Tag: NHS Lothian

Royal Edinburgh Hospital: Mental health safe delivery of care inspection report

Healthcare Improvement Scotland yesterday (Thursday 13 November) published a report relating to a Safe Delivery of Care inspection of Acute Adult In patient services at Royal Edinburgh Hospital, NHS Lothian. The inspection took place between 17 – 19 June, 2025.

Our safe delivery of care inspections of adult mental health services aim to take account of the changing risk considerations and sustained service pressures currently across NHS Scotland.

During our inspection of Royal Edinburgh Hospital, we inspected wards, spoke to staff and patients and reviewed policies and procedures. Throughout July and August we held several discussion sessions with key members of NHS Lothian staff to discuss the evidence provided and findings of the inspection.

Speaking of the Royal Edinburgh Hospital report, Donna Maclean, Chief Inspector, Healthcare Improvement Scotland, said: “During our inspection we saw good multidisciplinary team working to provide person-centred care and treatment and kind and respectful interactions between staff and patients.

“Staff were open and transparent about the current challenges they face in relation to the use of non-standard care areas throughout the hospital. During our inspection we raised several concerns with senior managers relating to the care of patients within non-standard care areas.

“We also raised concerns with senior managers around risk assessments, a lack of approved process to support staff decision making and lack of privacy for patients in non-standard care areas. Issues around unassessed ligature points, environmental challenges and the ability of staff to be able to carry out continuous observations were also highlighted.

“We also raised concerns relating to the fire risk assessments and the lack of appropriate fire doors.

“Several requirements have been given in relation to a lack of effective systems in place to support the delivery of safe care within non-standard care areas. We will return to carry out a follow-up inspection to assess and monitor improvement in response to these concerns.

“Other areas identified for improvement include staff training in areas such as life support and fire safety as well as improving communication with patients and families.”

Eddie Docherty, Director of Quality Assurance and Regulation at Healthcare Improvement Scotland, said: “Our previous mental health inspection programme was focused on infection prevention and control.

“It was agreed with Scottish Government to widen the inspection focus from infection prevention and control to a broader assurance function, creating a new and revised ‘safe delivery of care’ assurance model in NHS adult mental health units.

“We believe it is important to provide public assurance that adult mental health units in Scotland are safe for patients and staff, provide quality person-centred care, with clear leadership and a focus on improvement.”

The Royal Edinburgh Hospital inspection resulted in six areas of good practice, four recommendations and 21 requirements.

An improvement action plan has been developed by NHS Lothian to meet the requirements.

NHS Lothian says it is continuing work to improve Adult Mental Health services after accepting a report published by Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) yesterday (Thursday 13 November).

Significant work has been ongoing since March 2025 to meet the considerable increase in demand for beds, which regularly exceeded capacity, and address system pressures.

A detailed improvement plan to address the requirements from the HIS report is also well underway, with many of the actions already complete or in progress.

The HIS inspection took place in June during efforts to meet demand. While it identified many areas of good practice within teams and the care provided, it highlighted more needs to be done.

Jim Crombie, Deputy Chief Executive, NHS Lothian said: “We take patient safety extremely seriously and took immediate action to address many of the concerns raised in the report.

“A structured plan to reconfigure wards to add extra permanent beds where needed is almost complete. This will end the use of temporary, non-standard areas and the divert suite, which were set up in response to demand.

“Additional leadership oversight and staff training are in place to improve the quality and consistency of ligature inspections, assessments and observations to further reduce the risk of patient self-harm or suicide.

“We have also recently recruited 97 newly qualified nurses, and 30 healthcare support workers. This will allow us to meet increasing service demand and provide more resilience, while significantly reducing the use of bank and agency staff.

“We are committed to providing safe, effective care for patients and ensuring staff are well supported. We are grateful to HIS for their guidance and will continue to work with them and other professional bodies to improve our services.”

