The British Dental Association Scotland has warned new data underlining the scale of the backlogs facing practices demonstrates the absurdity of government plans to return to pre-COVID models of care.
The new figures from Public Health Scotland indicate that the number of treatments delivered in the year to March 2021 was less than 25% of those delivered in previous 12-month period, corresponding to over 3.5 million appointments lost as a result of the pandemic.
Last week Cabinet Secretary Humza Yousaf wrote to all NHS dental teams in Scotland that all emergency support will be withdrawn by 1 April 2022. Since the first lockdown NHS practices have operated under a COVID support package, reflecting pandemic pressures and tight infection control restrictions that continue to limit capacity across the service.
Owing to ongoing disruption dentist leaders stress patients are now presenting with higher levels of need, requiring additional time. BDA Scotland have warned that the return to a ‘business as usual model’ – low margin and high volume – will put practices under unsustainable financial pressure and will likely lead to closures or movement to the private sector.
In light of the SNP’s centrepiece policy of providing free NHS dental care for all, BDA Scotland have stressed the need to develop a new, sustainable model for delivering care. In the interim, a workable interim funding model is needed to support dentists and their teams to care for their patients.
David McColl, Chair of the British Dental Association’s Scottish Dental Practice Committee said:“Dentists are facing an unprecedented backlog, as we continue to work to restrictions designed in the first lockdown.
“This new data underlines the sheer perversity of government plans to pretend COVID is yesterday’s news.
“Withdrawing emergency funding will pull away the life support from hundreds of dedicated NHS practices serving communities across Scotland.”
The Scottish Government is allocating a further £482 million to NHS Boards and Integration Authorities to meet costs of the pandemic and remobilising health services.
This includes funding for Test and Protect and to support the progress of the vaccination programme.
It comes on top of £2.1 billion provided to date to NHS Boards and Integration Authorities to support additional Covid-19 costs. Further funding will be provided as necessary over the course of the year.
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “Our frontline health and care workers have been remarkable throughout the pandemic, and we continue to support NHS Boards and Integration Authorities to deliver and remobilise vital services as we approach the toughest winter the system has potentially ever experienced.
“This £482 million includes just over £121 million for Test and Protect and a further £136 million for the vaccination programme. The rest of the funding will cover costs including additional staffing to support hospital scale-up, equipment, maintenance and IT.”
Humza Yousaf: “This winter is likely to be the most challenging in the history of the NHS”
The Scottish Government is investing an additional £10 million to help patients avoid a hospital stay wherever possible – and to prevent delayed discharge for inpatients.
This is part of a range of actions included in the £300 million winter package of funding to health and social care services, and outlined in the health and social care winter plan, to take the pressure off hospitals and frontline staff.
Two new programmes – Interface Care and Discharge without Delay – will support NHS Boards to explore alternatives to hospital inpatient care where appropriate, and improve the discharge process for those who do need to be admitted to hospital.
Interface Care, backed by an additional £6 million this financial year, will deliver safe, high-quality care as an alternative to hospital admission, or will support early hospital discharge. The programme will be implemented by early winter.
Discharge without Delay, supported with a further £4 million, will improve pathways through hospital settings, reducing inpatient length of stay and building bed capacity. Working with patients, families and/or carers, it will ensure patients are treated in their home where appropriate.
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “This winter is likely to be the most challenging in the history of the NHS, and it’s important we take urgent action to ensure our hospitals and emergency frontline staff are not overwhelmed. That’s why these actions to improve the discharge process, and redirect patients who don’t need to be in hospital, are so important.
“I am confident that through our collective investment in people, capacity and systems to deliver the right care in the right setting, we can improve outcomes for those of us who need to use our health and social care services.”
The Scottish Government has invested more than £80 million this year to support the reduction in waiting times for people having elective procedures, which has been impacted by the pandemic. To minimise delays for those patients waiting on urgent hospital treatment within four weeks, including cancer patients, extra capacity is being provided through private hospitals over the winter period.
Discharge without Delay launches this month, with four early adopter sites to test the approach, with the aim of rolling the programme out nationally across all sites over the next 10 weeks.
The Interface Care Programme launched this month in two pathfinder sites – NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and NHS Tayside. Roll out across all boards is planned over the winter.
People aged 60 to 69 and adults aged 16 and over with underlying health conditions have begun to receive invitations for their flu and COVID-19 booster vaccinations through the post.
