NHS Lothian – Page 68 – The NEN

Six supsended at Western following drink allegations

Six Western General Hospital porters have been suspended following allegations they were drinking while on duty on New Year’s Day. NHS Lothian has initiated an investigation and says it is treating the incident “extremely seriously”.

It is understood that a nurse found the porters drinking in a staff room and alerted management.

George Curley, NHS Lothian’s director of operations, said: “We are investigating allegations into a small number of portering staff drinking alcohol whilst on duty at the Western General Hospital on Wednesday.

“NHS Lothian takes any instances of this nature extremely seriously and as a result of this incident six members of staff have been suspended, and a full investigation is under way. These suspensions had no impact on patients within the hospital and the work of the individuals involved was carried out by other colleagues.”

Repeat prescriptions? Plan ahead!

Scots urged to plan ahead for repeat prescriptions at Christmas time

With Christmas only a matter of weeks away, people in Lothian are being urged to plan ahead for repeat prescriptions as part of a major health campaign.

The NHS Scotland Be Ready for Winter campaign is reminding people to make sure they check any repeat prescriptions they need for themselves and those they look after ahead of time this festive period.

As well as making sure their medicine cabinets are re-stocked with commonly used remedies for minor illnesses, people are being urged to organise any required repeat prescription as soon as possible.

Dr John McAnaw, Head of Pharmacy at NHS 24, said it is important for people taking regular medication to make sure they have enough supplies to last them through to the New Year. He said: “At this time of year, with only a couple of weeks left until Christmas, people will be focused on getting organised to make sure they can make the most of the holiday period. It is important not to forget about putting winter health necessities on your ‘to do’ list.

“It also only takes a few minutes to collect some over-the-counter remedies for winter ailments. If you take regular medications, please ensure you check you have enough left to cover the holiday period. It’s also important not to over order, so only request what you need, and make sure you don’t run out of anything during that time.”

This year, GP surgeries will be closed for two days: Wednesday 25^th and Thursday 26^th December.

The Co-operative Pharmacy is supporting the campaign. Nisith Nathwani, Regional Development Manager for The Co-operative Pharmacy and General Council Member for Community Pharmacy Scotland, said: “We are very pleased to support NHS Scotland’s Be Ready for Winter campaign and our Co-operative Pharmacy branches up and down the country will be on hand to offer health advice and winter remedies to our local communities throughout the winter. Our pharmacists are trained to offer health and medication advice and should be the first port of call throughout the winter months.”

It is important to get prescriptions ordered and collected as early as possible, with the last day for re-ordering any repeat prescription being Thursday 19^th December to be sure of getting it before Christmas.

General advice and information on how to stay healthy this winter can be found atwww.nhsinform.co.uk/winter

or contact NHS inform on 0800 22 44 88.

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 needs to re-order a medicine they regularly take, make sure you order and collect the repeat prescriptions in good time to ensure you or your family have enough medicine to last over the Christmas holiday period. Remember, only order what you need.

Know when your GP surgery will be open

Your local doctor’s surgery will be open on Tuesday 24^th December then closed on Wednesday 25^th and Thursday 26^th December.

Vulnerable groups urged: get vaccinated

Scotland’s senior health professional has called on people with underlying health conditions in the Lothians to get protected from flu following the release of new figures showing that over half of people in this group were still to be vaccinated this year.

Scotland’s Chief Medical Officer, Sir Harry Burns made his plea as new figures were released for flu vaccination uptake since the campaign started on 1 October 2013. The figures show that a number of people have yet to be vaccinated in the Lothians NHS area, including:

– 54 per cent of people under 65 with underlying health problems such as

asthma and diabetes

– 58 per cent of pregnant women

– 56 per cent of two and three year olds

Getting protected from flu is important for individuals with underlying health conditions (such as asthma, diabetes, cystic fibrosis, MS and other heart, lung and liver problems and those suffering from lowered immunity) as well as pregnant women. These groups can be hit harder with flu and can suffer more serious complications, even if they previously felt fit and healthy.

Catching flu can cause unnecessary worry for friends and family as well as posing a risk of spreading the virus.

Sir Harry said: “Flu strikes suddenly and it’s important to be prepared. If you have a long-term medical condition, the best way to protect yourself is to get the vaccine. It is not too late for those who have not received their flu vaccine to do so.

“The flu vaccine only takes a few minutes, but will offer protection for around 12 months.”

“It is equally as important to ensure that if your child is invited to get vaccinated against flu, you take up the offer as children are unlikely to have built up immunity from previous infections. In fact, youngsters are two to three times as likely to be ill with flu than adults.

