Tag: research

Our pandemic accommodation was unsafe, asylum seekers tell research team

Study suggests relocations took place with little consideration of people’s needs and adversely affected their health and wellbeing

Asylum seekers who were moved to temporary accommodation during the Covid-19 pandemic have faced unsafe conditions, mobility restrictions and a lack of communication from service providers, according to a new study.

Edinburgh Napier researchers said the asylum seekers’ accounts – in which they likened their hotel-type accommodation to detention centres – “pointed to a provision that was inattentive towards their needs, vulnerability and wellbeing.”

The study, which focuses on accommodation in Glasgow, is particularly critical of a “mothers and baby” unit in the south of the city, which was opened last October.  Mothers, who were moved there by Home Office accommodation contractor Mears Group who run the facilities, criticised the cramped and noisy living conditions, unsuitable furniture and inadequate washing facilities.

The report authors call for an independent assessment of the facility to be carried out as a matter of urgency, and say no more families should be moved there until this has taken place.

Other recommendations in the interim report include calls for risk assessments for individuals in advance of any relocation, the minimising of stays in hotel-type accommodation, a review of limits on travel luggage, and the lifting of restrictions requiring residents to stay ‘on-site overnight’.

Edinburgh Napier researchers carried out the study, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, as part of UK Research and Innovation’s response to Covid-19. They worked with migrant-led grassroots organisation Migrants Organising for Rights and Empowerment (MORE) to explore the impact of the pandemic on those placed in temporary accommodation in Glasgow.

Around 350 asylum seekers were moved from their settled flats into various hotels in the city centre following the outbreak of Covid-19 in March last year, which Mears Group claimed was an attempt to curb the spread of the virus. 

Researchers spoke to more than 50 asylum seekers and followed closely the lives of 14 participants of varied ages and backgrounds from December 2020 to June 2021, during the ‘second wave’ of the virus in the UK, through weekly online meetings. 

Accommodation for asylum seekers during the pandemic has long been a controversial topic. A mass outbreak of Covid at the repurposed Napier military barracks in Kent last winter and a mass stabbing at the Park Inn Hotel in Glasgow the previous June sparked debate and criticism of the government’s handling of asylum housing from parliamentary select committees.

The interim findings of the new Edinburgh Napier study suggest relocating asylum seekers to hotel-type accommodation had a negative impact on their health and wellbeing, and that they found social distancing almost impossible in their new environment.

Individuals living in hotels also faced a number of restrictions. They were unable to cook their own food or have visitors, had their weekly allowance withdrawn, and were told they could not spend nights away from the accommodation. The food served was said to be of poor quality, and it did not reflect their religious or cultural backgrounds.

The Glasgow-based mother and baby unit, the only such facility in the whole of Scotland, was reportedly noisy – with doors frequently banging and staff knocking, and had small beds, insufficient room ventilation and furniture which was unsuitable for breastfeeding. One mum told of her humiliation when the driver taking her to the unit told her she had too many belongings for a “destitute” asylum seeker.

The report said relocations to temporary accommodation took place with little consideration of people’s needs and with no consultation with asylum seekers themselves. There were cases of people being given less than 15 minutes to get ready for their move, and of individuals being threatened with deportation if they resisted.

Dr Taulant Guma, Principal Investigator and lecturer in Edinburgh Napier’s School of Applied Sciences, said: “While issues around asylum accommodation have received a significant amount of media and public attention since the start of the Covid-19 outbreak, little attention has been paid to the experiences and perspectives of asylum seekers themselves, who are directly and mostly affected by these housing arrangements.

“As a collaboration with a grassroots organisation, our study offers a unique and in-depth insight and understanding into the day-to-day realities of asylum seekers’ housing experiences during the pandemic.

“In the context of the current Afghan crisis and discourses of ‘warm welcome’, our findings offer a timely reminder of the cold realities that may await Afghan asylum seekers and refugees once they are relocated to their accommodation across the country.”