Appointments for this group will take place at a local community clinic and will run from late October and throughout November.
Currently, as per JCVI advice, we are vaccinating people in the highest risk groups for both flu and COVID-19 including those who are aged 70 years and over, people in older adult care homes, those who are on the Highest Risk List and frontline health and social care workers.
In addition we are delivering flu vaccinations to children under 2 years old who have underlying health conditions, preschool children aged 2-5, all school pupils, pregnant women and all NHS healthcare workers.
The winter flu and COVID-19 vaccination programme is working together to reduce the risks for both types of illness. Wherever possible, those eligible for the booster jab will receive both the flu vaccine and COVID-19 boosters on the same day. This is safe and effective to do.
More than 1.5 million COVID-19 and flu vaccinations have been administered since September 6.
For those in the underlying health conditions group, the type of health condition will guide whether they will be given a flu jab, the COVID-19 booster, or both vaccines.
Details on who is eligible for these vaccinations and when they can expect an invitation are available on NHS Inform.
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “For those eligible for the COVID-19 boosters, appointments can only take place six months (24 weeks) after your second dose. As such, it may take several weeks before you receive your invitation letter. We remain on track with Scotland’s booster programme prioritising those at the highest risk for both COVID-19 and flu.
“We started this as soon as possible following the JCVI advice – that the booster dose should be offered no earlier than six months after completion of the primary vaccine course. It is important to note that many people in the original early priority cohorts of the initial vaccination programme had already had a 6 month gap prior to this JCVI advice.
“In addition to delivering the COVID-19 vaccine boosters, this year we are offering a record number of free flu vaccines to help protect the people of Scotland. It is the biggest ever flu vaccination programme in Scotland reaching over 4 million people.
“Appointments for both vaccines are being scheduled based on clinical need and age and it will take until the middle of January for everyone to be offered their vaccines. Boosters will be offered to many of the groups who routinely have the flu vaccine to protect people from both illnesses. To support this, we are ensuring those most vulnerable are vaccinated first.
“But I would like to stress: everyone who is eligible will be offered a vaccination. If you haven’t received your appointment letter yet, please be patient. You do not have to do anything now – you will be contacted, notifying you of your appointment.
“The flu virus changes every year, so you need to get the vaccine every year to stay protected. The vaccine cannot give you flu, but it can help stop you catching it, or suffering severe symptoms. The COVID-19 vaccine does not offer any protection from flu, you need to get the separate flu vaccine.
“Flu can be extremely serious and is very infectious. With COVID-19 still circulating in the community we can best protect those most at risk as well as ease pressure on our National Health Service and social care services by encouraging everyone eligible to get vaccinated against flu.”
Scottish Labour said: “This is more proof that the SNP are failing to protect the most vulnerable this winter: They’ve shifted goalposts for booster jabs.
“Many will now have to wait at least another month for a third jag. Cases are spiralling and we need faster action from the Government.”
To find out more about vaccine eligibility and when you will be invited visit:
nhsinform.scot/fluandcovid19vaccsguide
For more information about the flu vaccine, visit:
nhsinform.scot/fluvaccine
For more information about the COVID-19 booster visit:
Some of the biggest stars in Scottish sport have voiced their support for the fifth annual Scottish Women and Girls in Sport Week which gets underway today.
Solheim Cup star Catriona Matthew, athlete Eilish McColgan and sprinter Maria Lyle are among those who have spoken out about the health and wellbeing benefits of getting involved in sport and keeping active.
A series of events will take place over the coming seven days to shine a light on the many benefits of participating in sport and physical activity for girls and women, with a particular emphasis this year on the positive impact on physical, mental and social health.
The importance of role models in encouraging uptake is among the key messages this year.
Catriona Matthew, who captained Europe to Solheim Cup triumph over the US last month, said: “I think this is a great initiative and I absolutely endorse encouraging as many women and girls to get involved in sports as possible.
“Whether it be golf or tennis or cycling or whatever sport, I think taking part in physical activity is so effective for improving both mental and physical health. I also think it helps build confidence as well as playing a huge part in helping to build an active fun social life.
“This week is so important as it is genuinely about encouraging as many girls and women as possible to get active, whatever your level and whatever your age as well as celebrating all the great sporting achievements of our Scottish sportswomen.”
