Tag: Scottish Government

Get ready for school!

EXTRA STAFF AS SCHOOLS PREPARE TO RE-OPEN

Funding of £50 million will be ring-fenced for the recruitment of approximately 850 extra teachers and around 200 additional support staff as local authorities plan for the re-opening of schools.

Addressing Parliament, Education Secretary John Swinney also pledged that £20 million will be allocated to help councils with additional costs associated with new health protection measures, school transport, enhanced cleaning and other essential logistical issues.

A further £3 million will be invested in youth work to support education recovery. The funding breakdown is part of a £100 million package of support announced by Mr Swinney in June.

Clear guidance for schools and councils is being developed by the Education Recovery Group (ERG) to help them prepare for the start of the new term in August.

The Scottish Government will announce a final decision on the re-opening of schools on 30 July.

Mr Swinney said: “I want to express my appreciation to parents and carers for their support to young people, to the teaching and wider workforce across Scotland for their efforts to sustain education and to children and young people for their resilience during this difficult period. 

“All of the school workforce have a crucial role to play in our education recovery mission, and it is vital that they are supported to do so.

“The ring-fenced £50 million funding to recruit more teachers and support staff will enable schools to intensify support for children and young people as they return to full time face-to-face education and help to mitigate for learning loss. The final numbers will be dependent on the precise mix of staff recruited and the needs of children and young people.

“The £20 million funding recognises the extremely valuable work of our school cleaners, facilities management and school transport staff, who are essential to the successful delivery of education in Scotland and to whom I want to pay tribute today.

“I also mentioned in my statement on the 23 June that we would be seeking the assistance of the youth work sector in supporting those families and communities who need it most.

“The sector will receive £3 million of investment because it has continued to support and engage children and young people throughout the pandemic, including using digital technology and outreach work to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on children and young people’s mental health, learning and development.

“While this funding should provide local authorities with the assurance they require to progress plans immediately, we will continue to work with COSLA to understand the additional costs associated with the school re-opening guidance that each local authority is facing, and how these can be addressed alongside any loss of learning.

“We are currently developing guidance, with our partners in the ERG, on health mitigations and precautions that will be in place to allow schools to fully re-open in August and a final decision on school re-opening will be announced on 30 July.”

Responding to the Scottish Government’s funding of more teachers, a spokesperson for the Scottish Children’s Services Coalition said: “We welcome the recruitment of new teachers and additional support staff to help cope with the new demands of Coronavirus when children return to school next month.

“For those with additional support needs, the impact of returning to school will prove particularly disruptive but we need to go beyond the recruitment of additional support staff alone, which of course helps greatly. What is required is a tailored transition plan so those with ASN get the smoothest possible return to school.

“This requires every teacher or member of staff looking at the individual child, their circumstances and needs and making sure their return to school is as seamless as possible

“That individualised approach might mean going back to school early, having a little more time to figure out what classroom spaces look like or might be about teaching strategies and thinking about how to engage the children.”

The EIS has welcomed the Scottish Government’s confirmation of ring-fenced funding to support the recruitment of an additional 850 teachers across Scotland – but warned that more will be needed to support young people in education recovery following the COVID-19 shutdown.

EIS General Secretary Larry Flanagan said: “The confirmation of ring-fenced funding to support the recruitment of an additional 850 teachers is a welcome step in the support required for educational recovery in schools across Scotland.

“It is essential that local authorities make use of this funding to recruit more teachers from all those currently available and seeking work – including newly qualified teachers, recently qualified teachers, and teachers on supply and temporary contracts. The EIS would urge the Scottish Government to clarify that this additional funding is open to employ qualified teachers from all of these categories.”

Mr Flanagan added: “The  EIS  is clear that more will be needed to ensure that all young people receive the support they require to recover from the impact of the school shutdown and, as well as urging the Scottish Government to consider additional funding, we would encourage local authorities to use some of the flexibility open to them around attainment challenge funding and the pre-allocated monies for the now suspended expansion of pre-5 entitlement to further boost school staffing.

“Being away from the school environment for such a prolonged period will have had a detrimental impact on many young people’s education. Supporting recovery from this traumatic experience must be the top priority for all in Scottish education.”

Mr Flanagan concluded: “Clearly, with less than 3 weeks until schools are set to re-open, it is vital that local authorities act quickly to ensure that the promised additional teachers and support staff are recruited prior to the start of term.

“It also remains essential that the process of re-opening schools is managed safely, with updated risk assessments to be carried out and all necessary mitigations – such as enhanced cleaning regimens, adequate ventilation and facilities for regular hand-washing – to be in place in all schools prior to them re-opening.”

Local government umbrella body COSLA’S reaction to the Deputy First Minister’s Statement was one of disappointment, saying it is a ‘roadblock to progress’.

Councillor Stephen McCabe and Councillor Gail Macgregor said: “Local Government’s number one priority is the safe return to education next month. We have sought to work closely with the Scottish Government, Trade Unions and parental organisations through the COVID-19 Education Recovery Group to agree an approach which meets the needs of all involved in supporting children and young people during the pandemic.

“Even with the welcome additional financial support from the Scottish Government we have received to date, councils are facing a budget gap of over £500m for 2020/21 before the additional costs of a safe return to school are taken into account.

“That is why the Deputy First Minister’s commitment of just £20m to support the return of schools this afternoon is a disappointment.  

“We are currently awaiting updated guidance as such it is not clear at this time what the additional costs for classroom cleaning, supporting vulnerable pupils, providing school meals, school transport and PPE are, or if vital resources can be found before schools return.  T

“Today’s announcement throws up a considerable roadblock on the progress towards schools re-opening safely, and presents significant additional financial risks for councils.

