One in five midwife roles are currently unstaffed

The Royal College of Midwives has today made a plea to NHS leaders to protect the safety of pregnant women by ringfencing maternity services in the current crisis.

There is concern that vital staff, including midwives and maternity support workers, will be redeployed to other areas, at a time when a survey of senior midwives found that the shortage of midwives on NHS maternity units has doubled since the start of the coronavirus outbreak.

The survey of heads and directors of midwifery from across the UK, carried out by the Royal College of Midwives (RCM), found that, even before the outbreak, services were struggling to get by with almost one in 10 midwifery posts vacant.

Survey respondents now report that this shortage has doubled to 20 per cent. The coronavirus itself as well as self-isolation has combined with existing staff vacancies to mean one in five midwife roles are currently unstaffed today.

Commenting on the survey results Gill Walton, Chief Executive of the RCM, said: “While other areas of the health service can postpone and cancel procedures, there is still an ongoing need for maternity services.

“Women are still pregnant, still having babies, and they need the care and support of properly resourced maternity services. We have to ensure that midwives and maternity support workers are ringfenced from any redeployment to ensure that women continue to receive safe care.

“What this survey shows is that coronavirus is exposing the gaps that already exist in maternity services. The shortage of midwives has doubled since the start of the outbreak, a situation which is only likely to worsen as the pandemic spreads further.”

Over a fifth (22 per cent) of survey respondents also reported that local midwife-led maternity units had been closed, with more than a third (36 per cent) of areas also either stopping (32 per cent) or restricting (four per cent) homebirths.

In 11 cases the midwife-led unit has been closed to provide facilities to assess or care for coronavirus patients.

Nearly eight out of 10 midwifery leaders (78 per cent) reported ending routine face-to-face antenatal and postnatal visits, with a further nine per cent restricting just face-to-face postnatal visits.

Heads and directors of midwifery reported confusion about what should happen to midwives with long-term health conditions or who live with someone with conditions that put them at greater risk, and the impact their self-isolation would have on staff shortages. 

Gill Walton continued: “We have to protect the maternity front door and continue to provide the levels of care and support pregnant women need.

“We need to do all we can to make sure the maternity workforce is kept well and healthy as much as possible. The testing of NHS staff is an urgent priority.”

Extra funding for mental health services

Extra funding to develop mental health services to cope with further demand as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has been confirmed by the Scottish Government.

Minister for Mental Health Clare Haughey has announced a further £3.8 million to begin to increase the capacity of NHS 24’s telephone and online services.

This includes £2.6 million to expand the NHS 24 Mental Health Hub and Breathing Space telephone helpline and web support service and £1.2 million to provide extra capacity for Computerised Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CCBT). Information about these expanded services will come on line as they become active.

Ms Haughey said: “Dedicated mental health professionals provide high quality care across Scotland – but in these trying times they are needed more than ever.

“The current situation around COVID-19, including concerns around social distancing, is an understandable cause of anxiety for many people. NHS 24 has already begun to see an increase in calls, including to Breathing Space, in recent weeks and anticipate this will continue to grow.

“It is vital that during this period of uncertainty anyone who requires support for their mental health can receive it.”

The additional £3.8 million will support a two-strand approach to the health response to COVID-19, both increasing the capacity of existing services while aiming to reduce demand. 

Funding of £2.6 million will provide additional capacity to the NHS Mental Health Hub of 27 full time equivalent (FTE) Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners, five FTE Mental Health Nurse Practitioners, and two FTE Senior Charge Nurses to provide 24-hour cover. This service is currently only available out of hours during the week and over the weekend.

This will take the total staffing for the hub to 69 PWPs, 20 MHNPs and six SCNs (all FTE).

The number of Breathing Space advisors will increase by 10 FTE workers and two FTE supervisors to expand both the telephone and webchat facilities. NHS 24 will also adapt a number of self-help guides and online resources through the NHS Inform website.

Funding of £1.2 million in the financial year 2020-21 will provide additional capacity to meet the immediate COVID-19 challenge on digital therapies supporting the rise in demand  and addressing the pressure on core  NHS mental health services. This will give support to the public and also to the Health and Social Care workforce and their families.

Update on Tesco response to Coronavirus

We wrote to you last week setting out the measures we are taking to provide more of the food that people need, in a safe and clean environment (writes Tesco CEO DAVE LEWIS).