Since the initial improvement work began, considerable progress has also been made in reducing delayed discharges. This includes working closely with the health and social care partnerships and other specialist care providers to ensure patients can return to the community with appropriate support.

Improvements are also underway to enhance patient and carer communications, building on the positive work noted in the report of proactively obtaining their feedback. More widely, an ongoing programme of work to transform mental health services to meet the changing needs of mental health care and future proof services also continues.

The full inspection report is available to view at:
https://www.healthcareimprovementscotland.scot/publications/royal-edinburgh-hospital-mental-health-safe-delivery-of-care-inspection-november-2025/

ADDITIONAL INFO:

We carried out an unannounced inspection to Royal Edinburgh Hospital, NHS Lothian, on Tuesday 17 June to Thursday 19 June 2025 using our safe delivery of care inspection methodology. We inspected the following areas:

  • Balcarres
  • Braids
  • Caanan
  • Craiglockheart
  • Cramond
  • Divert suite
  • Fairmile
  • Harlaw
  • Hawthorn
  • Hermitage
  • Margaret Duguid unit
  • Meadows
  • Merchiston
  • Myreside
  • Orchard

During our inspection, we:

  • inspected the ward and hospital environment.
  • observed staff practice and interactions with patients, such as during patient mealtimes.
  • spoke with patients, visitors and ward staff.
  • accessed patients’ health records, monitoring reports, policies and procedures.

This inspection resulted in six areas of good practice, four recommendations and 21 requirements.

Additional £25.5 million for planned care

Delivering extra appointments and procedures for patients

Health boards will receive an additional £25.5 million this year to allow them to deliver more planned care appointments and procedures to reduce long waits for patients, First Minister John Swinney has announced.

The additional funding will support the delivery of more outpatient appointments and inpatient/day case procedures across a variety of specialities including orthopaedics, dermatology, general surgery and gynaecology. Cardiology and paediatrics will also get extra funding.

This new support takes total additional investment to £135.5 million in 2025-26 to help the National Health Service maintain progress on reducing waiting lists.

Recent figures show the total list size and longest waits are coming down. There has also been an increase of more than 31,000 appointments and procedures from April to September this year compared to same period in 2024.

Speaking during a visit to Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow, the First Minister said: “The latest figures show our plan to support Scotland’s NHS is working, delivering real benefits for patients.

“We have already provided £110 million of additional targeted funding this year to tackle the longest waits. Now we are providing a further boost to deliver more appointments and procedures, taking the total additional funding to £135.5 million for 2025-26.

“I am determined to build on the progress being achieved by hardworking staff in our health service, like those I met today at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital. We want to help them provide the care and treatment patients need and expect – and we are already seeing results.

“Not only are the total list size and longest waits coming down, but we are treating more people than last year. There is still work to be done, but these are very welcome improvements.

“Under my leadership, the people of Scotland can expect a strong National Health Service delivering patient care of the highest possible quality.”

The additional £25.5 million will be shared between the following health boards:

  • Ayrshire and Arran
  • Fife
  • Grampian
  • Greater Glasgow and Clyde
  • Highland
  • Lanarkshire
  • Lothian
  • Shetland
  • Tayside

In NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, as at 30 September 2025, new outpatient ongoing waits over 52 weeks had decreased by 17.6% and inpatient/day case ongoing waits over 52 weeks had decreased by 5.7% compared to the previous month.

Reduction in NHS waiting lists – gov.scot

RIE Maternity staff ‘Overwhelmed, unsupported and not listened to’

Healthcare Improvement Scotland: Inspection report Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, NHS Lothian

Healthcare Improvement Scotland today (Wednesday 29 October) published a report relating to a Maternity Services Safe Delivery of Care inspection visit to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, NHS Lothian. 

We carried out the unannounced inspection of maternity services at the hospital on 23-24 June 2025.   

Speaking of the report, Donna Maclean, Chief Inspector, Healthcare Improvement Scotland, said: “During our inspection of the maternity services we saw staff working hard to provide compassionate and responsive care in very challenging circumstances.  All interactions observed during inspection between women, babies and families were positive and respectful.