“Whilst we are pleased we are close to agreement with the Scottish Government on an additional £50m to be invested in teachers and classroom support, priority must also be given to  ensuring a safe, clean environment for all staff and pupils to work in.

“However, we remain willing to work with the Scottish Government on this issue to make sure that we protect and support the health and wellbeing of Scotland’s children and young people and our staff when they return to school.”

First Minister: Phase 3 could last a while longer yet

Statement given by the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at the media briefing in St Andrew’s House yesterday (Wednesday 22  July):

Good afternoon, and welcome to today’s briefing. I want to start with the usual update on the most recent Covid-19 statistics for Scotland.

An additional 10 positive cases were confirmed yesterday – that takes the total now in Scotland to 18,484.

The Health Board breakdown will be available later as normal.

However, the provisional information I have is that three of these 10 cases are in Lanarkshire where we are dealing with an outbreak, which I’ll say more about shortly. At this stage, we know one of these three is associated with the outbreak.

From today, as well as reporting the overall number of positive cases – which can fluctuate in line with the number of tests carried out – I will also report the percentage of people tested who have been newly identified as positive.

For context, the World Health Organisation suggests than an indication of the epidemic being under control is less than 5% of samples testing positive over a two week period.

The 10 cases being reported today in Scotland represent 0.3% testing positive.

The 22 cases reported yesterday, represented 0.8%.

I can also report that 295 patients are currently in hospital with confirmed Covid. That is eight fewer than yesterday. As you may remember from yesterday’s briefing, we will now report figures for confirmed cases only.

A total of three people last night were in intensive care with confirmed Covid-19. That is one fewer than yesterday.

I am glad to say that during the last 24 hours, no deaths were registered of a patient confirmed through a test as having Covid-19.  The total number of deaths, under this particular measure, therefore remains at 2,491.

In addition, the National Records of Scotland has just published its regular weekly report, which is more detailed than our daily figures. Like the daily figures, it includes deaths of people who have been confirmed by a test as having COVID.

However it also covers cases where the virus has been entered on a death certificate as a suspected or contributory cause of death – even if its presence was not confirmed by a test. That is a wider measure, and therefore it captures more cases.

The latest NRS report covers the period to Sunday 19 July. At that point, according to our daily figures, 2,491 deaths of people who had tested positive had been registered.

However, today’s report shows that, by Sunday, the total number of registered deaths with either a confirmed or a presumed link to the virus was 4,193. Of those, six were registered in the seven days up to Sunday. That is a decrease of seven from the week before.

Three of those six deaths were in care homes, which is a reduction of four from last week.

The total number of deaths recorded last week – from all causes – was 32 higher than the five year average for the same time of year.

We will of course see if there are any causes for concern there, but it is worth remembering that the total number of deaths is always likely to fluctuate a bit. Last week’s figures follow on from a three week period, when the total number of deaths was below the five year average by 18, 35 and 49 respectively.

Last week was the twelfth week in a row in which the number of deaths from the virus has fallen. In addition, the total weekly number of Covid deaths now is the lowest we have seen since we started to record them in this way.

Today’s report shows once again that Covid has been driven to very low levels in Scotland.

However the figures also remind us that more than 4,000 people have lost their lives to this virus.  

We must always remember that each of those deaths, was of a unique and irreplaceable individual. I want to send my condolences to everyone who is grieving the loss of a loved one.

I also want, as I always do, to send my gratitude our health and care workers for the extraordinary job they continue to do.

I want to talk about two issues this afternoon. In a few minutes, I will go over some of the changes to lockdown rules which we have previously announced come into effect today.

However before I do that, I will give a brief update on the latest information we have about the Covid outbreak in Lanarkshire, based around the Sitel call centre.

Since Sunday an intensive contact tracing operation has been underway.

All staff at Sitel have been told to isolate at home for 14 days, and in addition all staff have been asked to come forward for testing.  As of this morning, around 390 test results, out of around 400 tested overall, have been returned.

As of now, 15 positive cases have been identified of people who work at the site, and a further five additional positive cases have been identified through the tracing of family members and close contacts.

Contact tracing has also confirmed that a number of Sitel staff who have tested positive also had links to other locations, prior to becoming aware of the outbreak.

Environmental Health officers have checked on those locations. They are satisfied that precautions such as protective equipment and cleaning were in place, and that the risk of transmission is therefore low.  Close contacts from these locations have also been advised to isolate.

I want to take the opportunity today to thank the five locations – which are Owen’s Bar in Coatbridge; The Railway Tavern and Merlin’s Bar in Motherwell; Costa Coffee in Carfin; and END clothing in Glasgow – for their co-operation.

I would also ask people who might have attended those locations in the last week or so to be extra vigilant, to follow all guidance and to isolate and book a test if you do experience any symptoms. I am saying this not because I think there is a real concern in transmission there but simply as an added precaution

This outbreak should be a very clear reminder to people that Coronavirus has not gone away. It does not take much for very small numbers of cases to become much bigger numbers – and while Test & Protect and our local public health teams are working incredibly hard to contain any outbreaks, it is not just their job. I think that’s an important point for all of us to remember, each and every one of us has a job to do to keep the virus at bay.

The second point I want to cover is to confirm that – in line with the timetable set out in our routemap – more services are reopening today.

From today, universities and colleges can institute a phased return to on-campus learning.

Further personal retail services – such as beauticians and tailors – can re-open, with enhanced hygiene measures in place.