Our colleagues have risen brilliantly to the challenges of recent days, but this challenge is unprecedented and inevitably, despite our hard work and best intentions, not everything has or will go exactly to plan. But we’ll take learnings, we’ll be informed by the latest guidance from the Government, and we’ll keep going.

Importantly, we need your help to do this.

With that in mind, following the Prime Minister’s recent announcement, we wanted to write and update you on the measures we continue to take, and what new things you will begin to see in our stores in the next few days.

Food for all

  • To ensure more people have access to everyday essentials, we have introduced a store-wide restriction of 3 items per customer on every product line and removed multi-buy promotions.
  • In product areas where demand is particularly high, we have simplified our range to get more of the most popular products on shelves.
  • We have introduced a special hour in stores for NHS workers as a thank you for all they are doing. On Sundays, they can browse our large stores and select their shopping an hour before the checkouts open. All we ask is, if you’re an NHS worker, that you bring a form of ID to store, such as an NHS staff card. We have listened to feedback and are looking at how we can extend this to include extra days from next week.
  • To ensure our more vulnerable and elderly customers can shop for what they need in our large stores, we have prioritised one hour every Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning between 9-10am.
  • We know that it’s difficult right now to get a delivery slot for online shopping. We are at full capacity for the next few weeks and we ask those who are able to safely come to stores to do so, instead of shopping online, so that we can start to free up more slots for the more vulnerable.
  • We are looking at every opportunity to increase the number of slots available. As we increase our capacity, we will also set aside more of these slots for our most vulnerable customers.
  • We have more stock coming into stores every day, with up to double the usual amounts of key essentials arriving – but we need everyone’s help: please buy only what you need, so that there is enough for everyone.

Safety for everyone

To ensure we are doing everything possible to reduce the risk of infection for our customers and colleagues, we will begin to introduce new social distancing measures in stores in the coming days:

  • Floor markings in our car parks will help you to maintain safe distances when queuing.
  • Where necessary, we will limit the flow of people coming into our stores to ensure they don’t get too congested.
  • Hand sanitisers are being placed around our stores for customers and colleagues to use, as well as extra cleaning products to wipe down your trolley or basket.
  • In some stores, we will introduce directional floor markings and new signage, to create a safe flow around the store.
  • New floor markings will help you to keep a safe distance from others while waiting to pay.
  • We are installing protective screens at our checkouts.
  • Where possible, we will create separate entrances and exits to our stores, so that it’s easier to keep a safe distance from other shoppers.

Supporting our colleagues

  • We are fully supporting our team of more than 300,000 Tesco colleagues, many of whom will be affected by this situation personally or will need to care for their own loved ones. The countless messages of gratitude I’ve received are testament to the incredible job they are doing, at a time when our stores have never been busier. Your small gestures and kind words really do go a long way.
  • We have almost 3,000 colleagues over the age of 70 and we are fully supporting them, as well as our vulnerable and pregnant colleagues, with 12 weeks’ fully paid absence.
  • Colleagues who are in isolation are receiving full pay from their first day of absence, so that nobody finds themselves in a situation where they have to work when unwell.
  • To help support our team, we are recruiting an additional 20,000 temporary colleagues. We’ve already appointed 12,500 new colleagues, but we will need more. We are also bringing in 8,000 new colleagues in driving roles, and we are training them as fast as we can.

It’s a challenging time for the whole country, but we are committed to playing our part in feeding the nation and to keeping everyone safe.

We also need your help to change the way you shop with us, so here are a few simple requests to help us serve you better:

  • Please check your store’s opening hours in advance.
  • Before you leave home, please bring enough bags for your shop. If it’s raining, don’t forget an umbrella too, in case you need to queue outside the store.
  • Try to shop with no more than one other person, which will help to reduce the number of people in-store at any one time.
  • Please use our cleaning stations to wipe your trolley, basket, or Scan as you Shop handset.
  • If possible, use card or contactless payments.
  • Please avoid shopping during our dedicated times for vulnerable and elderly people, and NHS workers, and be kind to our colleagues as they’re working hard to serve you; we’re all in this together.

We want to thank our suppliers, our colleagues – and especially you, our customers – for understanding and helping.

We know these are some big changes, and we will all need to do our very best to adjust. We will continue to update you as things change.

Together, we can do this.

Dave Lewis

Tesco CEO

 

 

Help for the self-employed … but not until June

Chancellor Rishi Sunak made his long-awaited statement on support for the UK’s five million self-employed workers yesterday. That support will not kick in until June at the earliest, however, and does not cover those workers who have been self-employed for less than three years.

