The Scottish Childminding Association (SCMA) is seeking a bank of childminders to match with the parents and carers of school age children, who are looking to get back into employment.
The ‘Access to Childminding’ (A2C) service received £250,000 of funding from the Scottish Government’s Access to Childcare Fund, announced within the School Age Childcare Progress Report earlier this year, and aims to help move more parents and carers into employment by matching them with professional childminders in their local area who can provide flexible childcare, before and after school.
The scheme is being piloted initially initially in City of Edinburgh, Dumfries & Galloway, Fife, Midlothian and North Lanarkshire, with the aim of it becoming more widely available across the country.
A2C aims to help increase household income and families will benefit from high-quality, flexible childcare provided locally. In turn, it can help childminders to increase their business sustainability by providing access to new families who may have been unaware of how flexible childminding can support their family life.
SCMA is seeking around 100 childminders across the five pilot areas to take part, who have capacity within their setting to provide before and after school care.
Edinburgh childminder, Liz Stewart, who is taking part in Access to Childminding, said: “I’m participating in Access to Childminding because I know that finding affordable, high quality childcare locally can be difficult – especially for families who need flexible before and after school care which fits around their working day.
“I thought A2C was really great way for me to help parents who are finding childcare a barrier to getting back into work. I hope it makes a difference to know that childminding through A2C could support them.
“I’m also really excited to welcome any new families to my setting who may not have previously considered childminding as an option. Other childminders in Edinburgh who might be interested in putting themselves forward should go for it! I found the process of signing up to take part really easy and there wasn’t too much paperwork, which was great.”
Janine Ryan, Head of Childminding Services at SCMA, said: “One of the barriers to parents being able to move into employment is being able to find affordable childcare locally.
“We believe A2C will really support that initial step into employment for parents with school age children – and they’ll have peace of mind that their child is receiving professional, high-quality and nurturing childcare, while they take that exciting step back into work.
“A2C is also a fresh, new business opportunity for childminders in Edinburgh. It provides the potential for them to enhance their service by introducing new families who may not otherwise have considered using a childminder. We would really love to hear from childminders who would like to give it a try”
Funded placements are offered for up to 12 weeks for before and after school care during term-time, as well as during holiday periods. This initial time period provides a realistic window for children, families and childminders to develop relationships and helps build a foundation for long-term support.
The 12 week period also offers a bridge whilst parents settle into their new job, receive a salary and become eligible to apply for childcare benefits, where appropriate.
It is also anticipated that the parent could continue the placement with the childminder once the funding ends, as they will be able to make the payments themselves once they are receiving a regular income.
Janine continued: “92% of childminders achieve ‘good’ or above across all quality ratings at inspection by the Care Inspectorate. Evidence has shown childminding can enhance a child’s early learning, confidence and their social development.
“There are many parents who may be new to this form of childcare and may not be familiar with its benefits. The A2C project provides a unique opportunity to sample how using a local childminder could really help to support them to take that step back into work, whilst providing a safe, reliable, home-from-home childcare environment for their children.”
Eligible families can apply for a grant of at least £120 to help with the cost of school uniforms.
The Scottish Government and local authority leaders have reached an agreement to increase the national school clothing grant to a minimum of £120 per eligible primary school pupil and £150 per eligible secondary school pupil. This will be supported by £11.8 million of additional funding to local authorities.
The announcement marks another commitment for the first 100 days of this Government.
Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “School uniforms can place a significant financial burden on families, some of whom are already facing additional hardship as a result of the pandemic.
“This school clothing grant will help to relieve some of that pressure for around 145,000 families and it will help to ensure that all children can go to school feeling comfortable, confident and ready to learn.”
COSLA Children and Young People’s spokesperson Councillor Stephen McCabe said: “Councils and schools are working to tackle the costs of the school day, ensuring that all children are able to fully participate in their education.
“Working with the Scottish Government, we are pleased that the national minimum school clothing grant has been increased and that families can get extra support as we continue on the road to recovery from the pandemic.”