Motorcycle instruction, tractor driving instruction and car theory tests can also resume from today.

And finally drive-in live events – such as comedy and theatre shows, concerts and bingo evenings – can also take place from today

Today’s steps represent a further cautious re-opening of sectors, and cautious resumption of services. As always, there are some risks attached to them, but we believe that with the appropriate mitigations in place, these risks can be managed. 

As many of you will know, the regulations currently require us to review the lockdown restrictions every three weeks. The next review is due next Thursday, a week tomorrow, so I now is the right time to inject a note of caution.

Phase 2 of our emergence from lockdown took exactly three weeks. But as I indicated two weeks ago this current phase, phase 3, is likely to last considerably longer.

The changes we have made over the last two weeks have been really significant, including the opening of our tourism sector and indoor hospitality, so we have to carefully monitor the impact of that and the number of new coronavirus cases we are seeing each day.  

Examples like the outbreak in North Lanarkshire show what can happen when people are mixing indoors and when guidance is perhaps not rigorously followed.

At a time when the virus is picking up again in a number of European countries, we need to be confident that it is safe to change restrictions further.

Our main focus right now, I think it is a priority, is on keeping the virus at a low enough level to enable schools to fully and safely re-open from the 11th of August.

That would be a further significant change. In addition, we have said already that if possible, we would like to remove the requirement for shielding from 31 July. I will say more about changes for shielding people tomorrow.

These two aims – allowing people who have been shielding to live more normally, and enabling children to go back to school full time – are really important priorities. And to be frank they are only achievable, if levels of Covid in the community remain very low.

Now obviously, we will continue to review the data for new cases and hospital admissions, among other things and our final decisions will be made next week.  If there are steps we can take, then we will – we cannot leave restrictions in place for longer than is judged to be necessary.

However I want to flag up now that it is possible that we may not be able to make any changes next week beyond confirming the return of schooling and a pause in shielding.

So for those businesses who are still waiting for a date to restart, I thank you for your ongoing patience. I fully understand how difficult any further delay is for you, but I also hope you will understand why we need to prioritise re-opening schools.

I also want to underline that we are making changes at a pace and at a level that we think is right and safe for our current circumstances here in Scotland.

Announcements made for other parts of the UK do not automatically apply here. 

For example I want to underline that the UK government’s encouragement to those who can work from home in England to nevertheless return to workplaces, does not yet apply in Scotland.

Working from home, where that is feasible, remains the default and preferred position and we expect employers to continue to support people to do that.  We will be publishing new guidance on home working shortly.

The cluster of cases I have just talked about – around a call centre in Lanarkshire – is a salutary reminder that transmission of this virus can occur in workplaces and spread relatively easily.

Our position remains that non-essential offices and call centres should remain closed, until we judge it is safe to make this significant change for Scotland.

These notes of caution link to the point I want to end on.

It continues to be the case that the only way in which we can take further steps out of lockdown safely, is if we continue to suppress the virus. And achieving that – now, more than ever – comes down to the individual decisions that each and every one of us is making.

I know how difficult it is to maintain two metre distancing when you are meeting people you haven’t seen for three or four months – especially with family members and close friends, the human instinct to hug and be physically close is a very strong one.

But staying that bit further apart can make all the difference – it makes you less likely to get the virus, and makes you less likely to transmit the virus.

The choices we all make as individuals – on physical distancing, on wearing face coverings, on washing our hands – these will decide how quickly all of us can make further progress out of lockdown together.

And so I want to close once again by emphasising Facts – the five key things all of us should remember in everything we do.

  • Face coverings should be worn in enclosed spaces such as shops and public transport.
  • Avoid crowded places.
  • Clean your hands and hard surfaces regularly.
  • Two metre distancing remains the rule – it is the one measure we all need to remind ourselves to constantly comply with
  • and self-isolate, and book a test, if you have symptoms. Go to https://www.nhsinform.scot and book a test immediately

If we all stick to this we have a real chance of getting the virus back under control and accelerating progress back to something much more normal than life has felt in the past few months. My thanks again to everybody who is co-operating and playing their part.

PM Boris Johnson: Union stronger than ever

Marking one year as Prime Minister, Boris Johnson will today visit Scotland to reaffirm his commitment to supporting all parts of the UK through the pandemic …

  • Marking one year as Prime Minister, Boris Johnson will today visit Scotland to reaffirm his commitment to supporting all parts of the UK through the pandemic
  • During the visit, the PM will meet local businesses to discuss how they are getting back on their feet; entrepreneurs to see how green technology is driving innovation across Scotland and military to thank them for their efforts in the coronavirus response
  • Ahead of the visit, the Prime Minister pledged £50 million to Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has reaffirmed his unwavering commitment to the union, marking one year as Prime Minister with a visit to Scotland and pledging further support for Scottish communities.

Ahead of the visit, the Prime Minister reiterated how the coronavirus pandemic has demonstrated, more than ever, that each part of the UK benefits from being together and the strength of the union has helped us through this crisis.

In Scotland, the UK Treasury has protected over 900,000 jobs and granted thousands of businesses loans; the UK’s armed forces has airlifted critically ill patients from some of the most remote communities, helped convert the temporary hospitals and ran mobile testing sites; and the Department of Health and Social Care has procured millions of pieces of PPE to keep Scottish frontline workers safe.

This is on top of £4.6 billion ‘we have given straight to the Scottish administration to help tackle coronavirus’.

The Prime Minister has also announced further support to Scottish communities, committing £50 million to Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles, to help develop the islands’ economic potential. The announcement means that every part of Scotland is now covered by the innovative growth deals and takes the UK Government’s investment in these to more than £1.5 billion.

