UNISON, the largest trade union in local government, yesterday served notice of strike action in eight local authorities.
The notices of action were served on Friday to Aberdeenshire, Clackmannanshire, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow City, Inverclyde, North Lanarkshire, Stirling and South Lanarkshire councils for the first wave of strike action to take place on 26th, 27th, 28th and 29th August and 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th September.
Edinburgh will be the first city tobe hit by industrial action when the capital’s waste teams strike on Thursday.
These latest strike dates are part of a wider co-ordinated plan of industrial action by the three trade unions across local government following the recent conclusion of successful industrial action ballots. The dates that UNISON members in waste and recycling will walk out are the same as those chosen by the GMB for the same groups of workers. UNISON will provide strike dates for schools and early years workers in due course.
The move comes on the day that COSLA Leaders meet to discuss the pay for local government workers again following additional funding provided by the Scottish Government last week.
Johanna Baxter, UNISON Scotland head of local government said: “This is the first wave of strike action which will only escalate if a significantly improved pay offer is not forthcoming. Strike dates for schools and early years workers will be confirmed in the coming days.
“The responsibility for this action lies squarely with the Scottish Government and COSLA, neither of whom seem to have grasped the gravity of this situation. Inflation is projected to be as high as 13%, the cost of living crises is hitting people’s pockets now and yet local government workers still only have a 2% offer on the table, the lowest offer in the public sector. They have had months to sort this out but all we seem to get is dither and delay.
“Our understanding is that the money provided by the Scottish Government is half of what COSLA asked for and goes nowhere near matching the pay offer provided to council workers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
“If this is true then the Scottish Government and COSLA need to get back round the table and come up with a better plan or services will stop. The last thing UNISON members want is a strike but they have simply been left with no other option.”
Following a Special Meeting of council leaders convened on Friday, COSLA Resources Spokesperson, Councillor @KatieHagmannSNP, said:
Second passenger ship to provide additional accommodation
The Scottish Government’s Super Sponsor Scheme has now offered sanctuary to 10,056 displaced people from Ukraine to travel to safety in Scotland, far exceeding the original commitment to host 3,000 people.
The total number of people from Ukraine offered a place in Scotland through the Super Sponsor Scheme and the UK Government Homes for Ukraine scheme with individual sponsors is more than 13,000 – representing 16.5% of the total UK population share to date.
To accommodate more displaced Ukrainians whose visas have been approved under the Super Sponsor Scheme, the Scottish Government has chartered a second passenger ship, M/S Ambition, to be located in Glasgow. The ship, which is due to be fully operational by September, will provide accommodation for up to 1,750 people with the same level of facilities and support currently available to those in Edinburgh.
Minister with Special Responsibility for Refugees from Ukraine Neil Gray said: “The Scottish Government’s Super Sponsor Scheme has now enabled more than 10,000 people to come to Scotland following the humanitarian crisis caused by Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.
“Unfortunately, there is currently no end to the war in sight. We are firmly focused on supporting displaced people from Ukraine who are seeking sanctuary in Scotland as they flee the war in their homeland.
“Following the arrival of the M/S Victoria I – which has been well received by people on board – the Scottish Government is chartering a second passenger ship – the M/S Ambition – which will be located in Glasgow from early September. This will further enhance our ability to provide safe and secure accommodation for those who need it.
“We are getting close to capacity for the temporary accommodation currently available, particularly across the Central Belt. While areas like Glasgow and Edinburgh are more familiar to Ukrainians, we are encouraging everyone arriving here to consider other areas across Scotland, especially as we see more visas being issued. We can guarantee that anyone arriving here will receive a warm welcome from communities across the country, keen to provide support and open their homes.
“As a humanitarian crisis requiring a whole-of-Scotland response, the Scottish Government continues to work closely with local councils and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities to ensure those displaced people who are already here, and those who have applied and are granted permission to travel, will be safe, secure and supported for as long as they need.”
Employers given tools to understand and improve mental health of workers
Businesses now have access to a free online platform offering practical ways to boost mental health in the workplace.
Face-to-face training opportunities, clear guidance on the legal duties of businesses, and specialist third-party contacts will be in one place for the first time – making it easier than ever for employers to access the means of creating a culture of support and wellbeing at work.
This initiative comes as research shows the pandemic has had a detrimental impact on the mental health of people up and down the country. As more people continue to return to the workplace, the Scottish Government is encouraging employers to support the mental wellbeing of staff so that businesses can continue to recover from COVID-19.
Recent research shows poor mental health costs Scottish employers over £2 billion every year and that, for every £1 spent on mental health interventions, employers get back £5 in reduced sick days and increased productivity.
Mental Wellbeing Minister Kevin Stewart said: “Happier workforces create successful businesses – it’s a win-win for all involved.
“The pandemic has impacted the mental health of us all and employers need the tools to protect and support the mental health of their staff.
“This platform makes it easier than ever to achieve this, and I encourage companies across Scotland to get involved for the benefit of their staff and productivity.”
Chief Executive of Public Health Scotland Angela Leitch said: “These last few years have been difficult for many people across Scotland and has had an impact on the mental health of many.
“Returning to our workplaces could also be a further challenge because of changes in personal circumstances. It is widely recognised that being amongst colleagues can be beneficial to our mental health and being back in the workplace can also be a more positive and productive experience.
“This toolkit will therefore be of considerable benefit to employers and to their staff as we move out of the restrictions we’ve lived with for two years.”