Dr Lorna Willocks, Flu Immunisation Co-ordinator at NHS Lothian, said: “Flu survives better in a cold environment and flu viruses will circulate across Scotland as we move deeper into winter. People need to be aware that flu is much worse than a bad cold and can make adults and children very unwell.

“If you are in an eligible group then it’s very important to ensure that you are vaccinated to reduce the risk of you catching flu and suffer serious complications. I would like to urge all remaining local people who are eligible for the flu vaccine to speak with their GP practice to arrange to get their free vaccination.”

If you would like to find out more information about the flu vaccine, contact NHS Inform on 0800 22 44 88 or log on to www.immunisationscotland.org.uk

Be ready for winter

A NATIONAL health campaign highlighting the importance for people in Edinburgh and the Lothians being prepared for winter was launched today. The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing Alex Neil was joined by a group of schoolchildren and NHS 24’s Associate Medical Director Dr Laura Ryan at Edinburgh’s Christmas to launch the Be Ready for Winter campaign.

The NHS Scotland campaign advises people that by re-stocking their medicine cabinet, checking their repeat prescriptions and knowing when their GP surgery is open, they can ensure they are well prepared for the winter.

Health Minister Alex Neil said: “Edinburgh’s Christmas venue here today is a reminder of some of the fun-filled activities we can take part in at this time of year. It is a busy time of year, especially for families with young children, and it is easy for your health to take a backseat.

“That is why it is important for people in Scotland, especially parents and older people, to take a few simple steps to help make sure they stay healthy. By finding out what services are open and stocking up on winter remedies, we can prevent winter illnesses from spoiling the holiday period. It will also ensure that emergency lifesaving services are kept free for those who really need them.

“Last winter saw increased pressures including an early start to the norovirus season, an increase in respiratory illnesses, and increased pressure on A&E departments, and it is really important that you know who to turn to when you are ill. For some illnesses, your local pharmacist, GP, NHS 24 or minor injuries unit may be a more suitable place to go to rather than A&E.”

This year, GP surgeries will be closed for two days at Christmas (Wednesday 25 and Thursday 26 December) and again for two days at New Year (Wednesday 1 and Thursday 2 January).

NHS 24’s Associate Medical Director Laura Ryan said it is important to prepare ahead for this time: “I would urge people to take the time now to re-stock their medicine cabinet with items such as paracetamol, cough mixture, throat lozenges and cold and flu treatments, to deal with any winter ailments that may inevitably strike. Your local pharmacist is a good source of information and advice on re-stocking your medicine cabinet. If you need to visit your GP, try to schedule an appointment before the festive period and submit your repeat prescription request in plenty of time. Remember you can also access urgent out of hours GP services through NHS 24.”

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

Use your local pharmacy

Make sure you have repeat prescriptions.

If you, or someone you care for, require medicines regularly, check that you have enough and if you need more remember to order and collect repeat prescriptions in good time to ensure you or your family have enough medicine to last over the Christmas holiday period. Only order what you need.

Know when your GP surgery will be open

Your local doctor’s surgery will be open on Tuesday December 24 and will then reopen on Friday 27 December. This means there are two days when it is closed – Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

Doctors Surgeries will follow normal opening hours on Tuesday 31 December and will then reopen on Friday 3 January.

General advice and information on how to stay healthy this winter can be found at www.nhsinform.co.uk/winter or contact NHS inform on 0800 22 44 88.

MoonWalk boost for Western’s Mammography Unit

MoonWalkers transform Edinburgh’s Mammography Services!

Care for breast patients in Edinburgh will be transformed thanks to the opening of a state-of-the-art Mammography Department at the Western General Hospital.

The upgraded and extended department at the Western General Hospital was funded by donations of £1.4 million raised by the annual MoonWalk Scotland in Edinburgh and the unit was officially opened by Nina Barough CBE, Founder and Chief Executive of Walk the Walk Worldwide on Friday.

Walk the Walk, the charity which organises The MoonWalk, has been working in partnership with NHS Lothian and The Breast Cancer Institute to improve facilities and care for breast patients.

Over the last eight years, Walk the Walk has donated £1.5m for the construction of the new theatre in the breast unit, with NHS Lothian funding the remaining internal work. Another £500,000 from the charity has gone towards the £1 million revamp of Ward Six at the hospital, to transform it into a dedicated breast surgery ward.