Robert Makutsa, Community Researcher with MORE, said: “The asylum accommodation system is broken because the level of duty of care that is required does not need to be met. Think about it; what legal action can an asylum seeker raise against Mears or the Home Office in their failure to adhere to the accommodation provision? None. 

“Their lives are defined and controlled by their agents and often it is us, migrant led organisations and grassroots groups, who put pressure on Mears when asylum seekers make complaints.”

Clinical trial provides new approach for people with eye disease to increase NHS capacity

A UK-wide study, led by Queen’s University Belfast, has shown how a new surveillance pathway for people with stable diabetic eye disease is safe and cost-saving, freeing up ophthalmologists to evaluate and treat people requiring urgent care. 

The new health care surveillance pathway may help ophthalmic units across the world to improve their capacity whilst saving patient’s sight. It is already having a positive impact on the re-design of NHS services across the UK, having been implemented successfully in several hospitals. 

The research, funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), has been published in leading journals including Ophthalmology, BMJ and NIHR’s Health Technology Assessment. 

The EMERALD (the Effectiveness of Multimodal imaging for the Evaluation of Retinal oedemA and new VesseLs in Diabetic retinopathy) diagnostic accuracy study tested a new “ophthalmic grader” pathway. Rather than ophthalmologists, this pathway involves trained graders monitoring people with previously treated and stable complications of diabetic eye disease, namely diabetic macular oedema (DMO) and proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR), based on the reading of images and scans of the back of their eyes.  

The grader’s pathway can save £1390 per 100 patients, and the real savings are the ophthalmologist’s time, which can then be redirected to the evaluation of people at high risk of visual loss. 

Professor Noemi Lois, lead researcher and Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology from the Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine at Queen’s University Belfast, explains: “Diabetic macular oedema and proliferative diabetic retinopathy, the main sight-threatening complications of diabetic retinopathy can cause blindness if left untreated. It is therefore important to diagnose them and to treat them timely.

“NHS hospitals eye units are under significant pressure given the extremely high number of people that need to be examined and treated and given the insufficient number of ophthalmologists in the UK. Currently, ophthalmologists need to evaluate all patients, even those that are stable after treatment and who are doing well.” 

In EMERALD, trained ophthalmic graders were found to achieve satisfactory results when compared to standard care (i.e., ophthalmologists evaluating patients in clinic) while releasing ophthalmologist’s time. 

Professor Lois added: “EMERALD showed trained ophthalmic graders are able to determine whether patients with diabetic macular oedema or proliferative diabetic retinopathy previously successfully treated remain stable or if on them the disease has reactivated.  

“Thus, they would be able to follow people that have been already treated, releasing ophthalmologists’ time. Ophthalmologists could then use this time to treat timely other patients, for example, those who have indeed diabetic macular oedema or active proliferative diabetic retinopathy and who have not yet received treatment saving their sight.” 

Dr Clare Bailey, consultant ophthalmologist at the Bristol Eye Hospital, said: “The important data from the EMERALD study has helped us to significantly increase the numbers of people with diabetic retinopathy being seen in ‘imaging/grading’ pathways.

“This has hugely increased our follow-up capacity, whilst allowing ophthalmologists’ time to be directed to the people with diabetic retinopathy who need treatment or further assessment. 

“This has helped us to deal with the capacity pressures as a result of Covid -19 as well as the longer-term capacity demands due to the increasing prevalence of diabetic retinopathy.” 

Dr Caroline Styles, Consultant Ophthalmologist with NHS Fife, added: “Emerald provided us in NHS Fife with the relevant evidence that allowed us to redesign our pathways for people with diabetic eye disease.

“The involvement of people with diabetes in this study reassures our population that these are safe and appropriate changes, and not just based on cost.” 