The multi-million-pound pot for the islands will lead to investment in local projects, driving sustainable economic growth and creating jobs. Projects set to be supported by the Islands Growth deal could include those developing space technology and others researching new renewable energy systems.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “When I stood on the steps of Downing Street one year ago, I pledged to be a Prime Minister for every corner of the United Kingdom. Whether you are from East Kilbride or Dumfries, Motherwell or Paisley, I promised to level up across Britain and close the opportunity gap.

“The last six months have shown exactly why the historic and heartfelt bond that ties the four nations of our country together is so important and the sheer might of our union has been proven once again.

“In Scotland, the UK’s magnificent armed forces have been on the ground doing vital work to support the NHS, from setting up and running mobile testing sites to airlifting critically ill patients to hospitals from some of Scotland’s most remote communities. And the UK Treasury stepped in to save the jobs of a third of Scotland’s entire workforce and kept the wolves at bay for tens of thousands of Scottish businesses.

“More than ever, this shows what we can achieve when we stand together, as one United Kingdom.”

During the PM’s visit, he will meet with members of the military and their families based in Scotland to thank them for their ongoing work in the coronavirus response.

Following the Islands Deal announcement, Scottish Secretary Alister Jack said: “The City Region and Growth Deals will be crucial to our economic recovery from coronavirus.

“Today’s announcement means that every corner of Scotland will benefit from these and takes the UK Government’s investment in growth deals across Scotland to more than £1.5 billion.

“These deals are just part of the unprecedented support that the UK Government is providing to people and businesses in Scotland during this time. We have supported 900,000 jobs in Scotland with our furlough and self-employed schemes, including 11,600 across the islands.

“We look forward to working with our partners across the islands and the devolved administration in Scotland to develop innovative and effective proposals.”

The Prime Minister will not be meeting Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon during today’s flying visit.

Ms Sturgeon commented on Twitter: ‘I welcome the PM to Scotland today. One of the key arguments for independence is the ability of Scotland to take our own decisions, rather than having our future decided by politicians we didn’t vote for, taking us down a path we haven’t chosen. His presence highlights that.’

The Scottish Government is also investing £50 million in the Islands Deal.

Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity, Michael Matheson, said: “The Islands Growth Deal is the final regional growth deal to be announced and marks our commitment to invest across all of Scotland, which is something we have pushed for.

“This money will work to improve the quality of life for island communities, alongside the Scottish Government National Islands Plan we introduced to the Scottish Parliament at the end of 2019.

“This significant investment will support islanders’ ambitions to create world-class visitor destinations, lead the way to a low carbon future, support growth and future industries and help the communities thrive by attracting and retaining young talent, driving inclusive and sustainable economic growth and delivering long lasting benefits for people living across the three island authority areas.

“It is important that all deals take account of the unprecedented economic challenges created by coronavirus (COVID-19) and we are working with partners, to understand how best to move forward and respond to current circumstances.

“More than £1.8 billion has been committed by the Scottish Government to City Region and Growth Deals and related investments across Scotland, in addition to ongoing capital investment in Scotland’s islands across a range of policy areas.”

First Minister: “The virus is still out there”

Statement given by the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at the media briefing in St Andrew’s House yesterday (Tuesday 21  July):

Good afternoon, and welcome to today’s briefing. I want to start with the usual update on the most recent Covid-19 statistics for Scotland.

An additional 22 positive cases were confirmed yesterday – that takes the total now in Scotland to 18,474.

These cases are all being looked into carefully, as you would expect, and steps taken to trace contacts and break chains of transmission.

A health board breakdown will be available later as normal. However, the provisional information I have at this stage is that the majority of these cases are in Lanarkshire, and at least some of them are likely to be connected to the outbreak at the Sitel call centre that has being doing work for NHS England.

I will chair a Scottish Government resilience meeting later this afternoon to consider the latest situation and any further steps that may be required and of course we will keep you updated within the course of today and again at the briefing tomorrow.

I can also report that a total of 618 patients are currently in hospital with the virus – either confirmed or suspected. That is 51 more than yesterday, and it includes an increase of 4 in the number of confirmed cases.

A total of 4 people last night were in intensive care with confirmed COVID, which is an increase of 1 since yesterday. There were also 16 people in ICU with suspected Covid-19. That is 9 more than yesterday.

It is maybe worth saying that although we currently report both suspected and confirmed Covid patients, or in ICU, that has – as some of you have noticed – caused significant fluctuations in the daily figures.

That is partly because most patients in hospital who are over the age of 70, are tested for Covid every four days or so.

These patients are often counted as “suspected Covid cases” until their results come back, even if there is no reason to believe that they have the virus. From tomorrow, therefore, we intend to report only on confirmed Covid cases in intensive care and in hospital, which I think gives a more accurate picture of the situation.

This is part of a wider review of how we report information which I will say more about later this week.

As we go into the next stage of dealing with this pandemic, it is important that the information we have been providing gives you – the public – the most reliable and comprehensive picture of how the virus is behaving.

Finally, I am glad to say that during the last 24 hours, no deaths were registered of patients confirmed through a test as having Covid-19.  The total number of deaths, under this particular measure, therefore remains 2,491.

This is, of course, very welcome news – but the overall figure for deaths is a reminder of how many families have been deeply affected by this virus. My thoughts are with everyone who is grieving a loved one.

In addition, as I always do, I want to thank our health and care workers. The entire country is grateful to you for the work that you have done and continue to do.

The Deputy First Minister will speak in a few minutes about the reopening of schools.