It comes as See Me –Scotland’s national programme to end mental health stigma and discrimination – has launched a complementary digital portal that gives employers access to a one-size-fits-all framework for workplaces. This will help companies make continuous improvements to directly tackle mental health stigma and discrimination.
Wendy Halliday, director of See Me, Scotland’s programme to end mental health stigma and discrimination, said: “Mental health stigma and discrimination in the workplace often comes from a lack of knowledge. People can find that genuine problems are either belittled, or not believed in the first place.
“We’re calling on organisations to be real leaders in creating positive change, making their workplaces the best they can be, by joining the See Me in Work programme.
“The new digital portal supports employers to take action to tackle mental health stigma and discrimination at work and create workplaces that are open in talking about mental health and where discriminatory behaviour is challenged.”
The Prime Minister, Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi and Business and Energy Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng met industry leaders from the electricity sector yesterday to discuss what more they can do to help people struggling with rising energy prices– but the meeting did nothing to resolve the impending crisis.
The Prime Minister, Chancellor, Business and Energy Secretary stressed the need to act in the interest of the country in the face of rising energy prices caused by Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine and how vital it was that the Western world continued to stand by the Ukrainian people during their battle for survival.
The Chancellor and energy firms agreed to work closely over the coming weeks to ensure that the public, including vulnerable customers, are supported as unprecedented global events drive higher energy costs.
Government support worth £37 billion is being provided this year to help people with the rising cost of living, including £1,200 for the most vulnerable households over the course of the year and £400 discounted off everyone’s energy bills from October.
It was noted that the market is not always functioning for consumers, and extraordinarily high bills will ultimately damage energy companies.
As set out in the Energy Security Strategy, the Government has launched a consultation to drive forward market reforms and ensure the market works better for consumers. Discussion focussed on how Government and industry can collectively drive forward reforms to ensure the market delivers lower prices.
The Prime Minister, Chancellor and Business and Energy Secretary emphasised the importance of investing in North Sea oil and gas, renewables, biomass and nuclear to strengthen our domestic energy security.
The Chancellor added the Government continues to evaluate the extraordinary profits seen in certain parts of the electricity generation sector and the appropriate and proportionate steps to take.
The Prime Minister set out that it will be for the next Prime Minister to make significant fiscal decisions.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “Countries around the world are feeling the impact of Putin’s damaging war in Ukraine. We know that this will be a difficult winter for people across the UK, which is why we are doing everything we can to support them and must continue to do so.
“Following our meeting today, we will keep urging the electricity sector to continue working on ways we can ease the cost of living pressures and to invest further and faster in British energy security.
“We are continuing to roll out government support over the coming months, including the second £324 instalment of the cost of living payment for vulnerable households, extra help for pensioners and those with disabilities, and the £400 energy bills discount for all households.”
Chancellor of the Exchequer, Nadhim Zahawi, said: “This morning I hosted industry leaders from the electricity sector to discuss what more they can do to work with Government and act in the interest of the country in the face of rising prices caused by Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.
“We have already acted to protect households with £400 off energy bills and direct payments of £1,200 for 8 million of the most vulnerable British families. In the spirit of national unity, they agreed to work with us to do more to help the people who most need it.”
The meeting was attended by representatives from:
EDF
RWE
E.ON
Drax
Orsted
Uniper
National Grid
SSE
ScottishPower
Centrica
Octopus Energy
Vitol
Intergen
Greencoat Capital
Energy UK
Scottish Government Resilience Room convened to discuss ‘cost emergency’
The First Minister chaired the Scottish Government Resilience Committee yesterday (August 11) to discuss urgent steps to mitigate the growing cost emergency which is affecting people and businesses.
Ministers assessed the current situation and likely scenarios in the months ahead and agreed a number of immediate actions. The Scottish Government will:
Continue to maximise the direct financial assistance available to those most in need, principally through ongoing work to extend eligibility for and increase the value of the Scottish Child Payment
Undertake an emergency budget review to assess any and all opportunities to redirect additional resources to those most in need, reduce the burdens on business and stimulate the Scottish economy
Consider urgently all options within devolved powers for regulatory action to limit increases in costs for people, businesses and other organisations
Bring together energy companies, banks and food retailers to examine what further help can be provided by these businesses to limit cost increases and protect those most vulnerable
Work with partners to strengthen the safety net of emergency food/fuel provision, prioritising a ‘cash first’ approach
Provide further advice to households on using energy more efficiently and reducing consumption
The Resilience Committee will meet on a weekly basis for the foreseeable future to oversee and direct progress on these immediate actions and keep under ongoing review any further steps that the Scottish Government can take.
In addition to doing everything possible within its powers, the Scottish Government is renewing its call for urgent and substantial action from the UK Government including:
An immediate doubling of the direct financial support already provided, with payments made by October. It is estimated that for an out-of-work couple with two children, the payments already announced by the UK Government fall around £1,600 short of meeting the recent changes to benefits and living costs – a gap that must be filled
Cancellation of the forthcoming increase in the energy price cap, followed by urgent work between the government and energy companies on energy market reforms and associated financing options to ensure sustainable costs for consumers in the long term
The urgent introduction of an energy price cap for Small and Medium Enterprises
Support for business to prevent closures due to energy price rises and investment in economic stimulus to minimise the scale of the projected recession
A further windfall tax to ensure nationalisation of the profits being made out of the current pressures
Additional funding to support public sector pay increases and protect the recovery of public services from the pandemic
The First Minister said: “It is clear that the UK currently faces a rapidly escalating emergency that goes beyond simply the cost of living and is now a more general cost of everything crisis. This emergency may be of a different nature to the COVID-19 pandemic, but it is on a similar scale.