The EMERALD study was set in 13 National Health Service (NHS) hospitals across the UK and is a large multicentric, UK-wide, National Institute for Health Research (NIHR)-funded diagnostic accuracy study. 

Policing in Scotland: listening to seldom heard communities

FUNDING FOR FIVE PROJECTS TO IMPROVE ENGAGEMENT

The Scottish Institute for Policing Research (SIPR), Police Scotland, and the Scottish Police Authority (SPA), have joined together to provide £62,000 to fund projects which will support the police to improve engagement with seldom heard communities.

The term ‘seldom-heard’ refers to communities which are historically under-represented and may be less likely to engage with police for a variety reasons (including race, religion, sexuality, disability, and age, as well as communities isolated through geography or economic disadvantage).

Dr Megan O’Neill, SIPR Associate Director and Lead for the Police-Community Relations network said: “The focus of these grants is to understand seldom heard communities and emphasise the role of police, researchers, and policy makers in building effective and meaningful connections.

“Many of these communities feel they are not being listened to, and we have an important role to play in support research which will ensure their voices are heard; their needs are met; and their perspectives are understood.”

Following a successful public event in May 2021, which saw almost 200 attendees come together to explore public confidence in Police Scotland for seldom heard communities, SIPR, Police Scotland and the SPA launched the ‘Seldom Heard Community Grants’ and invited all interested parties to apply for funding for projects which would support Police Scotland to further enhance its support to these communities.

Fifteen applications were received from UK-based researchers and were subject to a rigorous assessment via an award panel which consisted of senior Scottish academics, senior police officers and staff, and senior representatives from the Scottish Police Authority.

The field was highly competitive; however, it was agreed that five applications selected stood out for the relevance of their focus; innovative approaches; and robust methodologies. 

Assistant Chief Constable John Hawkins, who led this work for Police Scotland said: “It is really positive to have received so many applications of such good quality and of varying subject matters to assist Police Scotland in improving engagement with seldom heard communities. 

“This is an extremely important area of work for Police Scotland, and I look forward to receiving the outcomes from the research.”

Amanda Coulthard,  Head of Strategy & Performance at Scottish Police Authority, said: “We were delighted with the range of applications received for this fund, which focuses on improving engagement with groups who may be seldom heard.  

“The SPA commitment to policing in the public interest means it is critical we work to understand any possible barriers to engagement from seldom heard groups, and seek to evolve practice”.

Our congratulations go to:

Dr John Mendel (University of Dundee) who will lead the project ‘Inquiring together: Collaborative Research with BAME communities and serving officers’.

Dr Mendel will work with Dundee City and Aberdeenshire Councils, as well as the Scottish Refugee Council to support police officers to engage, as co-inquirers (utilising action research), with people who are seldom heard: refugees, migrants and those from BAME communities in Dundee, Glasgow and Aberdeenshire.

This will allow a set of policing guidelines to be developed by the community of police officers and the BAME and migrants working together.

Dr Andrew Williams (St Andrew’s University) as Principal Investigator for the research project ‘To be seen and heard: developing photovoice as a method for the police to engage with young people in underserved communities”.

Working with the Scottish Violence Reduction Unit, the Wallacetown Strategic Community Partnership, and the University of Exeter Relational Health Group, this project aims to support the police in adopting creative methods to engage young people in an area of significant economic disadvantage and understand the places and people that matter to them. 

Dr Julie Berg (University of Glasgow) who will head up the project “Accounting for Complexities: an Intersectional Approach to Enhancing Police Practitioner Accountability, Legitimacy & Sustainable Reform” which aims to develop an intersectional good practice tool kit through which Police Scotland can better engage with seldom heard communities in order to underpin sustainable reform and improved accountability mechanisms.

Professor Jim Moir (Abertay University) who will lead the project ‘Hearing seldom heard groups: Policing with empathy in conversation with LGBT and young people from disadvantaged backgrounds’.

