Tag: NHS Lothian

First dose phase of vaccination programme nears completion

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf has visited a drop-in vaccination clinic in Arbroath as the national programme nears completion of first doses for all adults who attended their scheduled appointments on Sunday.

The clinic in Arbroath is one of many additional walk-in and pop-up facilities operating across the mainland to encourage people to get Jagged in July and Mr Yousaf urged anyone who is yet to take up their offer of a vaccine for whatever reason to come forward now.

No appointment is necessary at drop-in clinics and people can attend whether they are due a first dose or second dose, if eight weeks have passed. Anyone who wishes to book an appointment can do so at NHS Inform.

Mr Yousaf said: “I am pleased to see people making use of the vaccination clinic in Arbroath and urge others to do the same at their local drop-in venues if they haven’t yet come forward to be vaccinated.

“Getting vaccinated has never been easier. Simply head to a drop-in or pop-up clinic – the most up-to-date details of clinics near you can be found on your local NHS board’s social media posts or book an appointment online in a location which suits.

“The vaccination programme is working – evidence shows vaccination is weakening the link between case numbers and severe acute illness. However, case numbers are still high and vaccination continues to be the best way to protect yourself and those around you.

“We are currently working through the final group on the JCVI priority list – those aged between 18 and 29 – and we know that the extra drop-in clinics being operated by mainland health boards until Sunday make it easier for them to fit getting vaccinated into their busy lives. Walk-ins will still be available after this week but now is the time to take advantage of all the additional facilities on offer.

“I want to thank all those involved in setting up these clinics and of course, everyone involved in the national vaccination programme. It has been a huge success and without doubt, represents our best way out of the pandemic.”

NHS Tayside Director of Public Health Dr Emma Fletcher said: “Drop-in vaccination clinics are running at venues right across Tayside to make it as easy as possible for people to get vaccinated. No appointment is necessary and anyone over 18 can drop-in. 

“So far, uptake of vaccinations in Tayside has been very good. We have delivered over 532,500 vaccines in Tayside with 300,000 people, 86% of the adult population, having one dose and around 232,500 people, 66%, having had both doses but we need that uptake to be higher to stop the spread of the virus.  

“We know that getting both doses of the vaccine offers maximum protection against the virus and we are particularly encouraging people aged 18-29 to come forward as early as they can. So if you have not yet had your first jab, or you are longer than eight weeks from your first jab and are due your second jab, come along to your nearest clinic and we will get you vaccinated.” 

Summer Boost: NHS Lothian and Lothian Buses team up for vaccination drive

NHS Lothian has joined forces with Lothian Buses to provide a mobile vaccination hub to deliver teenage booster jabs for meningitis, polio, diphtheria and tetanus to S4-S6 pupils across the capital.

The initiative will see a Lothian Buses Airlink bus being converted into a mobile clinic to support the campaign throughout the summer months. Alongside this, the NHS Lothian team have also worked closely with council education colleagues to secure access to a number of schools across Lothian throughout the holidays, where clinics will also be run.

The teenage vaccination programme is usually run in schools during term time, but with the COVID-19 pandemic closing schools throughout 2020 and 2021, the service was interrupted. These summer clinics will ensure that all school leavers have access to the important meningitis ACWY vaccination and diphtheria, tetanus and polio boosters before they transition from secondary school to higher education or employment.

Dona Milne, Director of Public Health, NHS Lothian said, “We are delighted to launch this new initiative, in partnership with Lothian Buses. Our school vaccination programme is critically important to the health and wellbeing of children and young people, by preventing the risk of transmission and illness from serious conditions like polio and meningitis.

“The COVID-19 pandemic and the associated closure of schools had a significant impact on the vaccination programme, however we were determined that despite these challenges, we would ensure that those leaving school had access to their booster jabs. Through the booster bus, and the pop-up clinics in a number of our schools, we can ensure that these vital vaccinations can still be delivered.