“We saw good teamwork and innovation within the maternity triage department involving extended members of the multidisciplinary team including obstetricians, midwives and the healthcare support team.

“However, during the course of this inspection, we escalated serious concerns within NHS Lothian to senior staff and Scottish Government. These concerns related to culture, oversight of patient safety and staff wellbeing within Edinburgh Royal Infirmary maternity services.

“Some staff were complimentary and described their line manager as supportive. However, the majority of the multidisciplinary team we spoke with were frustrated at staffing levels and told us this presented a safety risk, which they’d raised on multiple occasions with managers.

“They shared their concerns and feelings of being overwhelmed, unsupported and not listened to. They said this has impacted staff confidence to escalate staffing concerns.

“During the inspection we observed delays to the induction of labour process of up to 29 hours and other delays to women who required ongoing care within the labour ward due to lack of staff availability, capacity and the complexities of patient conditions.

“Staff described suboptimal skill mix and challenges in providing and maintaining one to one care for women within the labour ward, as well as delays to observations or escalation of clinical concerns.

“Our inspection has highlighted gaps in incident reporting and a reluctance to submit incident reports, with staff describing a culture of mistrust. These are concerning issues that may have significant impact on the learning from adverse events in the system and reduce opportunities to improve safety.

“Women told us of mixed experiences within the hospital, whilst some were complimentary of their care, they also informed inspectors of poor communication that left them feeling uninformed and with no ‘voice’ in their care.”

Other areas for improvement identified included fire safety requirements, safe storage of cleaning products and improvements to the environment.

Speaking of our expansion of Safe Delivery of Care inspections into maternity services, Eddie Docherty, Director of Quality Assurance and Regulation, said: “In response to Healthcare Improvement Scotland’s Neonatal Mortality Review in 2024, we made a commitment to expanding our Safe Delivery of Care inspection approach to include inpatient maternity services.

“The maternity inspections will provide women, and families with an assessment of the quality of care provided by their local maternity service and an independent review of any required improvements.

“Our organisation is also producing a set of standards for maternity services, which will in time support our inspection process for maternity services.”

The maternity services inspection at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh resulted in five areas of good practice, two recommendations and 26 requirements.

An improvement action plan has been developed by NHS Lothian to meet the requirements for maternity services.

The full Lothian maternity inspection report is available to view at:

https://www.healthcareimprovementscotland.scot/publications/edinburgh-royal-infirmary-safe-delivery-of-care-inspection-october-2025

Pre-empting the report, NHS Lothian issued a statement yesterday:

KEY MESSAGES FOR PATIENTS

You are likely to read or hear some stories in the media this week about maternity services in NHS Lothian.

A new BBC documentary will air on Tuesday and will explore challenges in maternity services across Scotland. It is looking at situations and cases in the bigger units of Glasgow and Edinburgh and is following up on the improvement work that is already underway in NHS Lothian.

Then on Wednesday, Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) will publish a report into Women’s Services following two unannounced visits in June.

You might understandably have some questions or concerns about what is going on. It is also to be expected that you may feel more anxious than normal.

We can reassure you that your health, and that of your baby, is our main priority.

If you have any questions at all, please raise them. If your expert midwife can’t answer them, they will be able to find someone else who can help.

A phoneline has also been established to help answer any questions or concerns. It will be manned by our Patient Experience Team with a local contact in Women’s Services for any specific issues.

