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Tag: NHS Scotland
Clinical trials for chronic kidney disease
New partnership for pioneering kidney health research
Clinical trials to accelerate research into treating chronic kidney disease will be strengthened as a result of a new partnership between the Scottish Government, academia and industry.
NHS Scotland, AstraZeneca and the Universities of Dundee and Glasgow will work together on new medicines to slow the progression of chronic kidney disease, reducing the risk that patients might need dialysis or kidney transplantation.
The partnership will allow for development of new treatments to treat chronic kidney disease, build infrastructure and enhance expertise in renal clinical trial delivery in Scotland with the key aim of improving patient outcomes.
Preventing progression of the disease allows people to live longer, better lives, free from other consequences of the condition such as heart failure, cardiovascular disease and stroke. This allows people to work, contribute to their communities and economy, while reducing pressure on the NHS.
Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, Neil Gray, said: “This project’s ‘triple helix’ approach is a shining example of how collaboration between the NHS, Scottish Government, academia and industry can accelerate health studies. As we navigate the complex issue of chronic kidney disease, our commitment to patient-centred research remains unwavering.
“Together we can advance targeted studies into medicines that slow progression of the disease and reduce the need for dialysis or transplantation, strengthen our workforce through dedicated research fellows and specialised training, provide greater opportunities for patients, and enable Scotland to attract and deliver more innovative trials.”
Professor Dame Anna Dominiczak, Chief Scientist (Health) at Scottish Government said: “I welcome this partnership with AstraZeneca which builds upon the excellent research infrastructure and expertise we have in Scotland, to drive the development of new treatments for chronic kidney disease.
“We must all work together to improve the outcomes and life circumstances for people living with kidney disease; and this partnership enables the fusion of medical expertise, knowledge, and insight from across NHS, academia, and industry.”
Tom Keith-Roach, AstraZeneca UK President, said: “Scotland is setting a bold ambition to change the trajectory of chronic kidney disease. We are thrilled to invest in a partnership with the University of Glasgow, the University of Dundee, and the Scottish Government to speed up the study of three potential new combination medicines to treat this disease.
“The triple helix of industry, academia and NHS Scotland is a powerful force with the potential to transform care and outcomes for people.
“Furthermore, we believe Scotland is well placed to collaborate with AstraZeneca to shape our research on the world stage across a number of disease areas and attract investment to the country’s thriving Life Science sector.”
Improving gender identity healthcare
Implications of the Cass Review for Scotland
A multi-disciplinary team established to consider how the recommendations in the Cass Review might apply to NHS services in Scotland has submitted its findings to the Scottish Parliament.
A senior clinical team, commissioned by the Chief Medical Officer for Scotland, considered all 32 recommendations of the Cass Review into Gender Identity Services for Children and Young People in NHS England.
The team assessed to what extent they were applicable in the Scottish context, and whether they could be implemented in Scotland’s health service.
Recommendations of the multi-disciplinary team included:
- a lead senior clinician, preferably a consultant, should take overall responsibility for each young person’s care
- each care plan should include a full assessment of the child’s needs, both psychological and physical
- as elsewhere in the UK, the use of puberty-supressing hormones – commonly referred to as puberty blockers – should be paused until further clinical trials can be undertaken. NHS Scotland will continue to engage in the forthcoming UK study
- work to design a regional service for children and young people should begin immediately, and services should ultimately be provided as locally as possible, based in children’s health services, with strong links between secondary and specialist services.
The conclusions of the report will now be considered by the Scottish Government – both in relation to how current services should be delivered to ensure service continuity, as well as on how these services should be commissioned in the future to ensure sustainable person-centred care.
Deputy Chief Medical Officer Professor Graham Ellis said: “The Cass Review was established to make recommendations on how to improve NHS England gender identity services for children and young people. Through this review we have aimed to set out which recommendations could apply to Scotland, and how they might be implemented.
“At the heart of this question are children and young people in distress, and our ambition must remain focused on meeting their needs with holistic, person-centred care as close to home as practical.
“The Cass Review identified the need to ensure that gender identity services for young people are more closely aligned with other areas of clinical practice, and that responsibility for the full range of services required should extend beyond specialist services. This will be essential as we seek to always provide the best possible care.
