Check your GP opening times

With Christmas upon us, NHS Scotland is now reminding the public of the GP surgery closures over New Year:

While GP practices re-open on Thursday after the Christmas break, the NHS Scotland Be Ready for Winter campaign advises people to be aware that many GP surgeries and pharmacies will be closed for two days again at the New Year (Tuesday 1st and Wednesday 2nd January) .

NHS 24’s Medical Director Professor George Crooks, explained: “While NHS Scotland staff have been very busy over the Christmas period, it is important that people remember there is another period of GP practices’ closures over Hogmanay. It’s important that people know the opening times of their local pharmacy too and make use of the next couple of days to re-stock with simple home remedies to ensure they can look after themselves and their family if needed.

“Knowing you have remedies at home to help if a winter illness does strike can make all the difference and if your symptoms worsen while your GP surgery is closed, you should contact NHS 24”

Many GPs will be working hard throughout the festive period supporting local Out of Hours services and Be Ready for Winter has the backing of the British Medical Association (BMA) in Scotland and the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) Scotland. Dr John Gillies, Chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners Scotland, said: “Cold and flu bugs are most prevalent between January and March. Be prepared by stocking your medicine cabinet with suitable over the counter remedies. If you are in a vulnerable group make sure you have requested a flu vaccine from your practice. Remember that your local general practice will not be closed for very long, but if you do need out of hours advice you can look at NHS inform online or contact NHS 24.”

General advice and information on how to stay healthy this winter can be found at www.nhsinform.co.uk or contact NHS inform on 0800 22 44 88. Winter health advice is also available through the NHSScotland digital TV channel, or follow NHS 24 on Facebook and Twitter for the latest updates and tips.

The four key steps that Be Ready for Winter is recommending everyone take in preparation for their health this winter are:

Restock your winter medicine cabinet

Many children and adults pick up common winter ailments such as a cold or flu-like illness. These can often be effectively treated at home with readily available medicine. Parents are reminded to restock their medicine cabinet with remedies suitable for children.

Use your local pharmacy

Your local pharmacy is an accessible resource for you and your family. Your pharmacist can offer advice or help if you have run out of any prescribed medication. You can also collect medicine for minor ailments or illnesses.

Make sure you have repeat prescriptions.

If you or someone you care for requires medicines regularly, make sure you order and collect repeat prescriptions in good time to ensure you or your family have enough medicine to last over the Christmas holiday period.

Know when your GP surgery will be open

Your local doctor’s surgery will be open on Monday 31st December and closed for two days on Tuesday 1st and Wednesday 2nd January 2013.

Council welcomes Victoria’s temporary re-opening

The city council has welcomed NHS Lothian’s decision to re-open the Royal Victoria Hospital to help meet increasing demand and emergency admissions over winter.

Wards in the Royal Victoria Hospital (RVH) will be re-opened to provide extra capacity for the expected increase in the number of patients over the next few months. The move comes as the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh is facing increasing pressure from emergency admissions, with the situation then being exacerbated by the numbers of delayed discharge patients and other issues including the winter vomiting virus norovirus.

The temporary solution has been welcomed by the city council’s Health and Wellbeing Convener Councillor Ricky Henderson (pictured above), who said: “There is a growing demand for care and support services, especially at this time of year, so the reopening of the Royal Victoria Hospital will help to meet demand. The Council has been working extremely hard with NHS Lothian to address identified shortages and since April we have increased the level of homecare service the Council provides by an extra 4,000 hours per week. We have also made additional investment in our homecare overnight teams, intermediate care service and telehealthcare service to help ensure the essential care required is available for older people in their own homes.”

Melanie Hornett, Nurse Director, NHS Lothian, said: “We have taken a long, hard look at the facilities and resources we have available as part of our winter planning exercises and we know we don’t have the abilities to meet demand. As a result, we have put this temporary solution in place to allow us to serve patients in a timely manner, while increasing our capacity from within.”