“In the absence of substantial and urgent action, this emergency will cause acute deprivation and suffering. It will affect access to practical necessities for millions of people across the UK. Bluntly, it will cost lives.
“To illustrate the severity of the situation, the Scottish Government estimates that, even with current UK Government mitigations, at least 700,000 households in Scotland – 30% of all households – will be living in extreme fuel poverty by October. That number could be even higher, if the Ofgem price cap for October 2022 is above £2,800.
“It is essential, therefore, that the response from government at every level is commensurate, in scale and speed, to the nature and magnitude of the emergency.
“In developing a response, governments must first and foremost address immediate need. We must all focus on supporting individuals, businesses and jobs by addressing the principal root causes of the problem.
“Scottish Ministers are clear that the powers and resources needed to tackle this emergency on the scale required – access to borrowing, welfare, VAT on fuel, taxation of windfall profits, regulation of the energy market – lie with the UK Government. This is reflected in the actions we have proposed and set out today.
“At the same time, the Scottish Government will continue to do everything within our resources and powers to help those most affected.”
The Cubes of Perpetual Light will play new music commissions inspired by the themes of sustainability and growth during the Festival of Politics and Edinburgh International Book Festival
Specially designed ‘Cubes of Perpetual Light’ will come together in the Capital this summer to create a striking music installation featuring programmable light and quadraphonic sound.
The unique installation will appear in the iconic surroundings of the Parliament Garden in the Scottish Parliament, open to the public during the Festival of Politics, August 11-13 and Edinburgh International Culture Summit August 26-28.
A second installation will be installed during Edinburgh International Book Festival, 13–29 August.
The installation forms part of Dandelion, a major creative programme demonstrating the power of collective action through an ambitious ‘grow your own’ initiative that aims to reach communities across Scotland this summer.
Commissioned by EventScotland and funded by the Scottish Government, Dandelion is Scotland’s contribution to UNBOXED: Creativity in the UK.
At the centre of Dandelion, is a meeting of art and science through the creation of hundreds of unique miniature ‘growing cubes’, called the ‘Cubes of Perpetual Light’. The 1m x 1m cubes are designed to foster accelerated plant growing and have been developed to grow hundreds of seedlings under LED light, combining design craft, traditional horticultural expertise and technological innovation.
The Cubes aren’t just miniature growing laboratories however, they’re also the inspiration for new music which people are being invited to experience at festivals and venues across Scotland this summer, now arriving in Edinburgh.
The special installations are each unique, featuring a collection of cubes, with immersive lighting integrated with stunning quadraphonic speaker systems designed to best showcase the new music compositions playing ‘from’ the cubes. This is the only opportunity to hear these unique compositions in their entirety.
For those unable to visit the cube installations in Edinburgh, they will also be visiting Inverness Botanic Gardens, 15–29 August, and on display at V&A Dundee until 30 August. This activity forms part of a summer-long programme of art, music, food and science for everyone to enjoy.
Leading musicians from Scotland and beyond have created 13 new music commissions for the Cubes of Perpetual Light, all inspired by themes of nature and sustainability.
The aim of the commissions, which can only be heard at the installations, is to encourage listeners to think more deeply about how, where and why plants grow. Each new music piece is commissioned by Dandelion with additional support for international work from British Council Scotland.
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The Edinburgh installation includes 13 tracks of new music from artists:
amiina & Kathleen MacInnes: A gorgeous collaboration bridging the mighty North Atlantic, from the Outer Hebrides to Iceland. South Uist native Kathleen MacInnes, one of Scotland’s finest Gaelic folk singers comes together with amiina, from Reykjavik – a strings-and-electronica quartet whose packed portfolio includes many collaborations with Sigur Rós. This unique recording for Dandelion features Gaelic lullabies Crodh Chailein, Dhachaidh along with amiina composition blauwber’.
Arooj Aftab & Maeve Gilchrist: Arooj Aftab’s music is a breath-taking blend of Sufi mysticism, contemporary classical, jazz, ambient and much more – and this year, she became the first Pakistani woman to win a Grammy. Her stunning new album Vulture Prince features Edinburgh-born harper, composer and producer Maeve Gilchrist, and the pair are teaming up again to create new music for Dandelion.
Claire M Singer: Claire M Singer is an acclaimed Scottish composer and performer whose acoustic and electronic music draws inspiration from the dramatic landscapes of her native country. The Director of Organ Reframed, a festival of new music that reimagines the epic sound of the organ, she’s created a new multi-channel work featuring organs recorded in Aberdeenshire, Inverness, Stonehaven and Glasgow.
Vedanth Bharadwaj : Vedanth is a vocalist and composer born in Mumbai, India who trained in Classical music around the age of four, under Neyveli Santhanagopalan. He recorded two beautiful songs for Dandelion featuring himself on vocals, banjo and guitar along with Gurupriya Atreya on vocals. ‘Vrukshan Se Mati Le’ is a song written by Surdas (an Indian mystic poet from the 16th century). He writes about how one ought to learn compassion from trees. Trees neither love you more when you water them, nor do they hate you if you cut them down. It provides us shade, while bearing all the heat from the sun on its own head. If you throw a stone at it, it gives you a fruit! Lucky are we, to live in a world among trees. Surdas pleads to us to learn compassion from trees, or at least, from the indigenous people.