“In responding to the Cass Review, the multi-disciplinary team looked at the recommendations from a clinical perspective, always remembering that we have a responsibility to make sure that all children and young people grow up safe, respected and supported.”
Health Secretary Neil Gray said: “The Scottish Government welcomes the multi-disciplinary team’s report, which has carefully considered the Cass Review’s recommendations and how they apply to Scotland.
“The conclusions of the report will now be considered and used to improve gender identity healthcare for children and young people. The Scottish Government will update Parliament after summer recess.
“We remain absolutely committed, not just to ensuring ongoing support is available, but to reforming and improving gender identity healthcare across Scotland.”
Cass Review – Implications for Scotland – letter from Chief Medical Officer Professor Sir Gregor Smith to Convener of the Health, Social Care & Sport Committee.
RSV vaccination programme in Scotland
Following last year’s advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), Public Health Scotland has been working with the Scottish Government and NHS boards to develop plans for the roll out of Scotland’s Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) vaccination programme to protect newborns, infants and older adults.
RSV is a common respiratory virus that generally causes mild illness with cold-like symptoms. Most cases recover after 2-3 weeks of illness, but RSV can cause severe illness in some people, including newborns, infants and older adults, leading to complications and hospitalisation.
With the new programme set to commence later in the summer, some information is now available on NHS inform and more detail will follow soon.
View the JCVI advice on RSV immunisation programmes
View NHS inform information for newborns and infants and older adults
Technology to help cut Scotland’s waiting lists
Software to reduce hospital waiting times and enhance operating theatre efficiency will be rolled out in NHS boards across Scotland over the next year.
Developed by clinician-led tech company Infix, the national theatre scheduling tool improved operating room efficiency by up to 25% without the need for extra medical staff or additional theatres during successful pilots across three health boards. It also enabled the completion of additional operations for patients which resulted in significant financial savings.
The platform will now support all NHS Boards to increase productivity, remove paper processes, and reduce the overall administrative burden in the creation and approval of theatre lists, which can delay patient treatment.
In a speech in Edinburgh later today, Health Secretary Neil Gray will outline the role of innovation and collaboration in the future of Scotland’s health service.
He said: “Better use of data and digital technology is critical to how we drive improvements in healthcare and is a key part of our plans to reform services.
“This technology is backed by more than five years’ worth of NHS operating times data and is just one of the initiatives that will help enable us to schedule 1.5 million procedures per year – while improving data quality to help safely increase productivity. This will help maximise capacity, build greater resilience and reduce waiting lists.
“Reducing the administrative burden on staff will give them more time to spend on patient care. This is a shining example of how we are embracing cutting edge tools to tackle the challenges facing health and social care.”
Health Secretary opens new training facility for NHS Scotland workforce
Health Secretary Neil Gray has opened the NHS Scotland Academy Skills and Simulation Centre at Clydebank’s Golden Jubilee University National Hospital.
The custom-built centre provides state-of-the-art training and education facilities to practitioners including an array of advanced simulators.
Designed and run by the NHS Scotland Academy – a partnership between NHS Education for Scotland and NHS Golden Jubilee – the centre replicates real-world environments where learners can hone their skills in a safe, controlled setting.
During its first year of operation it’s expected that the centre will train more than 800 healthcare staff, helping to accelerate training for in-demand areas of the NHS workforce.
For example, nurses will be able to develop their operating theatre skills, previously learnt in a year, in just six months. The centre will also support large scale diagnostic training for Endoscopy and other vital clinical skills.
Health Secretary Neil Gray said: “Harnessing the latest technology is an important part of our plan to reform and recover Scotland’s NHS. It’s exciting to see how the innovations in the Skills and Simulation Centre will be used to accelerate training skills by providing unprecedented hands-on experience.
“The NHS workforce is our greatest asset and that is why it’s so important to invest in their training and development. Quicker and more effective training will help to improve diagnostic accuracy and therefore patient outcomes as well as address workforce pressures and aid retention of staff across NHS Scotland.”
Director of NHS Scotland Academy, Learning and Innovation, Kevin Kelman said: “We are absolutely thrilled today to welcome the Cabinet Secretary to formally open our brand new Skills and Simulation Centre as part of the NHS Scotland Academy.
“As the healthcare landscape continues to evolve, the NHS Scotland Academy remains committed to fostering innovation and excellence in health and social care education.