The contingency plan was drawn up as part of routine winter planning, which in previous years has seen bed numbers increased on other sites, including Astley Ainslie Hospital, Royal Victoria Hospital and Liberton Hospital among others.

Two extra wards will be re-opened over the next few weeks, with the potential to increase as the winter progresses and demand increases as a result of winter weather.

The Royal Victoria Hospital closed in August after the last ward moved on to different sites within NHS Lothian, including the new Royal Victoria Building at the Western General Hospital and the Royal Edinburgh Hospital.

Looking for an NHS dentist in Edinburgh?

The following dental practices are currently accepting new NHS patients:

9 Dean Bank Street, Stockbridge EH3 5BS 0131 332 5510

4 Inverleith Gardens, Inverleith EH3 5PU 0131 552 4024

4 Howard Place, Canon Mills EH3 5JZ 0131 556 7232

4 Great Stuart Street, West End EH3 6AW 0131 225 3911

264 Morrison Street, Haymarket EH3 8DT 0131 229 6633

212 Morrison Street, Haymarket EH3 8EA 0131 229 7899

42 Earl Grey Street, Tollcross EH3 9BN 0131 221 9535

1D Pennywell Gardens, Muirhouse EH4 4UA 0131 315 2666

3 Quality St, Davidson’s Mains EH4 5BP 0131 336 1785

32 Duart Crescent, Clermiston EH4 7JP 0131 339 7446

65 Ferry Road, Leith EH6 4AQ 0131 554 1791

163 Great Junction Street, Leith EH6 5LG 0131 554 8589

116 Ocean Drive, Leith EH6 6JG 0131 208 2222

120 Ocean Drive, Leith EH6 6JG 0131 555 0376

80/1B Commercial Quay EH6 6LX 0131 553 5959

57 Constitution Street Leith EH6 7AF 0131 555 2020

6 East Hermitage Place, Leith EH6 8AA 0131 554 5028

1 Bellevue Place, Newtown EH7 4BS 0131 556 3240

15 Earlston Place, Meadowbank EH7 5SU 0131 659 5670

Boroughloch Med. Cent, 1 Meadow Place EH9 1JZ 0131 656 4525

59 Ratcliffe Terrace, Newington EH9 1ST 0131 667 4433

39 Mayfield Gardens, Newington EH9 2BX 0131 668 1521

125 Mayfield Road, Newington EH9 3AJ 0131 667 5656

147 Bruntsfield Place EH10 4EB 0131 229 7999

1 Millar Crescent, Morningside EH10 5HN 0131 447 0606

27 Comiston Road, Morningside EH10 6AA 0131 447 2722

3C Washington Lane, Dalry EH11 2HA 0131 337 8272

14 Ardmillan Terrace, Gorgie EH11 2JW 0131 337 2771

296 Gorgie Road, Gorgie EH11 2PP 0131 337 3936

176 St. John’s Road, Corstorphine EH12 8BE 0131 334 2704

9 Bughtlin market, East Craigs EH12 8XP 0131 339 2992

302 Oxgangs Road North EH13 9ND 0131 441 3231

132 Colinton Road, Colinton EH14 1BY 0131 443 4050

1 Hailsland Gardens, Wester Hailes EH14 2QN 0131 453 1151

Westside Plaza, Wester Hailes EH14 2SW 0131 442 4084

38 Balerno High Street EH14 7EH 0131 449 5545

274 Portobello High Street EH15 2AT 0131 669 1193

216 Portobello High Street EH15 2AU 0131 669 2995

310 Portobello High Street EH15 2DA 0131 669 3333

23 Duddingston Park South EH15 3NY 0131 669 9977

198 Peffermill Road, Craigmillar EH16 4DT 0131 661 3424

1 Parkside Terrace, Newington EH16 5BN 0131 667 0500

173 Dalkeith Road, Newington EH16 5BY 0844 387 8333

1 Bellstane, South Queensferry EH30 3PU 0131 319 1879

Information correct on 1 December 2012

Bump Start Annual Review

Bump Start is a support service for pregnant women, with two bases in North Edinburgh at Pennywell and Leith.