You can make contact on: Tel 0131 536 3370 (open Mon-Fri, 9am to 2pm) and on email: LOTH.Feedback@nhs.scot

Many of the things to note are:

  • We know these reports will be concerning and we apologise to women, people who use the service, and their families and can reassure them that these issues are being taken extremely seriously. 
  • A major improvement programme began last year and is already underway across women’s services in NHS Lothian.
  • Many of the points we expect to be mentioned in the BBC documentary and many of the findings in the HIS report actually reinforce the work that is already underway and serve to strengthen the improvement plan.
  • The issues are being taken extremely seriously, and we have always been clear that wider ranging matters, such as staffing, recruitment and working culture within the department, will take time to resolve.
  • Significant investment and improvements have already been made, and many new posts have been filled, but there is still more to do to ensure our staff feel supported at work, safe to raise concerns and able to thrive.
  • We are working to enhance patient safety, quality of care and improve working conditions for our teams.
  • The first and ongoing phase of improvement work focussed on patient care. The second phase is focussed on staff working culture, training and environment.
  • As part of the programme, we have improved triage and escalation increased staffing, boosted training, altered placement rotation and created robust patient pathways.
  • The report highlighted some areas of good practice, particularly our maternity triage system which is one of areas already targeted by the ongoing improvement programme.

Report on Melville Unit highlights need to strengthen safety and wellbeing of young people

The first in a series of visits to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) Inpatient units has found a mix of concerns for the safety and wellbeing of young people, alongside committed staff and positive initiatives at the Melville Unit in Edinburgh.

The joint unannounced visit was carried out in May 2025 by the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland together with Healthcare Improvement Scotland, following a commitment from the Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport to address national concerns about the care of young people in mental health units.

The Commission listened to the experiences of the young people in the unit during the visit. While young people reported feeling listened to by staff and staff were praised for their clear commitment and passion, the visit identified several critical areas requiring immediate action.

Key findings on safety and wellbeing of young people

The report presents a mixed picture of the care provided at Melville. On one hand, the Commission observed positive interactions between staff and young people, who reported feeling listened to by dedicated and passionate staff.

However, there were concerns for the safety and wellbeing of young people. A significant issue was the use of restraint. The report calls for urgent improvement when this highly restrictive response is used, noting a lack of detailed care plans and incomplete records.

Of particular concern is the practice of nasogastric tube feeding under restraint, which requires immediate review to ensure it follows best practice and respects young people’s involvement in decisions about their care.

The unit has also yet to ensure all care is lawful under the Mental Health Act, as our previous recommendations have yet to be fully acted on and embedded. The quality of care planning and communication with parents also requires improvement.

Young people and their families reported a lack of activities, especially in the evenings and on weekends. Some young people said this meant they spent “too much time thinking their own thoughts,” which directly impacts their recovery.

The physical environment was also noted as requiring attention to ensure the safety of both staff and patients.

Julie Paterson, Chief Executive of the Mental Welfare Commission and Robbie Pearson, Chief Executive of Healthcare Improvement Scotland said: “Inpatient care provides intensive support for children and young people experiencing acute mental health crises and it is crucial such care meets both legal requirements and standards for the safe delivery of care.

“This report has identified areas for improvement as well as good practice.  It is important the NHS Lothian addresses the recommendations and requirements with appropriate urgency.”

Claire Lamza, Executive Director (Nursing) of the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland, said: ““The safety and wellbeing of vulnerable young people in specialist inpatient mental health units is a key priority for the Mental Welfare Commission. Several findings from our visit to Melville were concerning as they did not provide the quality of lawful care and treatment every young person has a right to.

“We recognize the dedication of staff at Melville who genuinely advocate for young people. However, decisive action from NHS Lothian is needed to address the issues identified in this joint report and in previous Commission visit reports. This must include honest reflection on why previous action plans and intentions have yet to deliver meaningful change for young people and their families.”

Nicola Killean, Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland, said: “I’m deeply concerned about the findings from the Mental Welfare Commission into the care of children at Melville Unit, which highlight potential rights breaches including the safe and lawful use of restraint.

“This is further worrying evidence about the use of restraint on children living in some of the most vulnerable situations. Alongside partners I have been raising my concerns with the Scottish Government about the use of restraint on children in mental health provision for over two years.  

“Following my recent letter before action, I am pleased that the Scottish Government has now confirmed that it will revise the statutory code of practice to include human rights-based guidance and put in place mandatory recording and reporting of restraint and seclusion.

