Tag: Scottish Government

Caring Communities campaign: Helping Out Safely

People helping those in their communities affected by coronavirus (COVID-19) are being encouraged to carry on while following advice to keep themselves and others safe.

The Scottish Government’s Caring Communities campaign will celebrate the help people are already giving each other, and encourage safe and effective help like keeping in touch, shopping, picking up prescriptions and running errands for those who are unable to.

Communities Secretary Aileen Campbell said: “Together we can help each other through the challenges ahead and our Caring Communities campaign will recognise the efforts of people from across Scotland who are supporting and helping others.

“It’s been inspiring to hear how people have responded to this pandemic by offering help to those around them. Whether that’s been formally volunteering or informally helping out neighbours and friends, we all have a part to play in supporting those around us, however we want to make sure that is done in a safe and effective way.

“There are lots of ways to help whilst minimising or avoiding face-to-face contact, including shopping, picking up prescriptions and medicines, general errands or a daily phone call to stay in touch.

“People can also offer help without the need for direct contact such as using social media to arrange activities and putting people in touch with other services or charities if there is need for further support.

“In rural areas, islands and other remote areas, your nearest neighbour may be some distance away and so you could consider whether help is needed around their home or farm, and make sure people have sufficient food, fuel and access to heating.

“The Scottish Government will continue working with communities across the country to help build cohesion and mutual support during this pandemic.”

National Clinical Director for the Scottish Government Jason Leitch said: “Many people need help and support and some will feel particularly isolated and lonely. If you are able to help alleviate that in your street, neighbourhood, or community, then we are asking you to do so.

“At times of crisis, we need each other more, yet we need to stay physically apart. We can still communicate and offer comfort. Phone or skype loved ones. Text neighbours or drop a note through their door to see if they need help. Maybe even write a letter to your grandparents. We are all in this together.”

Jeane Freeman: ‘Help is there if you need it’

Statement given by the Health Secretary Jeane Freeman at a media briefing in St Andrew’s House, Edinburgh yesterday (Sunday 3 May):

Good afternoon and thank you again for joining us for today’s briefing.

I want to start – as I always do – by updating you on some of the key statistics in relation to Covid-19 in Scotland.

As at 9 o’clock this morning, there have been 12,097 positive cases confirmed – an increase of 170 from yesterday.

A total of 1,666 patients are in hospital with Covid-19 and that is a decrease of 8 from yesterday.

And a total of 99 people last night were in intensive care with confirmed or suspected Covid 19. A decrease of 9 since the numbers reported yesterday.

It’s worth noting that this is first time that number has been below 100, since 29 March.  That is obviously very encouraging news.  It does show that the restrictions are working – but it also underlines why we need to stick with them.

So I want to thank all of you for the sacrifices you have made – and I know will continue to make. I know it is not easy, but I hope you are beginning to see as we do that those sacrifices are beginning to show results. And I of course want to thank everyone working in our intensive care units.   Your efforts are having a hugely positive impact.

I can also confirm today that since 5 March, a total of 2,765 patients who had tested positive for the virus have been able to leave hospital. I wish all of them well.

However I also have to report that in the last 24 hours, 12 deaths have been registered of patients who have been confirmed through a test as having Covid-19 – that takes the total number of deaths in Scotland, under that measurement, to 1,571.

As I have said previously at these Sunday briefings, these figures should be treated with some caution. Although deaths can be registered at weekends, registration numbers are usually relatively low. And that should be taken into account when looking at today’s figures.

But as always I am aware that these are not just numbers. Each one was a person who’s death is a source of grief to many. Each one, is a life lost.

So, I want to send my deepest condolences to everyone who has lost a loved one, to this virus.

As Health Secretary, I also want to thank, as I do every day all those working in our health and care sector.  I’ve already mentioned ICU workers.    But our thanks is due to all staff –  the doctors and the nurses, the paramedics, care home staff, porters, cooks, healthcare assistants, cleaners and many, many more.

Your efforts are essential to the health of our country. And all of us owe you a huge debt of gratitude.

I want to update you today on two areas. The first is mental health.

And I am pleased to be joined by Dr John Mitchell, who is a Consultant Psychiatrist and our interim Principal Medical Officer. And as you will see I am also joined by Professor Jason Leitch, our National Clinical Director.

The Scottish Government is already taking significant action to support people’s mental health, during this period.

Today I am announcing a further package of support – to address the challenges, faced by specific groups.  

There are some aspects of this crisis – the changes to routine and general anxiety – which are tough for all of us.  But we know that they are especially tough for autistic people, their parents and carers.

So we are providing an additional £200,000 for Scottish Autism and the National Autistic Society.

This funding will allow the National Autistic Society to turn many of its face to face services – for example the social groups it runs – into online services. This will help parents and carers, and autistic people, to keep in touch – so that those facing similar challenges can support each other, even if they cannot meet each other. They can be together even when physically apart.

And the funding for Scottish Autism is for their Autism Helpline – I’m going to read the helpline number out in a few moments, for anyone who wants to make a note of it.

The helpline is already a trusted source of advice and support for the people who need it. Our funding will increase its capacity to help people, at a time when there is a high demand for its services.

The helpline is available 7 days a week, from 8am to 8pm, and the number is 01259 222 0222. That’s 01259 222 0222.

Our support will help organisations that provide help to those who need it most. And it will ensure that additional support is available – during an especially trying time – for autistic people, their parents and carers.