Delivered in collaboration with the Articulate Cultural Trust (a charity which supports young people to enable creativity) and Dundee City Council, this research aims to not only explore the experiences of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds where there may also be intersectional aspects at play (e.g., (LGBT-Q identifications) in encounters with the police, but also to examine the extent to which empathy and understanding of different seldom heard voices is apparent in Police Scotland.

Dr Nicole Vidal (Queen Margaret University) as Principal Investigator for ‘Refugee and asylum-seeker experiences, trust and confidence with Police Scotland’ which will collaborate with third sector organisations that provide psychological support to refugees and asylum seekers with the aim of building an understanding of the quantity and quality of refugees’ social networks and their role in influencing engagement with the police.

Dr Liz Aston, Director of the Scottish Institute for Policing Research, which will administer these grants, said: “The projects funded through the Seldom Heard Community scheme will explore some of the most pressing issues facing police-community relationships today.

“While the research will explore Scottish experiences and examples, they represent challenges being faced globally within policing. There is enormous potential for these projects to impact current policing policies and practices, and SIPR is looking forward to working with all five teams to support this wherever possible.”

For more information on these grants, or about the work of SIPR, please visit our website at sipr.ac.uk

A Nostalgic Nation?

Brits’ favourite ways to spend time with their Grandparents

  • –    Nostalgic conversations are the nation’s favourite way to spend time with their grandparents 
  • –    Research reveals top 10 activities include baking, gardening, and playing board games  
  • –    Psychotherapist, Andre Radmall, explains why it’s so important for grandchildren to spend time with their grandparents.

Reminiscing about the past (32%) is the nation’s favourite activity to do with their grandparents, new research has revealed. 

The study was conducted by Gala Bingo, the nation’s favourite bingo site, to launch its new Paddle Pals TV advert, which celebrates the bond we have with our grandparents. 

Playing card games (31%), looking through old photographs (30%) and baking (30%) were some of the other ways in which we cherish time with Grandma and Grandad.  

Men and women tend to have different favourites, however, as while talking about history is the favourite grandparent pastime for men, baking takes the top spot for women. Almost two in five (38%) women say baking is their favourite thing to do with their grandparents, compared to just 21% of men. Yet men and women equally enjoy spending time planting and pruning in the garden (26%) with their elders. 

Interestingly, age plays a part in which activities are most enjoyed. Cooking alongside their grandparents is a popular activity for both the 25-34 (41%) and the 35-44 (33%) age groups. For the younger generation (18-24), taking the dog for a walk with their grandparents topped the list at 31%. 

Overall, the nation’s top 10 favourite activities to do with their grandparents are:  

  1. Talking about the past – 32% 
  2. Playing cards – 31% 
  3. Going through old photos – 30% 
  4. Baking – 30% 
  5. Cooking – 28%  
  6. Playing board games – 28% 
  7. Gardening – 26% 
  8. Walking – 23% 
  9. Going to the park – 23% 
  10. Doing puzzles, crosswords, word games –20% 

Dog walking (15%), taking a trip to the beach (15%) and puzzling over jigsaws (19%) were among the other wholesome activities that were mentioned but didn’t quite make the top 10. 

Sporty activities such as swimming (4%) and bowling (3%) were some of the least popular endeavours. 

There is also variation across the UK. Playing board games with the grandparents is the preferred activity for people in Bristol and Edinburgh (both 37%) whereas taking a stroll around a park is the favourite thing to do for those in Liverpool (31%) and Sheffield (33%).  

Psychotherapist and author Andre Radmall said: “The relationship between grandparents and their grandchildren is immensely important. Spending time with each other provides innumerable benefits for both. 

“Grandchildren can learn from the experience of grandparents, passing on their wisdom through to adulthood which can be a rewarding and meaningful experience for grandchildren.”  

Karina Adrian, head of brand marketing at Gala Bingo, said: “It’s really great to see the nations appreciation and love we share for our grandparents.