Craig Armstrong & Steve Jones: Craig Armstrong is a BAFTA, Golden Globe and Grammy-winning Scottish born composer. Through his orchestral writing, electronic music and wide-ranging artistic collaborations in classical and film music, Craig Armstrong’s distinct compositional voice has received worldwide acclaim. For Dandelion he created ‘Endless (Study 1)’ with guitarist Steve Jones along with School of Scottish Studies field recordings from the 1960s to create a sense of limitless space and time for the listener.
Fergus McCreadie: Fergus McCreadie is one of the UK’s most exciting jazz musicians. Combining vital jazz sounds with influences drawn from Scottish traditional music, his brilliant third album Forest Floor came out in April to universal acclaim and has been nominated for the Mercury Music Prize. His specially recorded Dandelion work ‘Life Cycle’ features piano and strings from Seonaid Aitken, Emma Pantel, Sarah Leonard & Juliette Lemoine.
Jason Singh: Jason Singh is a remarkable sound artist, beatboxer, producer and performer whose music is inspired by the natural world. Nicknamed “The Human Sampler” by Cerys Matthews, he’s worked with everyone from Sir David Attenborough to Talvin Singh. His composition for Dandelion, Droop, is a lament in response to our climate crisis. It is a collaboration between plant, humans and technology and has been created by converting the electrical signals generated by the Camellia plant into musical notes played through analogue and digital synthesisers.
Maya Youssef: Syria’s Maya Youssef is the ‘Queen of the Qanun’, an extraordinary 78-stringed Middle Eastern plucked zither. Her life-affirming music is rooted in the Arabic classical tradition but forges into jazz, Western classical and Latin music – as heard at the BBC Proms, WOMAD and now here on this special work for Dandelion: Back to Earth, Barley Blessing & Eastern Wind featuring Maya with Scottish musicians Innes White, Catriona Price, Craig Baxter, Alice Allen, Ciorstaidh Beaton and Arabic Nay player Moslem Rahal
Ravi Bandhu: Hailing from Sri Lanka, this acclaimed drummer, dancer and choreographer has taken his magnificent drum ensemble to stages as far afield as WOMAD in Reading and the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC.
Trio Da Kali: In a unique African / Scots collaboration Trio Da Kali brings together Hawa Kassé Mady Diabaté, Lassana Diabaté and Mamadou Kouyaté – three of the best new griot musicians from the Mandé culture of Mali – along with award winning Scots vocalist Kim Carnie & piper Ross Ainslie – to bring a fresh creative vibe to ancient traditions. These songs continue with the long-time folk culture of telling old stories from the past that pay tribute to the people who do good things for the community and talk about the importance of living in the present and enjoying what happens now.
Brian d’Souza: An award-winning sound artist aka Auntie Flo, DJ, producer and performer from Glasgow via Goa, Brian makes magic from a blend of electronic sounds and influences from around the globe. Winner of the 2019 Scottish Album of the Year Award for Radio Highlife, he recently debuted immersive installation The Soniferous Forest and for Dandelion has composed ’Spring Symphony (Sage, Basil, Mint and Lavender)’ – a biophilic soundscape that harnesses the power of nature through sound. It was created by using a Plant Wave device to pick up electromagnetic activity from the different plants which translated each into MIDI notes. These notes then literally ‘played’ samples of various traditional instruments from the Hebrides – including Clarsarch, Whistle, Flute, Pipes and Fiddle.”I then let the plants play… totally naturally to produce a kind of ‘acoustic ecology”.
Manu Delago: There’s no sound in music quite like the hang, a melodic percussion instrument invented only 20 years ago – and there’s no better exponent of it than Manu Delago, who’s performed with the likes of Björk, the Cinematic Orchestra, Ólafur Arnalds, Nitin Sawhney and Anoushka Shankar while making a succession of brilliant solo records.
Pàdruig Morrison: Accordionist Pàdruig Morrison was brought up surrounded by the culture, the music and the language of the Gaels. After bedding in the first Cube of Perpetual Light on the remote Hebridean island of Heisgeir, where his grandparents set up a pioneering experiment in sustainable living, Pàdruig is now making new music to help them grow.
This follows Dandelion’s latest project taking the Cubes of Perpetual Light on tour across Scotland throughout the month of August, traveling on specially designed electric cargo bikes.
The tour visits schools, parks, venues and Dandelion Unexpected Gardens where the commissioned music can be heard.
Music Director for Dandelion, Donald Shaw said: “Just as plants can grow from tiny seeds, great music can grow from small ideas that we nourish till they bloom into full art forms.
“The cubes can demonstrate accelerated growing in a wide range of settings, both the expected and unexpected. Placed in a particular environment they create a micro-world within a world, allowing musicians and listeners to imagine a sonic landscape that surrounds us, providing a space for contemplation and for us to imagine a future where we sow, grow and share differently.”
The Rt Hon Alison Johnstone MSP, Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament said:“The Festival of Politics is all about opening the doors of the Scottish Parliament to people across the country with a variety of things on offer – from debate and discussion to exhibitions and music.
“The cubes of perpetual light is an example of how sustainability and art can come together to grab people’s attention and make people stop and think. I hope many people will take the opportunity to join us.”
Marie Christie, Head of Development, Events Industry at VisitScotland said:“It’s fantastic to see so many incredible artists create new music inspired by Dandelion’s urgent themes of sustainability and our connection to the natural world.
“By fusing new music and new technologies, the cubes create unique ways for audiences to engage and connect with these issues. It’s wonderful to see the cubes travel to Edinburgh to be part of the city’s world-leading festivals, where audiences from Scotland and all over the world can experience them.”