The project has two main ways of helping women and their families. A Bump Start worker can work with individual families and help with a whole range of topics, and there is also a weekly group for pregnant women and their partners, parents and supporters called ‘The Pregnancy Café’ where everyone can learn more about being pregnant and preparing to be a parent. Dads – to – be are particularly welcomed at the café.

The team has public health workers from NHS Lothian, the CLD Health Literacy team, and Stepping Stones all working together to deliver the service and the project works very closely with the local midwives. If you are pregnant and think this type of support would help you please contact your midwife and she will then put you in touch with the Bump Start team in your area.

The picture shows the Bump Start team at their annual stakeholders event in Spartans Football Club, where the team was presenting the project’s independent evaluation which was carried out by COMAS.

A number of organisations were represented at the event including Multi-Cultural Family Base, CEC Community Learning and Development, Public Health NHS, Stepping Stones; CEC Social Work, CEC Early Years, Community Midwifery and Mellow Parenting.

Cathy Wood, North West Local Health Partnership

Jewellery theft at Western General

Lothian and Borders Police are appealing for witnesses following the theft of two rings worth £10,000 at the Western General Hospital last week.

The incident happened around 3.15pm last Tuesday (23 October). A 33-year-old woman was in one of the bathrooms and took off her wedding ring and eternity ring off to wash her hands. After leaving the bathroom, she realised she’d left her rings inside and when she returned to retrieve them, she found they were gone. Neither item was handed in to security, so the woman has contacted police to report them stolen.

The wedding ring is a platinum band with a single one carat diamond while the eternity ring is platinum with around 24 diamonds around the circumference. The rings (pictured below) have a combined value of around£10,000.

A police spokesman said: “The woman has been left devastated at the loss of her rings and is desperate to have them returned to her as soon as possible. Anyone who comes into possession of the rings is asked to hand them in to their local police station. We would also ask that anyone who can assist with our enquiries into this theft contacts police immediately.”

Anyone with information can contact Lothian and Borders Police on 0131 311 3131, or the charity Crimestoppers in confidence and complete anonymity on 0800 555 111.

Flora’s pupils take the active option

Flora Stevenson Primary School’s approach to physical education has attracted the attention of university researchers. Pupils at the Comely Bank school have opted for daily physical activity – with ‘remarkable’ results – and the successful initiative will now be rolled out to more local schools.

Over the past two years extra training has been provided for teachers and pupils have been given opportunities to be active daily. This approach has made a significant impact on pupils who are showing an increase in confidence, motivation and self-esteem, as well as physical ability.

Since 2011 the school has been working with Winning Scotland Foundation and The City of Edinburgh Council who have provided a variety of support and funding for the initiative.

Pupils receive PE lessons three days a week and an active class challenge for their ‘non-PE’ day. The week culminates with the opportunity for them to participate in an optional hour of physical activity on a Friday – incredibly nearly 80% of all pupils now choose to participate in active options which include a wide variety of activities from fencing to football and hip-hop to tae kwon do.

Edinburgh University has been so impressed with this approach it is studying the impact it is having on training teachers within their own school.

Councillor Paul Godzik, Education Convener said, “This project has really had remarkable results so far. Alongside the great uptake of activities at school and the positive impact this is having on pupils, many are now choosing to partake in sports outwith school time. This means they are more likely to be physically active regularly and continue to be so in the long-run; this is an invaluable lifestyle change for them. This is a great example of how working with other organisations can lead to positive change.”

The project has allowed Flora’s to work closely with parents and other schools within the local community, one of which is Broughton High School (one of three school based Community Sports Hubs in Edinburgh). Sport can play an extremely important role in assisting children’s transition from Primary School to Secondary school.