“There are so many shared experiences between a grandparent and their grandchild, with this research reflecting just how much of a positive impact the bonds with our grandparents can have on us as adults. 

“We hope this research has inspired people to spend some quality time with their grandparents this week and reminisce on good times spent with them.” 

New research finds pet dogs can predict owner’s epileptic seizures

New research led by Queen’s University Belfast has shown that dogs can predict epileptic seizures, offering a warning sign to owners that has the potential to save lives.  

Epileptic seizures are associated with a specific smell which is detectable by pet dogs. The study analysed the reaction of dogs to odours and found that the dogs could predict when a seizure was imminent.  

A reliable early warning system to make people with epilepsy aware of an impending seizure has the potential to save lives, reduce injury, provide an opportunity for medical intervention and return a sense of independence to those living with unpredictable seizures. 

Epilepsy is a debilitating and potentially life-threatening neurological condition which affects approximately 65 million people worldwide, of whom 30% (20 million), are unable to control their seizures by medication. There is currently no reliable and simple early warning seizure-onset device available, which means many people with unstable epilepsy live in fear of injury or sudden death and the negative impact of social stigmatization. 

There have been anecdotal accounts of pet dogs predicting their owner’s epileptic seizures by becoming attentive and by demonstrating attention-seeking behaviours, but to date no scientific study has investigated the veracity of these claims. 

Lead researcher Dr Neil Powell (above), from the School of Biological Sciences at Queen’s University Belfast, said: “We hypothesized that, given the extraordinary sense of smell of dogs, a volatile organic compound exhaled by the dog’s epileptic owner may provide an early warning trigger mechanism to which make dogs react before the seizure. The results have shown pet dogs to be a reliable source to detect an on-set seizure.” 

The study has been published in the journal MDPI Animals. 

The researchers explored how a cohort of pet dogs reacted to the emergence of seizure-associated odours. Using two specially designed pieces of apparatus called the Remote Odour Delivery Mechanism (RODM), the researchers separately delivered epileptic seizure-associated odours and nonseizure associated odours and recorded the reactions of the dogs to each. 

Using 19 pet dogs with no experience of epilepsy, the researchers exposed them to odours that were deemed to be characteristic of three seizure phases, by using sweat harvested from people with epilepsy.

By altering the alternating odours emerging from sweat samples, captured before seizure, during a seizure and after a seizure, and two nonseizure controls, the researchers recorded the response of the 19 pet dogs. 

They found that all 19 dogs demonstrated more affiliative behavioural changes when confronted by seizure-associated odours, compared with their response to control odours.  

Dr Powell added: “Our findings clearly showed that all dogs reacted to the seizure-associated odour whether this was through making eye contact with their owner, touching them, crying or barking. There is a unique volatile smell linked to epiletic seizures, detectable by dogs who can in-turn warn their owner a seizure is likely to occur.  

“Our research was based on pet dogs with no prior training. If we can train dogs, this has the potential to make a big difference to owners who experience unpredictable seizures and should go a long way in improving not only their safety, but also their quality of life.”  

The research was funded by and conducted in partnership with Epilepsy Ireland and Disability Assistance Dogs. 

Peter Murphy, CEO of Epilepsy Ireland, said: “A reliable method of seizure prediction and detection is the holy grail for many people living with epilepsy as well as the parents of children with the condition.

“This is especially the case where seizures involve the loss of consciousness, with a high risk of injury. While recent efforts have focused on technological solutions, it is exciting and very welcome news that anecdotal reports of dogs’ ability to predict seizures have now been backed up by scientific evidence.

“We have been immensely proud to support Dr. Powell’s work and we hope that the findings will lead to new approaches alongside ‘man’s best friend’ that promote safety and offer reassurance for people living with epilepsy.” 

10,000 autistic people to take part in the UK’s largest study of autism

An ambitious new research project, Spectrum 10K, launches today and will recruit 10,000 autistic individuals, as well as their relatives, living in the UK.