“The launch of the Skills and Simulation Centre reaffirms its position at the forefront of medical training, empowering the future NHS workforce to deliver safe, effective and person-centred care to all.”
Since the NHS Scotland Academy’s launch in 2021, more than 12,000 clinical and non-clinical staff have undertaken training through their programmes and dedicated online resources.
Improving gender identity healthcare for children and young people
A new multi-disciplinary team led by the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) and including paediatric, pharmacy and scientific expertise, will be convened to examine clinical recommendations of the Cass Review, and consider how they may apply to NHS Scotland, Minister for Public Health Jenni Minto has told the Scottish Parliament.
Giving an update on the Scottish Government’s response to the review, which was chaired by Dr Hilary Cass, the Minister also restated the Scottish Government’s commitment to invest £9 million to support the improvement of NHS gender identity healthcare in Scotland. As part of this overall commitment, £2 million will be allocated this year and in each of the next two years.
In her statement, Ms Minto reiterated the Scottish Government’s commitment to make sure services are delivered to the highest standards, including continuing work to develop new National Standards for Gender Identity Healthcare.
These standards will be published in the summer.
Ms Minto said: “I want to start by speaking directly to our young people, and in particular our trans and non-binary people across Scotland. I know these last few weeks and months have been incredibly difficult, with increased media attention and toxic online commentary.
“I want to reassure you that the Scottish Government remains absolutely committed, not just to ensuring ongoing support is available for you, but to reforming and improving gender identity healthcare.
“We are absolutely committed to investing £9 million to support the improvement of NHS gender identity healthcare in Scotland. As part of this commitment, since December 2022, we have invested over £2.8 million to support work to improve access to gender identity healthcare in Scotland, with over £2.2 million of that allocated directly to Health Boards with gender identity clinics.
“Now we will invest a further £2 million, as a part of our £9 million commitment, this year and a further £2 million in each of the next two years and we are committed to long term sustainable funding for these services beyond that point.”
Ms Minto added: “We already have a Strategic Action Framework for the improvement of NHS gender identity services. As part of this work, the CMO has agreed that the Deputy Chief Medical Officer and other Senior Medical Officers will support careful consideration of the Cass Review’s clinical recommendations and engage on the recommendations with the Scottish Association of Medical Directors and other clinical leaders.
“A multi-disciplinary clinical team within the CMO Office in the Scottish Government, including paediatric, pharmacy and scientific expertise, will assess the clinical recommendations and engage with the relevant clinical community and leadership in Health Boards in relation to those recommendations.
“The CMO will provide a written update to Parliament on the outcome of that clinical consideration process before the Summer Recess.”
Ministerial Statement on the Cass Review and Gender Identity Healthcare
First instalment of £300 million to reduce waiting times
New funding alongside actions to increase productivity
First Minister Humza Yousaf has announced an initial £30 million of targeted investment for Q1 of the new financial year, as part of a £300 million plan over the next three years, to help reduce inpatient and day-case waiting lists.
Backed by planned additional investment, this targeted approach will help drive down waiting lists by an estimated 100,000 patients over three years.
Visiting the National Treatment Centre in Fife, one year on since its official opening, First Minister Humza Yousaf said: “As I set out last October, we are committed to accelerating treatment in our NHS and reducing inpatient and day-case waiting lists by an estimated 100,000 patients over the next three years, backed by planned investment of an extra £100 million annually.
“This initial investment of £30 million will target reductions to national backlogs that built up through the pandemic, including orthopaedic treatment, diagnostics for cancer referrals and patients with the longest waits.
“This is all part of our programme to drive up productivity and tackle waiting lists, supported by the Centre for Sustainable Delivery.
“Together, our actions will further enable NHS Scotland to maximise capacity, build greater resilience and deliver year-on-year reductions in the number of patients who have waited too long for treatment.”
Patients with glaucoma in Edinburgh to access care in the community
PEOPLE living with glaucoma in Edinburgh will soon be able to access support within the community rather than travel to hospital, thanks to a ‘revolutionary’ NHS healthcare policy.
NHS Scotland’s Community Glaucoma Service, which was piloted in Glasgow last year, will soon be rolled out in the capital after a city-centre optician was selected to deliver the scheme.