“I have also been given assurances that it will designate the Mental Welfare Commission as the appropriate monitoring body. These steps must be taken urgently to protect children from harm.”

NHS Lothian says it is working to improve services for young people at the Melville Inpatient Unit after it accepted a joint report published today (Thursday 23 October) by Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) and the Mental Welfare Commission (MWC).

A robust action plan is already well underway to address the report recommendations and improve care in the specialist Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) unit which supports up to 12 young people with complex needs.

CAMHS has made significant progress in recruiting and retaining more skilled staff and developing new care pathways, with the report also highlighting positive staff interactions and their commitment and passion for working with young people.

However, Jim Crombie, Deputy Chief Executive for NHS Lothian, said that wider improvements were continuing across the unit. He added: “We want to reassure young people and families that we are committed to delivering safe, high-quality and effective care and we take the findings of the report extremely seriously.

“The safety and care of young people and staff is always our top priority.  Restraint is only ever used in the unit as a last resort to prevent harm for young people or to staff or other patients.

“We introduced an initiative to reduce the use of restraint further, which was observed by HIS during the inspection, and has shown positive results. Systems are also in place to improve the recording, monitoring and auditing of restraints.

“We continue to prioritise this work by training and educating staff in safe restraint, wider care planning, managing distress, responding to violence and aggression and supporting young people in their future care, including those who require essential nasogastric tube feeding.

“We want to thank staff for their ongoing dedication and HIS and MWC for their expertise and guidance in shaping improvements to the mental health care of young people. We will welcome any forthcoming national guidance or best practice from these essential reviews.”

The action plan also includes work underway to improve multidisciplinary team dynamics through enhanced meeting structures, communication, collaboration and decision making to work more effectively with young people.

Since May 2025, a system has been in place to monitor legal authority for treating young people under the Mental Health Act, with enhanced managerial oversight and daily checks by registered nurses to ensure documentation is in place before administrating care.

Work also continues to expand meaningful evening and weekend activities for young people with regular reviews planned. Nurses will also receive refresher training to strengthen their therapeutic skills in individual and group settings.

A review of the physical environment of the Melville Unit, including looking at options for how best to provide care safely while meeting the needs of young people, is also well underway.

A copy of the report is available from Healthcare Improvement Scotland.

NHS Lothian: Look out for your breast screening letter

Routine screening doesn’t stop you getting breast cancer, but it’s the best way to spot cancers at an early stage when they’re easier to treat.

That’s why it’s important you attend your appointment when invited.

Find out more at http://nhsinform.scot/breastscreening

#BreastScreeningScot

Glasgow woman’s mission to tell others: ‘Never miss your breast screening appointment

A retired member of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde staff, Liz Thomas (71) from Pollock, has been photographed as part of an exhibition to celebrate the resilience, beauty, and strength of women affected by breast cancer.

Liz and three other women chosen for the photoshoot have recently had or are undergoing treatment for breast cancer. They were chosen to be part of Pink Ribbon Foundation’s BOLD Scotland Exhibition.

This extraordinary project, captured by award-winning photographer Caroline Sikkenk, is currently displayed in Glasgow’s Princes Square by M as part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

In addition to taking part in this project, Liz is also using this month to share an important message. She said: “Go for your breast screening when you’re invited.”

In November 2024, Liz attended her routine breast screening appointment at NHSGGC’s Breast Clinic in Nelson Mandela Place. Within a week, she was recalled and asked to bring someone with her.

“I wasn’t expecting good news,” Liz said. “They told me two lumps had been found. I had a biopsy and scans there and then. It turned out I had two Stage 3 tumours.”

Within four weeks, Liz underwent a mastectomy at Gartnavel Hospital, followed by chemotherapy and radiotherapy in early 2025.

“The treatment was tough, physically and mentally, but I met wonderful people along the way. The staff were incredible. We even managed to laugh during chemo. One time, the nurses joked they had to separate me from the other ladies because we were giggling so much. Laughter got us through.”