We are also want to enhance the help available to young people.

We know that – for many children and young people – this is a very unsettling time.  It’s tough not being at school, not being able to see you friends, and spending so much time at home.

So I want you to know that it’s OK not to be OK.

Last month – we launched a new digital resource, which helps children and young people learn about the healthy use of screens and social media.  The resource – called ‘Mind Yer Time’ –  was developed by the Scottish Youth Parliament and the Children’s Parliament.  And in the first ten days since its launch, it has had almost 13,000 views.

We are now going to do a bit more.  We are providing £105,000 to the organisation Young Scot.   That money will be used to develop a range of new digital content, on mental wellbeing.

The new content will be hosted on Young Scot’s own digital platform – as well as on social media channels like TikTok, Snapchat, and Youtube.   And it will help to ensure that if young people need information or support – they know exactly where to get it.

I am also announcing today additional support for families.

We know that during this period, many people will feel their closest relationships under particular strain.  That may be because you are spending more time with your partners, your children, your immediate family – or because you are seeing less of other family members, due to the lockdown.

So we’re providing £700,000 to The Spark – an organisation which specialises in relationship counselling.

The money will be used to expand the Spark’s Relationship Helpline service. And again, I’ll read that number out in a moment.

The helpline provides help to anyone experiencing relationship issues.  And it can also refer people on, for more in-depth counselling, if that is required.

The number of the Relationship Helpline is 0808 802 2088.  That’s 0808 802 2088.  It’s free service.  And will now be operational Monday to Thursday, between 9am to 9pm, and on Fridays from 9am to 4pm.

The most important message I want to get across today is simply this – help is there if you need it. The NHS Inform website can help you to find the services that are best for you. And the website ‘clearyourhead.scot’ has advice and tips on how to maintain your mental wellbeing. So please reach out –help is there for you.

The second issue I want to cover is our support for people with drug and alcohol issues.

We’ve already announced a number of measures to ensure that treatment and support services are not disrupted, during this crisis.  As part of that, we have increased the availability of naloxone – a medication which reverses opiate overdose.

Under existing UK legislation, supplies of naloxone can be held by non-drug treatment services for use in an emergency, but not for onward distribution.  In the current crisis that could present an obstacle to people receiving the treatment that they need.

So that’s why – today – the Lord Advocate has confirmed that – for the duration of this crisis – it would not be in the public interest to prosecute any individual – working for a service registered with the Scottish Government – who supplies naloxone in an emergency, to save a life.

I hope that statement provides confidence and certainty to relevant professionals, as they carry out their important work.  And I hope it will further ensure that people can get the treatment they need, when they need it.

I am also announcing today new support for people who are in prison or about to leave prison.

We are providing £150,000 to enhance residential rehabilitation services.   It will increase the number of residential places available, for people leaving prison.

And we are making up to £1.9 million available to support people in prison, who need opiate substitution therapy – or OST as it is known.  That is currently around a quarter of Scotland’s prison population.

The funding will make a new treatment – called buvidal – available to people in prison. Unlike other substitutes, buvidal is administered as a 7 or 28 day injectable dose, rather than daily.

This change will help to relieve pressure on our prison service.  It will ensure continuity of treatment, for people in prison.  And it is a further way in which we are trying to provide the right support during this pandemic, to those who need it.

I want to close today by reiterating the public health guidelines.

You should stay at home – except for essential purposes such as buying food or medicine, and exercising.

If you do leave home, please don’t mix with people from other households and stay more than 2 metres away from other people.

If you have symptoms of Covid-19, you and your household should isolate yourselves completely. And everybody should continue to wash their hands regularly and thoroughly.

I know that these restrictions get only more difficult with time.  But I want to emphasise that the sacrifices you are making are making a difference. We are not through this yet, but we are seeing hopeful signs and it is vital that we stick with it – and build on the work that your sacrifices have allowed us to secure.

By doing that together, we slow the spread of this virus, we protect our NHS, and we save lives.  So I want to thank you, again, and I always will, for playing your part in all of this.

More mental health support after forty days of lockdown

Key mental health services to support families, young people and autistic people are to receive more than £1 million additional funding.

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman made the announcement yesterday after 40 days of lockdown when many people have felt an effect on their mental health.

The allocation of funding comprises:

• £768,000 for a relationships helpline to be delivered by The Spark counselling service
• £105,000 to support Young Scot to develop enhanced digital content and resources on mental health
• £205,000 to support 47,000 autistic people across Scotland, including funding to increase capacity at the Scottish Autism Helpline and help for the National Autistic Society to keep people in touch online during lockdown

Ms Freeman said: “While everyone is experiencing different challenges at this time, the mental health of children, young people and families can be put under great strain.

“We appreciate that spending a lot of time together in isolation and home-working, home-schooling and juggling childcare can be really tough.

“This crisis means many people are dealing with anxiety, fear, uncertainty, anger or sadness. They may feel overwhelmed and relationships can be placed under a lot of pressure.

“We want to ensure that the right help and support is in place for the mental wellbeing of our children, young people and families. This package of measures focuses on prevention and recovery, and on maintaining healthy relationships throughout the current restrictions. It follows the launch of our national campaign, Clear Your Head, last week.”

The Clear Your Head campaign highlights practical ways to look after mental health and wellbeing while continuing to stay at home – and signposts sources of help and advice.