Angela Hutt, PE Specialist at the school is delighted that her initial idea was developed and came to fruition thanks to the support and commitment of Shelagh Dow, Depute Head Teacher and her fellow teachers. Angela said; “The Curriculum for Excellence had given us the flexibility to provide pupils with opportunities to be active daily. As Friday’s activities are a reward for good behaviour we are seeing a positive impact on behaviour throughout the week. This is an ambitious project and wouldn’t be possible without support. A big thanks to everyone who has worked with us on this.”

Morag Arnot of Winning Scotland Foundation said, “This project has had a remarkable affect on the children involved and believe it could act as a blueprint for getting every child in Scotland active every day. We have been pleased to be able to support the project since its inception. We look forward to seeing how the project continues to develop across other schools and the impact it can have on more children.”

Cath Morrison, Senior Health Policy Officer, NHS Lothian said, “The advantages of children being physically active are well known but what Flora’s has done is package it up in such a way that it becomes part of their everyday life and influences behaviour outwith that time also. We are proud to be able to fund this programme and look forward to working with new schools on future projects also.”

Additional funding from Winning Scotland Foundation & the NHS has allowed the project to continue this year at Flora’s and to be introduced to Stockbridge Primary. It is hoped to further extend it to the remaining two cluster schools in August next year.

Western gardener is NHS Lothian Staff Member of the Year

The outstanding achievements of individual staff members and teams from a diverse range of NHS Lothian services received recognition in the organisation’s annual ‘Celebrating Success Awards’ last week – and top of the list was the Western General’s gardening supervisor Ronald Fraser.

The winners were announced at an awards ceremony at the Edinburgh Corn Exchange on Thursday 25 October which was attended by over 200 staff. The evening, hosted by radio personality Arlene Stuart, recognised the inspiring and truly amazing work that takes place across NHS Lothian every day.

This year’s ceremony featured ten categories, including volunteer of the year, staff member of the year and team of the year.

Tim Davison, Chief Executive, NHS Lothian said: “The Celebrating Success Awards are about recognising the very best of NHS Lothian. This is not about being the best for its own sake – it is about delivering the best for the patients in our care and the communities we serve. By involving the public in this event we hope to recognise the staff that our patients tell us are the best.”

Ronald Fraser, Gardening Supervisor at the Western General Hospital, was named Staff Member of the Year at the awards ceremony. Click on the link below to see why …

Watch the Staff Member of the Year video.

Campaign launched to ensure city cyclists are seen

A new campaign and series of roadshows to cut the city’s cycle casualty rate was launched at the Western General Hospital this morning. It’s hoped the campaign will encourage both cyclists to ‘light up’ and motorists to be extra aware of cyclists – particularly at junctions.

More than half of Edinburgh’s cycle casualties in November, December and January happen during the hours of darkness. Meanwhile, almost 50% of serious injuries sustained by cyclists in the Capital between 2006 and 2010 were linked to other vehicles carrying out turning manoeuvres. So while cyclists should take extra care to be seen, it is equally important that motorists take extra care to look out for cyclists as they turn at junctions.

Run by the Streets Ahead partnership, the campaign will reinforce these messages in a bid to cut the cycle casualty rate this winter.

The visibility campaign urges cyclists to make sure they are seen on the roads during the winter months by wearing high visibility clothing and ensuring their bikes are fitted with lights and reflectors.

Councillor Jim Orr, Vice Convener of the Transport and Environment Committee, said: “Cycling is a safe and healthy way to travel and as a Council we are committed to encouraging bike use. However, too many Edinburgh cyclists are still taking a cavalier approach to visibility, in particular by cycling without lights. Apart from being unsafe, this contravenes the Highway Code and undermines the goodwill of the motorists we cyclists share the roads with.