Martin Green, Chief Creative Officer, UNBOXED said: “Dandelion is a brilliant coming together of artists, designers, technologists and scientists to make something special and important about what we eat, how it grows and how everyone can get involved in growing, wherever they live.
“Through the growing cubes, music and many opportunities to participate in growing initiatives, Dandelion is designed to inspire people to create a sustainable future. Dandelion is one of five UNBOXED projects taking place in Scotland this year as part UNBOXED: Creativity in the UK – a year-long celebration of creativity across the four nations.”
Dandelion is a joyous Scotland-wide celebration of sowing, growing and sharing. Commissioned by EventScotland and funded by the Scottish Government it is part of UNBOXED: Creativity in the UK. Dandelion reimagines our relationship with food and the planet and the way we celebrate it together.
Cancer patients are set for faster access to treatment as an additional £10 million has been allocated to help improve waiting times.
The new money, to be shared among the health boards, will boost the number of operations available, creating extra clinics, and upskilling new staff to speed up the delivery of endoscopy, radiology and chemotherapy treatment to get patients the care they need as quickly as possible.
This builds on the Scottish Government’s £114.5 million National Cancer Plan, to support patients and deliver equal access to care across the country that means anyone can access the best standard of care despite their location or background.
This extra cash is on top of the £10 million that was allocated to Health Boards last year (2020-21) to support the running of cancer services in the face of the pandemic. This delivered new healthcare staff, additional weekend clinics and operations for the areas that need it most and helped create a brand new Urological Diagnostic Hub in NHS Highland that is already showing signs of improved waiting times.
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf announced the fund while visiting NHS Forth Valley’s Breast Cancer One-Stop Clinic, which has been funded by this scheme.
This modernised service, provided diagnostics for more than 5,000 additional breast patients from out-with NHS Forth Valley during the pandemic and continues to see and treat 80-100 new patient referrals each week from the local area.
Mr Yousaf said: “Despite the challenges of the pandemic, NHS Scotland has consistently met the 31-day standard for starting cancer treatment with an average wait of four days once a decision to treat has been made – that’s testament to the relentless efforts of our fantastic healthcare staff across the country. However we must to more to improve our 62-day performance.
“Covid has not gone away and pressures remain, which is why we are providing health boards with a £10 million cash boost to drive down waiting times so that cancer patients can receive the best care as early as possible.”
Commenting on the Scottish Government’s announcement of £10 million funding to tackle cancer waiting times, Foysol Choudhury MSP said:“Any additional funding for cancer treatment is welcome, but the Scottish Government’s announcement of an additional £10 million to address cancer waiting lists is scarcely adequate to deal with the scale of the crisis in cancer waiting times in Scotland.
“The latest figures show that only 76.9 per cent of cancer patients are being seen within 62 days, a new record low and well short of the 95 per cent target. The Scottish Government cannot blame this entirely on the pandemic as it has not met this standard since 2012.
“Only recently, I sadly lost a constituent who contacted me about appalling delays in their cancer diagnosis and treatment. That constituent asked that I do everything in my power to ensure that nobody else goes through the same ordeal. I will continue to raise this issue until Scotland sees an improvement in outcomes, not just more hollow promises.
“Earlier this year I raised with the First Minister the fact that almost two fifths of cancers in Scotland are only being diagnosed at A&E, which is a sad indictment of the state of primary care under the SNP. But ever more are now waiting far too long for diagnostic tests and treatment for cancer.
“In spite of the heroic efforts of NHS staff, the cumulative failures in the running of the health service over the last decade are leaving patients frustrated and let down. In cases of cancer, this can mean the difference between life and death.
“I implore the Scottish Government to get a grip of this crisis. Those waiting for cancer treatment cannot afford further delay.”
There are two waiting time standards for cancer in Scotland. The 62-day standard is the time taken from receipt of urgent suspicion of cancer (USC) referral to start of first treatment for newly diagnosed primary cancers .
Patients can be urgently referred by a primary care clinician or general dental physician; referred through a national cancer screening programme; direct referral to hospital where the signs and symptoms are consistent with the cancer diagnosed in line with the Scottish Referral Guidelines for example self-referral to A&E.
The 31-day standard is from the decision to treat to start of first treatment for newly diagnosed primary cancers, regardless of route of referral.
The National Cancer Plan details how cancer services will be redesigned to benefit patients and increase resilience to future rises in COVID-19 prevalence.
Royal Bank of Scotland partners with The City of Edinburgh Council, Volunteer Edinburgh and other city partners to create a donation distribution hub supporting Ukrainian people arriving at Edinburgh HQ
Thousands of people displaced by the war in Ukraine have arrived in Scotland and been supported at Gogarburn site so far. With visa holders yet to arrive[i], many more are expected to be supported.
Donations urgently needed to continue providing essential items such as toothbrushes and waterproof clothing
Royal Bank of Scotland has set up a dedicated donation distribution hub for Ukrainian refugees arriving in the capital.
The hub runs alongside the Welcome Centre for Scotland, which was created through a partnership between the City of Edinburgh Council and local partners, and hosted within Royal Bank’s Gogarburn headquarters.
Using funding issued by the Scottish Government to local authorities to support welcome efforts, the Welcome Centre opened its doors earlier this year to support those resettling in the country and has been the first port of call for thousands of displaced Ukrainian citizens.