Eligible families can apply for the school clothing grant through their local council.
A national service dedicated to supporting young people with very complex social, emotional and behavioural needs has received £280,000 of Scottish Government funding.
The Interventions for Vulnerable Youth (IVY) project provides psychological and social work support to 12 to 18-year-olds who present a serious risk of harm to themselves or others.
The service, hosted by child and youth care charity Kibble, has supported more than 270 children and young people since it was established in 2013.
Children’s Minister Clare Haughey said: “It is vital that children and young people with such complex needs get the support they need.
“I am pleased that we have committed to funding IVY in 2021-22 so the service can continue to provide expert help.”
Kibble and IVY clinical director Dan Johnson said: “The pandemic has made it harder for services to reach those children and young people who need it most.
“With funding from the Scottish Government, IVY can continue to help young people and families access the right kind of support at the right time.”
NHS Lothian has been given £27 million in extra COVID-19 funding from the Scottish Government as part of a £380 million package allocated to health boards across Scotland.
This comes on top of the £1.7 billion already provided to health boards and Health and Social Care Partnerships last year.
The additional funding includes ongoing support for the vaccination programme, the Test and Protect system, and personal protective equipment for health and care workers.
SNP MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Gordon MacDonald MSP said: “NHS Lothian has been under incredible pressure during the pandemic, not only will this additional funding support the health board with its efforts to treat patients but it will also play a role in supporting our NHS in its remobilisation programme as we come out of the pandemic.
“It is essential that our health services can be on a sure footing as we re-emerge from the pandemic and other services that have been disrupted can restart smoothly.
“This is a demonstration again that the only party in Scotland that can protect Scotland’s NHS is the SNP.”
Census by RCEM Scotland shows a shortage of key senior decision-making clinicians and a workforce below adequate staffing levels
A census of the Emergency Medicine workforce in Scotland by the Royal College of Emergency has found shortages of key senior decision-makers, and a workforce that is below adequate staffing levels to deliver the best and most effective care to patients.
When asked for immediate staffing needs, Emergency Departments across Scotland reported they needed an increase of:
25% in consultants
45% in Advanced Clinical Practitioners/Advanced Nursing Practitioners/Physician Associates
16% in Emergency Nurse Practitioners
22% in Higher Specialist Trainees/Non-consultant Senior Decision-Makers
21% in Junior Doctors
RCEM analysis shows that to resolve the shortages of senior decision-makers and to achieve adequate staffing and aspirational staffing levels by 2026 the current workforce in Scotland needs a total of 405 more health care staff broken down as:
113 more consultants
74 more Higher Specialist Trainees/Non-consultant Senior Decision-Makers
38 more Advanced Clinical Practitioners/Advanced Nursing Practitioners/Physician Associates
180 more Junior Doctors
RCEM’s Scotland workforce census consisted of a 64-question survey and was sent to Emergency Department Clinical Leads across Scotland.
Responses were received from 24 Emergency Departments, including all 20 consultant-led Emergency Departments, one Minor Injury Unit, and three Remote and Rural Hospitals.
Commenting on RCEM’s Scotland workforce census, Dr John Thomson, Vice President (Scotland) of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, said: “The census clearly shows that the Emergency Medicine workforce in Scotland is not adequately staffed to deliver the highest quality patient care.
“This has led to an increase in intense pressures on the existing workforce and is very likely to be a contributing factor to the continued deterioration in performance.
“We have always been proud of Scotland’s performance in Emergency Medicine, ensuring quick and effective care that outperformed the rest of the United Kingdom. But, even before the pandemic, the increase in demand put severe pressure on staff, and departments began to struggle to meet the four-hour access standard, but more seriously began to struggle to deliver appropriate treatment to patients, resulting in more delays and longer stays.
“The pandemic certainly exacerbated these issues and now there are some major challenges that face Emergency Medicine in Scotland. Emergency Medicine can be relentless; a service delivered 24 hours a day, seven days a week, will always take its toll, and the pandemic has highlighted the severe burnout that Emergency Medicine staff, especially face.
