Dodgy data? Internal inquiry into emergency waiting times figures

Health Secretary Shona Robison has ordered an independent review into concerns around A&E waiting times practices and staff pressure at St John’s Hospital. Continue reading Dodgy data? Internal inquiry into emergency waiting times figures

NHS Lothian staff: what matters to you?

Staff urged to speak out in new survey

As well as the annual iMatter survey, this year NHSScotland staff experience will also be measured using a new short survey called the Dignity at Work Survey, which is running from 6 November until 27 November. It is designed to measure how staff feel they are treated at work, and will provide important feedback to help shape our workforce strategies and build improvements based on what staff tell us matters to them. Continue reading NHS Lothian staff: what matters to you?

Partnership Centre no more: it’s now Pennywell All Care Centre!

Pennywell All Care Centre group photo website.png

A £12.1 million health centre in Edinburgh is set to bring increased health and social care services under a new name. North West Edinburgh Partnership Centre will now be known as Pennywell All Care Centre following a renaming competition at Craigroyston Community High School. Continue reading Partnership Centre no more: it’s now Pennywell All Care Centre!

St John’s Hospital children’s services: “no quick fix”

A report by clinical experts has recognised NHS Lothian’s commitment to restoring paediatric inpatient services at an NHS Lothian hospital as soon as possible, but warned there was no “quick fix”.

The review, carried out by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH), highlighted the dedication of paediatric teams at St John’s Hospital in Livingston and commended the progress being made. It supported the health board’s decision to temporarily suspend inpatient services in order to maintain safe facilities for children and it said the service should only resume once the extra staff are recruited or trained.

Jacquie Campbell, Chief Officer of Acute Services, NHS Lothian, said: “We are working extremely hard to recruit additional senior staff so that we can reinstate 24/7 services at the site and we remain committed to the service. But so far we have been unable to provide sufficient staffing cover to ensure patients receive a safe service overnight.

“We know this is frustrating for patients and families, but the RCPCH has been explicit in their clinical and expert opinion that this decision was the right thing to do.

“Our overarching strategy remains a commitment to St John’s Hospital and the children’s ward and this has been demonstrated by the significant and on-going investment we have made into recruitment.”

The report was carried out after NHS Lothian invited the RCPCH to review progress following their first evaluation of children’s services overall in 2015.

At that time, the RCPCH said that inpatient children’s services should be retained on two sites – St John’s Hospital, Livingston, and the Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Edinburgh – and it was recommended that an additional eight consultants were recruited.

The 32 recommendations from the report were taken on board and wide-ranging rounds of recruitment began to help fill the gaps in the rota. However despite extensive campaigns, the required number of posts have not been filled.

The Paediatric Programme Board, which was appointed two years ago to oversee and decide how best to implement the findings of the original report, is now considering the recommendations from the follow-up report.

The RCPCH said that their initial assessment remains the same, but they understand the increasing difficulties in recruitment has caused the current situation.

The report said: “The report reaffirms that for the population of West Lothian the continued provision of inpatient paediatrics is the right model if it can be achieved with sustainable medical staffing.

“This is not a ‘quick fix’ as demonstrated by attempts to recruit paediatricians and advanced children’s nurses. Until sufficient trained medical and nursing staff are available to provide sustainable overnight care, the current daytime only paediatric assessment and decision-making service should be maintained and strengthened.

“Its opening times should be mapped more closely to activity and it should be supported with strengthened community and transport services.”

NHS Lothian is now developing a longer-term strategy to continue to deliver safe and sustainable services, and maintain and strengthen the current provision of the short stay paediatric assessment unit and review the possibility of extending the opening hours.

Ms Campbell added: “We will be looking at these recommendations very carefully in the context of how we can provide patient services safely.

“I would emphasise that parents are not being asked do to anything differently. Most of the children who currently attend the unit will continue to be cared for as normal. They will either be referred by their GP for an urgent medical opinion or attend with a pre-arranged appointment for treatment, assessment, tests or minor day surgery.”

Children will still be assessed and treated in the Emergency Department at St John’s Hospital at night and weekends. A paediatric consultant will be available on-call 24/7. If a child needs to be admitted to hospital a transfer to the Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Edinburgh, will be arranged. Maternity and neonatal services at the hospital are unaffected.