Olympian Eilish McColgan, who set a new British 10 mile record at the Great South Run last weekend, added: “I really hope this week encourages loads of women and girls to seek out the different sporting opportunities that are available to them. You don’t have to be an Olympic athlete to enjoy sport – there really is something out there for everyone!
“The friendships and relationships I’ve forged as a result of being involved in sport truly have changed my life and moulded me into the person I am today – both on and off the track.
“This last year has been super challenging for everyone with so many being isolated at home and unable to follow their normal routine. Keeping active and taking part in sport can help build confidence and the social element that sport brings is the best part about it all. I would appeal to all women and girls to get out there and give it a go! Have a great week!”
Eve Muirhead, Olympic medal-winning curler, said: “I was very lucky to grow up in a sports-oriented family and even before I started to enjoy success on the curling rink, I knew how fortunate I was to be immersed in activities that were good for both my physical health and mental wellbeing and increasingly we have come to understand the importance of this.
“Playing sport has been my life and I am honoured to have been to three Winter Olympics playing alongside some hugely inspirational team mates and having strong female role models is vital to building on the strides that have been made even in the course of my career.
“There is consequently a real sense of responsibility that comes with sporting success to help the next generation take advantage of the opportunities that are now greater than ever before in every sport and we must keep this momentum going!”
Sprinter Maria Lyle, who took double bronze at the recent Tokyo Paralympics, added: “Sport has opened up many doors for me.
“Not only has sport allowed me to represent my country, it has helped me gain confidence, make friends, improved my studies (time management), manage my disability, overcome hardships and feel a sense of ownership for my physical along with my mental health.”
Dr Rachel Malcolm, captain of the Scotland rugby team, added: “I’m delighted to support Scottish Women and Girls in Sport Week 2021. Over the past year, the pandemic has highlighted the importance of sport and physical activity, particularly on our mental wellbeing.
“Following the easing of restrictions, it’s been fantastic to hear stories about women and girls trying rugby for the first time. Sport has the ability to bring people together, creating a sense of community and life-long friendships in the process. I’d encourage anyone who is thinking of taking up a sport or joining a local club to give it a go!”
Jen Beattie, Scotland women’s national football team defender, said: “It has been amazing to see the growth of girls’ and women’s sport throughout my lifetime and for youngsters just starting out their sporting journey to now have female role models to look up to.
“Sport has so many benefits, both physical and mental, and it can really help you develop and grow as a person.
“Even in tough times sport can help you push through, look forward and be positive. During my breast cancer treatment last year my teammates were a tower of strength. The release of being out on the training pitch was amazing as well and helped me overcome a challenging period in my life.
“I’m excited to be part of the Active Scotland Panel discussion later in the week to tell my story and answer any questions people may have on my journey so far.”
Scottish Women and Girls in Sport week runs from Monday October 25th-31st.
The week aims to showcase women and girls projects across Scotland, highlight role models and increase participation
Driving up participation levels of women and girls will be an important part of a £100 million push which doubles Scotland’s sport and active living budget by the end of the current Parliament.
Preparations are also underway for a Scottish sport media summit aimed at exploring, through a collaborative approach, ways to increase visibility and coverage of women’s sport across all platforms.
The fifth annual Scottish Women and Girls in Sport week kicks off today with a series of events planned over the coming seven days.
Sports minister Maree Todd will visit Dingwall Academy today to see for herself some of the activities being delivered and meet girls getting active, while other Scottish Government ministers will also take part in events during the course of the week.
Ms Todd said: “More participation and visibility of girls and women in sport is a priority for this Government. By doubling investment to £100 million in sport and active living we hope to address issues around equality of access.
“Our plans for a Scottish sport media summit will also address important issues around improving and increasing the visibility of women’s sports, athletes and participation.
“We know the positive impact which sport and being active has on physical, mental and social health across all stages in life. This has never been more important after our experience of the pandemic and the dangers of loneliness and isolation.
“This annual dedicated week provides an opportunity to increase visibility and participation of women and girls in sport and physical activity. It’s really important that we shine a spotlight on how girls and women are building new or maintaining healthy habits for their wellbeing. I would encourage everyone to get involved no matter the activity or the level.”
The additional investment will benefit the wider sporting system and be delivered in partnership with sportscotland to help rebuild capacity within the sector as we continue to recover from the pandemic. It will focus on breaking down barriers to participation and ensure that more people, including women and girls, can enjoy active lives, while improving physical, mental and social health.
Ms Todd will participate in a question and answer session to mark the launch of the week on social media today.