Elaine Anderson, Clinical Director of Breast Services, said: “The opening of our extended Mammography Department will enhance the specialised diagnosis and care which we are able to offer to our patients. The Edinburgh Breast Unit has been at the forefront of developments in the treatment of breast cancer for 30 years and Walk the Walk’s assistance will ensure it stays there.”

Nina Barough CBE, Founder and Chief Executive of Walk the Walk Worldwide, (pictured above (centre) and below) said: “All of the Walk the Walk Team are delighted to see the completion of the new Mammography Unit at the Western General.   “We have been granting funds for the projects at the Western for almost eight years, so with a new operating theatre, and the re-designed breast care ward, we have been able to help transform the facilities not only for the patients, but also the staff, so that those receiving and those giving care, feel supported by a nurturing and healing environment. MoonWalkers should feel very proud of what they have achieved for Edinburgh.”

Brian Houston, Chair, NHS Lothian, said: “It’s great to see the scope of facilities here in the mammography department. Patients from across Lothian will receive diagnostic care and treatment in a world-class facility.

“We are committed to providing patient-centred effective care and we recognise the importance of working in partnership with Walk the Walk on this particular project.”

NHS Lothian seeks your views on services for young people

NHS Lothian is looking for children, young people and parents to give their views on the services it will provide for children and young people from now until 2020.

A public consultation on the organisation’s draft strategy, ‘Improving the Health and Wellbeing of Lothian’s Children and Young People’, is now underway and will run until 17 January 2014.

The consultation documents and a short questionnaire are available on the NHS Lothian website and have also been sent to the four local authorities and to voluntary organisations that work with children and young people.

NHS Lothian’s vision is that every child should have the best start in life and grow up being healthy, confident and resilient.

The draft strategy and approach has considered the changes that may be made to services in anticipation of the Children and Young People (Scotland) Bill coming into effect and should allow the Board to respond to this while maintaining high quality healthcare services for children and young people.

The priorities identified in the strategy include a focus on prevention, more integrated working across services and the building of a high quality replacement for the Royal Hospital for Sick Children.

Sally Egan, Associate Director and Child Health Commissioner, NHS Lothian said: “We provide a wide range of services for children and young people, from conception through the life stages, helping them grow up to become confident healthy people. For those young people that need ongoing specialist help we need to ensure a smooth transition to adult services.

“We want to make sure that our vision and outcomes for the next six years fit with those of the Scottish Government’s 20:20 Vision and are areas the people of Lothian want to see us focusing investment and resources on. I hope people take this opportunity to give us their views.”

The consultation documents can be accessed online at: http://www.nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk/OurOrganisation/Consultations/Current/Pages/default.aspx

By email: candypstrategy@nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk, or alternatively by phoning, 0131 465 5549 to request a copy.

You can also complete the survey at the following link: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/NHSLothianCandYPStrategy

Who’s your health hero?

Celebrating Success Awards- Health Hero category open!

NHS Lothian’s Celebrating Success Awards mark the inspiring and truly amazing work that takes place across health services in Lothian each day.

The Health Hero category encourages the people of Lothian to get involved. This is an opportunity for you to nominate for a health care worker or team who has been exceptional in their line of work. It may be someone who has constantly provided help to others or it may be someone that has made a positive change to a patient’s life. This is your chance to say thank you.

All shortlisted entries will be invited to attend an evening award ceremony, where our winners will be presented with their award by our special guest.

This year’s ceremony will be held on 24th October.

We are looking for someone who:

Is constantly supportive and helpful to others
Goes the extra mile
Is outstanding in what they do
Is approachable to both patients, colleagues and others
Professional in their line of work
Focuses on patients’ needs
Shows genuine understanding and care for patients.

If you know someone who you think is your Health Hero then nominate them by completing the nomination form and submiting it by email to:

celebrating.success@nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk

or by post to:

Celebrating Success Team

NHS Lothian, 2nd Floor, Waverley Gate,

2-4 Waterloo Place, Edinburgh EH1 3EG.

Tips for writing your nomination:

If you are completing this form by hand, please use block capitals
You can submit as many nominations as you wish – please use a separate form for each entry
Please provide your contact details.

Deadline for all nominations must be received by 30th August 2013

For further information call 0141 578 1779.

Hospitals to become smoke-free

NHS grounds to be completely smoke-free by 2015 under new Scottish Government plans

In a move to promote smoke-free environments and healthier lifestyles, patients, visitors and staff will no longer be able to smoke on NHS sites. Under the plans, people who smoke will be offered advice and support to help them not to smoke during hospital visits as well as access to specialist smoking cessation services for those wanting to quit. NHS Boards will be required to implement and enforce smoke-free policies across their grounds by March 2015.

