Council Leaders and NHS Lothian’s Director of Public Health echo Scottish Government guidance:
Ahead of the midnight moment on Friday, 31 December, Council Leader Adam McVey, Depute Leader Cammy Day and NHS Lothian’s Director of Public Health Dona Milne are reminding residents to adhere to ongoing public safety guidance and to bring in the bells safely and responsibly.
On Thursday, 30 December a further 16,857 people tested positive for Covid-19 in Scotland, by far the highest daily case number of the pandemic so far.
The latest public health guidance, which was effective from 26 December, limits the numbers at outdoor public events to 500, resulting in the cancellation of the live events planned for Edinburgh’s Hogmanay including the Torchlight Procession, Party at the Bells, midnight fireworks and the Loony Dook.
Council Leader Adam McVey said: “As we approach Hogmanay, case numbers are continuing to increase significantly and I want to echo the First Minister’s advice to stay at home as much as possible in the coming days in a bid to slow down the spread. And if we do get together with friends and family, please limit this to no more than three households.
“Large gatherings at Hogmanay risk increasing further transmissions in our communities and put further pressure on our NHS staff and other vital services. I can’t stress enough the importance of following the rules around handwashing, mask-wearing and ventilation and testing. Visit our website for details of community testing sites or to order a home testing kit.
“As 2021 comes to an end, and with more people getting vaccinated and boosted, we can look more positively towards 2022. But for now, and this Hogmanay, please keep following the guidance and keep yourself and your family safe and protect our NHS.”
Deputy Leader Cammy Day said: The safety of Edinburgh’s residents remains our priority as we continue the battle against Covid-19 and the latest Omicron variant. This has meant that sadly no live events, including the midnight fireworks, will be taking place this year.
“Following the cancellation, Edinburgh’s Hogmanay have announced the release of a new film, ‘Journey Home’, which pays tribute to the hope, love and optimism that people feel when celebrating Hogmanay with those that matter most after such a challenging year, whilst expressing a positive look forward to the future.
“I would encourage you all to tune in as we bid farewell to 2021 – and look forward to a better and more positive 2022.”
Dona Milne, Director of Public Health, NHS Lothian, said: We know that everyone wants to welcome in 2022 and enjoy the festivities, however we would ask people to do so responsibly following public health guidance.
“Please do not mix in groups of more than three households and take a Lateral Flow Test before you go out or have people round. If you have not already done so, please make getting your booster your first priority of 2022.
“By taking these small steps, you can help stop the spread of Omicron.
“Remember, the Omicron variant is much more transmissible than previous strains. Although a smaller percentage of infected people may need hospital care, it is a smaller percentage of a far greater number of people, so still a lot of people.
So, even if the admission rate is a third of what we have seen with previous strains, it is expected that the scale of Omicron could still be higher than we have seen before. “
Community test centres and mobile test centres are open for people with no Covid symptoms. Full details of these, and how to order home lateral flow testing kits, are available online.
As 2021 draws to a close NHS Lothian is urging all remaining over-18s to visit their local drop-in vaccination clinic or book an appointment for their COVID-19 vaccine booster.
Those aged 12-17 are also welcome to attend any of the local drop-in clinics 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.
Over 76,920 people were vaccinated across Lothian in the run up to Christmas, however appointments still remain across the region, allowing people the opportunity to receive their vaccination as soon as possible.
Pat Wynne, Director of Nursing for Primary and Community Care, NHS Lothian, said: “I would like to thank everyone who has come forward for vaccination so far, every vaccination counts towards making our region safer.
“Getting a booster doesn’t mean you won’t get COVID-19, but it reduces the chances of it and significantly enhances your protection against serious illness – it could literally save your, or someone else’s, life.”
In recent weeks there has been a huge increase in appointments in Lothian, with 71% of those eligible for a booster having now received one. While this is excellent progress, we need as many people as possible to get boosted as quickly as possible. We want to get to, or as close as possible to, having 80% of eligible adults boosted by the Bells.
NHS Lothian has increased its vaccination capacity hugely in December with the reopening of the Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC) in Edinburgh City Centre. It has never been easier for members of the public to receive a COVID-19 vaccination booster.
There has been a rise in the number of missed appointments over the festive period, with 17% of people not attending their appointments..
This has resulted in 9,951 available appointments going unused in the Lothian region over Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday (27, 28 and 29 December).