There is an urgent need to better understand the wellbeing of autistic individuals. Spectrum 10K hopes to answer questions such as why some autistic people have epilepsy or poor mental health outcomes and others do not

Simon Baron-Cohen

Spectrum 10K is led by researchers at the world-leading Autism Research Centre (ARC), the University of Cambridge, together with the Wellcome Sanger Institute and University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) and will study how biological and environmental factors impact on the wellbeing of autistic individuals.

In the UK, there are approximately 700,000 autistic individuals. The level of support needed by autistic individuals varies considerably. Many autistic people have additional physical health conditions such as epilepsy, or mental health conditions such as anxiety or depression.

It is unclear what gives rise to the diversity within the autism spectrum or why some autistic people have better outcomes than others. The project aims to answer this question and to identify what support works best for each individual.

Professor Simon Baron-Cohen, leading Spectrum 10K and Director of the ARC, explained: “There is an urgent need to better understand the wellbeing of autistic individuals. Spectrum 10K hopes to answer questions such as why some autistic people have epilepsy or poor mental health outcomes and others do not.”

Individuals of all ages, genders, ethnicities and intellectual capacities will take part in Spectrum 10K. Eligible participants join by completing an online questionnaire and providing a DNA saliva sample by post.

Autistic participants involved in Spectrum 10K can also invite their biological relatives (autistic or otherwise) to participate.

Information collected from the questionnaire and DNA saliva sample, and information from health records will be used to increase knowledge and understanding of wellbeing in autism.

Dr James Cusack, CEO of the autism research charity Autistica and an autistic person, said: “We are delighted to support Spectrum 10K. This project enables autistic people to participate in and shape autism research to build a future where support is tailored to every individual’s needs.”

The Spectrum 10K team views autism as an example of neurodiversity and is opposed to eugenics or looking for a cure for preventing or eradicating autism itself.  Instead, their research aims to identify types of support and treatment which alleviate unwanted symptoms and co-occurring conditions that cause autistic people distress.

The Spectrum 10K team collaborates with an Advisory Panel consisting of autistic individuals, parents of autistic children, clinicians, and autism charity representatives to ensure Spectrum 10K is designed in a way that best serves the autistic community.

27 specialist NHS sites around the UK are also helping with recruitment for Spectrum 10K.

Dr Venkat Reddy, Consultant Neurodevelopmental Paediatrician in the Community Child Health Services at Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, said: “There is a need to conduct further research into autism and co-occurring conditions to enable researchers and clinicians to build a better understanding of autism.

“I would encourage autistic individuals and their families to consider taking part in Spectrum 10K.”

Dr Anna and Alastair Gadney, parents of a teenager with autism and learning difficulties: “We have been exploring, over many years, how to implement the best support for our son.

“We wholeheartedly endorse Spectrum 10K and hope our involvement can help increase understanding of autism and in-turn support many families out there.”

Chris Packham, naturalist and TV presenter who is also autistic, said: “I’m honoured to be an ambassador of Spectrum 10K because I believe in the value of science to inform the support services that autistic kids and adults will need.”

Paddy McGuinness, actor, comedian, television presenter, and father of three autistic children, said: “As a parent of three autistic children, I am really excited to support Spectrum 10K.

“This research is important to help us understand what makes every autistic person different, and how best to support them.”

Recruitment for Spectrum 10K is now open. Autistic children under the age of 16 must be registered by their parent or legal guardian. Autistic adults who lack the capacity to consent by themselves must be registered by a carer/or family member.

To register, participants should visit www.spectrum10k.org

SRUC to open state-of-the-art vertical farm facility in Edinburgh

Low angle view of layered herb plants enjoying hydroponic technology system of controlled LED light and CO2-infused air in pristine growing chamber.

Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) will be the first higher education institute in Scotland to open a vertical farm for research and education.