“Departments must be staffed with a workforce trained and qualified in Emergency Medicine. Shortages in senior decision-making staff groups can lead to Emergency Departments over-depending on junior staff. The census shows that we need considerable expansion of funded consultant and senior decision-maker posts in order to prioritise patient safety and quality of care.
“We managed to survive the first two waves of pandemic with an insufficient workforce, but now these existing staff are facing burnout and exhaustion – with some clinicians reporting they are planning on retiring early. This census clearly shows that we must act and address these problems without delay.
“The Scottish Government must work with the specialty to devise an adequate workforce plan for the emergency care system, taking into account population needs and rising demand on the service. Plans must ensure sustainable and fulfilling careers for all staff, allowing for the delivery of quick, safe, and effective care for patients.
“Without a sufficient workforce plan that addresses the findings of the census, it is likely that there will be continued deterioration in Emergency Department performance and rates of burnout will continue to increase amongst Emergency Medicine staff.”
Children and young people are getting geared up for a summer of fun as an exciting programme of activities is being delivered by over 100 Council services and partner organisations across the Capital.
The Get into Summer initiative is part of a nationwide scheme funded by the Scottish Government to create a variety of opportunities for children and their families to play, socialise and re-connect over the summer.
The activities will build on the regular summer programmes put on by the City of Edinburgh Council and partners and are taking place in communities across the city. They will help children and young people to get healthy, creative and most importantly, re-connect with each other after a disrupted school year caused by the pandemic.
A key focus of the programme will be activities targeted to those families from low income households who may otherwise struggle to access such experiences during the holidays. The overall programme has a focus on opportunities for youth and children’s work, very young children and their families, with opportunities for sport, outdoor, art and cultural activities.
Some of the partner organisations putting on events and providing support include: 6VT Edinburgh City Youth Café, Disability Services, Intercultural Youth Scotland, Edinburgh Young Carers, Lochend Football Academy, National Galleries of Scotland, Play2Learn Sports Coaching and Shakti Women’s Aid.
Fet Lor Summer Programme
Councillor Ian Perry, Convener for Education, Children and Families at the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “We know how much our children and young people have had their year disrupted by the pandemic and our ‘Get into Summer’ programme aims to bring as many of them together as possible to play and socialise over the holidays.
“There really is something for everyone with activities ranging from sports coaching to museum trips and music workshops with many additional activities on top of what we usually offer during the summer. We want to do all we can to support our children, young people, their families and carers so they can enjoy the summer.
“This programme is a great way to do that. Thanks must go to the different Council teams and partner organisations across the city who have pulled together to put on such a great programme of activities.”
MYDG Summer Programme
Councillor Alison Dickie, Vice Convener for Education, Children and Families at the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “We have listened to our young people who have told us about the impact of lockdown on their mental health and wellbeing as a result of the pandemic so these activities are a first step to help them re-connect with their friends and interests over the summer.
“They and their families are showing great resilience but no one should underestimate the huge impact the pandemic is having with many of the activities and support usually open to them not yet available. This must change.
“Many families on low income struggle during the summer holidays so this targeted offer is a positive step forward and will boost opportunities for those who have faced the greatest challenges in the past 15 months. This programme has children’s rights and needs at its heart.”
Dot Horne, Director of 6VT Edinburgh City Youth Café, said: “Get into Summer is a much-needed support for children and young people. During this pandemic so many young people have been adversely affected, isolated and missed out on essential life skills they would have learnt as they progressed through “normal” experiences.
“We’ve seen an increasing number of young people coming forward who are lacking things like self-confidence, coping skills, feeling socially anxious , lonely or unhappy. At 6VT we are offering teenagers a dynamic and active programme of activities where they will be supported to improve their wellbeing, experience new activities and learn how to build respectful relationships with others.
“We are striving for a lot of fun and laughter with the overall impact of improving happiness. We encourage parents to support their children and young people to engage into Get into Summer activities.”