“I would like to thank all of the NHS Lothian teams, Lothian Buses and the council education teams for their hard work and commitment to making this initiative happen.”

Sarah Boyd, Operations Director, Lothian Buses said, “We are delighted to support NHS Lothian with this special summer vaccination programme for S4-S6 pupils. Lothian Buses are fully committed to the local communities we serve and whilst this is a new pilot, it is one that we are really excited to be involved with.”

The booster bus will be located at Fort Kinnaird Retail Park on the 22 July, and Napier University, Sighthill campus on the 15 and 29 July. It has already delivered one successful day of vaccinations on 8 July at Fort Kinnaird. Those young people who are eligible have been contacted to arrange a suitable time to attend an appointment.

Younger pupils will be offered their booster jabs in school next year as part of the usual in-school Teenage Booster Programme.

For more information on immunisations for young people, visit NHS Inform.  

Another £12 million to health boards for emergency care

The Scottish Government has released £12 million in additional funding to health boards across Scotland to support non-COVID emergency care.

This immediate action will help put measures in place to reduce waiting times for urgent or emergency treatment, with a focus on boosting staffing levels and available beds.

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “We are acutely aware that hospitals are facing significant challenges due to a rise in non-Covid attendances and that some health boards are taking necessary measures to protect urgent and emergency care capacity.

“This £12 million will support them to do so. We are working closely with those Health Boards experiencing the greatest challenges to ensure the funding delivers the improvements required.

“Our NHS staff continue to work tirelessly to respond to the pandemic whilst providing vital non-Covid treatment and safe patient care. Any reductions to service will be short term to ensure those of most critical need have immediate medical attention. Urgent treatment, including vital cancer treatment will continue during this challenging period.”

Chief Executive of NHS Lothian Calum Campbell said: “Hospitals across Scotland are dealing with the pandemic, while seeing an increase in non-covid patients arriving at their doors.

“We are grateful to the Scottish Government for working with us to ensure everyone who needs urgent or emergency care is prioritised – such as vital cancer treatment or accident and emergency care for life-threatening conditions.

“This funding will be vital in helping to provide extra staffing and bed capacity to further enhance improvements in unscheduled care and support delivery of the NHS Recovery Plan.

“NHS Lothian will use this funding to increase beds in the community, relieving pressures on acute hospitals, and to support staff in treating patients as quickly as possible.”

The public can do their part to help the NHS by considering options closer to home when they need medical attention.

Advice is available online at NHS Inform, or they can contact their GP practice or visit their local pharmacy who can help and prescribe treatment.

They can also call NHS 24 on 111 if they can’t wait for their GP practice to open, or they think they need emergency treatment which is not life-threatening.

Edinburgh Park mass vaccination centre welcomes final patients

Edinburgh Park’s mass vaccination centre will welcome its final patients this weekend as the site prepares for closure on Sunday.

The mass vaccination centre, based within the Royal Bank of Scotland’s former Younger Building, will close this weekend, having seen thousands of patients come through its doors.

Over the last four months, since the site opened on Monday 1 March, the vaccination team has administered 82,595 doses of the lifesaving vaccine.

NHS Lothian is now in the process of moving to a more flexible delivery model and will utilise more mobile and surge vaccination clinics.  This will allow the board to target people who are still to receive their jab by making it as easy as possible to be vaccinated.

The decommissioning of the site will begin on Monday (12 July). Those in the west Edinburgh area wishing to visit a drop-in clinic at a mass vaccination centre can do so at the Royal Highland Showground.

Airport buses have been temporarily diverted to allow passengers to be dropped off directly outside Lowland Hall.

The Edinburgh Park site will still welcome both appointments and drop-ins until closure.

Pat Wynne, Nurse Director of Primary and Community Care, NHS Lothian, said: “The site at RBS has played a key role in the vaccination programme so far and we are really thankful to our team who made it work so well. I would also say thank you to Royal Bank of Scotland for cooperation throughout the site’s operation.

“Anyone wishing to be vaccinated from Monday can do so visiting one of our four mass vaccination drop-in clinics across the region, which are continuing to operate.