Staff from the City of Edinburgh Council are on hand to process entrance paperwork upon arrival, facilitate introductions with host families or find temporary accommodation for the many people who arrive without a place to stay.
To allow families and individuals to settle into their new home quickly and begin to adjust to life in Scotland, paperwork is completed within the centre on the same day – meaning people can make necessary medical or legal appointments as soon as possible. Relevant literature is provided as part of a Scottish Government-produced welcome pack.
Everyone arriving at the Welcome Centre is also offered an essentials pack made up of donations to help them settle in for the first few days. The packs contain day to day necessities such as toiletries, clothing, UK electrical adapters and toys for young children.
With the number of displaced people to the centre increasing daily and supplies of essentials packs depleted, the donations hub is today issuing an urgent call, asking businesses and members of the public who are looking for a way to support the Ukrainian crisis to donate towards the cost of these essential items.
The cost of each complete pack is around £30 and any donation will make a valuable difference, especially to those arriving with no belongings.
Donations can be made to the GoFundMe[ii] set up by Volunteer Edinburgh, who meet the Ukrainian people arriving at the airport and bring them to the Welcome Centre, and also help to purchase the welcome pack items in bulk.
An Amazon Wishlist[iii] has been set up to facilitate donations, where anyone wanting to support these efforts can buy individual items such as toothpaste, sanitary products, rain coats and hand sanitiser. These items are delivered directly to the hub and packed by volunteer staff.
Businesses who would like to help can donate directly through the GoFundMe, via the Amazon wishlist or can send donations directly to the Royal Bank’s Gogarburn offices marked for the attention of Skillbank.
Sheena Hales BEM, who leads the Skillbank at Royal Bank of Scotland said: “At the beginning of the pandemic, we recognised an opportunity to make use of our facilities and converted the conference centre at Gogarburn into a foodbank distribution hub, coordinating deliveries and offering storage space to charities including Social Bite and Cyrenians.
“This charitable legacy has continued ever since, and we’re honoured to have set up the Skillbank to offer our skills and resources to help communities and people in their time of need.
“While Edinburgh has welcomed many Ukrainian people to Scotland through the doors of the Welcome Centre, the reality is that we know there are many more coming who have fled the horrors of war, leaving their lives and loved ones to seek safety here in Scotland.
“While handing out items like a toothbrush or colouring book might seem like a small act, everything we can do to help people feel as welcome as possible is hugely important.
“Currently we have used all of our existing essentials pack stock so any donation – big or small – is massively appreciated.”
Minister with special responsibility for Refugees from Ukraine Neil Gray said: “The safety and welfare of displaced people from Ukraine, who are primarily women and children who may have experienced much stress and trauma, is of paramount importance to the Scottish Government.
“I want to thank people and businesses across Scotland for the huge groundswell of solidarity and support they have shown for the people of Ukraine.
“On arrival, displaced people are given a ‘Warm Scots Welcome’ at the Welcome Hubs, where the Scottish Government is working in partnership with local government and the third sector to assess their needs and provide accommodation and meals along with emotional support and medical attention if required.
“The work undertaken by RBS and the other volunteer organisations in addition to this is extremely important, providing people with items to help them settle into Scotland.”
City of Edinburgh Council Leader, Cammy Day said: “As I’ve said many times already, Edinburgh’s people and businesses have been absolutely outstanding throughout this crisis, offering their unwavering support to Ukrainian people fleeing their homeland in these most desperate of times. From volunteers meeting people on their arrival in Edinburgh, to getting help with accommodation and receiving ongoing support at our advice centre and within the local Ukrainian community, we’re here for them every step of the way.
“I want to thank Royal Bank and their teams for their incredible support – for volunteering Gogarburn House to host our Welcome Hub, where it has run successfully since April, for repurposing their conference facilities to distribute food packages, for their co-ordination of thousands of guest backpacks, filled with nappies, toys, toiletries and other essential items, and for this latest fundraising drive to help gather much-needed donations.”
Situated in Gogarburn, the Welcome Centre is ideally located to welcome those arriving into nearby Edinburgh airport.
To support volunteers working within the centre, colleagues within Royal Bank have given up their time to become Executive Coaches – helping them to navigate the demands of their role and offering expert mentoring advice.
Royal Bank has also worked with suppliers to extend its colleague-wide counselling service to offer staff and volunteers working with vulnerable individuals a confidential outlet and mental wellbeing support.
The First Minister has sought an emergency meeting of the Prime Minister and Heads of devolved Government Council to agree steps to help people in need as a result of the cost of living crisis.
In a letter to the Prime Minister urging the suggested September meeting be brought forward due to a “fast deteriorating” situation the First Minister made her view clear that “many people across the UK simply cannot afford to wait until September for further action to be taken”.
The meeting between leaders of the devolved governments and the UK Government would provide an opportunity to agree actions that can be taken now and formulate a plan of action for the long term.
The Scottish Government Resilience Room (SGoRR) will convene this week to discuss what steps can be taken to urgently ease the burden on households across Scotland, both now and in the future.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “While we will continue to take all actions available to us within devolved responsibilities and budgets – the Scottish Government is investing almost £3 billion this year in a range of measures which will help address the cost of living pressures – it is a statement of fact that many of the levers which would make the biggest difference lie with the UK Government.
“It is also the case that only the UK Government can access and make available resources on the scale required. Therefore, actions by devolved governments alone – though important – will not be enough to meet the unprecedented challenges we face.
“Action is needed now to address significant gaps in help for households, in particular those on low incomes, who are increasingly vulnerable to the impact of rising household costs.