The full report is can be read here. Continue reading St John’s Hospital children’s services: “no quick fix”

Combustible cladding found, but health chief insists Royal Infirmary “remains safe”

NHS Lothian chiefs have assured the public the Royal Infirmary is safe after panels of combustible material were found during safety inspections at the hospital. The checks were initiated following the Grenfell Tower blaze in London. Continue reading Combustible cladding found, but health chief insists Royal Infirmary “remains safe”

LEAP of joy: pioneering programme celebrates 600th success story

A groundbreaking initiative which helps people overcome their addictions has celebrated helping its 600th graduate. Edinburgh resident Angie Dunn is the latest person to complete the Lothian and Edinburgh Abstinence Programme (LEAP), and she joined staff and NHS Lothian Chair Brian Houston to mark the event. Continue reading LEAP of joy: pioneering programme celebrates 600th success story

Staying healthy at Festival time

NHS Lothian has some healthcare advice for the city’s summer visitors – and it’s useful for locals too:

Are you visiting Edinburgh for any of the 12 summer festivals, including the Fringe and the International Book Festival?

The festivals in August are a huge part of Edinburgh’s modern culture and history. Established in 1947, the International Festival has grown significantly year by year, making it one of the most popular events in the world.

Last year, 31,545 people participated in shows on the Fringe Festival, and 2,475,143 show tickets were purchased. The average audience for the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo each year is 220,000. For the Festival finale on 28 August, an estimated 250,000 spectators will see around 400,000 fireworks burst into the sky above Edinburgh Castle.

Given the numbers attending, it’s no surprise that some fall ill and we need to treat them. If you are one of these visitors or performers and you become unwell, it’s important for you to know who to turn to for medical advice or attention when you’re away from home.

Emergency care is always free at the point of use. For temporary residents from around the world, if you access any of our services we will treat you first and then sort things out later – you won’t be denied urgent care.

Here we summarise the most popular services you might need to access. For more details see our Festival Health website pages.

Common questions or minor ailments
Your local pharmacy will provide you with help and advice on common health problems, minor ailments and questions about medicines.

If you are from the UK and run out of repeat medication, a pharmacy may be able to help you get a prescription from your own GP practice, or an emergency supply.

Less serious injuries
For minor injuries (minor cuts/burns, wound infections, sprains and small bone breaks), go to the Minor Injuries Clinic at the Western General Hospital. If you want to check if your injury is suitable for treatment here, phone ahead on 0131 537 3481.

The clinic treats adults and children over one year old and is staffed by specialist nurse, paramedic and physiotherapy practitioners. It’s open every day from 8am – 9pm. The last patient book-in is at 8.30pm, but no appointment is necessary.

Sexual health problems
The Chalmers Centre provides care and advice on sexual health issues, including emergency contraception. For appointments and advice, call 0131 536 1070. For walk-ins, you can attend the Centre between 8:30am and 10am.

GP services
If you are acutely ill and need contact with a General Practitioner (GP/family doctor) that day, you should first phone a local GP practice.

Alternatively, phone 0131 667 3925, where there are a number of additional appointments available during the festivals, between 8am and 6pm, Monday to Friday, from 4 August to 28 August.

Urgent mental health support
The following are some useful telephone numbers to
Mental Health Assessment Service (MHAS) on 0131 537 6000
Breathing Space helpline – 0800 838 587
The Samaritans helpline – 08457 909 090
Edinburgh Crisis Centre – 0808 801 0414

Out of hours
Need urgent medical advice out of hours, and not sure what to do? Call NHS 24 on 111.

Dental health
For information on emergency dental care, see NHS 24’s website.

Emergencies
NHS Lothian has hospital Emergency Departments at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, St John’s Hospital, Livingston and the Royal Hospital for Sick Children. These services are for urgent and emergency situations only.

If at any time you think you need an emergency ambulance for a life-threatening condition, call 999.

A big welcome to Lothian’s temporary residents – we hope you all enjoy the summer festivals!