Scotland’s Test and Protect contact tracing staff are to prioritise phone calls to high risk cases to ensure the system delivers maximum benefit as Coronavirus (COVID-19) case numbers increase.
SMS text messages will now be used more extensively for low risk index cases, with direct telephone calls continuing to be used for the most high risk cases.
All individuals are being encouraged to complete the digital contact tracing form, allowing contact tracers to consider where a case is high risk and should receive a phone call. This approach will allow capacity to be focused on the cases most likely to lead to further transmission of the virus.
Additional measures to maximise overall capacity across health boards are being implemented, including supporting ongoing recruitment processes in local contact tracing teams to ensure they can continue to meet agreed staffing deployment requirements, alongside additional surge workforce capacity being brought online in the National Contact Tracing Centre over the coming days.
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “At a time when we are facing a record high number of positive cases, our Test and Protect system has continued to operate well and, meeting our proxy measure, the World Health Organisation criteria of closing 80% of close contacts within 72 hours.
“But the third wave of cases means that the Test and Protect system is now contacting record numbers of people each day.
“The shift in approach we are taking will mean more text messages going out and people getting online to report contacts and find information.
“This is a sensible and practical approach which will allow us to focus our contacting tracing efforts on the most high risk cases and prevent further spread of the virus.
“Contact tracers will continue to phone many of those who have tested positive but there will be a focus on more complex, high risk cases. We continue to look holistically at the system to ensure its resilience, including supporting ongoing local recruitment and flexing additional workforce capacity within the National Contact Tracing Centre.
“It’s really important that people who are contacted by Test and Protect continue to self-isolate for 10 days.
“Our Test and Protect staff are doing fantastic work under significant pressure and we should all be thankful for their efforts throughout this pandemic.
“I would encourage anyone who has a smartphone to download the Protect Scotland App – if you test positive, you will receive a code that can be entered into the app, providing isolation notifications to people you have been in contact with.”
Daily case numbers reached a record 4,234 in Scotland this week, although the success of the vaccination roll-out has limited the number of people getting seriously ill and being admitted to hospital.
National Thank You Day, backed by Lorraine Kelly, Dame Katherine Grainger and Tom Kitchin, will give thanks to those who have gone above and beyond during the pandemic
Tartan Tea Parties, BBQs and picnics are set to take place across Scotland to celebrate local heroes
UK Government Communities Secretary thanks community heroes and encourages all to fill the airwaves with tributes to everyone who played their part
The UK Government is celebrating Thank You Day to shine a light on Scotland’s unsung heroes who have served local communities during the pandemic.
With backing from a host of Scottish celebrities including TV’s Lorraine Kelly, olympic rower Dame Katherine Grainger and Scotland’s youngest Michelin starred chef Tom Kitchin, the day is set to give thanks to those who have gone the extra mile to help their neighbours.
The campaign for Thank You Day was started by a small group of people from across the UK including Debbie Matthew, a stroke survivor from Perthshire, and May Parsons, the nurse who administered the UK’s first Covid jab.
Thanks to their efforts, people around the country will be gathering to show their gratitude by hosting Covid safe Tartan Tea Parties, BBQs, picnics, and certificate ceremonies in honour of those who have selflessly given their time to help those in need.
UK Government Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick is also calling on people to fill the UK’s airwaves with their thanks and tributes on local radio and social media.
Unsung heroes include people such as:
Faith leaders who embraced technology to ensure communities could celebrate religious festivals online and opened up places of worship as vaccination centres
The many volunteers who delivered food parcels and those who were always there at the other end of the phone or on the doorstep to smile, listen and talk so people did not feel alone
Volunteers and charities who worked to get rough sleepers off the streets and provided lifesaving support for those fleeing domestic abuse
Council staff, social workers and refuse collectors who kept vital services going during the most challenging times.
The Prime Minister will be joining the festivities with a ‘BB-Thank-Q’, hosting community leaders, NHS workers and representatives from the Royal Voluntary Service.