“This weekend (10 and 11 July), we will be running our mobile vaccination clinics with the Scottish Ambulance Service at The Centre, Livingston (Sat), and Fort Kinnaird Shopping Centre (Sun).

“These are open to everyone over the age of 18 for first vaccination, and for those who are due their second vaccination having waited eight weeks.”

More opportunities to get “Jagged in July”

Mobile vaccination timetable extended

The vaccination bus run by NHS Lothian and the Scottish Ambulance Service will operate this weekend to reach as many over 18s as possible.

The mobile unit is visiting shopping centres in West Lothian and Edinburgh as the coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination programme nears completion of first doses for all adults in Scotland.

Meanwhile, every mainland health board continues to offer daily drop-in clinics where people can attend for their first dose or – if eight weeks have passed – their second dose.

Anyone who would prefer a scheduled appointment can continue to self-register with NHS Inform if for any reason they have not yet had their first inoculation.

Visiting the vaccination bus in Edinburgh’s Grassmarket, Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Nicola Steedman said: “The vaccination programme has been a huge success and it is great to see so many people taking advantage of the mobile units.

“I want to thank NHS Lothian and the Scottish Ambulance Service for their help in adding this option to the programme and, of course, every single person involved in the roll-out in Scotland.

“Our route out of this pandemic is getting as many people vaccinated as quickly as possible, that is why we are urging people to get jagged in July. We are currently working our way through the remaining people in the 18-29 year old group and would welcome them at the vaccination bus if they want to pop in while they are out shopping or walking.

“If the mobile unit isn’t near you, remember you can attend one of the drop-in clinics being run in all mainland health boards. You can also rearrange the location of your appointment online if, for example, it is more convenient for you to be vaccinated closer to your work than home.

“All of the evidence says that the vaccines are working as we continue to battle the faster-transmitting Delta variant which is now dominant so I urge everyone to take advantage of the vaccination programme which is open to every adult in Scotland.”

NHS Lothian Director of Nursing for Primary and Community Care Pat Wynne said: “The mobile unit is rolling out across Lothian to help us reach into communities and take the lifesaving vaccine to them.

“It is a great boost to our vaccination programme and will complement the drop-in clinics that are already running at our mass vaccination sites and in local, smaller clinics.

“We want to make it as easy as possible for everyone to get their COVID-19 vaccination because we know how crucially important it is. I would encourage anyone who is near these locations this week, and is yet to be vaccinated, not to miss the bus and come forward.”

Scottish Ambulance Service Clinical Governance Manager Keith Colver, said: “The Scottish Ambulance Service, in partnership with local Health Board colleagues and local authorities, has provided mobile vaccination clinics in the heart of communities across Scotland and since launching the service in Perthshire, feedback from the public who have attended one of our drop in clinics has been overwhelmingly positive.

“Over the next two weeks we would encourage anyone aged over 18 who has yet to receive their first vaccination, or had their first vaccination over eight weeks ago, to take the time to drop into a mobile clinic.

“We look forward to continuing to work with the Scottish Government in developing the mobile vaccination service and rolling it out to other areas of Scotland, helping to vaccinate as many people as possible against Covid-19.”

Vaccination bus locations this weekend:

Friday 9 July and Saturday 10 July – Almondvale Shopping Centre, Livingston

Sunday 11 July – Fort Kinnaird Shopping Centre, Edinburgh

Remember you can also get a jag without an appointment at Craigroyston Community High School from 8:30 – 4pm until Sunday.

Scotland is still expected to move to level zero on 19 July, with remaining legal restrictions lifted on 9 August, but First Minister Nicola Sturgeon conceded yesterday that case numbers are worryingly high and that the planned dates are not “set in stone”.

The First Minister will be holding a media briefing at lunchtime today:

NHS Lothian given £27 million in extra COVID funding

NHS Lothian has been given £27 million in extra COVID-19 funding from the Scottish Government as part of a £380 million package allocated to health boards across Scotland.