This is what he said:

Good afternoon.

Today I can announce the next step in the economic fight against the Coronavirus pandemic, with new support for the self-employed.

Our step-by-step action plan is aiming to slow the spread of Coronavirus so fewer people need hospital treatment at any one time, protecting the NHS’s ability to cope.

At every point, we have followed expert advice to be controlled in our actions – taking the right measures at the right times.

We are taking unprecedented action to increase NHS capacity by increasing the numbers of beds, key staff and life-saving equipment on the front-line to give people the care they need.

That is why it is absolutely critical that people follow our instructions to stay at home, so we can protect our NHS and save lives.

Our action plan to beat the pandemic is the right thing to do – but we know people are worrying about their jobs and their incomes.

Working closely with businesses and trade unions, we have put together a coherent, coordinated and comprehensive economic plan – a plan which is already starting to make a difference:

  • big employers like Brewdog, Timpsons and Pret have already said that our Coronavirus Jobs Retention Scheme means they can furlough thousands of staff, rather than laying them off. And we are publishing this evening detailed guidance on how the scheme will operate so that other businesses can take advantage, too
  • small businesses are already benefiting from Coronavirus Business Interruption Loans of up to £5 million, which are interest free for 12 months – with 30,000 enquiries in just four days
  • local authorities are already informing more than 700,000 retail, hospitality and leisure businesses that they will pay no business rates this year
  • and the new hardship grants scheme, providing cash grants of up to £25,000 for the smallest businesses, is now up and running

So if any business is struggling, and worrying they may need to lose staff, I would urge you to log on to businesssupport.gov.uk, and look very carefully at what support is available before deciding to lay people off.

I’m proud of what we’ve done so far, but I know that many self-employed people are deeply anxious about the support available for them.

Musicians and sound engineers; plumbers and electricians; taxi drivers and driving instructors; hairdressers and childminders and many others, through no fault of their own, risk losing their livelihoods.

To you, I say this: You have not been forgotten. We will not let you behind. We are all in this together.

So, to support those who work for themselves, today I am announcing a new Self-Employed Income Support Scheme.

The government will pay self-employed people, who have been adversely affected by the Coronavirus, a taxable grant worth 80% of their average monthly profits over the last three years, up to £2,500 a month.

This scheme will be open for at least three months – and I will extend it for longer if necessary.

You’ll be able to claim these grants and continue to do business.

And we’re covering the same amount of income for a self-employed person as we are for furloughed employees, who also receive a grant worth 80%.

That’s unlike almost any other country and makes our scheme one of the most generous in the world.

Providing such unprecedented support for self-employed people has been difficult to do in practice.

And the self-employed are a diverse population, with some people earning significant profits.

So I’ve taken steps to make this scheme deliverable, and fair:

  • to make sure that the scheme provides targeted support for those most in need, it will be open to anyone with income up to £50,000.
  • to make sure only the genuinely self-employed benefit, it will be available to people who make the majority of their income from self-employment
  • and to minimise fraud, only those who are already in self-employment, who have a tax return for 2019, will be able to apply

95% of people who are majority self-employed will benefit from this scheme.

HMRC are working on this urgently and expect people to be able to access the scheme no later than the beginning of June.

If you’re eligible, HMRC will contact you directly, ask you to fill out a simple online form, then pay the grant straight into your bank account.

And to make sure no one who needs it misses out on support, we have decided to allow anyone who missed the filing deadline in January, four weeks from today to submit their tax return.

But I know many self-employed people are struggling right now, so we’ve made sure that support is available.

Self-employed people can access the business interruption loans.

Self-assessment income tax payments, that were due in July, can be deferred to the end of January next year.

And we’ve also changed the welfare system so that self-employed people can now access Universal Credit in full.

A self-employed person with a non-working partner and two children, living in the social rented sector, can receive welfare support of up to £1,800 per month.

The scheme I have announced today is fair.

It is targeted at those who need it the most.

Crucially, it is deliverable.

And it provides an unprecedented level of support for self-employed people.

As we’ve developed the scheme, I’m grateful for the conversations I’ve had with the Federation of Small Businesses, the association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed, and a range of trade unions, including the Trades Union Congress.

But I must be honest and point out that in devising this scheme – in response to many calls for support – it is now much harder to justify the inconsistent contributions between people of different employment statuses.

