public health – Page 39 – The NEN

Scottish Government steps up vaccination programme

Military to support national Autumn/Winter vaccination programme

More than 100 members of the Armed Forces will this week join the national Autumn/Winter vaccination programme.

Some 100 vaccinators and 15 nurses will work across all 11 territorial health boards on the mainland to support the rollout of flu vaccines and coronavirus (COVID-19) injections and boosters.

Vaccinations are being offered to as many people as possible as winter approaches.

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “We are incredibly grateful to everyone who has been involved in the COVID -19 vaccine rollout in Scotland, including the military, which has ensured more than 8 million first and second doses have been delivered.

“We are now in the midst of an extremely busy period for the national Autumn/Winter vaccination programme with flu and COVID-19 booster injections being offered to the most vulnerable groups, alongside first COVID-19 jabs to 12-15 year olds.

“With increasing levels of social mixing and close social contact in the colder months, it is expected that COVID-19 will add to the winter pressures usually faced by the NHS. That is why we have again requested military support to complement our existing resources and to ensure we can get even more vaccinations into arms as quickly as possible.

“It remains clear that getting vaccinated is the single most effective step that anyone can take to protect themselves from the most severe disease caused by COVID-19. Anyone who has not yet received their first or second COVID-19 vaccination can check their nearest open access centre on NHS Inform or phone the national vaccination helpline on 0800 030 8013.”

NHS Inform – Information on open access centres

Further £10 million winter funding for NHS

An additional £10 million is going to health boards across Scotland to bring in a range of measures to get A&E patients to the right care as quickly as possible.

This includes deploying physiotherapists and occupational therapists at A&E units to help triage and treat patients who would otherwise wait to see nursing staff. This will prevent people being admitted to hospital unnecessarily.

The new funding will provide more specialists such as social care workers and Allied Health Professionals on hospital rotas, and extended opening hours for pharmacy and diagnostic services such as scanning and ultrasound to speed up referrals. It will also support extra staff for peak public holidays.

This is on top of the £300 million package of funding announced as part of the Winter Plan to support the NHS.

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “As part of the NHS Recovery Plan we have invested £27 million towards the Redesign of Urgent Care to ensure people receive the right care, at the right place. This will add to that work so our hospitals and A&E departments are not overstretched, if some patients can be safely and effectively treated elsewhere.

“Alongside the additional £10 million investment recently announced to prevent delayed discharge and avoid hospital stays, this extra winter funding aims to ease pressures in A&E departments and minimise delays that patients are currently experiencing when they need urgent care.

“Placing physiotherapists and occupational therapists in A&E will stop unnecessary hospital admissions so that, for example, patients with musculoskeletal conditions, chest infections, or those who have suffered a fall, can receive the right care quickly and advice on exercises to support recovery at home and in the community.

“This is not only good news for our NHS, but also better for the public in giving treatment in the right place, so emergency care is available when it’s really needed.”

Earlier this month the Scottish Government announced a record winter funding package of £300 million to increase NHS and social care capacity.

Since then, a further £482 million has been allocated to NHS Boards and Integrated Authorities to deal with the costs of responding to the pandemic

The Scottish Government will be working with health boards over next few weeks to identify what they might need most from this latest £10 million funding.

Marketing campaign highlights benefits of flu and COVID-19 booster jabs

TV and radio adverts begin airing today (Monday) encouraging everyone who is eligible for either or both of the flu and COVID-19 booster vaccinations to take up the offer when invited.

The Autumn/Winter vaccination programme has been underway since September with people in the highest risk groups vaccinated first, and those aged 60 to 69 and over-16s with underlying health conditions currently receiving their appointments through the post.

For those in the underlying health conditions group, the type of health condition will guide whether they will be offered a flu jab, the COVID-19 booster, or both vaccines.

Later this month, an online portal will launch to allow people aged 50 to 59, unpaid carers who are 16 and over, and those aged 16 and over who are household contacts of immunosuppressed individuals to book their Autumn/Winter vaccination appointments online.

The Autumn/Winter vaccination programme is working to reduce the risks of COVID-19 and flu. Wherever possible, those eligible for both the flu vaccine and COVID-19 boosters will receive both on the same day. This is safe and effective to do.