This comes on top of the £1.7 billion already provided to health boards and Health and Social Care Partnerships last year.

The additional funding includes ongoing support for the vaccination programme, the Test and Protect system, and personal protective equipment for health and care workers.

SNP MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Gordon MacDonald MSP said: “NHS Lothian has been under incredible pressure during the pandemic, not only will this additional funding support the health board with its efforts to treat patients but it will also play a role in supporting our NHS in its remobilisation programme as we come out of the pandemic.

“It is essential that our health services can be on a sure footing as we re-emerge from the pandemic and other services that have been disrupted can restart smoothly.

“This is a demonstration again that the only party in Scotland that can protect Scotland’s NHS is the SNP.”

 Covid Funding (£m)
NHS Ayrshire and Arran                   13.7
NHS Borders                     3.4
NHS Dumfries and Galloway                     4.9
NHS Fife                   11.6
NHS Forth Valley                   10.1
NHS Grampian                   16.2
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde                   45.8
NHS Highland                     9.8
NHS Lanarkshire                   25.9
NHS Lothian                   27.0
NHS Orkney                     0.7
NHS Shetland                     0.7
NHS Tayside                   13.7
NHS Western Isles                     0.9
National Waiting Times Centre                     3.9
Scottish Ambulance Service                   17.4
The State Hospital                     0.3
NHS 24                     2.7
NHS Education for Scotland                     1.8
NHS National Services Scotland                156.3
Healthcare Improvement Scotland                     0.4
Public Health Scotland                   12.6
Total                379.6

City council leaders urge caution as COVID cases continue to climb

Council Leaders have urged people to take care and carry out regular testing as COVID cases remain high in the Capital.

The appeal follows yesterday’s announcement by the First Minister, in which she called for “renewed care and vigilance” at this critical moment. This week, Edinburgh and the Lothians recorded the highest number of COVID cases in Scotland.

In response to the high numbers, several community test centres have opened around the city over recent weeks. Free COVID tests are on offer for people who don’t display any symptoms, aiming to break the chain of transmission by catching asymptomatic cases which could still be infectious.

Council Leader Adam McVey said: “The city is beginning to open up, returning a sense of normality to our daily lives, but we really must continue to take care by continuing to wash hands and using sanitiser regularly and physical distancing when out enjoying all our city and its businesses has to offer.

“With the weather still getting better, continuing to meet up with friends and family outdoors where possible can help drive the numbers down and keep the freedoms we’re starting to enjoy again.

“Regular testing is vital too if we are to catch and isolate cases, and I would urge everyone to make use of community test centres and order your free home testing kits to check if you could have COVID even if you don’t have symptoms.”

Depute Leader Cammy Day said: “Over the last 15 months we’ve all worked really hard to minimise the impact of the COVID virus, and I’d like to thank everyone for their patience during this time.

“That’s why it’s crucial that we don’t let our guard down now so I would encourage everyone to take up their vaccination when offered. We need to keep following the rules put in place for good reason, as well as getting tested when possible, to reduce the rising case rate and to ensure we can enjoy a more ‘normal’ summer.”

Community test centres are open for people with no COVID-19 symptoms:

  • Walk-up mobile testing unit, Heart of Midlothian Football Club, Wheatfield stand accessed via Wheatfield Street/Place, until Sunday, 11 July
  • Drive though mobile testing unit at Hibernian Football Club, in the car park behind the east stand accessed off Albion Place/Hawkhill Place until Sunday, 11 July
  • McDonald Road Library until Saturday, 3 July – test pick-up available
  • Wester Hailes Library until Saturday, 3 July – test pick-up available
  • Fountainbridge Library from Monday, 5 July to Saturday, 10 July – test pick-up available
  • Drumbrae Library Hub from Monday, 5 July to Saturday, 10 July – test pick-up available

Find out more about Council services during the pandemic on the Council website.

Read more about the daily COVID vaccination uptake online.