A short film to highlight role models across Scotland who inspire active lifestyles, entitled Hero Piece, will also be released setting out how sport and physical activity has impacted them.
There will also be a panel conversation chaired by Professor Linda Bauld, Chief Social Policy Adviser to the Scottish Government, and featuring Scotland and Arsenal footballer Jen Beattie to discuss the role of sport and physical activity in supporting women’s health and wellbeing.
sportscotland’s Active Girl Day initiative has already been taking place throughout this month providing schools and sports clubs with the flexibility to select any day in October to celebrate the work going into girls’ sport, the progress around girls’ participation, and the role models making it happen.
Details of the Scottish Government’s COP26 programme have been announced, kick-starting three weeks of action to secure an ambitious climate deal at COP26 in Glasgow.
The First Minister will make two key note addresses this week – setting out the Scottish Government’s ambitions for COP26 on Monday before opening the UN’s Conference of Youth on Thursday.
As European Co-Chair of the Under2 Coalition, the Scottish Government will use its platform to encourage devolved, regional and state governments to agree ambitious climate action – and push national governments to go further and faster.
The Scottish Government will co-host the Multi-level Action Pavilion in the official COP Blue Zone to showcase the vital role of states and regions in the international response to the climate crisis.
The pavilion will be opened on 1 November and Scotland will also play a prominent role in the Peatland, Nordic and Cryosphere Pavilions in the Blue Zone.
“We can send a strong message of climate ambition for #COP26 in Glasgow.”
Devolved, state and regional governments play a crucial role in delivering net zero.
The First Minister will also take part in formal Presidency events that will profile the action and ambitions of women, young people and states and join the UN High Level Champions to promote the role that can be played by governments at all levels in tackling climate change.
To showcase the best of Scotland’s innovative low carbon businesses, the Scottish Government and Scottish Enterprise have joined forces to create Scotland’s Climate Ambition Zone, at the Lighthouse in Glasgow. With over 60 in-person or hybrid events, it will be a shop window of the best of Scotland’s climate action.
Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero, Energy and Transport Michael Matheson said: “Scotland is ready to play its part in delivering success at what will be one of the most important global gatherings of the 21st century.
“This must be the moment that the world moves from promises to action. For COP26 to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement, governments at all levels, businesses, civil society and communities need to work together to agree ambitious actions and the finance and resources needed to deliver them.
“Scottish Ministers will participate in events and discussions throughout COP and we will use our position as co-chair of the Under 2 Coalition to help deliver that ambition, and to demonstrate that global climate action requires ambitious action by governments at all levels.
“This is also a unique opportunity to showcase Scotland to the world – including what our businesses and communities are doing to meet our world-leading climate targets.”
If the Government fails to value care workers we will start organising for industrial action across the care sector, says GMB Union
Three years on from the historic Glasgow Equal Pay strike, GMB General Secretary Gary Smith backed care workers to organise for strikes in their fight for a £15 an hour social care minimum wage.
Addressing rallying social care staff outside the Scottish Parliament this afternoon, the GMB leader pledged the union would, “summon the spirit of the Glasgow Women’s Strike” in the fight for fifteen.
Workers from across the social care sector also detailed their experiences and struggles of care delivery before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, making the case for substantial pay increases as the Scottish Government consultation over a National Care Service continues.
Gary Smith, GMB General Secretary, said:“Pay is the priority in tackling the growing understaffing crisis and lifting the unsustainable pressures not just in social care, but in our NHS too – that’s why we are ‘fighting for fifteen’.
“We know the prospect of wages just above £10 an hour won’t cut it, and if you want to retain and recruit the people we need then we must value this essential work properly.
“After the awful events of this pandemic and with a bleak winter ahead, the consequences of continuing to neglect these key workers should be crystal clear to everyone.
“But if government fails to recognise this then we will summon the spirit of the Glasgow Women’s Strike and start organising for industrial action across the care sector.”
Ensuring social security benefits are accessible to all who are eligible will be vital in helping people on low incomes deal with the aftermath of the pandemic, Social Justice Secretary Shona Robison has said.
Scotland’s new benefit take-up strategy outlines plans to make sure that nobody misses out on financial support due to a lack of awareness or barriers to applying.