Michael O’Kane, clinical director of Specsavers in Cameron Toll and Morningside, is one of a handful of opticians across the country who has successfully completed an SQA qualification in Glaucoma Management.
The certificate will allow him to treat people with lower risk glaucoma or treated ocular hypertension in his practices in the city, rather than in hospital as soon as NHS Lothian rolls out the scheme.
It’s hoped the initiative will help alleviate pressure on NHS services in the long-term.
Michael says: ‘After 300 hours of training, clinical placements and studying, I’m delighted to have gained this qualification which will allow me to deliver this revolutionary eyecare service to patients in our community.
‘This qualification means I’ll be able to manage patient’s medications and continue to provide hospital-level care to people in Morningside, Cameron Toll and beyond.
‘This scheme will be of huge benefit to hundreds – if not thousands – of people right across Edinburgh, giving them faster and easier access to treatments and check-ups. I’m delighted to be a part of that.’
The flagship healthcare policy is expected to support around 20,000 patients across Scotland as it is rolled out over the next year.
Speaking at the time of its launch, public health minister, Jenni Minto, said: ‘Scotland is regarded as a world leader in community eye care service provision.
‘We are the only country in the UK to provide free universal NHS-funded eye examinations, and our investment in community optometry services has helped reduce the burden on GPs and secondary care services.’
Michael’s qualification follows the recent relocation of his Morningside practice to 85 Morningside Road.
The new store has seen investment in the region of £750,000 and includes seven new testing rooms, including a fully wheelchair-accessible test room and diagnostics area, and two Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) machines, which allows optometrists to take a 3D image of the back of the eye to help spot serious eye conditions – including glaucoma – up to four years earlier.
The store also features two digital slit lamps and a host of state-of-the-art technology which allows opticians to identify the type of glaucoma a patient is living with.
Michael adds: ‘Timely diagnosis and treatment are essential and so our increased testing capacity and state-of-the-art diagnostic machines will allow our expert team to quickly identify any problems that may be detected.’
Specsavers Morningside, located at 85 Morningside Road, is open from 9am – 6:30pm Monday to Thursday, 9am – 6pm Friday and Saturday and 10am – 6pm every Sunday.
To book an appointment, call the store directly on 0131 446 9960 or visit:
www.specsavers.co.uk/stores/morningside.
Specsavers Cameron toll, located within Cameron Toll Shopping Centre, is open from 9am – 6pm every Monday to Wednesday and Friday to Saturday, 9am – 6:30pm every Thursday and 10am – 6pm every Sunday.
To book an appointment, call the store directly on 0131 672 9210 or visit:
Edinburgh residents who smoke urged to ‘Quit and Win’ on No Smoking Day
A health charity’s No Smoking Day campaign is urging Edinburgh residents who smoke to reach out for free support to give up tobacco and win with their health and fitness, family and finances.
ASH Scotland’s ‘Quit and win’ campaigning is highlighting that giving up smoking increases opportunities to live a healthier life through halving the risk of developing lung, mouth, throat, pancreas, bladder, oesophagus and larynx cancer after five to 10 years of being tobacco-free.
The charity is also advising that an average smoker who gives up tobacco on No Smoking Day (Wednesday 13 March 2024) would save more than £3,000 within 12 months, money that could be better spent on a holiday or something special for themselves or their loved ones.
Sheila Duffy, Chief Executive of ASH Scotland, said: “Tobacco is still the biggest cause of preventable death in Scotland but Edinburgh residents who smoke can have a brighter future by using the expert stop smoking support, such as that provided for free by NHS Scotland’s Quit Your Way service, which can increase the chances of successful quit smoking attempts by three to four times.”
“Two thirds of adults in Scotland who smoke say they wish they had never started and leaving tobacco behind will be the best thing they can do for their health, fitness, family and finances.
“So whether you’re trying to give up smoking for the first time or trying again, make a commitment to yourself and those you care about on No Smoking Day to contact Quit Your Way Scotland.”
Anyone who has the goal of giving up smoking is advised to visit QuitYourWay.scot or call the free helpline on 0800 848484.
ASH Scotland is tackling the tobacco industry head-on by campaigning to reduce the harms caused by smoking. For more information, follow the health charity’s social media channels on Instagram and Facebook.