“However, it is also vital, given further increases to energy bills due to be announced later this month, that a substantial plan be developed now to avert and mitigate what will otherwise be a crisis of unprecedented proportions – a crisis in which many people will be unable to feed themselves and their families or heat their homes.
“While few will escape some impact of the cost of living crisis, these impacts are not being experienced evenly. That is why the focus must be on providing targeted support to those most adversely impacted, rather than an irresponsible reduction in broad-based taxes which will benefit the relatively better off over those most in need.
“The current crisis requires clear, focused and determined leadership and co-operation to develop and deliver – at pace – a package of interventions to protect those most impacted.”
Near record pass rates for National 5s, Highers and Advanced Highers in an exam year
TODAY thousands of young people across Scotland have received the results for their Nationals, Highers, Advanced Highers, National Progression Awards, Skills for Work Awards, National Certificates and Awards.
These results will allow young people to take the next step on their learning journey; either continuing at school, moving on to college or university, or entering employment or a workplace-based training programme.
All learners will have their results certificate delivered to their home address by first class post on Tuesday 9 August. Those who have signed-up for and activated their MySQA account will also receive their results by text and/or email this morning.
If learners do not receive their certificate with their post, they can contact their school, college or training provider, who can provide results and work with SQA to find out what has happened to the certificate.
On Results Day, SQA’s helpline opened at 8 am to answer learners’ questions about their certificates. Young people can also call Skills Development Scotland to speak to dedicated careers advisors about the options that are available to them.
Pass rates for National 5s, Highers and Advanced Highers have increased to near record levels for any exam year since current qualifications were introduced.
The overall percentage of A grades is also higher than 2019, when exams were last held, and the number of skills-based qualifications, awards and certificates has increased to a near record 64,240.
Almost 138,000 learners are receiving Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) results today – the highest number since 2017.
These show:
the National 5 pass rate was 80.8% (250,730 passes) – up from 78.2% in 2019
the Higher pass rate was 78.9% (148,540 passes) – up from 74.8% in 2019
the Advanced Higher pass rate was 81.3% (22,940 passes) – up from 79.4% in 2019
Today’s results also show the gap between attainment levels in the least and most deprived areas has narrowed from the 2019 level:
for National 5, the gap was 14.6 percentage points – down from 17.1 percentage points in 2019
for Higher, the gap was 15.0 percentage points – down from 16.9 percentage points in 2019
for Advanced Higher, the gap was 13.2 percentage points – down from 13.6 percentage points in 2019
Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “This is one of the strongest ever sets of results for any exam year, which is particularly impressive given the significant challenges learners have faced as a result of the pandemic.
“Pass rates for National 5s, Highers and Advanced Highers have increased compared with 2019, with A passes also up, and skills-based qualifications are close to the highest ever figure.
“It is important to note, though, that although 2022 saw a return to exams, it was not a return to normality. The approach to exams reflected the disruption to teaching and learning that young people faced and a wide-ranging package of support and modifications was put in place.
“I am confident that the approach, which was informed by views from across the education system, as well as learners, has delivered a credible, consistent and fair set of results for our young people. Indeed, universities have assured learners that they support the 2022 approach to assessment, and industry leaders have spoken publicly about how much they value this year’s qualifications.
“Today’s results illustrate the wide range of qualifications that learners are choosing, and I welcome the increase in skills-based awards. These qualifications equip young people with the skills they need to enter apprenticeships or go into the workplace, where they will support Scotland’s economic recovery after COVID-19.
“There are many different pathways to success and I want to celebrate the full breadth of learners’ achievements and to pay tribute to our young people for working so hard and showing such resilience.
“I’d also like to thank our incredible teachers and education staff, and, of course parents and carers, who have supported learners during another very challenging year.
“While the results show the gap between attainment levels in the least and most deprived areas has narrowed from the 2019 level, we know that the pandemic has disproportionately impacted learners from more disadvantaged backgrounds. We are determined to accelerate the progress that has been made and we are investing a record £1 billion in the Scottish Attainment Challenge during this parliamentary term.
“Some learners may not be receiving the results they were hoping for today. This year there is a free, direct appeals service for those whose National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher awarded grade is less than the estimate submitted by their school or college. There is also plenty of help available on next steps, including from the Skills Development Scotland Results Helpline.”
This year, Scotland has returned to formal national exams, supported by a package of measures (course modifications and revision support, as well as wider support from across the education system).
These measures were designed to address the ongoing disruption to learning and teaching that young people experienced, while maintaining standards.
In addition, SQA has adopted a more generous approach to grading to help ensure fairness for learners. This is in recognition of the fact that those preparing for and sitting exams have done so in very different circumstances from those who sat exams in 2019, having experienced disruption to their learning over two academic years.
Learners can be confident that the qualifications they receive are credible and fair, and that they reflect the knowledge, understanding and skills they have acquired through their hard work in very challenging circumstances. Colleges, universities and employers, can also be confident that standards and integrity have been maintained in 2022.
Young people can also appeal their grade for National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher courses directly through SQA for free. Learners can appeal if their final result is lower than the grade their school, college or training provider expected. While the final decision is the candidate’s, SQA would encourage anyone considering submitting an appeal to discuss their decision with their teacher, lecturer or other member of staff first.
Priority appeals are available for learners who have a conditional offer for a college or university place or for a training or employment offer and must be submitted to SQA by Friday 19 August.
All other appeals must be submitted by Friday 2 September.