Details about who is eligible for these vaccinations are available on NHS Inform.

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “We are keen to stress that everyone who is eligible for either of these vaccinations will be offered them. These TV and radio adverts urge people to check which jabs they qualify for on NHS Inform and to take up the offer when they get it.

“Appointments for both vaccines are being scheduled based on clinical need and age. Many of those who routinely have the flu vaccine are also eligible for a COVID-19 booster, and so will be protected from both illnesses.

“The Autumn/Winter vaccination programme is continuing at pace and running well. COVID-19 booster vaccination can usually only take place six months (24 weeks) after the second dose, although there is now further flexibility to offer vaccination to the most vulnerable groups after five months, which will increase the number of people able to have both vaccinations at the same time.

“We started the programme as soon as possible following advice from the JCVI in September. It is important to note that many people in the original early priority cohorts of the initial vaccination programme already had a six month gap prior to this advice being given.

“The Autumn/Winter vaccination programme includes a record number of free flu vaccines to help protect the people of Scotland, reaching more than 3 million people.

“Flu can be extremely serious and is very infectious. With COVID-19 still circulating in the community we can best protect those most at risk as well as ease pressure on our National Health Service and social care services by encouraging everyone eligible to get vaccinated.”

To find out more about vaccine eligibility and when you will be invited visit:

nhsinform.scot/fluandcovid19vaccsguide

For more information about the flu vaccine, visit:

nhsinform.scot/fluvaccine

For more information about the COVID-19 booster visit:

nhsinform.scot/covid19vaccinebooster

Roll-out of new diabetes test

World-leading test to improve diagnosis

A simple blood test for people with Type 1 diabetes enabling some patients to stop taking insulin is to be rolled out.

Scotland is the first country in the world to introduce this test which will be available from hospital diabetes centres from Monday (1 November).

Aimed to improve the accuracy of diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes, the routine testing of C-peptide allows doctors to work out how much insulin someone with diabetes is making themselves.

If C-peptide is present in significant amounts, then it may indicate that the person does not have Type 1 diabetes and that it may be possible to stop or reduce insulin treatment.

The roll-out follows a two year pilot study in NHS Lothian led by Diabetes and Endocrinology Consultant Professor Mark Strachan.

Public Health Minister Maree Todd said: “Diabetes is a clinical priority for this Government and we want to ensure that everyone living with diabetes in Scotland can access safe, effective and person-centred healthcare, treatment and support.

“Type 1 diabetes is a significant health challenge right across the world. I am proud that Scotland will be the first country to introduce this blood test which has the potential to have a significant positive impact on the lives of those people living with diabetes.”

Professor Mark Strachan said: “C-peptide helps diabetes specialists make a more accurate diagnosis of the cause of diabetes, and that means we can get people on the most appropriate treatment. In some instances, C-peptide testing allowed people to stop very long-standing insulin therapy; this can be life-transforming.

“If anyone has any concerns regarding their diabetes or wishes to know more about the new blood test, they should contact their diabetes clinical team who are best placed to provide specific advice and support based on their individual circumstances.”

There are approximately 315,000 people living with diabetes in Scotland.

The programme will be offered to people with a diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes of at least three years duration. C-peptide testing will be offered by hospital diabetes centres.

‘Catastrophic failure’: Lothian MSP comments on A & E crisis

NHS Lothian has warned patients not to attend A&E unless their condition was life-threatening.

It comes after statistics published this week have revealed the worst weekly A&E statistics on record.

Chief executive of NHS Lothian, Calum Campbell, said a request has been submitted for mutual aid from other health boards after services became caught in the grip of a “perfect storm” caused by staffing and bed pressures, combined with high volumes of patients presenting with complex and serious cases.

Lothian list Labour MSP Foysol Choudhury said: “Patients in the Lothians are being put in danger due to the SNP’s catastrophic failure to support A&E services.’’

‘’Lives are on the line and the Health Secretary’s current strategy is clearly not dealing whatsoever with this crisis.’’