If we all want to benefit equally from state support, we must all pay in equally in future.

These last ten days have shaken our country and economy as never before.

In the last two weeks we have put aside ideology and orthodoxy to mobilise the full power and resources of the British state.

We have done so in pursuit of a single goal: to protect people’s health and economic security, by supporting public services like our NHS, backing business, and protecting people’s jobs and incomes.

What we have done will, I believe, stand as one of the most significant economic interventions at any point in the history of the British state, and by any government, anywhere in the world. We have:

  • pledged that whatever resources the NHS needs, it will get
  • promised to pay 80% of the wages of furloughed workers for three months up to £2,500
  • deferred more than £30 billion of tax payments until the end of the year
  • agreed nearly 17,000 Time to Pay arrangements for businesses and individuals
  • made available £330 billion of loans and guarantees
  • introduced cash grants of up to £25,000 for small business properties
  • covered the cost of statutory sick pay for small businesses for up to two weeks
  • lifted the incomes of over four million households with a nearly £7 billion boost to the welfare system
  • agreed three-month mortgage holidays with lenders and nearly £1 billion more support for renters through the Local Housing Allowance
  • and today we’ve announced one of the most generous self-employed support schemes in the world

Despite these extraordinary steps, there will be challenging times ahead. We will not be able to protect every single job or save every single business.

But I am confident that the measures we have put in place will support millions of people, businesses and self-employed people to get through this, get through it together, and emerge on the other side both stronger and more united.

Thank you.

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) – who spearheaded calls for additional help for those that work for themselves – warmly welcomed the proposals.

Andrew McRae, FSB’s Scotland policy chair, said: “Thousands of people who work for themselves in Scotland will now breathe a sigh of relief. This scheme will provide lifeline cash to self-employed people, with help targeted at those on low and moderate incomes.

“We need to vanquish the myth that those that work for themselves are universally wealthy. People like the local handyman, cleaner and fitness coach will benefit from this support.

“Like many of these government interventions, it will take a number of weeks for this programme to deliver. Therefore, those who qualify should try their banks for interim finance if required, while doing what they can to manage their outgoings. This will be much easier said than done, but with help on its way many of the self-employed will rest a little easier.”

Official figures show that there are 320,000+ self-employed people in Scotland.

Andrew McRae said: “Throughout this crisis, we’ve found Ministers in Edinburgh and London sympathetic and approachable. These governments deserve credit for delivering support to business who face difficult circumstances that are neither under their control nor their fault.”

TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said: “With so many of the self-employed facing a collapse in their earnings the Chancellor is right to act.

“This is a welcome step forward for self-employed and freelance workers across the economy, from construction to the creative industries.

“It’s vital that support reaches workers as soon as possible. Many are already dealing with severe hardship.

“Unions look forward to being consulted on how this scheme is rolled out.”

Extra respirators brought into use

Action has been taken to bring an additional 1.5 million protective respirators into use from NHS Scotland’s central stockpile.

The tightly-fitting facemasks, which provide a high level of protection for staff working with coronavirus patients, were not previously used because they had recently passed their expiry date.

However, scientific evidence from stringent independent tests has shown the FFP respirators continue to be safe to use.

Both the Health and Safety Executive and Health Protection Scotland have reviewed the evidence and are satisfied the stocks are safe for use by NHS staff.

Dr Catherine Calderwood, Scotland’s Chief Medical Officer, said: “The safety of our health and social care staff is our upmost priority and it’s essential they have the right equipment to keep them safe as they go about their work.

“While there is currently an adequate supply of respirators, we know there is a significant pressure on global supplies of personal protective equipment due to the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak.

“We therefore decided to test this recently expired stock to determine whether it still provides an adequate level of safety and protection.

“Those tests have shown the equipment continues to meet those standards and therefore we will bring these masks into use to ensure we continue to have adequate stocks as the outbreak develops.”

Dr Miles Mack, chair of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges and Faculties in Scotland, said: “Effective personal protective equipment is essential and we understand the difficulties around sourcing that have been encountered.

“On the basis of Health Protection Scotland agreement, we have no issue with this stock of masks being distributed for use in the NHS at this time.”

Trams construction work to halt

Construction on Edinburgh’s Trams to Newhaven project will stop this week to protect the safety of workers and residents during the current coronavirus outbreak.