The Chief Medical Officer will then talk about yesterday’s news in relation to vaccine trials, and will confirm that Covid testing is now available for children with Covid symptoms who are under the age of 5.

This is a step which should prevent families from having to self-isolate unnecessarily if young children develop symptoms – something which will be increasingly important as childcare resumes.

Before their remarks, I want to talk about two different points. First, I want to say a bit more about the figures for new cases that we have seen in recent days.

Since the last media briefing on Thursday there has – rightly – been quite a lot of attention paid to the fact that we reported more than 20 new cases on both Saturday and Sunday, and of course I have just reported an additional 22 positive cases were confirmed yesterday, and I have already mentioned the cluster of cases identified in the call centre in Lanarkshire

Those figures are, of course, a sharp reminder of something I think you have heard me saying on almost a daily basis – that the virus is still circulating in Scotland, and it is also a reminder that if we allow it to, it will spread rapidly in workplaces or social settings, if we give it the chance to do so.

That said, a great deal of work is being done – not least through test and protect – to understand all of these cases and follow up contacts.

All necessary steps are being taken to break the chain of transmission.

In total, more than 25,000 tests were processed across the two days at the weekend when we reported more than 20 cases. And even though the number of cases then was larger than usual, they are still at a relatively low level and so new cases can be assessed in a lot of detail.

Health Protection Scotland can tell us if new cases are clustered, and if any particular patterns are being identified.

Where care homes are involved, we can take necessary precautions. And of course Test and Protect staff are tracing and testing contacts for all cases that are identified.

Any rise in new cases is unwelcome – but as we have always said, the virus is still out there so, as lockdown eases, cases are likely.

The job of our public health teams and test and protect, supported by Government, is to step in and break the chains of transmission wherever possible.

I want to express my gratitude and appreciation to the public health teams and test and protect staff across the country.

But the point I also want to make, is we all have a part to play in keeping this virus under control.

So things such as physical distancing and washing hands and surfaces, face coverings – and indeed all of the elements of our FACTS campaign –  continue to be crucial.

As life starts to feel a bit more normal than it has done for months, there is a danger that we are all capable of succumbing to it, or dropping our guard.

We should all stop right now and think about whether that might be true in our own behaviours, and if it is, resolve to tighten up again

Remembering all of the basic measures – summarised through our FACTS campaign – becomes more and more important as we see more people, and have more indoor meetings.

So at all times, as you go out and about, please make sure that you avoid creating a bridge which allows the virus to cross from one household to another. By doing that, all of us can continue to protect each other, and to stop the spread of the virus.

The second point I want to cover today relates to wellbeing. At last Thursday’s briefing, I mentioned the work we are doing to support the mental health of people who have had Covid, and who have been in intensive care.

We are also making sure we provide support for our health and social care staff. Many of them have faced the most testing and stressful conditions of their working lives over the last few months. They have responded magnificently to incredibly challenging circumstances.

There is already a national wellbeing hub, which provides online help and support for NHS and care staff. It can be found at www.promis.scot. 

Today we are also launching a dedicated phone line. I will read out the number for the line in a few moments.

It allows health and care workers to talk to a team of Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners – who will provide a sympathetic ear for callers, while also providing advice, and referring people on to local services if needed.

The line is open from today, for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It is available to all health and social care workers. So if you are stressed or anxious – and it would not be a surprise if that were true – and need support, you can call 0800 111 4191. That is 0800 111 4191.

The line will be open for at least a year, and I would encourage any health and care workers to use it if you need help, or just want a sympathetic ear. It is an important additional way in which we are trying to make support available to you, given everything you are doing to protect and care for us.

I will hand on to the Deputy First Minister in a moment, but I want to end – as I usually do – by reminding you again of FACTS.

Those are the five key health measures that we need everyone to abide by, and all of us should remember in everything we do, if we are to keep this virus under control.

They are even more important now – as we go to more shops, restaurants and pubs, and as we meet each other indoors – than they have been over the last four months.

So please remember that:

  • Face coverings should be worn in enclosed spaces such as shops and public transport
  • Avoid crowded places
  • Clean your hands and hard surfaces regularly
  • Two metre distancing remains the rule, and
  • Self isolate and book a test if you have symptoms of Covid

Don’t wait to see if you feel better if you have a new cough or fever, or have a change in your sense of taste or smell. Book a test.

If we all remember those 5 basic measures to give ourselves the best possible chance to keep the virus under control, all of us can minimise the opportunities for Covid to spread.

And we can stay safe, protect the NHS, and save lives.

This is a moment I think for all of us across the country to take stock to ask ourselves if our behavior perhaps has been eased a little bit too much in recent days, and to resolve to follow all of the advice

So thank you, once again, to everyone who is doing the right thing, and sticking with these rules. By doing that, we can continue to suppress the virus, and we can continue to move out of lockdown together

More mental health support for health and social care staff

NEW HELPLINE PROVIDES ROUND THE CLOCK SERVICE –

All health and social care workers in Scotland will now have access to mental health support 24 hours a day, seven days a week through a new national helpline.

The Scottish Government is funding the wellbeing helpline for those who need further psychological support, including in light of the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis. This follows the success of the National Wellbeing Hub for staff launched in May.

Trained practitioners at NHS 24 will offer callers a compassionate and empathic listening service based on the principles of psychological first aid, as well as advice, signposting and onward referral to local services if required.

Minister for Mental Health Clare Haughey said: “I am deeply grateful for the hard work, commitment and professionalism of those working in health and social care services at this time of unprecedented challenge.