Health Secretary Mr Alex Neil (pictured below) said: “This Government has ambitious plans to reduce the number of people choosing to smoke. To this end, we want to build on the ban on smoking in public places, which was introduced seven years ago this week, by ensuring that our hospital grounds become smoke-free.

“We know that smoking is extremely harmful to health and causes in excess of 13,000 deaths per year in Scotland. The toll of smoking on our nation’s health cannot be underestimated. Creating smoke-free hospital grounds sends out a powerful message that every visit to our health service is an opportunity to promote and improve people’s health.

“We all know how unpleasant it can be to walk through a cloud of smoke in order to enter or leave a building. These measures will help to ensure that we create a healthier environment for people who use, visit and work in our health service. That is why we believe staff, patients and visitors will support and respect this decision and refrain from smoking until off-site.”

In 2005 the Scottish Government issued guidance on smoking policies for the NHS, local authorities and care providers which gave NHS boards the power to ban smoking on their premises. The new measures will not apply to mental health facilities, which have an exemption to allow the provision of designated smoking rooms under the original smoke-free legislation.

Spring into a healthy Easter!

People living across the Lothians are being encouraged to put a “spring” in their step this Easter by preparing ahead for the holiday period.

The NHS Scotland Be Ready for Easter campaign is advising people to take a few simple steps to look after their health. By making sure they have a supply of over the counter medicines , knowing when their GP surgery is open and checking their repeat prescriptions, they can ensure they make the most of the Easter holiday weekend.

This year many GP surgeries across Scotland will be closed for up to four days from Good Friday (March 29) to Easter Monday (April 1).

NHS 24 Medical Director Professor George Crooks said: “After winter, Easter is the busiest time of year for Scotland’s health services. The Be Ready for Easter campaign wants to remind people of the small steps they can take to ensure illness doesn’t ruin their Easter.

“Being prepared by having enough repeat medication to cover you and having some simple home remedies available can make all the difference if illness strikes. It is also important to plan ahead for any required repeat prescriptions over the Easter break, so please order and collect in good time. We would also remind people of the wide range of health information available at NHS inform.”

Dr Alison McCallum, Director of Public Health and Health Policy, NHS Lothian said: “Although many GP surgeries will be closed at Easter, hundreds of GPs will be working throughout this period supporting out of hours services. Taking a few simple steps to be ready for the break means illness need not spoil the Easter break.”

The four key steps that Be Ready for Easter recommends this Spring are:

Restock your medicine cabinet if needed
Common ailments such as colds can often be effectively treated at home with readily available medicine such as pain relief, cough mixture and cold remedies. Parents are reminded to restock their medicine cabinet with child-friendly remedies.

Use your local pharmacy
Your pharmacist can offer advice or help if you need over-the-counter remedies or have run out of any prescribed medication. You can also pick up plasters and antiseptic creams to prepare for any minor accidents.

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

Know when your GP surgery will be open
Your local doctor’s surgery may be closed for up to four days during the Easter weekend from Good Friday to Easter Monday (March 29 – April 1).

General advice and information on how to stay healthy this Easter can be found at www.nhsinform.co.uk or contact NHS inform on 0800 22 44 88.

LEAPing on to pastures new

Stockbridge-based LEAP (Lothians and Edinburgh Abstinence Programme) is moving to a new home in Morningside next week.

NHS Lothian’s community based rehabilitation programme is vacating its current Malta House home as the building and land is being sold, and from 11 February LEAP will provide its addiction service in newly refurbished and newly-named Woodlands House, within the Astley Ainslie Hospital site. The building was formerly used by Napier University as a health studies college.

LEAP will occupy two floors of a wing in Woodlands House and staff from other services – including Spittal Street Centre, The Learning Disability Service and the Primary Care Facilitation Team – will also relocate to the three-storey building in the next few weeks.

Dr David McCartney, Clinical Lead at LEAP, said: “It’s a very exciting time for LEAP, having just celebrated our 300th graduate from the Programme and with the prospect of moving into a new and bigger facility. We obviously will be sad to leave Malta House as this is where LEAP first began but the move will allow us to continue to help and support our patients on the road to life changing recovery.”

LEAP is a demanding and intensive 12-week course for people dependent on substances who are motivated to achieve alcohol and drug free lives. It operates seven days per week and offers people structured activities including group work, workshops, presentations and education and training while recreation and relaxation classes also form part of the programme.

LEAP is funded by NHS Lothian and three local Alcohol Drug Partnerships and is operated in partnership with the City of Edinburgh Council and Access to Industry (Transition).