The Spark is a third sector organisation which delivers counselling services to families across Scotland, including relationship and couples counselling and counselling for children and young people.

They currently operate a Relationship Helpline on a small scale for nine hours a week. The number of the Relationship Helpline is 0808 802 2088 and this additional funding will enable the helpline to operate Monday-Thursday 9am to 9pm and Friday 9am to 4pm.

Scotland has launched a digital resource called Mind Yer Time specifically to help children and young people learn about the healthy use of screens and social media.

It supports mental and physical health online and was developed by the Scottish Youth Parliament and Children’s Parliament. In the first ten days since its launch the guide had almost 13,000 views.

The additional funding will allow the Scottish Autism Helpline to open 8am-8pm, seven days a week on 01259 222022.

Testing: the picture in Scotland

A further expansion of coronavirus (COVID-19) testing in Scotland has been announced as it was confirmed that the target to reach capacity for 3,500 tests a day across NHS labs has been exceeded.

On Friday, it was announced that the normal daily capacity for analysing tests in Scotland had now reached 8,350. This figure is made up of 4,350 NHS tests and 4,000 from the Glasgow Lighthouse Laboratory.

The First Minister confirmed the numbers as she announced testing in Scotland will be expanded to include:

  • enhanced outbreak investigation in all care homes where there are cases of COVID – this will involve testing, subject to individuals’ consent, all residents and staff, whether or not they have symptoms. Where staff work between homes run by the same operator, testing will also take place in those homes following a risk assessment
  • sample testing in care homes without cases of the virus. This will involve testing of some asymptomatic residents and social care workers
  • testing through the regional testing centres and mobile units of symptomatic over 65s, and those with symptoms who cannot work from home and need to leave their homes to work. Households of these two groups will also be eligible for tests where they have symptoms. The online booking system for these tests is being updated and tests will be available over the weekend
  • Health Protection Scotland will introduce antibody testing as part of enhanced surveillance testing. Antibody testing detects whether somebody is likely to have had the virus more than two weeks ago. It takes approximately two weeks for the immune response to fully develop. Starting next week, blood samples from across Scotland will be tested as part of this enhanced surveillance enabling us to learn more about the virus and gain an understanding of how it is spreading through the population in Scotland

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “At the start of this outbreak, only two laboratories in Scotland carried out tests. Now there are labs at all 14 health boards, we have exceeded our target to test 3,500 samples a day in the NHS and, working with the Lighthouse Lab at Glasgow University, capacity for testing in Scotland has now reached 8,323 and is on track to expand further this month.

“Given that our capacity has now expanded significantly, that means we can further extend eligibility for testing.

“We now intend to undertake enhanced outbreak investigation in all care homes where there are cases of COVID-19 – this will involve testing, subject to individuals’ consent, all residents and staff, whether or not they have symptoms. In addition, we are testing symptomatic over 65s as well as those who need to leave their homes to work.

“We are also expanding the surveillance testing programme to include antibody testing. This is another tool which will allow us to monitor the proportion of people exposed to COVID-19 and help tackle its spread across the population.”

Testing at Regional Testing Centres and mobile units

In addition to key workers currently eligible, all symptomatic over 65s and household and those of any age who are symptomatic who need to leave their homes to work and household will have access to tests.

Tests will be booked through the UK Government’s on-line system at https://self-referral.test-for-coronavirus.service.gov.uk/ and will be conducted at five regional drive-through test sites in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Inverness and Perth and at mobile test sites being initially located at a number of locations including Motherwell, Dunoon, Prestwick, Stranraer, Galashiels, Peterhead and Elgin. At times a queuing system may have to be put into operation on the website for those locations where demand is highest. This is monitored regularly.

Serology stream of the enhanced surveillance programme (antibody testing)

The serology stream of Health Protection Scotland’s enhanced surveillance programme will run for at least 16 weeks and will initially involve six NHS boards; expansion into other boards is also planned.

Approximately 500 residual blood samples from biochemistry laboratories (submitted from primary care) will be tested per week at the Scottish Microbiology Reference Laboratory in Inverness. To ensure comparability with other UK data, HPS will be using similar methodology originally developed by Public Health England. To achieve a fair representation of the Scottish population, the initial samples will be distributed across the six participating boards, and by age-group and sex.

Laboratory capacity to process tests in Scotland on 30 April 2020

NHS Scotland Labs: 4,350 tests

Glasgow University Lighthouse Laboratory: 4,000 tests

Total current capacity in Scotland: 8,350 tests.

Target was 3,500 by end April.

Note:

Since the start of the Coronavirus outbreak, NHS lab capacity has been increased from two NHS labs (Glasgow and Edinburgh) with total capacity to do 350 tests a day, to a point today where there is lab testing capacity in all 14 health board areas.

NHS Scotland labs – this figure represents maximum capacity. Capacity may fluctuate – and exceed testing demand – on a daily basis for a number of reasons. We work closely with health boards to improve the efficiency of the testing system and the National Labs Programme (led by NSS) is leading work to optimise the capacity utilisation of the system.

The capacity of NHS Scotland labs is projected to increase to at least 8,000 by the middle of May.

Coronavirus (COVID-19): how to get tested

Funding boost to support autistic people

Two specialist organisations will receive additional funding to support 47,000 autistic people across Scotland during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman has confirmed:

  • £160,000 to increase capacity in the Scottish Autism Helpline
  • £45,000 for the National Autistic Society to help people keep in touch online during lockdown

The Health Secretary said: “Autistic people find the extreme change in their daily lives more difficult to deal with, which is why we have fast-tracked this funding to improve the consistency and availability of support. These are unprecedented times and it is important autistic people know this support is there to help them and how to access it.