Full details on eligibility and how to register an appeal and a copy of SQA’s Appeals 2022 – what you need to know (495 KB) booklet has been delivered to the homes of all learners taking National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher courses.
Annette McKenna, Senior Operations Manager at SQA, said: ‘I want to thank candidates across Scotland for their hard work and dedication in preparing for and sitting their exams and assessments. Learners can have confidence in their grades and be proud of what they have accomplished.
‘I also want to thank all the teaching and support staff who have gone to exceptional lengths to support learners and help them achieve their results. It is thanks to them that candidates are able to reach their full potential.
‘I encourage anyone who has any queries or needs advice come Results Day, to call the helplines where dedicated members of staff will be happy to help and guide you.’
SQA’s Candidate Advice Line will be available on Results Day from 8 am to 6 pm, then Wednesday 10 August to Tuesday 16 August (excluding weekends) from 8:30 am to 5 pm. The line can be reached on 0345 279 1000.
Skills Development Scotland can be contacted on 0808 100 8000 and will be open from 8 am to 8 pm on Tuesday 9 August and Wednesday 10 August. It will be open 9 am to 5 pm from Thursday 11 August to Wednesday 17 August, excluding weekends.
Children’s Commissioner Bruce Adamson has congratulated young people on their achievements during the pandemic.
IN a video message, he’s said ‘well done’ to those who are pleased with their results. But he’s also reminded young people who might be feeling disappointed, that setbacks happen to us all.
Commissioner Bruce says: “I want to say a big congratulations to all of you. It’s been a difficult few years and you’ve worked really, really hard. It’s important that we recognise all of your achievements.
“If you’ve got the results you hope for, that is brilliant. For those who don’t get the results you hoped for, don’t panic. There really is no wrong path, and we’ve all had setbacks in our academic careers.
“Take the opportunity to think about what you want to do next to develop that amazing potential that you have.”
Paul Johnson, NSPCC Childline Team Manager, Scotland, said: “At Childline we know that results day and the period running up to it can be a really stressful time for young people.
“This year we saw the return of exams for the first time in three years after the pandemic and young people have told our Childline counsellors that they have been feeling anxious and stressed about revision and sitting them.
“Some young people have also told us they felt underprepared for exams after studying from home for long periods of time in the last few years.
“Now, as they find out their results from the exams, it is vital that they feel supported and listened to.
“Young people often tell us they are worried they will get lower grades than they need to get into their preferred course or University, and they feel anxious and unsettled because it’s out of their control.
“Often they have high expectations for themselves, or their family can put them under pressure to perform well.
“Some young people think their whole future depends on these results and this is their last chance to get into the further education course of their choice, or an apprenticeship that they have applied for.
“In such circumstances, it’s possible the young person could appeal their results or resit their exams the following year. They could also look at alternative courses or universities through clearing, and there’s the option of taking a gap year. Speaking to a teacher could be very helpful in assisting a young person to decide on which is the best option to take.
“If any young person is feeling apprehensive and worried about their results, I’d urge them to talk to someone about it.
“It can be very upsetting for a young person not to get the grades they had hoped for or expected, and it can affect their confidence. But it’s important for them to know that many others are going through the same thing and there are a range of options to explore.
“There are also lots of trusted adults they can turn to for help and support whether that’s a teacher, careers advisor, parent, carer or Childline.
“Every year our specially trained counsellors carry out counselling sessions with hundreds of children across the UK who are worried about their exams and results. They listen to the young person’s concerns, offer advice about dealing with anxiety and help explore the different options available for those who don’t get their desired results.
“The conversation is confidential, and no worry is ever too small.”
Young people under the age of 19 can get free, confidential support and advice from Childline at www.childline.org.uk or by calling 0800 1111 for free.
A girl aged 16 from Scotland, said: “We have final assessments starting next week and we’ve only been given a couple of weeks to learn the content and I’m struggling with it all to be honest.
“I was predicted straight As but at this rate my grades will be nowhere near that. I’m so anxious I feel sick constantly. I’ve never really struggled with exams before – I found national 5’s really easy but when I went up to higher and there was lockdowns and stuff I started really struggling.” (Girl, aged 16, Scotland)
A girl aged 17 from Scotland, said: “I feel really stressed and worried and don’t know what to do. I had my first ever exam today and I feel like it went horrible.
“In my prelims, I got all As but today’s exam felt way harder and don’t know if I will be able to appeal. I feel I’m going to be stressing over this the whole summer until my exam results come back and still I have 3 other exams to go.”(Girl, aged 17, Scotland)
Advice
For young peoplewho may not achieved the results they wanted:
Ask a teacher, careers advisor or any adult you trust what they think and discuss your options and how you are feeling.
Remind yourself of what you did well in whether that be specific pieces of coursework, or other parts of your life.
Don’t compare yourself to your friends.
If you do not feel your grade reflects your ability speak to your school about making an appeal.
Look at other courses or training programmes and apprenticeships that you can do.
If you haven’t got a place at your chosen university, try not to worry as there is a chance you could get a place at another university through the clearing process.
Take a gap year and do something different like volunteering.
Look at different courses that you can do with the grades you have achieved.
For parents and carers:
Your child may find it hard to talk to you about their results so be patient and supportive until they feel ready to talk about how they feel.
Encourage your child to take their time to think about what they want to do next. There’s no need to rush into a decision straightaway.
Help them think about their choices by writing down a list of pros and cons for each of their options
If they are finding it hard to talk to you, let them know they can contact Childline for free, confidential support and advice on 0800 1111 or www.childline.org.uk