UK Government Communities Secretary Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP said: This past year has been challenging for us all. But in the darkest of times, when people were most in need, the actions of our friends and neighbours to support our communities have shone the brightest.
“Across all faiths, ages, backgrounds and languages, our communities have shown off the best of this country.
“You are all our community heroes and on behalf of the UK Government I want to say thank you.”
UK Government Minister for Scotland Iain Stewart said: “The past year has been incredibly challenging for all of us, but the kindness, generosity and community spirit shown across Scotland has been truly heartening.
“From every one of our key workers who kept services going in the most difficult of circumstances, to our voluntary groups who worked tirelessly to help those in need, the people that delivered food parcels to their neighbours, there are so many in Scotland that went above and beyond to support their communities.
“The UK Government is proud to be supporting Thank You Day to pay tribute to all those who deserve our sincere gratitude.”
Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon is holding a Tartan Tea party to mark the day with staff and families from the Scottish parliament.
She said: “It has been heartening to hear stories of people across Scotland who have gone to extraordinary lengths to provide support to friends, families and neighbours throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and it is important we pause to recognise their efforts.
“Thank You Day gives us the opportunity to express in person our gratitude to those who go out of their way to offer their time and help – and I am hugely grateful to all those who have done so already and continue to do so.
“By heeding the various rules and public health advice and enabling others to do the same, you are protecting the vulnerable and helping suppress the virus.”
The British Medical Association is urging the Government to keep some targeted measures to control the spread of Covid-19 in place after 19 July in England, amid a continued worrying rise in case numbers.
Weekly cases in England are up 74% on the previous seven days, while the number of people admitted to hospitals in England with Covid-19 has risen by 55% over the last week.
The 19th of July – in just over two weeks’ time – is the earliest time the Government has said it will consider removing all legal restrictions, however both the Prime Minister and the new Health and Social Care Secretary have indicated that some measures could stay beyond this date – something the BMA says is crucial to stop spiralling case numbers having a devastating impact on people’s health, the NHS, the economy and education.
The BMA says these measures and support should include:
Ongoing requirements to wear a mask in enclosed public spaces, such as public transport, shops, healthcare settings and in communal areas in educational settings, where adequate ventilation and distancing are often not possible.
Significantly improved public messaging and education, emphasising that while the virus continues to circulate, practising social distancing and meeting outdoors or in well-ventilated spaces – and wearing masks when this is not possible – remains the best way to reduce risk of infection and keep yourself safe.
Greater guidance and support for businesses and educational settings to create sustainable, Covid-secure environments, as well as enforcement of standards.
Emphasis on the importance of good ventilation, including setting legal standards. Financial and other support for businesses and educational settings must be made available to implement these requirements ahead of the autumn and winter period, when respiratory viruses spread more easily and buildings must be kept warm, limiting options for natural ventilation.
Dr Chaand Nagpaul, BMA council chair, said: “As case numbers continue to rise at an alarming rate due to the rapid transmission of the Delta variant and an increase in people mixing with one another, it makes no sense to remove restrictions in their entirety in just over two weeks’ time.
“The promise was to make decisions based on data and not dates, and while we were pleased to see the Government react to data in delaying the easing on 21 June last month, ministers must not now simply disregard the most recent, damning, numbers by rushing into meeting their new 19th July deadline.
“It’s not a binary decision of ‘all or nothing’, and the sensible, cautious measures that we are proposing, will be vital in minimising not just the impact of rising case numbers on people’s individual health and the health service, but also wider damage to the economy and society, caused by even further waves, new variants and lockdowns.
“We have made excellent progress with both the vaccination campaign and individual action from people across the country over the last 18 months, and the Government must absolutely not throw this away at this critical juncture.
“While the vaccination programme continues at pace, a significant proportion of people remain either unvaccinated or partially vaccinated. This is on top of those who cannot receive the jab or the small number for whom immunisation will be ineffective.