It will build the half million-pound facility at its King’s Buildings campus in Edinburgh next year.

The project, which has received a £200,000 grant from the Scottish Government, will be used in key research into plant and crop science and will also be used by students.

The facility will grow nutrient-dense fruit and vegetables that have specific human health qualities. It will also analyse crop yield and growth rates with all resource inputs to compare their carbon footprint to other production systems.

It will operate on renewable energy sources from the national grid, supported by battery technology to manage peaks in energy demand.

With only a handful of commercial vertical farms in Scotland, the facility will be important for demonstration and knowledge exchange with farmers, growers and small businesses, giving vital support and promoting innovation.

Mairi Gougeon, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands, said: “As we look to produce more fruits and vegetables locally, vertical farming could provide us with a way to make better use of our land.

“It’s an exciting and innovative field that could bring us real benefits and it is important that we have the skills in Scotland to take advantage of this technology.

“By supporting the industry at an early stage, we can assess these benefits and help to focus our long-term strategy. We will also be reaching out to the wider industry to explore in further detail the opportunities low-carbon vertical farming offers. We will work together to establish the future of vertical farming in Scotland.”

Professor Wayne Powell, Principal and Chief Executive of SRUC, said: “One of the most critical challenges we face is how to feed a growing global population. We have been teaching farmers for generations but, as the population increases, it is important that we look at growing different, more nutritious crops to support healthy diets and local access to food.

“Not only will this vertical farming unit be a valuable asset to our students, but it will also provide us with important data to help optimise and promote innovation into this expanding industry.”

The project will be going out to tender in the coming weeks.

Older people invited to participate in University nature walks study

This Edinburgh University Dept of Clinical Psychology project aims to evaluate the impact of nature walks for older adults who would otherwise be restricted in their ability to access nature. 

The University of Edinburgh are looking for participants who are:

• 65 and over

• Fluent in English

• Unable to access nature based outdoor spaces

Participation involves taking part in an online survey and watching a short video clip. This should take around 40minutes.  

To take part visit www.tinyurl.com/outdoorwalks.

For more information contact lead researcher: Sarah Montrose at:

s2007876@sms.ed.ac.uk 

Information for Participants:

PIS__final1Download

Liver disease diagnosis in Scotland ‘is a postcode lottery’

New research published today in a leading GP journal shows that large parts of Scotland do not have an effective way of identifying people with liver disease, resulting in late diagnosis.

The research, produced from a survey undertaken by the British Liver Trust, used a Freedom of Information request, and shows for the first time how many areas across the country have little or no formal structures in place for detecting and managing liver disease and liver cancer.

The mapped survey results (see below) also show huge swathes of the UK (marked in red) do not have any effective patient pathway in place. This is in sharp contrast to other chronic conditions such as diabetes and heart disease, where patients receive standardised care.

Figure 1 Areas in red have no pathway in place. Amber denotes areas with a partial pathway or pathway in development. Green areas have a full pathway in place. Areas in black did not respond.

Three quarters of people in the UK are currently diagnosed when it is too late for effective intervention or treatment and one in four people diagnosed late in hospital sadly die within a couple of months.

The charity is now calling for earlier detection of liver disease and better patient care across all regions of the UK to be prioritized, and is working to influence healthcare commissioners.

Dr Helen Jarvis, Clinical Advisor for the British Liver Trust and lead author of the research, says: “Anyone who has liver disease, or is at risk of getting it, should get the medical care and advice they need no matter where in the country they live. 

“The publication of this new data shows that, unfortunately, in the UK this is not yet the case. There are pockets of good practice, but there are also many areas that do not have a consistent approach to testing for and diagnosing liver disease. It shouldn’t be a postcode lottery.

“GPs and other healthcare professionals in primary care are doing a fantastic job under a lot of pressure, but in many areas, they’re working within a system that doesn’t allow them to detect and treat liver disease effectively. 