“The National Wellbeing Hub has had over 30,000 online visits since its launch in May and the new helpline will complement that service. Whatever your role and wherever you work, I would encourage you to make use of the many resources on the Hub, including advice on managing stress and anxiety, fatigue, sleep, relaxation and exercise.

“For those who need one-on-one support, the new mental wellbeing support line will be available around the clock to help staff access appropriate additional support.

“We are continuing to monitor the impact of the pandemic on our valued workforce and will do our best to ensure that appropriate support services are put in place to help them.”

Stephanie Phillips, Director of Service Delivery at NHS 24, said: “NHS 24 are delighted to support our partners by offering this helpline to complement existing services.

“Our Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners will respond with compassion and empathy to offer support whenever it’s needed. Health and social care staff look after us – this is one way in which we are looking after them.

“We know that for everyone calling us, being listened to, and knowing that someone cares, is really important in difficult times. This is just as important to our health and social care colleagues as to those they care for.”

The health and social care workforce mental wellbeing support line (0800 111 4191) will be operated by NHS 24 on a 24/7 basis.

Planning for re-opening schools safely

Advice on physical distancing and school transport published

Scientific advice for the safe re-opening of schools and resumption of school transport has been published.

The advice will inform the development of comprehensive guidance on how to ensure the safe re-opening of schools for learners, teachers and families. This includes a package of measures on hygiene and contact management that must be in place to reduce the transmission of the virus and which will form part of the future guidance.

The advice also indicates that no physical distancing is required between children and young people in primary and secondary schools.

On school transport, the advice says dedicated services should be regarded as an extension of the school estate, with physical distancing measures between pupils therefore unnecessary for as long as infection rates in Scotland remain low.

For pupils using public transport, the advice recommends that guidance from the Scottish Government and Transport Scotland should continue to apply.

The advice has been published by the COVID-19 Advisory Sub-Group on Education and Children’s Issues.

Education Secretary John Swinney said: “This scientific advice will inform the way schools can re-open safely from 11 August, if infection rates continue to remain low.

“The Education Recovery Group which comprises local authorities, parent representatives and teachers’ organisations and trades unions, has been developing plans for how to open schools safely for everyone.

“We are considering this advice as we develop comprehensive guidance which will give confidence to our school communities that the safety and wellbeing of children, young people and staff is ensured as we welcome them back.

“Ensuring the highest quality education for our young people, in a safe environment, must be a priority for us all and I know that everyone is committed to make sure that children’s education is not adversely affected in the longer term.”

Read the advice.

Subject to the continued suppression of the virus, and to surveillance and mitigations being in place, schools will re-open from 11 August.

£100 million boost for employment support

Focussing on support for youth jobs

People looking for work or those at risk of redundancy will benefit from additional assistance to move into work or retrain.

The package of support, outlined by Economy Secretary Fiona Hyslop yesterday, is backed by £100 million for 2020/21, with at least £50 million of that funding set aside to help young people get into work.

The measures include a job guarantee for young people, a new national retraining scheme, and more funding to provide immediate assistance and advice if people are made redundant.

In addition, Fair Start Scotland, our employment support service, has been extended by a further two years to March 2023.

Ms Hyslop said: “We are potentially facing unemployment on a scale not seen for decades as a result of coronavirus (COVID-19). Today’s announcements show that we are ready to rise to this challenge with investment to help ensure that people who have lost jobs, those at risk of unemployment and young people entering the labour market can benefit from more and better job opportunities.

“This crisis is having a significant impact on our young people and we need to act quickly to protect their future. I have asked Sandy Begbie, who led the Developing the Young Workforce Group that played a pivotal role in the delivery of the Edinburgh Guarantee to young people, to develop an implementation plan for a job guarantee for young people, as recommended by the Advisory Group on Economic Recovery, and we will set out more detail on that plan in early August.  

“The extension to Fair Start Scotland will also provide stability and continuity to the most vulnerable and those furthest from the labour market, including people with disabilities, health conditions and those who are long-term unemployed, to help them progress into work.”

The £100 million is in addition to the £33 million already committed for employability support for 2020/21.

First Minister: “We are making so much good progress”

Statement given by the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at the media briefing in St Andrew’s House yesterday (Thursday 16  July):

Good afternoon, and thank you for joining us again today. I’m joined today by the Deputy First Minister and by the Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Dr Nicola Steedman.

I’ll start with the usual update on the Covid-19 statistics.

An additional 11 positive cases were confirmed yesterday – which takes the total now in Scotland to 18,384. 

A total of 630 patients are currently in hospital with the virus – either confirmed or suspected. That is 19 more than yesterday but it includes a reduction of 9 in the number of confirmed cases.

A total of 6 people last night were in intensive care with confirmed or suspected Covid-19. That is the same number overall as yesterday but an increase of 1 in the number of confirmed cases.

Since 5 March, a total of 4,138 patients who had tested positive for Covid-19 have been able to leave hospital.

During the last 24 hours, 1 death was registered of a patient confirmed through a test as having Covid-19.  The total number of deaths, under this particular measure, is now 2,491.

Now even one death is of course one too many, but for us to have had just one registered death of a confirmed case in eight days is a sign of the progress we have made.

That said, the total number of deaths is a painful reminder of the heavy toll that this virus has taken, so once again my thoughts are with everyone who has lost a loved one.

We will also today publish updated information about the prevalence of the virus in Scotland.

Our modelling suggests that the R number – the average number of people infected by one other infectious person – remains below 1. And the number of people in Scotland with the virus continues to fall. Our central estimate for last week is that 700 people in Scotland were infectious.