Mr Wynne added: “We know that missed appointments are in part due to the number of COVID-19 cases in the area, which is in turn making people ineligible for their vaccination. But it’s not the whole story and, if I’m honest, it’s a little disappointing. We have a huge amount of extra capacity across Lothian with teams of vaccinators standing ready to ensure as many people as possible can get boosted by the Bells.
“We know people are really busy at this time of year, but we urge you to make time for it. If you haven’t been boosted but could be, because it is 12 weeks since your second dose, please book an appointment now or go along to a drop-in clinic. If you have an appointment for January, you can drop in now and your later appointment will be cancelled for you. There are plenty of slots available and our centres are running very efficiently with very low queue times.
“Please don’t delay. Every booster administered is a step on the road back to normality.”
The vaccination programme has been stepped up in recent weeks as part of its campaign to halt the spread of the Omicron variant across the region. Due to the highly transmissible nature of the new variant, NHS Lothian’s Director of Public Health, Dona Milne, is urging the public to act quickly as they welcome in 2022.
Dona Milne, Director of Public Health, NHS Lothian, said: “The Omicron variant is much more transmissible than previous strains. This means that although a smaller percentage of infected people may require hospitalisation, it is a smaller percentage of a far greater number of people, so still a lot of people.
So, even if the admission rate is a third of what we have seen with previous strains, it is expected that the scale of Omicron could still be higher than we have seen before.
“I would ask everyone celebrating the new year to do so whilst following the public health guidance and be responsible as they enjoy the festivities. Please prioritise getting your vaccine and do not mix with more than three households and undertake a Lateral Flow Test before you mix with people. By taking these small steps, you can help stop the spread of Omicron.”
Those wishing to book a COVID-19 vaccine appointment can do so by calling National Helpline on 0800 030 8013 or visit NHS Inform’s website to book online. A list of vaccination centres can also be found on NHS Lothian’s website.
Parents in Lothian are celebrating after they received the best Christmas gift they could have hoped.
They welcomed their very special delivery into the world during the small hours of the morning.
The first baby, a little girl named Sophie Elizabeth Bird, was born at NHS Lothian’s St John’s Hospital. She was born to parents Karen (37) and Craig Bird (39) from Linlithgow at 1.45am.
Sophie was followed closely by baby Skye Rose Irving (top) who was born at 2.18am also at St John’s Hospital weighing 7lb 2oz. Parents Lisa Playfair (35) and Adam Irving (30) are from Craigshill in Livingston.
The first baby born at NHS Lothian’s Birth Centre, part of the Simpson’s Centre for Reproductive Health at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, was a little boy at 5.10am this morning weighing 8lb 8oz.
He was born to parents Elohu Egwowa (28) and Oghenekome Otame (31) from Edinburgh. Mum and Dad have not fully decided on a name, so at the moment he is known as Baby Otame.
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.
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 9AF
Saturday and Sunday
9.30am – 3.30pm
Craigmillar Medical Centre, 106 Niddrie Mains Road, Edinburgh EH16 4DT
Saturday and Sunday
9.30am – 3.30pm
Tollcross Health Centre, Ponton Street, Edinburgh EH3 9PX
Saturday and Sunday
9.30am – 3.30pm
Gracemount Health Centre, 24 Gracemount Drive, Edinburgh EH16 6RN
Saturday and Sunday
9.30am – 3.30pm
Leith Community Treatment Centre, 12 Junction Place, Edinburgh EH6 5JQ
7 days
9.30 – 11.30am – 1 -6pm (last drop in 3.30pm Saturday and Sunday)
Pennywell All Care Centre, 1 Macmillan Crescent, Edinburgh EH4 4WL
7 days
9.30 – 11.30am – 1 -3pm
Sighthill Health Centre, 380 Calder Road, Edinburgh EH11 4AU
7 days
9.30 – 11.30am – 1 -3pm
Lowland Hall, Royal Vaccination Centre, Ingleston, Newbridge EH28 8NB
7 days
9.30am – 6.30pm
Ocean Terminal (first floor)
7 days
12 – 6.30pm
Conan Doyle Medical Centre, 4 Nether Liberton Loan, Edinburgh EH16 5TY
Saturday
9.30am – 3.30pm
Mountcastle Health Centre, 132 Mountcastle Drive South, Edinburgh EH15 3LL
Saturday
9.30am – 3.30pm
South Queensferry Medical Practice, 41 The Loan, South Queensferry EH30 9HA
Saturday
9.30am – 3.30pm
Pentlands Medical Centre, 44 Pentland View, Currie EH14 5QB
Sunday
9.30am – 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:
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).
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 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.
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
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.”