‘’ The NHS is under-resourced, under-staffed and under pressure, and the Scottish Government must fund the NHS properly so that people can access care and treatment at A&E when they need it.’’

“If action is not taken now, we risk a winter of chaos in A&E departments across the Lothians.

Over three and a half MILLION lost dental appointments: new figures point to perversity of Scottish Government plans

The British Dental Association Scotland has warned new data underlining the scale of the backlogs facing practices demonstrates the absurdity of government plans to return to pre-COVID models of care.

The new figures from Public Health Scotland indicate that the number of treatments delivered in the year to March 2021 was less than 25% of those delivered in previous 12-month period, corresponding to over 3.5 million appointments lost as a result of the pandemic.

Last week Cabinet Secretary Humza Yousaf wrote to all NHS dental teams in Scotland that all emergency support will be withdrawn by 1 April 2022. Since the first lockdown NHS practices have operated under a COVID support package, reflecting pandemic pressures and tight infection control restrictions that continue to limit capacity across the service.

Owing to ongoing disruption dentist leaders stress patients are now presenting with higher levels of need, requiring additional time. BDA Scotland have warned that the return to a ‘business as usual model’ – low margin and high volume – will put practices under unsustainable financial pressure and will likely lead to closures or movement to the private sector.

In light of the SNP’s centrepiece policy of providing free NHS dental care for all, BDA Scotland have stressed the need to develop a new, sustainable model for delivering care. In the interim, a workable interim funding model is needed to support dentists and their teams to care for their patients.

David McColl, Chair of the British Dental Association’s Scottish Dental Practice Committee said: “Dentists are facing an unprecedented backlog, as we continue to work to restrictions designed in the first lockdown.

“This new data underlines the sheer perversity of government plans to pretend COVID is yesterday’s news.

“Withdrawing emergency funding will pull away the life support from hundreds of dedicated NHS practices serving communities across Scotland.”

Additional £482 million funding to tackle COVID-19 in Scotland

The Scottish Government is allocating a further £482 million to NHS Boards and Integration Authorities to meet costs of the pandemic and remobilising health services.

This includes funding for Test and Protect and to support the progress of the vaccination programme.

It comes on top of £2.1 billion provided to date to NHS Boards and Integration Authorities to support additional Covid-19 costs. Further funding will be provided as necessary over the course of the year.

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “Our frontline health and care workers have been remarkable throughout the pandemic, and we continue to support NHS Boards and Integration Authorities to deliver and remobilise vital services as we approach the toughest winter the system has potentially ever experienced.

“This £482 million includes just over £121 million for Test and Protect and a further £136 million for the vaccination programme. The rest of the funding will cover costs including additional staffing to support hospital scale-up, equipment, maintenance and IT.”

Scottish Government commits extra funding to tackle delayed discharge from hospitals

Humza Yousaf: “This winter is likely to be the most challenging in the history of the NHS”

The Scottish Government is investing an additional £10 million to help patients avoid a hospital stay wherever possible – and to prevent delayed discharge for inpatients.

This is part of a range of actions included in the £300 million winter package of funding to health and social care services, and outlined in the health and social care winter plan, to take the pressure off hospitals and frontline staff.

Two new programmes – Interface Care and Discharge without Delay – will support NHS Boards to explore alternatives to hospital inpatient care where appropriate, and improve the discharge process for those who do need to be admitted to hospital.

Interface Care, backed by an additional £6 million this financial year, will deliver safe, high-quality care as an alternative to hospital admission, or will support early hospital discharge. The programme will be implemented by early winter.

Discharge without Delay, supported with a further £4 million, will improve pathways through hospital settings, reducing inpatient length of stay and building bed capacity. Working with patients, families and/or carers, it will ensure patients are treated in their home where appropriate.

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “This winter is likely to be the most challenging in the history of the NHS, and it’s important we take urgent action to ensure our hospitals and emergency frontline staff are not overwhelmed. That’s why these actions to improve the discharge process, and redirect patients who don’t need to be in hospital, are so important.

“I am confident that through our collective investment in people, capacity and systems to deliver the right care in the right setting, we can improve outcomes for those of us who need to use our health and social care services.”