“This funding will help organisations provide autistic people and their families with a source of up-to-date information to manage their physical and mental health and wellbeing, as well as reduce social isolation by helping them forge sustainable and meaningful relationships.”

Charlene Tait, Deputy CEO at Scottish Autism, said: “During these uncertain and challenging times, our aim is to provide reassurance, guidance and support to autistic people and their families across Scotland. 

“These extra funds will allow us to extend our Autism Advice Line offering, enabling us to increase our operating capacity to seven days a week, 8am to 8pm.  We are all too aware of the impact this crisis is having on the emotional, physical and mental wellbeing of autistic people and their families. This funding will enable us to reach out and support people at this difficult and stressful time.”

Nick Ward, Director at the National Autistic Society Scotland, said: “We are very grateful to the Scottish Government for their work throughout this crisis to support autistic people and their families.

“With this funding we can drastically increase the number of online Social Groups, where people can meet and talk about the things that are important to them, form meaningful relationships and feel more connected. Our staff will also be on hand to offer support and tips around managing mental health and well being and importantly staying safe.”

Blair Spence, 19, of Maxwell Park, Glasgow, said: “I’ve been going to the Social Groups for about 9 months, they’ve really helped my confidence and conversation skills as well as make new friends. 

“The new online groups have been really fun. There are about 10 of us in the group and it works really well. It’s good to stay in touch with other people and we’ve done some exciting things with the group leaders like a virtual tour of an Aquarium and around San Francisco including going across the Golden Gate Bridge! 

“I really look forward to the weekly online groups and I would recommend to other autistic people to give them a go.”

Additional funding of £159,920 over a four-month period will allow the Scottish Autism Helpline to open 8am-8pm, seven days a week on 01259 222022.

National Autistic Society Scotland will use £45,057 to fully redesign face-to-face services onto an online platform, NAS Connect, to provide support during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The website will bring people together through interests such as film, books, arts, cooking, quizzes and computer games by facilitating social groups, coffee clubs and branch meet-ups that are unable to meet face to face at this time.

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VE Day 75th anniversary commemorations in Scotland

Public commemorations to be held online

An online service of remembrance and a two-minute silence will lead Scotland’s public commemorations of the 75th anniversary of VE Day on 8 May.

The ongoing coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic has meant that plans for the landmark anniversary – which were to include a parade, public concert and reception – will now take place online, with a video message of thanks from the First Minister and a concert in addition to the service and silence.

Led by Legion Scotland and Poppyscotland in partnership with the Scottish Government, the commemorations will include children and families currently learning at home.

Veterans Minister Graeme Dey said: “As the 75th anniversary of VE Day approaches, it is only right we pay tribute to the determination and the sacrifices made by the men and women who lived through the Second World War.

“Despite the difficult circumstances we are currently in, Legion Scotland and Poppyscotland are doing outstanding work in helping people across Scotland come together virtually on the 8 May to give thanks to our World War Two generation.

“I hope the whole nation can join with me online in honouring a generation whose contribution continues to impact on us all in many ways.”

Dr Claire Armstrong, Chief Executive of Legion Scotland, said: “The 75th anniversary of VE Day is an important milestone in the nation’s history and we are excited to launch our virtual programme.

“While the lockdown restrictions have forced us to postpone the planned physical events, we are confident that our virtual events will bring people across Scotland together in a memorable, shared moment of commemoration and celebration.”

Poppyscotland Chief Executive Mark Bibbey said: “We had just issued VE Day learning resources to every school in Scotland when the lockdown came into effect. Nevertheless, these have been amended and are now an excellent way for young people to find out more about the significance of VE Day while learning at home.

“We’ve had incredibly positive feedback from the parents who have already made use of them and would encourage anyone home schooling utilise this comprehensive digital resource.”

The Legion Scotland Service of Remembrance will be broadcast  on Legion Scotland and Poppy Scotland’s social media channels from 10.40 a.m. until 11.15 a.m. The online concert will then begin at 11.45 a.m. until 1 p.m.

First Minister: testing target exceeded but lockdown vigilance remains vital

Statement given by the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at a media briefing in St Andrew’s House, Edinburgh, on Friday, 1 May:

Good afternoon. Thanks for joining us for today’s briefing.

I’ll start with an update on some of the key statistics in relation to Covid-19 in Scotland.

As at 9 o’clock this morning, there have been 11,654 positive cases confirmed – an increase of 301 from yesterday.

A total of 1809 patients are in hospital with Covid-19 – that is an increase of 61 from yesterday.

A total of 110 people last night were in intensive care with confirmed or suspected Covid 19. That is an increase of one since yesterday.

I am also able to confirm today that since 5 March, a total of 2,659 patients who had tested positive for the virus have been able to leave hospital. I wish all of them well.

However I also have to report that in the last 24 hours, 40 deaths have been registered of patients who had been confirmed through a test as having Covid-19 – that takes the total number of deaths in Scotland, under that measurement, to 1,515.

I stress this every day, but it is important – I never think of these numbers as statistics. They represent individuals whose loss is a source of sorrow to many. So once again, I send my deepest condolences to everyone who is grieving.