“Neither will all those vaccinated by 19th July be properly protected given it takes about two weeks after the second dose to confer maximum immunity. This means we are still some way from protecting enough of the population from this devastating illness to control the spread.
“Meanwhile although hospitalisations remain relatively low in comparison to the steep rise in cases, the numbers are increasing at pace, with twice as many Covid patients in beds and on ventilators than this time last month.
“This is a particular worry for doctors and their colleagues who are faced with a record backlog of care put on hold by the first waves of the pandemic, and in which even modest increases in hospital admissions will undermine treating the 5 million patients currently on waiting lists.
“Even if people aren’t getting admitted to hospital at the same rate, spiralling levels of community transmission provides a fertile ground for new, potentially vaccine-resistant variants to develop.
“Also worrying is evidence that one in 10 people suffer longer-term impacts of long-Covid after even a mild infection, with an estimated 2 million people in England having lived with long-lasting symptoms. These factors could have serious consequences for the NHS and public health teams as well as business, education and wider society – therefore stemming the spread of the virus in the community with a series of manageable, targeted measures must be the priority right now.
“Everyone appreciates the efforts and sacrifices we have all made so far to suppress the spread of the virus, and it would be tragic if we were to undo this good work now. We are not asking for a full delay on 19th July, rather a series of sensible, targeted measures that will help prevent transmission of the virus while having a minimal impact on people’s daily lives.
“Our appeal is to both the Government to keep appropriate measures in place, and to the public to continue acting in a careful, responsible manner – giving other people space, wearing face coverings in areas where physical distancing isn’t possible and recognising that the virus won’t simply stop posing a serious danger in two weeks’ time.”
Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon insisted yesterday that Scotland’s so-called ‘Freedom Day’is still on track for August, despite a huge surge in coronavirus cases that threatens to pile further pressure on hospitals and health services struggling to cope.
She urged people to get vaccinated at yesterday’s Coronavirus media briefing:
Good afternoon. Thanks for joining Jason and I. There are a few issues I want to cover today – including some important information about vaccinations.
But I will start with a summary of today’s statistics.
The total number of positive cases reported yesterday was 3,823.
That is 10.8% of all of the tests carried out.
The total number of confirmed cases now stands at 289,279.
There are 285 people currently in hospital – which is 10 more than yesterday.
And 19 people are in intensive care, which is 3 more than yesterday.
Unfortunately 4 deaths were reported in the past 24 hours, and that takes the total number of deaths under our daily definition, is now 7,726.
As always, my condolences are with everyone who has been bereaved.
Let me also briefly update on the vaccination programme.
As of this morning, 3,831,770 people have received a first dose of the vaccine.
That’s an increase of 15,519 since yesterday.
In addition, 14,622 people got a second dose yesterday. That brings the total number of second doses to 2,737,347. Now today’s vaccine numbers actually take us across quite a significant milestone. More than 60% of those eligible for the vaccine have now had both doses, but as of today, more than 50% of the entire population is now fully vaccinated. That is an important milestone and one that will be increasing our levels of protection against this virus.
I have a couple of points that I want to cover before I reflect on the overall course of the pandemic, and stress some of our key public health messages, which are of particular importance given the high number of cases that are being reported right now.
The first is to confirm that further funding for Covid matters is being made available to health boards today.
Almost £380 million is being allocated to help with additional costs this year – including for the vaccination programme, the test and protect system, and personal and protective equipment.
This is on top of the £1.7 billion for Covid which was allocated last year to Health Boards and Health and Social Care Partnerships.
Further funding will of course be made available as necessary over the course of the year.
Although we hope we are in the process of emerging from the pandemic, we can see from the situation at the moment, that Covid will continue to place pressures on our health and care services – so we will continue to ensure that they have all the funding that they need to respond to those pressures.
The second point I want to cover relates to vaccination. Getting vaccinated is probably the single most important thing any of us can do right now.
That’s why I strongly welcome a joint statement that has been issued this morning by business organisations and the Scottish Government. It urges people to get vaccinated – and also urges employers to encourage and support employees to get vaccinated.