“As a keen cyclist, I’m always properly kitted out with high visibility kit and lights. This new joint campaign will reinforce the visibility message with free samples and timely tips on how cyclists can keep themselves safe. My message for all road users – motorists and cyclists alike – is to take special care to look out for each other during the darker winter months and make sure you are visible and brightly lit.”

In addition to the marketing and advertising campaign launched today, a cycling safety roadshow aimed at both cyclists and motorists will tour University of Edinburgh and NHS buildings over the coming days to coincide with the clocks going back at the weekend.

Cyclists will be given free bike lights and information leaflets and advice, and free bike checks by The Bike Station and bike security marking by Lothian and Borders Police are also on offer.

Superintendent David Carradice of Lothian and Borders Police said: “Edinburgh, like many cities in the UK has numerous cyclists travelling on the road network as they make their way to work, school, or who use their bikes recreationally. The road conditions change dramatically during the autumn and winter months, with increased hours of darkness and more challenging road conditions to face.

“It is therefore extremely important for cyclists to take the appropriate steps to ensure their safety. “The cycle safety road shows will provide cyclists with all the necessary advice and guidance on keeping themselves safe while out on the road. Lothian and Borders Police and their partner agencies are committed to promoting cycle safety and reducing the number of casualties on our roads.”

Emma Crowther, Transport and Parking Manager at the University of Edinburgh, said: “Huge numbers of our staff and students cycle to University and we want to make sure they continue to do so through the darker winter months – but safely. Over the last few weeks in the run-up to this campaign we have been spreading awareness of the importance of bike lights and high-viz clothing. Motorists also have their part to play in taking special care to look out for cyclists and we will be relaying this message to drivers.”

Ian Maxwell from Spokes, the Lothian Cycle Campaign, said: “Many people continue to cycle all year round in Edinburgh and this campaign emphasises that winter commuting is just as feasible if you wear appropriate clothing (warm, but in zippable layers so that you can avoid overheating) and use lights after dark. In recent years the traffic counts by Spokes in May and November have shown almost no decrease in cycling in November compared with May.”

Dr Graham MacKenzie, Consultant in Public Health, NHS Lothian, said: “Cycling is a great way to stay active and improve your health. It is important that people cycle safely at all times and NHS Lothian would urge cyclists to make sure they are seen on the roads during the winter months. It’s vital that cyclists and motorists exercise caution on the roads as the dark nights set in.”

Following today’s launch outside the Western General’s Wellcome Trust Building the roadshow moves on to the Royal Infirmary on Monday (29 October), the University of Edinburgh’s King’s Buildings Murray Library on Tuesday and Potterrow on Thursday 1 November.

Anyone wishing further information on keeping themselves or their bike safe can also contact their local policing team or visit the Lothian and Borders Police website at www.lbp.police.uk

Celebs know breast when it comes to cancer awareness!

A galaxy of Scots celebrities have backed an online campaign to help raise awareness of the Scottish Government’s Detect Cancer Early Campaign. The campaign aims to save lives by helping Scots to spot the symptoms of breast cancer and by encouraging them to visit their GP if they are worried they may have a sign of cancer.

The new online viral featuring Amanda Hamilton, Michelle Mc Manus, Greg McHugh (Gary Tank Commander), Kaye Adams and Tom Kitchen can be viewed at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?annotation_id=annotation_301895&feature=iv&src_vid=lxQdfB-no50&v=yNKbmif0M6c

Missing medication appeal

Lothian and Borders Police are appealing for information after a packet of prescription painkillers were lost in Edinburgh on Wednesday (October 4). The box of MST continus were lost around 2pm on Telford Road near the entrance to the Western General Hospital.

A Lothian and Borders Police spokesman said: “This medication should only be taken by the person it is prescribed to, and could have significant health implications if taken by anyone else. Anyone who finds this box of seven tablets should contact police immediately, or hand them in to their local pharmacy or police station.”

Anyone with any information should contact Lothian and Borders Police on 0131 311 3131, or the charity Crimestoppers in confidence and complete anonymity on 0800 555 111.