I also want to thank – as I always do – our health and care workers. The entire country deeply appreciates everything you are doing for us.

As I indicated yesterday, I want to use today’s briefing to give a progress report on Coronavirus testing.

I’ll say more next week about the longer-term strategy for testing. I’ll set out then how what’s called a ‘Test, Trace and Isolate’ approach will play a part in helping us emerge gradually from lockdown, and I’ll set out what we are doing to prepare for such an approach.

Today, though, I will look at where we are now, and report progress on two separate but obviously related matters.

Firstly, the laboratory capacity we now have in Scotland to process tests and secondly, the number of tests per day that were carried out as of yesterday.

Please, in advance, forgive me for the number of statistics that I am about to cite.

Finally, I will set out the next steps we will take to expand testing in this phase, to help our efforts to suppress the virus, especially in care homes.

So let me start with the daily capacity to process tests.

At the beginning of April, I said that by the end of the month I wanted us to have testing capacity within our NHS labs of 3,500 tests a day.

For context, at the start of the Coronavirus outbreak, we had two NHS labs, one in Glasgow and one in Edinburgh, that between them could do 350 tests a day.

I can confirm that we now have NHS labs operating in all 14 health board areas.

And yesterday, we met our target of having the capacity to process 3,500 tests per day, In fact, we exceeded it. As of now, we have active lab capacity for 4350 tests a day to be carried out within the NHS.

And by the end of next week, the capacity within the NHS will increase further to around 6,500 tests per day, and we are aiming to reach 8,000 by the middle of this month.

I also promised that we would work to ensure that Scotland benefited from UK wide efforts to reach capacity of 100,000 tests per day.

We are doing that. The Lighthouse Laboratory based at Glasgow University – which became operational last week – is one of three Lighthouse Centres across the UK.

The majority of the samples tested there are taken from the regional drive through testing centres in Scotland – in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Inverness and Perth – and the new mobile testing sites that are being established, all as part of the UK government network.

The Glasgow University lab has a current testing capacity of 4,000 tests a day, though that will reduce to 2,000 a day for the next four days as they move to a new shift system, before increasing to 4,000 again from Tuesday.

So in summary on capacity – between the 4350 tests that can now be processed in our NHS labs and the 4,000 in the Lighthouse Lab, the total normal daily capacity for Coronovirus testing in Scotland is now 8,350.

And with the further projected increases in NHS capacity that I mentioned a moment ago, I expect that to be at least 10,500 by this time next week and 12,000 by the middle of the month.

That is a significant increase in capacity and I pay tribute to all those who have worked so hard to achieve it – both in our NHS Scotland labs and in the UK government testing network.

But of course laboratory capacity is one thing. What matters is the volume of testing we do and the clinical objectives we set for that. So we are also working to increase the number of tests that are carried out and extend categories for testing to better equip us to suppress the virus.

It is really important to stress that fluctuations in demand mean that we will never perfectly match number of tests to capacity. It is also the case that for good clinical reasons, many people need more than one test, so the number of tests carried out will never equal the number of people tested. But our aim is to use as much of our capacity each day as possible.

Given that our capacity has now expanded significantly, that means we can further extend eligibility for testing – which I will come on to shortly.

But, firstly, let me report on the numbers we reached yesterday for tests carried out.

Between tests in hospitals, care homes and the community, I can confirm that there were 2,537 NHS tests carried out yesterday.

In total since the start of this outbreak, 74,984 NHS tests have been carried out.

In addition, 2,124 tests were carried out yesterday at the regional drive through testing centres. These figures have not previously been included in our daily figures – they will be from now on, though because this is data coming to us from the UK wide system, it will be a few more days until we can break it down into positive and negative tests.

In total, therefore, I can confirm that 4,661 tests were carried out across Scotland yesterday, with 4,187 people tested.

The final statistic I want to give you relates to key workers. 22,400 keyworkers or their family members have now been tested within the NHS system, over 4000 of those in the last week alone.

Given the increases in capacity we have seen in the last week – and to ensure that we are fully utilising that capacity – it is clear that we can now extend eligibility for testing further, so I want now to turn to those next steps.

It is important to stress, though, that this should not simply be an exercise in driving up numbers. Tests, particularly for frail, older people, can be invasive and unpleasant, so our decisions must always be clinically driven.

As we know, tackling the spread of the virus is an urgent priority everywhere, but particularly in our care homes.

Currently around 40% of our care homes have cases of coronavirus within them.  We already test care home residents with symptoms, those being admitted to care homes and symptomatic care home staff.  I can confirm that we will now expand that approach.

We now intend to undertake enhanced outbreak investigation in all care homes where there are any cases of COVID – this will involve testing, subject to individuals’ consent, all residents and staff, whether or not they have symptoms.

In addition, where a care home with an outbreak is part of a group or chain and staff might still be moving between homes, we will also carry out urgent testing in any linked homes.

We will also begin sampling testing in care homes where there are no cases. By definition this will also include testing residents and staff who are not symptomatic.

This is a significant expansion and we do not underestimate the logistical and workforce requirements.

Now we have the increasing testing capacity, we will make it happen as swiftly as practicable.

I am delighted to say that Jill Young, Chief Executive of the Louisa Jordan Hospital, has agreed to lead the team tasked with delivery of this and NHS Boards and their partners will put this into effect from next week.

I am also able to confirm today an extension of eligibility for testing through the UK wide booking system and drive through and mobile testing centres.