The statement recognizes that a successful vaccination programme is crucial obviously for our public health, but if it protects our public health then it will always also be good for the economy. So anything employers can do to support people to get vaccinated, will be beneficial for them, as well as for their workers.
That said, the Government has the primary responsibility for ensuring that the vaccination programme is effective – and we are working with health boards to make sure it is as accessible as possible.
I am therefore pleased to confirm today that from Monday, all mainland health boards will offer drop-in vaccination centres for all adults.
These centres will be able to provide first doses to anyone over the age of 18 who has not had a first dose yet. They will also be open for second doses to anyone who had their first dose 8 or more weeks ago, and has not yet had their second dose.
So if you haven’t had a first dose yet – or if you are now due for a second dose – from Monday, you’ll be able to visit a drop-in centre in order to get one. And let me stress, you can do this even if you have had a letter giving you an appointment, or if you have missed an appointment. If you’d rather turn up next week to drop in, you can do that even if you’ve had an appointment scheduled for a week or two from now.
Two health boards – Greater Glasgow and Clyde, and Lothian – will also be providing mobile vaccination units as drop-in centres in some areas, and that is about helping, effectively, to take vaccine to people where we perhaps think there has been particular challenges with uptake.
Information about the drop-in vaccination centres in your health board area, will be available online, so I would encourage you to check this out over the weekend. You can also find out more through the NHS Inform website, or by following your health board area on social media.
Appointments of course will still be scheduled, so if it does suit you better to wait for a scheduled appointment, and you find that more convenient, that is fine.
Everyone in Scotland who is over 18 should now have received an appointment date for a first jag. If you haven’t, then you can turn up at a drop-in clinic – but you can also self-register on the NHS Inform site and get an appointment scheduled.
You can also use the NHS Inform website to rearrange the time or location of your appointment if you need to.
Basically, what we are trying to do is make it as easy and as accessible for as many as possible, so you can turn up from next week to a drop-in centre, you can keep your scheduled appointment, you can rearrange your scheduled appointment. Any of these ways is going to be possible because we want as many people getting these jags as possible.
The importance our vaccination programme is especially evident now. We are continuing to deal with a surge in new cases, heavily driven by the dominance of the Delta variant of the virus.
Vaccination is the reason that surge in cases has not led to the re-imposition of a strict lockdown – as it would have done at any earlier stage in the pandemic.
But now, the vaccines are doing much of the work that lockdown measures previously had to do.
We’ve discussed quite a lot recently the fact that vaccination is weakening the link between new cases, and serious health harms.
For example the proportion of people who get Covid, who now require hospital treatment, fell from around 13% in January, to 3% at the start of June. We continue to monitor that very closely.
All of that is positive.
But – and this is quite a significant but that I’m very deliberately injecting at this stage – all of us do still need to play a part, over and above getting vaccinated to make sure we get through this next period as safely as possible.
The rise in cases is a reminder that we still need to be cautious.
This variant of the virus is spreading quickly, and it is still potentially dangerous.
No vaccine is 100% effective. But these ones are very effective – after two doses. So even if you still get the virus, your chances of becoming very ill with it are much reduced.
That should give assurance to people – especially those who are older or living with other health conditions. I know many of you in particular will be worried right now as you see cases continuing to spike.
I want to assure you that we are not complacent about this. Our priority is to extend vaccine coverage as quickly as possible. That is our best line of protection.
But we are also encouraging renewed caution on behalf of the population while we do so.
Because our biggest vulnerability just now is that there are still, notwithstanding the success of the programme, a lot of people who do not yet have the protection of both doses.
That is why we are making it easier for people to get vaccinated. We are vaccinating as quickly as supplies – and also the clinical advice on timing of second doses – allows us to do.
While we do this, our collective priority must be to do all we can to slow the virus down. That really matters.
The fact is if cases continue to rise as they have been doing, then – despite the effectiveness of the vaccine – we will see pressure build on the NHS. And of course a lot of people being unwell.