The Scottish Government has invested more than £80 million this year to support the reduction in waiting times for people having elective procedures, which has been impacted by the pandemic. To minimise delays for those patients waiting on urgent hospital treatment within four weeks, including cancer patients, extra capacity is being provided through private hospitals over the winter period.

Discharge without Delay launches this month, with four early adopter sites to test the approach, with the aim of rolling the programme out nationally across all sites over the next 10 weeks.

The Interface Care Programme launched this month in two pathfinder sites – NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and NHS Tayside. Roll out across all boards is planned over the winter.

Flu and COVID-19 vaccine roll-out is on track, insists Health Minister

People aged 60 to 69 and adults aged 16 and over with underlying health conditions have begun to receive invitations for their flu and COVID-19 booster vaccinations through the post.

Appointments for this group will take place at a local community clinic and will run from late October and throughout November.

Currently, as per JCVI advice, we are vaccinating people in the highest risk groups for both flu and COVID-19 including those who are aged 70 years and over, people in older adult care homes, those who are on the Highest Risk List and frontline health and social care workers.

In addition we are delivering flu vaccinations to children under 2 years old who have underlying health conditions, preschool children aged 2-5, all school pupils, pregnant women and all NHS healthcare workers.

The winter flu and COVID-19 vaccination programme is working together to reduce the risks for both types of illness. Wherever possible, those eligible for the booster jab will receive both the flu vaccine and COVID-19 boosters on the same day. This is safe and effective to do.

More than 1.5 million COVID-19 and flu vaccinations have been administered since September 6.

For those in the underlying health conditions group, the type of health condition will guide whether they will be given a flu jab, the COVID-19 booster, or both vaccines.

Details on who is eligible for these vaccinations and when they can expect an invitation are available on NHS Inform.

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “For those eligible for the COVID-19 boosters, appointments can only take place six months (24 weeks) after your second dose. As such, it may take several weeks before you receive your invitation letter. We remain on track with Scotland’s booster programme prioritising those at the highest risk for both COVID-19 and flu.

“We started this as soon as possible following the JCVI advice – that the booster dose should be offered no earlier than six months after completion of the primary vaccine course. It is important to note that many people in the original early priority cohorts of the initial vaccination programme had already had a 6 month gap prior to this JCVI advice.

“In addition to delivering the COVID-19 vaccine boosters, this year we are offering a record number of free flu vaccines to help protect the people of Scotland. It is the biggest ever flu vaccination programme in Scotland reaching over 4 million people.

“Appointments for both vaccines are being scheduled based on clinical need and age and it will take until the middle of January for everyone to be offered their vaccines. Boosters will be offered to many of the groups who routinely have the flu vaccine to protect people from both illnesses. To support this, we are ensuring those most vulnerable are vaccinated first.

“But I would like to stress: everyone who is eligible will be offered a vaccination. If you haven’t received your appointment letter yet, please be patient. You do not have to do anything now – you will be contacted, notifying you of your appointment.

“The flu virus changes every year, so you need to get the vaccine every year to stay protected. The vaccine cannot give you flu, but it can help stop you catching it, or suffering severe symptoms. The COVID-19 vaccine does not offer any protection from flu, you need to get the separate flu vaccine.

Scottish Labour said: “This is more proof that the SNP are failing to protect the most vulnerable this winter: They’ve shifted goalposts for booster jabs.

“Many will now have to wait at least another month for a third jag. Cases are spiralling and we need faster action from the Government.”

To find out more about vaccine eligibility and when you will be invited visit:

nhsinform.scot/fluandcovid19vaccsguide

For more information about the flu vaccine, visit:

nhsinform.scot/fluvaccine

For more information about the COVID-19 booster visit:

nhsinform.scot/covid19/vaccinebooster

UK Health Security Agency: New Delta Variant under investigation

The Delta variant sub-lineage known as Delta AY.4.2 was designated a Variant Under Investigation (VUI) by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) on 20 October 2021 and has been given the official name VUI-21OCT-01.