As of now, we are expanding eligibility to include all those over the age of 65 with symptoms and their households, and in addition to keyworkers, anyone – although there should not be many people in this group – who is not a keyworker, but who has to leave home to go to work.

We will take steps over the coming days to increase public awareness of the ability of eligible groups to book tests through this system.

If there is high demand there may be a need for an online queuing system, and if capacity is insufficient we will work with the UK government on further expansion. We will also work flexibly between the two testing systems to ensure we make the most of the total capacity we have.

So in summary, over the past month we have made significant strides in our testing capacity in Scotland.

We have not just met the target of having the capacity for 3,500 tests a day within the NHS but exceeded it. That, coupled with our participation in the UK wide system means there is current capacity for more than 8,000 tests per day in Scotland. And through further NHS work, that will expand further in the next week.

Over 4,000 tests were carried out yesterday, and now that we have that increased and increasing capacity we have been able to announce a further expansion of testing within care homes and also extend those within the general public who can access a test.

As I said at the outset, the expansion of testing that I set out today is separate and distinct from our move to establish a Test, Trace, Isolate system as part of our approach to changing, and hopefully alleviating, the lockdown measures while continuing to suppress the virus.

We will set out more detail on that next week but I should stress that will require us to increase our capacity even further than the levels I have been able to report today.

In a moment, the Health Secretary will set out one final piece of information about testing – our use of antibody testing.

Before that, though, I want to stress this.

Testing is a really important of our efforts to tackle this virus. It is important now and will be important in the next phase.

But it remains the case that, right now, the most important thing we are all doing is staying at home and following the lockdown rules.

As I said yesterday, that is making a difference and allowing us to see some light at the end of the tunnel. But that progress is fragile and if we ease up now, that light could be extinguished.

So please, especially as we head into another weekend, please stick with it. Thank you again for your compliance and for doing the right thing in the interests of the whole country.

£100 million funding package to help Scottish business

A £100 million package of additional grant support for small and medium sized businesses (SMEs) and newly self-employed people has opened for applications.

The announcement will see 3,784 Edinburgh businesses receive £49.45 million cash support to help them through the coronavirus crisis.

The three separate funds will be administered by local authorities and Scotland’s enterprise agencies and will begin to pay out grants in early May.

They include a £34 million hardship fund for the newly self-employed, a £20 million fund for small and micro enterprises in the creative, tourism and hospitality sectors and £45 million for viable SMEs crucial to the Scottish economy which are vulnerable.

Economy Secretary Fiona Hyslop said: “Our economy has been hit hard by this crisis and previously profitable businesses have seen demand dry up overnight. Our support will help alleviate the hardship those individuals and companies are facing.

“I am particularly pleased that we will be able to help the newly self-employed who do not qualify for the UK’s scheme and are facing financial hardship as a result of coronavirus (COVID-19).

“We also recognise the particular impact of COVID-19 on our creative, tourism and hospitality sectors at what would normally be their busiest period. This fund is intended to relieve the hardship of smaller firms that are ineligible for other forms of support.

“As well as dealing with this immediate crisis, we must look to the future. We must ensure that viable and vital businesses in all sectors with a part to play in strengthening the resilience of Scotland’s economy survive this crisis and thrive in future, which is why £45 million is being allocated to support those firms.

“We continue to engage with businesses on a regular basis to understand their needs and press the UK Government to deliver for them.”

SNP MSP Gordon MacDonald (above) has welcomed new figures showing that 3,784 businesses in the capital have received Scottish Government grants to support firms through the coronavirus crisis.

A total of £49.45 million has been awarded in Edinburgh through a Scottish Government scheme to support small businesses and the retail, hospitality and leisure sector.

The small business grant is worth over £1 billion to business, and is part of the wider business support package worth £2.3 billion.

In order that funding can be distributed as quickly as possible, eligibility for the grant scheme is linked to the non-domestic rates system.

Edinburgh Pentlands MSP Gordon MacDonald said: “This is a very difficult time for businesses.

“This Scottish Government funding is designed to support firms and ensure that our economy is on the best possible footing when we get through this health crisis.

“Our support for business is now worth £2.3 billion. This is more than the Scottish Government has received from the UK Government and actively works to fill the gaps in the UK schemes with tailored support for the Scottish economy.

“I encourage all businesses across Edinburgh to ensure they are receiving the support they’re entitled to.”

Applicants can access these funds and more via the www.FindBusinessSupport.gov.scot website. 

First Minister: Please, please stick to restrictions

Statement given by the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at a media briefing in St Andrew’s House, Edinburgh, on Thursday, 30 April:

Good afternoon. Thanks for joining us for today’s briefing.

I want to start – as I always do – by updating you on some of the key statistics in relation to the spread of the virus in Scotland.

As of 9 o’clock this morning, there have now been 11,353 positive cases confirmed – that is an increase of 319 since yesterday.

A total of 1748 patients are currently in hospital with either confirmed or suspected cases of COVID-19 – that is an increase of 21 from yesterday.

A total of 109 people last night were in intensive care, again with either confirmed or suspected cases. That is a further decrease of 5 since yesterday.

I am also able to confirm today that since 5 March, a total of 2,538 patients who had tested positive for the virus and been admitted to hospital as a result, have now been able to leave hospital.

However, on a sadder note, I also have to report that in the last 24 hours, 60 deaths have been registered of patients who have been confirmed through a test as having the virus – that takes the total number of deaths in Scotland, under that measurement, to 1,475.