Again, these figures are a sign of the considerable progress that has been made. And so as I always do I want to thank everybody who has contributed to that, including every single member of the public across the country, but in particular our health and care workers for the remarkable job that you do in very difficult circumstances.

There are three issues that I want to cover today.

The first is childcare- an issue which is hugely important for families across the country, and which is also hugely important for the economy – today’s job figures published this morning highlight again the economic impact of the pandemic, and the importance of government and everybody working hard to counter that in the weeks and months ahead.

As you know, childcare services were able to reopen fully yesterday, and so John Swinney will talk a bit more about the childcare which is available now, and which will be available in the months ahead.

Before that, however, I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who works in childcare for all of your efforts to enable children to return safely. It is hugely appreciated by all of us.

I also want to thank parents and carers. I can only imagine how much disruption the closure of childcare settings has caused for you over these past few months. But I want to thank you for understanding why it has been necessary, and for managing throughout this period – sometimes, I know, in very difficult circumstances indeed.

And finally – in the unlikely event that any of you are watching to this briefing! – I want to say again thank you to all of the children across the country who have been affected by the closure of childcare facilities and of schools.

I hope that in the last few days you’ve been able to play with your friends a bit more; and I hope that you are looking forward to going back to nursery or, in a few weeks’ time, going back to school.

But I know how difficult it has been for you to stay indoors for much of the time over the past few months, and I know that not being able to see your friends hasn’t been much fun at all, but you have all been brilliant, and I want you to know that everyone is really proud of you.

The second issue I want to cover is shielding.

The statistics now show that the prevalence of the virus in Scotland is low, and is, at this stage, getting lower. That means that we can update our advice to people who are shielding, in line with the routemap that we set out for you last week.

From tomorrow (Friday), therefore, we advise that you can if you wish stay in any holiday accommodation, including hotels and bed and breakfasts. You can also visit outdoor markets and public gardens.

And in a change that I hope will be particularly welcome, non-cohabiting couples can meet without physical distancing, even if one or both of you is shielding, and even if neither of you lives on your own. 

We hope to be able to pause the need for shielding altogether at the end of this month – although even if we do that we will still encourage those in the shielding group to take extra care in things such as physical distancing and hygiene.

I know that the prospect of returning to something more like your normal lives will be welcome for many of you, if not all of you, but I appreciate that it is also likely to be quite daunting.

The Scottish Government will provide more information for you nearer the time, and we will do everything we can to support you in this transition.

In addition the Economy Secretary has asked the UK Government to ensure ongoing financial support for anyone who has been shielding, and who may not be able to go back to work, or to work from home.

In addition, I think that those of us who aren’t shielding should also think about how we can help all of you during this transition.

Wearing masks in shops and on public transport, making sure we all keep 2 metres away from others wherever possible, that’s the best way we can all help to give shielding people the confidence to go out and about safely.

And if you’re an employer, please be sensitive to the concerns of any employees who may be shielding.

If it turns out that we are able to confirm next week that shielding will be paused from 31 July, please reach out to people who might be going back to work; have honest conversations about how you can support them; and try to think creatively about how you can make your workplace safer for them.

As I’ve said before, the relaxation of shielding measures is good news, but it will be prompting some understandable stress and anxiety. All of us can take sometimes small steps, that might make a big difference for people who are shielding.

The final issue I want to cover relates to mental health. Most of the focus on Covid so far – for very obvious reasons – has been on its physical impact.

However, we are also increasingly thinking about the mental health of people who have had Covid.

There are now, for example, more than 500 people who have been discharged from intensive care or high dependency units in Scotland.

Being in intensive care is obviously a traumatic experience – and many Covid patients have had to go through that, without any prospect of being visited by friends and family at any time while they have been in hospital.

So although we know that most people will make a full recovery, with the help of their loved ones – some people we know will need additional support.  

Scotland already has a very effective programme, which is used by several health boards, for helping patients who have been in intensive care.

The Inspire programme uses specialists from different disciplines; it puts former intensive care patients in touch with other people who have had the same experiences; and it encourages them to join community organisations or other groups which can help them through.

And so we plan to learn from that in supporting Covid patients.

I am delighted to confirm today that Dr Nadine Cossette – a psychiatrist with NHS Lothian – has agreed to lead on this work. It is an important way of ensuring that people who have had Covid get the long-term help that they need to recover.

Before I hand over to John Swinney and then to Dr Steedman, I want to stress again today that as the figures demonstrate, we have now got to a position – it’s been hard earned, and it has not been easy – but we’ve now got to a position where, at this stage, there are very low levels of the virus in Scotland.

However, as you hear me say every single day, the only way to ensure that things remain that way, is to continue to stick to the rules. 

Every single one of us have a duty – and I think it is a duty that all of us have as citizens – to remember that the decisions we take as individuals right now have an impact on the collective wellbeing of us all. That is more important now as we emerge from lockdown than it has been at any point over the last four months.

So I want once again to remind you all of Facts – the five key, vitally important things all of us should remember in absolutely everything we do.

  • Face coverings should be worn in enclosed spaces. They are mandatory in shops and on public transport, but our advice is in any enclosed space where physical distancing might be more difficult, wear a face covering.
  • Avoid crowded places. Not just crowded places indoors – that is especially important – but even outdoors, avoid crowded places.
  • Clean your hands regularly and thoroughly and if you’re touching hard surfaces clean them too.
  • Two metre distancing remains the general rule and the strong advice we give to everyone.
  • and Self isolate, and book a test, if you have symptoms. Remember, if you have a new cough, if you have a fever, if you suffer a loss of or a change in your sense of taste or smell, don’t wait to see if you feel better. Act immediately. Self-isolate and go to the NHS inform website, and book a test. It is by doing that, that you give our test and protect system the opportunity to break the chains of transmission.