The Council’s decision to instruct contractors Morrison Utility Services (MUS) and Sacyr Farrans Neopul (SFN) to cease site works follows advice from Scotland’s First Minister that all construction sites should close, unless the project being delivered is essential.

SFN and MUS will make sites on Leith Walk, Constitution Street, Lindsay Road and Ocean Drive safe by the end of the week before shutting down. This time is required given the complex nature of the project. Following on from shutdown there will be contractors on site as necessary for safety and security checks, in line with current social distancing guidance.

Work will continue off-site, again operating to strict social distancing guidelines, including design, planning and scheduling, as well as drawing up a remobilisation strategy for returning to the site once restrictions are lifted. The project team will also be closely liaising with MUS and SFN to look at ways of mitigating the impact of work stopping on the wider project.

Council Leader Adam McVey said: “The health and wellbeing of workers delivering key infrastructure schemes like Trams to Newhaven – and those who live nearby – is of utmost importance to us, which is why we’ve been working with contractors, to halt work since the Scottish Government guidance was issued.

“Of course, this will impact on the wider project, but nothing is more important than the public’s safety. We will, of course, be working with contractors to mitigate the impact of these necessary actions and carefully planning our strategy for returning to the site once restrictions are lifted.

Depute Leader Cammy Day said: “We’ve listened to national advice and the message is clear – we must limit our interactions with others during this crucial period. This is a major decision, and we remain committed to delivering the tram to Newhaven, but right now it is absolutely necessary if we are to limit the impact of coronavirus on the city and country as a whole.

“We are making every effort to protect the public while delivering core services and I would encourage people to do their own bit by observing rules on social distancing and looking out for one another where possible.”

SFN Project Director Alejandro Mendoza said: “We fully back the decision and guidance from the Government this week to shut down construction sites during this period of great uncertainty.

“These are extremely challenging and concerning times for all and we will do what is necessary for our staff and the public to help stop the spread of this virus.

MUS Project Director Mike Thomson said: “The health of our staff, and the residents and businesses in the local community, is our number one priority so we understand and support the decision to temporarily stop work.

“We will be working hard over the next few days to make the site safe and secure for the shut down period.”

While traffic management due to be installed on Leith Walk on 28 March will be postponed, existing traffic management on Constitution Street, Lindsay Road and Ocean Drive will remain.

Safety and security checks following shutdown will include, but will not be limited to, fenced-off worksites, traffic management signage, diversion routes, logistics hubs and the main compound and satellite offices. This will be in line with current social distancing guidance.

Logistics hubs on Mitchell Street will also close. The project’s contact centre will remain operational for any queries.

Other major infrastructure schemes being carried out by the Council across Edinburgh are currently under urgent review in light of UK and Scottish Government guidance, with updates to follow.

Several service changes have been implemented by the Council this week to help limit the impact of the coronavirus outbreak in Edinburgh. These include the suspension of pay and display parking charges, closing play parks and games areas and establishing Local Critical Resilience Centres.

Further information on services, support and how to report any concerns can be found on the Council website. If you’re experiencing an emergency or critical situation, please call 0131 200 2000.

Find out more about Trams to Newhaven online.

Coronavirus: Scotland forms new expert group

A new expert group providing additional scientific analysis of the impact of COVID-19 in Scotland has been announced by the First Minister.

As the number of cases increases, it is important that we have the fullest possible understanding of exactly how COVID-19 is spreading in Scotland.

Professor Andrew Morris, Professor of Medicine at the University of Edinburgh and Director of Health Data Research UK, will chair the Scottish Government COVID-19 Advisory Group.

He will be supported by vice chair, Professor David Crossman, Dean of Medicine at the University of St Andrews and Chief Scientific Advisor for Health at the Scottish Government.

The group will supplement the advice coming to the four nations from the Scientific Advisory Group on Emergencies (SAGE) to further strengthen Scottish Government modelling work informing national and local decisions in Scotland during the pandemic.

Chief Medical Officer Dr Catherine Calderwood (above) said: “We are facing an unprecedented situation and it’s crucial we not only follow the latest scientific advice coming from SAGE, but establish what that means here in Scotland on a local level.

“It’s vital that we are well equipped to deal with all possibilities as this outbreak grows globally and this advisory group will play a key role in developing our understanding of the virus and its impact on Scotland.

“We will continue to work closely with the UK Government, Welsh Government and the Northern Ireland Executive as part of a coordinated response to this virus.”

Read the COVID-19 Guidance for Non-Healthcare Settings.