These numbers, as I stress every single day, are not just statistics. They represent people who are right now deeply missed by the friends, families and their wider network of loved ones. So once again, I want to send my deepest sympathies and condolences to everyone who has lost a loved one to this virus, we are all thinking of you at this time.

I also want to thank – as I always do – our health and care workers. At 8 o’clock this evening I will join with many others in applauding our health and care workers, in what I think has become a very precious and very special moment in the week.

And to health and care workers, I hope that this shows you, albeit in a symbolic way, just how grateful everybody across the country is for the extraordinary and very courageous work that all of you are doing.

There are two things I want to talk about today. First of all, I want to take the opportunity to emphasise the vital importance of sticking with the lockdown restrictions at this time.

I set out last week our decision making framework for starting – slowly and gradually – to ease aspects of the lockdown when it is safe to do so, and the factors and uncertainties we will have to take into account as we make these difficult decisions.

I promised to be open with you as our thinking and our decision making develops and I absolutely will be. I intend to update you again next week – ahead of the official review date of 7 May – on our considerations and judgements so far. I am very grateful to all of you have taken the time to send us views on the paper that we published a week ago today.

But part of the grown-up conversation I want to have involves me being willing, when necessary, to deliver tough messages as well as hopefully the more positive messages about how, when it is safe to do so, we can start the journey to what I described last week as a ‘new normal’, and start to reduce some of the harms to the economy and our well-being that we know the lockdown restrictions are having.

Right now, that means I have to be straight with you that it may very well be too early, even this time next week, in any meaningful way, to safely lift any of the current restrictions.

I want to share with you the reasons for that.

We have worked very hard as a country to bring down the transmission rate of this virus – and we are definitely seeing results from those efforts.

In fact we see that fewer people are now in intensive care than two weeks ago, and that figure appears to be reducing now on an ongoing basis, and hospital admissions, although they are fluctuating as you see today, are also on a slowly reducing curve.

Overall, we think that transmission in the community of the virus has been reduced very significantly as a result of the lockdown – although of course we know that it remains higher in settings such as care homes.

The R number which you hear us talk about – the rate at which the virus reproduces – is, we believe, now below 1. Remember, that at the start of lockdown, we think it was above 3. So that is real and very positive progress.

And that progress matters. With the R number below 1, that means every 100 people with the virus, between them pass it on to fewer than 100 more people and so on – and so the total number of cases will gradually decline.

We do think that is happening now. However we are not confident that the R number is very far below 1. That means any easing up at all in the current restrictions – either formally by government decisions, or informally by people becoming a bit less compliant as we all get more and more weary and frustrated – would quickly send it back above 1. Indeed, there have been reports in the last day or so from Germany that their R number is rising again as a slight easing up there has been taking effect.

And if the R number does go back above 1 – let’s say it goes to even 1.5 – then our 100 people from a moment ago would between them transmit the virus to 150 people, they in turn pass it on to 220 people and so on and so on, and suddenly the virus is spreading exponentially again.

That would mean more people in hospital and in intensive care and even more people dying.

So the point I am making today is not an easy one, but it is an essential one. The progress we have made is real and it is significant, but it is still very fragile. The margins we have for ensuring the virus does not take off again are really, really tight. That means we must be very cautious at this stage.

That’s why it’s so important that everyone sticks with the restrictions. In recent weeks people have been absolutely superb at doing that – and I will never be able to tell you how grateful I am to all of you for that. You are the reason that the NHS has not been overwhelmed, as I really feared a few weeks ago that it might be, and by sticking to the guidance,  you have undoubtedly saved lives.

However we are now seeing slight increases in people using our roads. In addition, more people are using concessionary bus travel than a few weeks ago. Both of these trends are from low starting points, but they are still sources of some concern.

For example the number of people who are using concessionary transport increased by almost 1/6 last week.

The car traffic we’ve observed on major roads is less than 1/3 of its pre-lockdown levels, but it has increased this week by about 5% this week, compared to last week. On some town and city roads, traffic has been 10% higher than in the week before.

So what I am asking all of you to do today, and you know the reasons that I am asking you to do this, is think about whether or not it is the case that right now you are a little bit more active than you might have been at the start of the lockdown, and to ask yourself why that is the case.

Was your journey really essential? You might think it’s only you making an extra journey, and that it’s only one trip – and you might well feel you deserve it after weeks of restraint. Believe me, I really understand all of that. But all of it adds up – and the fact remains that if everyone eases off, the virus will quickly take off again and it will have devastating consequences for all of us.

I know this is a long haul – I know that people want to travel a bit more, I know that children want to spend more time outside. I absolutely know that every grandparent is desperate to see and to hug their grandchildren. But as things stand, our progress against the virus, albeit very real progress, is too fragile for us to let up.

But the more we do stick to the lockdown, the more we will reduce the R number below 1, and the lower it goes, the more scope we will have to ease the lockdown measures in future.

So please, I am asking you again, stay at home – except for essential purposes.

If you do leave home, remember to stay more than 2 metres away from other people, and don’t meet up with people from other households.

If you have any symptoms of the virus, you and your household should isolate completely. And everybody should still be washing their hands regularly and thoroughly.

By sticking to all of that, we can keep that R number below 1. We will slow the spread of the virus, protect the NHS, and we will save lives. And – while it might not feel like it right now, and I am pretty sure it doesn’t – we will actually all help each other to come through the other side of this a bit more quickly.