Liz credits her daughter Jourdana, also an NHSGGC staff member, as her rock throughout the journey. “I have a good life and a great life ahead. Who knows if I’d have that if I hadn’t gone for screening?”

Now, Liz is on a mission. She said: “I tell everyone, my daughter, my friends, even the girl who does my nails, never miss your breast screening appointment. And if you’re over 70, you won’t automatically get a letter. You need to contact the breast screening centre yourself.”

Women aged between 50 and 70 will be invited for breast screening every three years. Those eligible, will be invited by NHSGGC via letter to the address registered with their GP, and people are advised to ensure this is up to date.

Anyone over the age of 70, can make an appointment for breast screening directly via the breast screening service.

For more information visit:
Breast cancer | Get Checked Early
Breast screening in Scotland | NHS inform

Exhibition Details

The BOLD Scotland exhibition is on display at Princes Square by M. Entry is free, giving everyone the opportunity to witness this inspiring and empowering project.

LEGO MRI Scanner Set Helps Reduce Anxiety and Sedation for Children at NHS Lothian

Young patients in NHS Lothian are preparing for MRI scans by playing with specially designed LEGO sets to help settle their nerves.

The innovative model, developed by the LEGO Group and the LEGO Foundation, has already supported over one million children globally. Designed to help young patients understand the MRI process through play, the set includes a scanner, patient bed, waiting room, scanning room, staff figures and medical accessories.

Positive results have already been seen at the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People in Edinburgh and St John’s Hospital in Livingston, where staff have reported calmer, more confident patients.

Ivy, a five-year-old patient from Edinburgh, was introduced to the LEGO MRI Scanner model ahead of her second scan.

Her mum, Rachel, shared how the experience transformed Ivy’s hospital visit: “On the day of her second scan Ivy did really well and was even a bit excited!

“If we hadn’t played with the LEGO MRI model beforehand, I think she would have had a full meltdown and would no doubt have needed general anesthetic. Nobody wants their child to be put to sleep if you can avoid it.

“Ivy is a visual learner and loves LEGO bricks, so seeing and explaining the procedure through play was a game changer. It really helped her to understand what to expect, took away any nerves and made things go plain sailing.

“Coming into hospital can be a stressful experience, but playing with this model made our whole family feel more relaxed, calm and prepared.”

The LEGO MRI Scanner set is part of a global initiative to make hospital experiences less intimidating for children. Research from the LEGO Group shows that 96% of healthcare professionals using the set report reduced anxiety in children, and 46% say it has helped lower the need for sedation or general anesthesia.

Aris Tyrothoulakis, Service Director Women’s and Children’s, NHS Lothian said: “We are always looking for ways to improve the experience of children in our care.

“The LEGO MRI Scanner set has been a fantastic tool for helping young patients feel more comfortable and confident ahead of their scans. It’s a simple but powerful way to support children and families during what can be a challenging time.”

The sets are donated to hospitals and are not available for sale. NHS Lothian received its model through the LEGO Group’s Social Responsibility programme, which partners with organisations such as Fairy Bricks and Starlight Children’s Foundation to distribute the sets worldwide.

For more information about the LEGO MRI Scanner initiative, visit:

https://www.lego.com/en-gb/sustainability/children/lego-mri-scanner

Local Healthcare Heroes Honoured at Celebrating Success Awards

Healthcare professionals, support staff, and teams at the Western General Hospital who have made an exceptional impact were recognised at NHS Lothian’s annual Celebrating Success Awards.

Lucy Lockhart, Clinical Support Worker at the Western General Hospital scooped the Young Achiever Award.

She joined the surgical High Dependency Unit as an apprentice aged 16 years old. Patients love her warmth, and her colleagues say she’s an absolute joy to work with.  Lucy’s nominators said: “She never fails to make us smile with her kind, compassionate and polite nature.”

