothian is the first health board in Scotland to undertake a comprehensive assessment of the biodiversity of the green spaces in its estate. The move is part of an ambitious plan to reduce the health board’s overall carbon footprint and to use its green spaces to improve the health and wellbeing of the communities it serves.

Working with partners Greenspace Scotland, in a project funded by Edinburgh and Lothians Health Foundation, NHS Lothian commissioned research consultants Natural Capital Solutions to conduct a Biodiversity Audit and Climate Change Assessment.

This Audit will help NHS Lothian realise the full potential of its estate, not only as an environmental asset but also as an amenity offering heath benefits to the community.

This work also provides NHS Lothian with a means of identifying how best to manage its green spaces to meet its ambitious sustainability goals and commitments.

Dr Jane Hopton, Programme Director and Sustainability Lead for NHS Lothian, said: “Climate change affects not only our environment but also the health of our patients and communities.

“Our green spaces make an important contribution to improving air quality, reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in the air which in turn is better for our health.

“Making the most of our green spaces is not simply a ‘nice thing to do’, it is an important part of our sustainability plan and sits alongside other priorities such as reducing emissions associated with medical gases, transport and travel, reducing waste and improving our energy-use.”

With 81 hectares of green space across 94 sites, NHS Lothian’s estate provides habitats for diverse species. The plants, trees, hedges and scrub that are grown on these green spaces capture carbon from the atmosphere, offsetting human emissions and cleaning the air of pollution from nearby roads and car parks.

The green landscape can also be used for nature-based health interventions such as gardening and walking activities, helping to improve the lives of NHS patients and staff.

Dr Hopton added: “There is growing evidence of the positive impact of green spaces and natural environments on our health.

“Research from the World Health Organisation and National Institute for Health and Care Excellence shows contact with nature and access to greenspace is particularly good for our mental health and wellbeing.

“This Biodiversity Audit provides a great opportunity to explore ways to unlock these benefits for more people.”

Ian Mackenzie, Green Health Programme Manager at Edinburgh and Lothians Health Foundation, said: “Edinburgh and Lothians Health Foundation was delighted to work together with NHS Lothian, Natural Capital Solutions and Greenspace Scotland on this Biodiversity Audit.

“The importance of biodiversity and natural capital in delivering health benefits is at the core of the Foundation’s Green Health Strategy.

“As a result of the pandemic, there has been a re-appreciation of outdoor space and the value it brings, and this report helps recognise how NHS Lothian’s estate can support a green recovery.”

Alison Holt, Director of Natural Capital Solutions, said: “This project has delivered the tools to predict how changes to the greenspaces and built environment of the NHS Lothian estate, impacts on its ability to reduce carbon emissions, clean the air and improve physical and mental health.

“A strategy on how to increase the provision of these important public benefits across the estate can now be created. The NHS Lothian has set a precedent for other health boards in Scotland, and beyond.”