The other thing that I want to update you on, is our support for business.

Today, three new business support funds, which total £100 million, open for applications.

They are part of a wider package of measures to support business, which are worth around £2.3 billion in total.

One of the funds is the Newly Self-Employed Hardship Fund, which is managed by Local Authorities.

It is open to newly self-employed people who are facing hardship but – because they became self-employed in the last year – are ineligible for other support. They will be able to apply for grants of £2,000.

The lack of support for newly self-employed people is something which has been much commented upon – I am glad we can now do something now to give assistance.

The second fund is the Creative, Tourism & Hospitality Enterprises Hardship Fund. This is managed by our Enterprise Agencies with support from Creative Scotland and VisitScotland.

It will provide grants of up to £25,000 for smaller creative, tourism and hospitality companies who do not benefit from business rates relief – for example if they do not have premises which can benefit.

And finally, we have also established the Pivotal Enterprise Resilience Fund, which is again managed by our Enterprise Agencies.

This will provide grants and support to small and medium sized businesses which we think are potentially vital to Scotland’s economic future, or to the economies of certain local areas – but which have been made vulnerable by this crisis.

This is an important way of trying to safeguard our economic future and potential – by ensuring that smaller companies with lots of potential are not driven out of business during this crisis.

Applications for these funds will be open from 2 pm today. We hope that successful applicants will start receiving money in the next couple of weeks.

If you think that you might qualify for one of these grants, you can find more detail at www.FindBusinessSupport.gov.scot

I want to end by re-iterating my earlier message. Please stick to the guidance. I know this is not easy. And when I say that, I am not just saying what I know you want to hear – I really know this is not easy. But it is making the difference: so please, please, stick with it.

First Minister urged to put wellbeing at the heart of economic recovery

Poverty Alliance and Wellbeing Economy Alliance have written to the First Minister to urge her to task the recently appointed Advisory Group on Economic Recovery with putting social justice at the heart of their work.

Their letter says:

Dear First Minister,

Economic Recovery and Covid-19

Since the start of the Covid-19 crisis, we have witnessed in action the values that we all share. We have seen the compassion, kindness and solidarity that will be required to make it through this crisis.

But we have also seen that our economy is failing to live up to these values. Our social security system and labour market have failed to protect too many of us: particularly women, disabled people and people from black and minority ethnic communities.

It is clear that as we move through and beyond the current phase of the crisis, we must commit to redesigning our economy and systems to better reflect our shared values of compassion and justice. Instead of returning to the economy we had going into the Covid-19 crisis, we must build back better by creating a wellbeing economy that puts our collective wellbeing first.

We therefore welcome that the Scottish Government’s Covid-19: framework for decision making recognises the need to look at the “social and economic reforms necessary to achieve the best future for Scotland” and commits not to repeat the mistakes of austerity.

This commitment is most welcome but must be made real.

In the months ahead we urge you to maintain your ambitious climate agenda to ensure the post-Covid-19 economy is a sustainable one, and to ensure it is socially just we urge you to prioritise:

  • Building a labour market that works for everyone: Too many people, particularly women and younger people, are trapped in poverty by low-paid and insecure work. Fair Work has been central to the Scottish Government’s approach to labour market policy, but more must be done to make it a reality for workers in Scotland.
  • Designing a more just taxation system: While this crisis is impacting every person across the country, the disproportionate impact on people on low incomes has highlighted the very real consequences of our deeply unequal society. It cannot be right that the wealthiest 1% of households in Scotland own more wealth than the poorest 50% at a time when almost 1 in 4 children are living in poverty. We must inject justice and fairness into our taxation system.
  • Securing adequate incomes for all: We have seen positive steps taken by the Scottish Government as it has started to deliver social security assistance. However, Covid-19 has highlighted that this support must not only be dignified, but should help deliver an adequate income too. The Scottish Government must use its powers creatively and to their fullest extent to ensure that our social security system can keep any one of us afloat during difficult times.

Even at this moment of crisis we must begin the task of investing in a better future, to ‘build back better’, with every policy decision we make helping us move towards a just society that’s in step with our values.

We must not return to the pre-Covid 19 economy that locked so many people into poverty.

The Advisory Group on Economic Recovery must not, therefore, simply seek to replicate the unsustainable and unjust economy that went before.

Instead, it must focus on the steps we can take to create an environmentally sustainable economy that ensures a just distribution of income and wealth.

We urge you to task the recently appointed Advisory Group on Economic Recovery with putting social justice at the heart of their work. In doing so the Advisory Group should liaise with the Poverty and Inequality Commission and the Just Transition Commission and collaborate with existing Wellbeing Economy Governments (WEGo) partners to show leadership in creating a wellbeing economy.

This time calls on us to reflect on the kind of country we want to live in. We believe in a Scotland in which wealth is justly distributed, our life chances are not determined by how much we earn, where our labour market guarantees Fair Work for every worker, and where everyone has enough money to get by.

We hope you share this vision and will take the decisions in the weeks and months ahead to make it a reality.

We would welcome an early discussion with you regarding the role of the Advisory Group, as well as the broader concerns of our members regarding the long-term social and economic reforms we require.

Yours sincerely,

Peter Kelly, The Poverty Alliance
Dr Katherine Trebeck, Wellbeing Economy Alliance