NHS Lothian hits four-hour A & E target

The most recent data for NHS Scotland reveals that 96.6% of patients in NHS Lothian’s emergency departments were seen, admitted or discharged within four hours – beating the 95% target. Continue reading NHS Lothian hits four-hour A & E target

Stay safe in the sun this summer

NHS Lothian’s Sheena Dryden, Clinical Nurse Specialist for skin cancers at the Dermatology department of the Lauriston Building. talks about how to keep sun-safe outdoors this summer:

Be sun-aware

We can all get caught out unawares by the sun and I think that’s one of the biggest problems in Scotland. Because our weather is so varied, we’re often unprepared for periods of great sunshine – we can start off a day in summer with a fleece on and want to be in shorts by the end of the same day! When we’re abroad we expect the blue skies and the heat and are prepared for it, but here we don’t tend to think about using sun protection, what with the changeable weather.

We need the sun for vitamin D, so it’s good to get at least 10-20 minutes in the daylight every day to maintain a healthy level of vitamin D. However, everyone is at risk of melanomas and other skin cancers, even if you tan well or have darker skin, so even on cloudy or breezy days, always try and remember to apply sunscreen regularly to keep protected if you’re outdoors. The months between April and the end of September are the highest-risk months, with the most affecting times of day being between 10am and 3pm.

Staying safe

We recommend an SPF (sun protection factor) of 30 or above, and UVA protection of at least 3 stars or smiley faces. SPF protects against the UVB (shorter burning) rays, and UVA are the deeper, more damaging rays that age the skin and are thought to cause some forms of skin cancer. Sunscreen must be applied liberally over the skin, because if it is rubbed in, this halves its efficacy. You need the thick layer of sunscreen to properly protect you. Some people have SPF in their facial make-up, but that’s only ever a maximum of factor 15, which when it’s rubbed in brings it down to 7.5, so it’s always better to have extra protection on as well. The basic principle for safety is that if you can see your skin, so can the sun!

In terms of clothing, the head is very vulnerable, even if you have hair, so it’s important to keep it covered with a hat. Plus, remember to cover your ears and the back of your neck when you’re out in the sun, in addition to wearing sunglasses and tightly-woven clothing.

Things to remember

Sunscreen needs to be reapplied every couple of hours, and always after you have been swimming, towelling dry or perspiring. Apply evenly onto your skin, without forgetting hands and feet. It’s also worth getting a friend or family member to help apply sun cream to your back, because it’s so easy to miss parts of it when you do it yourself.

As soon as you start to get red you should move out of the sun. However, the problem with this is that on holiday you could be sitting under a parasol but you can still get reflection off the sand, the decking of a boat or light pavements. Anywhere close to the water is also dangerous as water is very reflective. So when we say ‘out of the sun’, we mean right indoors, and also avoiding areas like conservatories or inside cars – contrary to popular belief, you can still get burnt through glass.

Keeping children safe

The advice for babies is simple – they should not be out in the sun. Young children should have cream of at least SPF 50 applied regularly, and minimal doses of being out in the sun, with a special effort being made to keep them directly out of the sun between 10am and 3pm. For families this can be quite a challenge when you’re trying to keep the kids occupied during the Easter and summer break and with outdoor activities. However, kids are often up early and that would be the ideal time to take them out. The challenge is thinking of creative ways around keeping them indoors at those times. Do as the locals in the Mediterranean do and take leisurely lunches inside and siestas!

What to do if you get bad sunburn

If you get sunburnt make sure to keep hydrated with lots of water (avoiding any alcohol or caffeinated drinks), and try to keep your body temperature down, for example with a cool shower and resting in a cool room. If you or a family member gets seriously burnt and you’re unsure of what to do, seek medical advice from your GP or call 101 for guidance. If there’s a lot of redness and blistering, or you are showing signs of severe burns, medical attention may be required. Headaches, nausea, vomiting and sometimes shivery episodes can also be signs of heatstroke, which can be serious.

Useful links

NHS Inform’s tips for staying safe in the sun.

https://www.nhsinform.scot/campaigns/summer-health

YouTube video: David Cornfield Melanoma Fund – Dear 16 Year Old Me.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEZtMrSGAio

Teenage Cancer Trust’s ‘Shunburn: stay safe in the sun’ video.
https://www.teenagecancertrust.org/support-us/spread-word/shunburn-stay-safe-sun