Even if only 3% of cases need hospital care now – compared to 13% at the start of the year – on the case numbers we are seeing just now, that will still be a lot of people ending up in hospital.
We should also remember, many people who get Covid but don’t end up in hospital – including many younger people – could still suffer health harms such as long Covid.
I know everyone is tired of hearing this, but I must say again as we do see, we hope, the end point to restrictions in sight, for now we must be careful, especially for these next few weeks while we continue to get the protection from vaccination extended as far as possible.
There are three key things in particular that we all need to do just now.
Firstly – as I have said, vaccination is what will get us out of this.
So make sure that you get vaccinated when you are invited to do so, or turn up next week to a drop-in clinic and get vaccinated then. Just to remind everybody, that applies to all adults who haven’t had a first dose yet. Even if you’ve missed an appointment, don’t worry about that, you can turn up and get your first dose now. And if you’ve had your first dose 8 weeks or more ago, you can turn up to get your second dose at one of these drop-in centres.
Vaccination is how we protect ourselves and it is how we get out of this, so please make sure you’re playing your part by getting both jags as soon as it is possible for you to do so.
Second, please use the opportunities to get tested regularly – this is especially important if you are planning to visit somewhere or visit somebody. Take a lateral flow test before you go just to give that added bit of reassurance.
Free lateral flow tests are available through the NHS inform website.
You can have them sent to you in the post. You can also now collect them from local and regional test sites, or from community pharmacies.
And of course if you test positive through one of these lateral flow devices – or if you have symptoms of the virus – please make sure that you self-isolate, and book a PCR test as quickly as possible. That’s vitally important.
And finally, continue to follow the key rules where you live and all the basic but really important public health advice – for example on physical distancing, hand-washing and face coverings.
Stay outdoors as much as you can if you’re meeting other people.
And if you are meeting people indoors, which in limited numbers is now allowed, please stick to the limits on group sizes, and open the windows. Make sure you’re washing your hands and surfaces, and keeping the room as ventilated as possible.
That still applies, of course, if you are watching the football or the tennis.
If you’re planning to watch the quarter finals of the Euros this weekend, please remember the indoor gathering limits and remember all of the advice that helps keep that environment as risk free as it’s possible to do.
So these are the things that we need to continue to observe right now.
Get vaccinated, get tested and follow the guidance, and where applicable follow the rules.
We are all utterly sick of this. I do believe, just as I have said up until now, that we are seeing the end in sight. But whether we get to that end point, though vaccination, safely or whether we get to it with lots of pressure on our NHS, lots more people getting this virus, comes down to how all of us behave and how successful we are in slowing down the virus while the vaccines get ahead and ultimately win the race for us.
So thank you very much for your continued patience, thank you for your continued observance of all of this, and please for these next few weeks let’s all stick with it to get us through this.
An additional £380 million is being allocated to Health Boards to help with costs arising from the pandemic.
This comes on top of the £1.7 billion already provided to Health Boards and Health and Social Care Partnerships last year. Further financial support will be made available as necessary over the course of this year.
This additional funding includes ongoing support for the vaccination programme, the Test and Protect system, and personal protective equipment (PPE) for health and care workers.
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “Although we are hopefully emerging from this pandemic, coronavirus continues to add significant pressures to our health and care services.
“We will continue to assess the impact of COVID-19 and provide Health and Care services with the support they require. The remobilisation of the NHS is among our top priorities. We will publish a national recovery plan within the first 100 days of this government.
“The £380 million includes £90.3 million for Test and Protect, a further £76.8 million for the COVID and extended flu vaccination programmes, and £85.5 million allocated to National Services Scotland for PPE costs. The rest of the funding will cover costs including additional staffing to support hospital scale-up, equipment, maintenance and IT.”
The 2021-22 Scottish Budget takes total health portfolio funding in excess of £16 billion – an increase of over £800 million (5.3%) – with a further £1.08 billion of funding to address pressures related to COVID-19.