So if all of us remember these 5 basic measures, all of us can help to stay safe, protect others, and save lives.

https://youtu.be/Q4t7EjeBHdg

So my thanks, again, to everyone who is doing the right thing, and sticking with these rules. If we all keep doing it then we will continue to make the progress that we’ve seen in recent weeks.

Before I leave today there is one other issue that I want to update you on, which relates to a temporary change to the regularity of these daily briefings.

For the next two weeks we are going to be moving to three briefings a week, on Tuesdays, Wednesday and Thursdays. That means there will be no tomorrow or on Monday – I will next see you here on Tuesday.

The reason for that is, when you watch these briefings you see those of us who stand at the podiums, but these briefings involve a lot of work on the part of people behind the camera. This allows us to give people a bit of a break over the next two weekends in the summer period.

We will return to five-day-a-week briefings at the start of August as we go into that period running up to the return of schools, when I am sure there will be a lot of questions, not just from the journalists but parents and young people will want to hear regular updates about our progress.

So we do intend to return to the five-day-a-week briefing, but we intend to give people a little bit of a break over the next two weekends, before we go into next, I’m sure, very busy period.

One other change is that of Tuesday next week when I return for the next briefing, we will be at the slightly earlier time of 12.15 every day and that is likely to be a permanent change. So try to remember, if you are planning on tuning in, to tune in 15 minutes early to get the update that we will give you.

Obviously for Mondays and Fridays over the next two weeks we will put out the daily update through the Scottish Government website.

My thanks to all of you for joining us today and as always for complying with the guidance that we ask you to comply with, and that’s the note that I will leave you on.

We are making so much good progress here and we must make sure it continues, so please remember Facts: Face coverings, avoid crowded places, clean your hands, clean hard surfaces, two metres distance, and self-isolate and get a test if you have symptoms.

I can’t stress this enough: if we all stick to these five basic measures, it is possible for us to keep this virus under control, and get that greater normality back into our lives, with perhaps the greatest prize of all – to have children and young people back in full-time education come the middle of August.

So thank you again very much, and I will see you again on Tuesday at 12.15pm.

Next steps in tackling the pandemic

Updated guidance on managing the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has been published.

As restrictions ease, the way Scotland deals with COVID-19 is now shifting from containing the virus nationally through lockdown to monitoring and responding to localised outbreaks wherever and whenever they occur.

COVID-19: Surveillance and Response sets out how existing planning arrangements and guidance will be applied to continue to suppress the virus at a national and local level including the timely and co-ordinated sharing of data between key organisations including local health professionals, local authorities and other local responders.

The publication is accompanied by updated Public Health Scotland guidance on the management of public health incidents to reflect the new COVID-19 legislation.

NHS Scotland’s Test and Protect programme will continue to play a significant role in the ability to monitor the ongoing impact of COVID-19 within communities across Scotland.

Deputy First Minister John Swinney said: “As we move into the next phase on easing lockdown restrictions we know that our response to the pandemic also needs to adapt. Monitoring the virus and taking action to suppress transmission is increasingly important.

“Scotland has a world class public health system and our surveillance and response approach, along with NHS Scotland’s Test and Protect programme and local resilience services, will enable us to respond rapidly and collaboratively to any incident or outbreak at a local, regional and a national level.

“Of course, we all need to continue to play our part to reduce the risk of the virus spreading through physical distancing, good hand and respiratory hygiene and the appropriate use of face coverings.

“Though the transmission of the virus in the community is now at much lower levels, we must still ensure that where clusters of cases develop, we find them and act quickly to prevent further spread.

“The rapid and targeted response to the cluster in Dumfries and Galloway by services at both a local and national level demonstrated that Scotland has a well developed and tested approach to the management of public health outbreaks.

“We must all remain vigilant and our surveillance and response approach will ensure that we are ready to react to what lies ahead.”

COVID-19: Surveillance and Response

Capital to light up for Care Home Day 2020

St Andrews House and Victoria Quay in Edinburgh will be lit up in yellow at 6pm tonight to mark Care Home Day.

Care Home Day is an online campaign which aims to raise the profile of care homes across Scotland.

The day is organised by Scottish Care and supported by the Care Inspectorate and the Scottish Government. Together, they are calling for individuals, care providers and partner organisations to join them on social media to share good news stories from their local care homes using the hashtag #carehomeday20.

The day is an opportunity to recognise the crucial role of care homes in our communities and to give thanks to all the care home staff.

The prevalence of COVID-19 makes it especially important to provide recognition to the care home workforce on Care Home Day this year.

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman has sent a message of thanks to all care hom staff:

This pandemic has highlighted how compassionate and dedicated this workforce is. Coronavirus has significantly impacted care homes, threatening the lives of the staff and residents of care homes across the country. Despite this, staff in care homes have come together to combat this virus, protecting, supporting and caring for our vulnerable residents.

Therefore, Scottish Care wholly welcomes the decision to light up these buildings for Care Home Day. This initiative is also supported by the Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership. This is a positive token of appreciation and shows support for the care home sector during these unprecedented times.

The buildings will be lit up in the colour yellow, which was chosen to symbolise the flame of a candle. This relates to another initiative by Scottish Care – ‘Candle for Care’, whereby candles are lit every Tuesday at 7pm to express gratitude to all those who provide care and support during the COVID-19 crisis and in memory of all those who have died from COVID-19.