Actions from the strategy, which builds on learning from the first in 2019, include:
working with partners to improve targeting of information and advice
challenging myths and stigma around claiming benefits
continuing to remove barriers to accessing social security in Scotland
The Scottish Government will also explore the introduction of automatic payment for certain devolved social security benefits to make it as easy as possible for people to maximise their incomes.
Ms Robison said: “Social security is a collective investment in building a better and fairer society and part of that is ensuring people are aware of, and can access, the financial support to which they are entitled.
“The pandemic has made us even more aware of the importance of a strong social security safety net – alongside skills, employment and childcare support – and our new benefit take-up strategy sets out how we will ensure we reach those in need.
“We have seen good levels of take up of the Scottish Child Payment and Best Start Payments, which support families on low incomes, with initial estimates ranging between 77% and 84%. As part of our national mission to tackle poverty we are determined that everybody should be able to access payments they are due.
“We will invest £10 million over this Parliament to increase advice services with a focus on providing these in accessible settings and targeting families.
“This investment will support our ambition to maximise incomes, tackle poverty and improve wellbeing, and this will be more vital than ever as we continue our recovery from COVID-19.”
“To signal the return of a ‘business as usual’ model when the country is still in the grip of a pandemic is utterly reckless”
The British Dental Association Scotland has warned that plans to return NHS practices to pre-COVID models of work will devastate dental services across the country.
Cabinet Secretary Humza Yousaf yesterday wrote to every NHS dental team in Scotland, indicating that all emergency support will be withdrawn by 1 April 2022. Since the first lockdown NHS practices have operated under a COVID support package, reflecting pandemic pressures and tight restrictions that continue to limit capacity across the service.
A return to delivering a low margin/high volume model of care is, BDA Scotland contends, simply unsustainable under current conditions. While some restrictions may ease in the coming months, there are no indications the service is likely to return to anything resembling ‘business as usual’.
With a growing number of staff facing abuse from frustrated patients unable to secure appointments, the BDA has warned the move will only raise patient expectations, while pushing NHS colleagues into the private sector or out of dentistry altogether.
Yousaf has signalled minor changes to the payment system for dentists that will take effect from 1 February 2022, largely covering the treatment of children. While welcome, these reforms will have a negligible impact on capacity within the service and will not ease the pressure on practice finances once the COVID support payments are withdrawn.
The SNP committed to delivering free NHS care for all in Scotland in the recent election. The BDA has stressed this approach runs counter to that vision, and that real focus and energy must be applied to developing a new, sustainable model for delivering care.
David McColl, Chair of the British Dental Association’s Scottish Dental Practice Committee said:“The Scottish Government seems set to pull the rug out from under every dedicated NHS dentist.
“If Ministers had an objective to decimate NHS dentistry, this approach would offer a great starting point. To signal the return of a ‘business as usual’ model when the country is still in the grip of a pandemic is utterly reckless. The net result will be to push colleagues out of the NHS and to leave this profession altogether.
“Ministers put NHS dentistry front and centre in their pitch for government. To deliver on their promises we need real commitment to find a new and better way for delivering for the patients that need us.”
Consultation on new approach to prevent food insecurity
Proposals to end the need for food banks as a primary response to food insecurity have been published.
Views are being sought on the Scottish Government’s draft national plan, which is supported by food bank operators, including the Trussell Trust and Independent Food Aid Network.
The plan follows action during the pandemic to prevent food insecurity through strengthening household incomes and the delivery of cash-first responses to financial hardship.
Social Justice Secretary Shona Robison said: “We share the same vision as food bank operators – they are not a long term solution to poverty. Our draft plan sets out what we will do within our powers – including introducing a shopping voucher pilot scheme – to make food banks the last port of call.
“Over the last year we have invested around £2.5 billion to support low income households, including nearly £1 billion to directly support children.
“Despite our fixed budget and limited powers we are taking action to support those in poverty, including discussions around establishing a minimum income guarantee for Scotland.
“As part of the right to an adequate standard of living, people need to be able to access food that meets their dietary, social and cultural needs and this plan shows the way forward.”
Sabine Goodwin, co-ordinator of the Independent Food Aid Network, which represents more than 500 food banks across the UK, said: “As the cut to Universal Credit and cost of living increases exacerbate poverty in Scotland, the publication of the draft national plan to end the need for food banks couldn’t be more timely.
“With a cash first, collaborative approach to food insecurity as the cornerstone of this plan, a time when food banks will no longer be needed to plug the gaps left by financial hardship is within sight.”
