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.
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 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.
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.”
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.”
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:
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:
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.
Seer 2 platform supporting collaboration across NHS boards
The expansion of a ‘world-leading’ data and analytics platform will help improve collaboration and innovation across Scotland’s health and social care system.
Seer is a platform that allows staff to access and analyse data easily, helping clinicians, teams and boards in decision-making around patient care and the planning of resources. Areas in which it is currently used include cancer intelligence, the monitoring of blood stocks and the flu vaccination programme.
Seer 2 is the next phase, which utilises cloud technology and will give the health and social care workforce access to a more advanced version, increasing opportunities to access new tools and technologies with greater flexibility. These features have already been used to create new dashboards to help manage capacity during winter.
Speaking at the Digital Health and Care Scotland Conference 2024, Health Secretary Neil Gray also confirmed the Scottish Government will provide an update on Scotland’s first Data Strategy this spring – with an updated Delivery Plan for the Digital Health and Care Strategy to be published in April.
Mr Gray said: “NHS Scotland is growing opportunities to use digital and technology-driven services to enhance health and social care.
“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. Through enhancing our use of technology, we can unlock opportunities for collaboration across health boards and other organisations, and it is therefore vital that this includes maximisation of digital and far better, and far faster, use of data.
“It’s great to see how world leading Seer 2 is enabling us to support collaboration and innovation across government and the NHS, providing near real time intelligence to support decision making, build new insights and enable better outcomes. This platform is just one of the ways we are embracing tech to help us as we face challenges ahead in funding pressures, inequalities and workforce.”
Mr Gray was also at Boroughloch Medical Practice, which has a long history of embracing technology, where Dr Abhayaratna demonstrated an online consultation and workflow system that helps GP practices manage patient caseloads through operational change and digital triage.
This makes it easier for people to talk to their own doctor or other healthcare professional and helps GP practices to prioritise and deliver care through message, phone and video.
Dr Abhayaratna said: “We’ve been making digital access available to patients since October 2019, with around 80% of patients making requests of the practice online. The system supports us in making the best use of our multi-disciplinary team’s skills, to ensure each patient gets the best care for their needs.
“This has resulted in a balanced workload for our staff and has enhanced the overall efficiency of the practice. Importantly, patient feedback tells a similarly positive story with 75% of patients reporting that our digital service is ‘better’ than previous arrangements.”
A man diagnosed with bladder cancer in 2019 after his wife urged him to get blood in his urine checked has spoken of how she helped save his life.
Glen Long, 48 from Blackridge, West Lothian, has backed the ‘Be the Early Bird’ campaign to highlight the importance of getting unusual, persistent symptoms checked, admitting things could have been very different for him had wife Laura not made him an appointment with his GP practice.
The father of two is now seizing every opportunity to enjoy life, recently celebrating his silver wedding anniversary with Laura and walking the West Highland Way with friends to raise money for charity Fight Bladder Cancer.
The ‘Be the Early Bird’ campaign highlights the benefits of finding cancer at an earlier stage when there’s more treatment options available, a greater likelihood of living well after treatment and better news to tell the family.
Targeting those aged 40 and over, the campaign reinforces the fact that GP practices want to know if people have unusual, persistent symptoms, which could include unexplained bleeding, unusual lumps, unexplained weight loss or something that doesn’t feel normal for them.
Glen’s GP appointment led to him being referred for a series of tests at the Western General Hospital in Edinburgh, with his diagnosis confirmed in June. He underwent surgery to remove the tumour in July, followed by six weekly sessions of chemotherapy injections into his bladder.
As bladder cancer has a high recurrence rate, Glen was monitored every three months, with further surgery required in 2021 to remove a tumour so small that no further chemotherapy was needed.
Glen, who works as a forklift instructor and storeman, said: “I remember noticing my pee was darker and when I turned the light on, there was blood in the toilet. I just thought it was an infection and kind of brushed it off, but my wife Laura said it wasn’t normal and I needed to get it checked straight away.
“Even when my GP referred me for an ultrasound I didn’t think anything of it. I then needed a flexible cystoscopy which involved a tiny camera going into my bladder through my urethra which wasn’t the most pleasant, but it wasn’t painful.
“When I was told that the consultant needed to speak to me, I twigged the news might not be great. The only thing I heard him saying was ‘tumour’ and ‘cancer’. After that I can’t remember a thing, it was like white noise. I genuinely thought it was an infection as I didn’t feel ill or sick and had no fatigue.
“They were able to remove the whole tumour which was such a relief. I consider myself very fortunate I had that symptom and did something about it as things could have gone on a very different path.
“I can honestly say that my treatment was virtually pain free and I was fortunate to have had no side effects from the chemotherapy.
“When I was told the tumour had returned I felt more confident as I knew they were on top of things and it had been caught early again. My last scan was clear and if the next one in a couple of months is clear, I’ll move to annual scans which will be another step forward.”
Glen added: “I can’t really explain it but I look at things so differently. It’s like a new lease of life. I feel reborn, like I’ve been given another chance. Even though I’m still regularly monitored, I don’t even really think about it now. If people ask me about it, I’ll tell them, but I’m definitely not dwelling on it.
“It’s probably my wife that saved my life. I know I wouldn’t have made that appointment as quickly. I’d have done the usual and thought that it would have been alright, but now I know the importance of early diagnosis.
“You know your body and if something doesn’t feel right for you, make an appointment with your GP practice. If it turns out to be cancer, finding it early is so important and there’s more they can do to treat it. Having that peace of mind is priceless.”
Dr Carey Lunan, GP said: “Finding and treating cancer as early as possible is a priority for the NHS in Scotland. If you have unusual, persistent symptoms that you’re worried about, we would encourage you to get in touch with your GP practice.
“Your initial appointment may be over the phone, but we’ll always ask you to come in for a face-to-face appointment if an examination or tests are needed.
“Please don’t delay contacting your GP practice, as there’s more we can do to help if cancer is found at an earlier stage.”
People can find out more about possible cancer symptoms at getcheckedearly.org.
Measures to support women experiencing difficult menopause or menstrual health symptoms in the workplace are being introduced by NHS Scotland across their workforce.
As one of the medium term actions in the Women’s Health Plan, the policy reflects recommendations from a study of NHS employees by Professor Kathleen Riach, supported by the Scottish Government.
The new policy aims to create an environment where women feel confident in raising health issues so solutions can be put in place.
Minister for Women’s Health Jenni Minto said: “It’s important to foster a culture of awareness and compassionate management in the workplace so women feel confident and comfortable in raising issues around their menopause or menstrual health.
“NHS Scotland’s policy will recommend a number of measures that will make work life easier such as flexible breaks and working arrangements.
“This is a positive example of an employer taking proactive steps to reduce barriers to women’s health in the workplace and we hope it promotes equivalent efforts across the public, private and third sectors.”
Professor Kathleen Riach said: “NHS Scotland’s new Menopause and Menstrual Health Workplace Policy marks a vital step in ensuring all employees are valued, supported, and recognised as an integral part of the country’s workforce, no matter their age or stage of their reproductive lives.
“Healthier women mean a healthier economy. By identifying and scaling some of the best practice currently existing across the NHS Scotland workforce, as well as introducing new evidence-based practises, this policy will ensure the menstrual status of women is no barrier to jobs and careers in healthcare.”