“Unfortunately, many GPs also report a lack confidence and knowledge when it comes to managing the condition. Sadly, this means that in many cases, people with liver disease are diagnosed far too late when treatment options are limited. This had led to thousands of avoidable deaths.

“The liver is an incredibly resilient organ, but only up to a point. Symptoms of liver disease often only appear once damage has progressed and the liver is starting to fail. However, 90% of liver disease is preventable and, in many cases, it’s reversable if caught in time. That’s why early detection and prevention are key.”

Pamela Healy OBE, Chief Executive of the British Liver Trust, said: “Shockingly, deaths due to liver disease have more than doubled in the last 20 years and the condition is expected to overtake heart disease as the biggest cause of premature death in the UK in the next few years.

“Obesity, alcohol and viral hepatitis are the three main risk factors for preventable liver disease.

“We need to take urgent action to stop this silent killer in its tracks. Although the results of our research are very concerning, we do know that there are areas of good practice and that the changes we’re calling for are entirely possible and will save many lives. 

“We now need to take what’s working well in those areas with good liver patient care and apply them in others so that every person with liver disease gets the best possible care, no matter where in the UK they live.”

Promoting physical activity is key to achieving U.N. Sustainable Development Goals, says study

A new study by Queen’s University Belfast and Washington University in St. Louis shows that promoting physical activity is key to achieving the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s).  

The research provides new evidence to show that integrating strategies to promote increased physical activity is a key part of the action plan for achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. 

The study, ‘Physical Activity Promotion and the United National Sustainable Development Goals: Building Synergies to Maximize Impact’ was published in the Journal of Physical Activity and Health. It is the first study to systematically explore the links between the seven strategies known to be effective for promoting physical activity at scale or a population-wide level, and the 17 U.N. development goals  (SDGs).  

The study found strong links between physical activity promotion strategies and eight out of the 17 SDGs: good health and well-being (SDG 3); gender equity (SDG 5); industry, innovation and infrastructure (SDG 9); reduced inequalities (SDG 10); sustainable cities and communities (SDG 11); climate action (SDG 13); and peace, justice and strong institutions (SDG 16). 

Deborah Salvo, Assistant Professor of Public Health at Washington University in St. Louis and lead author on the study, said: “Physical inactivity has been characterized as a pandemic, accounting for 7% of all premature deaths per year globally and resulting in billions of dollars spent on health-related expenditures.”  

The international research team applied a modelling method to simulate the effects of large-scale physical activities strategies to gain insights on the potential impacts of widespread scale-up of active transport systems and active urban design strategies on three different city types of high-, middle- and low-income countries. 

The simulation results indicated that expected physical activity gains are greater for low- and middle-income countries. In high-income countries with high car dependency, physical activity promotion strategies may help to reduce air pollution and traffic-related deaths, but shifts toward more active forms of travel and recreation and climate change mitigation may require complementary policies that disincentivize driving. 

Dr Leandro Garcia, from the Centre for Public Health at Queen’s University Belfast and co-author, said: “The simulation results reveal context-specific relations. In terms of physical activity increases, low- and middle-income country cities stand more to gain from urban transformations that prioritize equitable access to walking, cycling, public transport, and recreational infrastructure.

“As for high-income country cities, findings suggest that to observe meaningful improvements in physical activity levels and climate change mitigation, these types of strategies may need to be further complemented by policies that increase the cost of driving.  

“Our research provides strong evidence to illustrate the multiple benefits of promoting physical activity on a large scale, not just for specific areas or populations. The benefits are huge for individuals, communities and to the planet and goes a long way in contributing to the U.N. sustainable development agenda.  

“As well as helping to prevent chronic disease, promoting physical activity at scale can reduce traffic deaths and pollution. It helps to create more equitable societies and reduce climate change.

“Physical activity promotion strategies can bring benefits beyond health and bring us closer to a more equitable, sustainable and environmentally friendly future.”