The designation was made on the basis that this sub-lineage has become increasingly common in the UK in recent months, and there is some early evidence that it may have an increased growth rate in the UK compared to Delta. More evidence is needed to know whether this is due to changes in the virus’ behaviour or to epidemiological conditions.

The genome of VUI-21OCT-01 does not have many mutations compared to Delta. However, a small change may be enough to cause a difference in the virus properties in some circumstances. UKHSA is monitoring this closely.

The original Delta variant remains overwhelmingly dominant in the UK, making up approximately 99.8% of all cases. As of 20 October, there were 15,120 cases of VUI-21OCT-01 confirmed by whole genome sequences in England since it was first detected in July.

In the last week, VUI-21OCT-01 accounted for approximately 6% of all Delta cases. Cases have been confirmed through whole genome sequencing in all 9 regions of England.

While evidence is still emerging, so far it does not appear this variant causes more severe disease or renders the vaccines currently deployed any less effective. As is routine for any new variants under investigation, UKHSA is carrying out laboratory and epidemiological investigations to better understand the properties of this variant.

Dr Jenny Harries, Chief Executive of the UK Health Security Agency, said: “Viruses mutate often and at random, and it is not unexpected that new variants will continue to arise as the pandemic goes on, particularly while the case rate remains high.

“It is testament to the diligence and scientific expertise of my colleagues at UKHSA, and the genomic sequencing capacity developed through the pandemic, that this new variant has been identified and analysed so quickly. However, it should serve as objective evidence that this pandemic is not over.

“The public health advice is the same for all current variants. Get vaccinated and, for those eligible, come forward for your third or booster dose as appropriate as soon as you are called. Continue to exercise caution. Wear a mask in crowded spaces and, when meeting people indoors, open windows and doors to ventilate the room.

“If you have symptoms take a PCR test and isolate at home until you receive a negative result.”

UKHSA continues to examine all available data relating to SARS-CoV-2 variants in the UK and abroad. We constantly assess the genetic diversity within the known Variants of Concern (VOCs) to inform our ongoing public health response to the pandemic. New sub-lineages within Delta continue to be identified. This is to be expected and UKHSA is monitoring the situation closely.

RECKLESS: Scottish Government plans ‘set to decimate NHS dentistry’

“To signal the return of a ‘business as usual’ model when the country is still in the grip of a pandemic is utterly reckless”

The British Dental Association Scotland has warned that plans to return NHS practices to pre-COVID models of work will devastate dental services across the country.

Cabinet Secretary Humza Yousaf yesterday wrote to every NHS dental team in Scotland, indicating that all emergency support will be withdrawn by 1 April 2022. Since the first lockdown NHS practices have operated under a COVID support package, reflecting pandemic pressures and tight restrictions that continue to limit capacity across the service.

A return to delivering a low margin/high volume model of care is, BDA Scotland contends, simply unsustainable under current conditions. While some restrictions may ease in the coming months, there are no indications the service is likely to return to anything resembling ‘business as usual’.

With a growing number of staff facing abuse from frustrated patients unable to secure appointments, the BDA has warned the move will only raise patient expectations, while pushing NHS colleagues into the private sector or out of dentistry altogether.

Yousaf has signalled minor changes to the payment system for dentists that will take effect from 1 February 2022, largely covering the treatment of children. While welcome, these reforms will have a negligible impact on capacity within the service and will not ease the pressure on practice finances once the COVID support payments are withdrawn.

The SNP committed to delivering free NHS care for all in Scotland in the recent election. The BDA has stressed this approach runs counter to that vision, and that real focus and energy must be applied to developing a new, sustainable model for delivering care.

David McColl, Chair of the British Dental Association’s Scottish Dental Practice Committee said: “The Scottish Government seems set to pull the rug out from under every dedicated NHS dentist.

“If Ministers had an objective to decimate NHS dentistry, this approach would offer a great starting point. To signal the return of a ‘business as usual’ model when the country is still in the grip of a pandemic is utterly reckless. The net result will be to push colleagues out of the NHS and to leave this profession altogether.

“Ministers put NHS dentistry front and centre in their pitch for government. To deliver on their promises we need real commitment to find a new and better way for delivering for the patients that need us.”