The latest numbers of test results are published at 2pm each day on the Scottish Government website.

Updates on public health advice for coronavirus can be found on the NHS Inform website, and a free helpline has been set up for those who do not have symptoms but are looking for general health advice: 0800 028 2816.

Common symptoms of coronavirus include:
• fever or a temperature of above 37.8°C
• persistent cough

Surgeons take to social media to ask people to stay home

It’s a picture we’ve seen from around the world. Now clinicians from the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow have recreated it for their own audience.

The group shows the emergency surgical team including Dr Elaine Yeap saying “We stay at work for you. Please stay at home for us.”

Elaine said: “It’s a very simple message. We saw doctors in Italy and the States sharing this, so decided to do a special Queen Elizabeth version.

“It’s so important people heed the warnings and stop the onward spread of Covid-19.

Please share this message with your family and loved ones and help us slow down the spread.”

Irresponsible members of the public continue to ignore our politicians: maybe they’ll listen to our hard-pressed medical staff?

Key Workers: further guidance published

Employers are being urged to think critically about what staff are considered key workers. The plea from the Scottish Government and COSLA comes as further guidance on key workers is published.

Before seeking childcare places, employers should consider:

• working with unions and workers to identify only those staff absolutely necessary to deliver the COVID-19 response and to provide essential and safe services
• introducing new shift patterns, working from home, recruiting more staff or dropping non-essential tasks
• having discussions with staff to identify if they can access any appropriate alternative childcare. This may include another parent or carer who is not a key worker

Deputy First Minister John Swinney said: “We all have a vitally important role to play in the fight against COVID-19. For some that will involve a front line role in a hospital, but for others, staying at home to care for your children will also help to save lives.

“Where children are unable to safely stay at home, including vulnerable children, local authorities are providing childcare. However, only key workers who cannot fulfil their critical functions when they are working remotely from home may qualify for critical childcare provision.

“The number of children taking up these places must be kept to an absolute minimum. The priority must be for children of the most critical key workers and for the most vulnerable children in our society.

“I would urge employers to look at the guidance and consider if there is any way they can provide their essential services in a way that enables children to stay at home.”

Alison Evison, President of COSLA, said: “We recognise the extreme pressures faced by all businesses and employers at this very difficult time. Our priority is to ensure that vital services continue as far as possible.

“Local authorities have worked tirelessly to ensure that there is provision available for the children of key workers in an extremely tight timescale. However, our capacity to do so needs to be established in line with public health advice.

“The safety of our children, young people and staff is paramount. This guidance is aimed at making sure we all work together to get through this crisis while trying to minimise the impact on our society and economy.”

Guidance on key workers 

Coronavirus: NHS Lothian launches new Community Hub

NHS Lothian has announced the launch of a new Community Hub to help reduce pressures on GP practices and hospitals amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

The Hub, which is part of a national approach, will be staffed by a mixture of nurses and doctors. The Hub will handle calls with members of the public, triaged initially through NHS 24’s 111 phone line, who may be experiencing symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) and who may need further assessment and advice.

As well as providing information and reassurance, The Hub service will facilitate face to face scheduled appointments for those individuals who may need further clinical assessment, but who do not need emergency care.

David Small, Director of Primary Care Transformation, NHS Lothian said: “For many weeks now, we have been working hard to increase capacity across our services.

“The launch of the new Community Hub will help ease some of the pressure that both GP practices and NHS24 have been experiencing as a result of coronavirus (COVID-19).

“At one Lothian GP practice alone, we experienced over 150 extra calls in a single day from patients worried about coronavirus (COVID-19). The Hub will help to better manage this demand, providing information, advice and clinical assessment, meaning that both GP and hospital resources can focus on managing patients with other conditions.

“In what is no doubt a challenging and unsettling time for many, I hope that by sharing these plans, it will offer some reassurance.”

The public should continue to use NHS Inform for information and advice, and to call NHS24 (111) if they have symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) which are not improving. Calls will be triaged to the Community Hub if they require more specialist advice.

To stay up to date with the latest coronavirus (COVID-19) advice, visit NHS Inform: https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/infections-and-poisoning/coronavirus-covid-19

A free helpline has been set up for those who do not have symptoms but are looking for general health advice. This can be accessed by calling 0800 028 2816. The helpline is open Monday to Friday, 8:00am – 10:00pm, Saturday and Sunday, 8:00am – 6:00pm.