The Uro-Oncology Prostate Postal Service team at the hospital took home the Best Example of Quality, Innovation and Productivity Award.

Serving over 2,000 patients, the team have streamlined vital blood test monitoring for cancer patients. Their energy, enthusiasm and willingness to embrace new ideas have helped to save time, money, and improve patient care.

The Caring Champion of the Year Award went to Alison Rogers, Macmillan Cancer Support Centre Lead at the Edinburgh Cancer Centre.

She works tirelessly to support patients, staff or anyone who needs a kind word or a calming presence. From making the centre feel like a cosy haven to sprucing up the garden, she goes above and beyond every single day. Her nominator said Alison doesn’t just support people—she becomes a true friend.

Kelly Moffat, Lead Nurse – Acute Palliative Care for Lothian was awarded for her Leadership Excellence.

Described by her nominator as a true inspiration, Kelly is commended for raising the profile of palliative care across Lothian and uniting teams across the Western General, the Royal Infirmary, and St John’s Hospital.

Her nominator said: “Kelly is professional in all aspects of her work always encompassing the core values of NHS Lothian and delivering outstanding patient centred care.”

Professor John Connaghan CBE, Chair of NHS Lothian Board, said: “It’s always inspiring to hear the incredible stories of care happening every day across Lothian. These awards give us a chance to pause and celebrate the amazing work being done, and it was fantastic to do that in person again this year.

“Our finalists were nominated by colleagues and members of the public for the vital roles they play. They should feel incredibly proud of their achievements for being chosen out of hundreds of entries.”

Caroline Hiscox, Chief Executive, NHS Lothian, added: “It’s a real privilege to celebrate the incredible work of our colleagues across NHS Lothian. Many feel they’re simply doing their job and don’t seek recognition, but that’s exactly why Celebrating Success is so important.

“These awards allow us to shine a light on those who go above and beyond, and who truly embody NHS Lothian’s values. I want to thank all our finalists for their resilience, professionalism, and hard work, and offer my warmest congratulations on their well-deserved achievements.”

“Thank you to everyone who took the time to submit a nomination. It demonstrates great leadership to recognise and celebrate the contributions of colleagues.”

Proudly sponsored by NHS Lothian Charity, the awards shine a spotlight on the outstanding contributions of individuals and teams working tirelessly to improve care and support across the region.

Visit news.nhslothian.scot/celebrating-success-finalists/ for the full list of winners and finalists.

Funding long COVID services

£4.5 million a year to address long-term health effects

New year-on-year investment in specialist services will help address long-term effects caused by COVID-19 and other similar health conditions.

The Scottish Government is allocating £4.5 million to health boards this year and in future years on a recurring basis, to recruit skilled staff and develop sustainable services. Patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and similar conditions will also be eligible for referral.

Services could include managing fatigue or breathlessness, physiotherapy and rehabilitation.

During a visit to services at the Astley Ainslie Hospital in Edinburgh, Health Secretary Neil Gray said: “I recognise the significant impact which the symptoms of long COVID and ME/CFS can have on those most severely affected. I want to ensure these patients are listened to and receive appropriate assessments and referrals.

“Being able to meet professionals involved in Astley Ainslie Hospital’s existing long COVID service, I am heartened to hear first-hand how our funding so far has allowed people living with the condition to be given advice and support to improve their quality of life.

“Recurring funding will enable health boards to develop new support on a sustainable basis and help the retention and recruitment of the skilled members of staff required for the delivery of these services.”

Director of Allied Health Professions at NHS Lothian, Dr Heather Cameron, welcomed the recurring funding and added: “In Lothian, we are taking a holistic approach to supporting people with long-term health conditions such as ME, CFS and Long Covid.

“Our clinical teams work collaboratively across a range of services, including medical, psychology, physiotherapy, speech and language therapy and occupational therapy, to provide care and support people to better manage their condition and improve their quality of life.

“This funding is vitally important, and it means that we are able to further develop our services in the longer term to ensure that established care pathways are available when people need it most.”