Tag: Scottish Government

First Minister hammers home the STAY AT HOME message

Statement given by the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at a media briefing in St. Andrew’s House, Edinburgh on Monday 11 May:

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 COVID-19 in Scotland.

As at 9 o’clock this morning, there have been 13,627 positive cases confirmed – an increase of 141 from yesterday.

A total of 1,453  patients are in hospital with COVID-19 – that is a decrease of 31 from yesterday.

A total of 80 people last night were in intensive care with confirmed or suspected COVID 19. That is a decrease of 2 since yesterday.

I am also able to confirm today that since 5 March, a total of 3114 patients who had tested positive for the virus have been able to leave hospital. I wish all of them well.

And unfortunately I also have to report that in the last 24 hours, 5 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 1,862.

I want to emphasise again today that those figures should be treated with some caution.  Although deaths can be registered at weekends, registration numbers at weekends are usually relatively low, and can be particularly low following a Sunday. This should be taken into account when looking at today’s figures.

And as always, I want to stress that these numbers are not simply statistics. They represent individuals whose loss is being felt deeply by their loved ones. I want to send my deepest condolences to everyone who is grieving as a result of this virus.

I also want to thank, as I always do, our health and care workers. You are doing extraordinary work going above and beyond the extra mile in incredibly challenging circumstances.   All of us owe you a huge debt of gratitude.

In a moment, I’ll ask the Cabinet Secretary to set out the details of a new wellbeing programme which is being launched today – to support the mental health of those working in our health and care sector, at this very difficult time.

Before that, there are two items I want to address.

Firstly, the Scottish Government has today published our second coronavirus bill.

The Bill includes a range further measures, to help Scotland through this pandemic.   Among other things, it provides additional support for unpaid carers.

It ensures that Carers Allowance recipients will receive an extra payment, on top of the Carers Allowance Supplement.  That will see around 83,000 carers receive an additional £230 – to support them through this period.

Being a carer is incredibly demanding at the best of times – and I know it’s only more difficult right now.  So I want to thank each and every one of Scotland’s carers for the incredibly important role that you are playing.

The bill is due to go through parliament in the next two weeks.  And I hope that when it does, this additional payment – alongside the other support we’re providing – helps to make things a little bit easier for you.

The second item I want to cover today concerns the lockdown restrictions.

Last night, the Prime Minister set out some of the details of his plan, for easing restrictions in England.   More of the detail of that has emerged this morning – and will continue to come out, during the day.

I want to reiterate that those announcements do not apply here. That is not, I want to stress, for any political reason. It is because the Scottish Government is not yet confident that these changes can be made in Scotland  without us running the risk of the virus potentially running out of control. Scotland’s lockdown restrictions remain in place for now.

And our key message remains the same.

We need you to stay at home. We do not, at this point, want to see more businesses opening up – or more people going to work. We do not yet want to see more people using public transport. And we are not yet changing who can or should be at school.

The only change we’ve made, here in Scotland is to the guidance on exercise.

As of today, we have removed the once-a-day limit on exercise.  It means that – if you want to go for a walk more often – or to go for a run and also a walk – then you can now do so.

That change obviously doesn’t apply if you or someone in your household has symptoms of COVID-19, or if you received a letter explaining that you are in the shielded group. In those cases, you should still stay at home completely.

For everybody else, you will still need to stay relatively close to your own home.  And at all times, you need to stay at least 2 metres away from people from other households.

I also want to stress that by exercise we mean activities like walking or running or cycling – not sunbathing or having a picnic.  This does not give people a license to meet up, at the park or at the beach.

It’s just one very minor change to the existing rules.  But all of the restrictions in Scotland for now remain in place.

And let me, for a moment, give one example of why this matters.

I read this morning, in the Evening Times, the tragic story of a family in Castlemilk, Glasgow.

Andy Leaman has told how his mum, dad and father in law have all died from the virus. He talks too of the impact on his nine year old daughter.

Their story is heartbreaking. And it could be any of us.

That family have told their story because they want people to listen to the advice.

In today’s paper they say: “People need to realise it’s real.  The guidelines that are set out need to be followed.

“It may be them next and their families, and we would not want anyone to go through what we have had to go through. 

“Stay in the house, social distance.  That is the way to keep people you love safe.”

I think that is a very powerful message. It underlines the importance of the restrictions – and why we need to stick with them.

So to close today, I want to reiterate today – simply and I hope clearly – what the restrictions continue to be while our progress against this potentially deadly virus remains fragile.

Except for essential purposes such as exercise, buying food or medicines, or going to do essential work that you can’t do from home – you should not be going out. You must stay at home.

If you do go out, you should stay more than two meters from other people, and you should not be meeting up with people from other households.

You should wear a face covering if you are in a shop or on public transport.

And you should isolate completely if you or someone else in your household has symptoms.

I know that these restrictions continue to be extremely tough. And I know that hearing any talk about easing the lockdown, might make them seem even tougher. But please, stick with it.

We are making progress. But to combat this virus, we still need to stay apart from each other. We still need to stay at home.

And the more we do that now, the sooner we will be able to ease more of these restrictions.

I set out yesterday the further changes that  we are considering making as soon as we judge it safe to do so.

We all want to see our friends and families – we all miss them more with each day that passes. We all want to see children go back to school, and we all desperately want to get back to some kind of normality.

Please know that I want all of that too – I want that as your First Minister.

But I also want it as an ordinary person who is missing my own family very much.

But I know we will get there more quickly if we all keep doing the right thing now.

If we take our foot off the brake too soon, the real danger is we will end up in this lockdown for longer – and worse of all, we will lose many more people along the way.

None of us want that. So please be patient. And please try not to get distracted by messages from other parts of the UK. All governments across the UK are trying to do the right thing and all of us have a responsibility to take the steps we think are right, at the right time.

So please if you live in Scotland, abide by the law that applies here and follow the Scottish Government guidance.

Can I also make a respectful plea to the media. Your scrutiny role is essential and you perform it robustly – rightly so. But at a time like this – when health is at stake – all of us have a public duty too. Please make it clear to your readers, listeners and viewers what the actual situation is in different parts of the UK.

Moving at different speeds in different parts of the UK for good, evidence based reasons need not be a cause of confusion – indeed  other countries are taking different steps in different areas at different times.

Confusion only arises if we as politicians and the media who report on us are either unclear in what we are asking people to do – or if we give a misleading impression that decisions that apply to one nation only are actually UK wide.

Never has the duty on political leaders to communicate clearly been greater. And in the provision of basic public health information, I hope the media will continue – as you most of you have been doing – to appreciate the importance of that too.

This matters to all of us.

If we see continued high compliance with the restrictions in Scotland for a bit longer, we will continue to slow the spread of the virus, we will protect the NHS, we will save lives and we will all move on quickly to the day when these restrictions start to be eased.

Thank you, once again, to everyone who is doing that.

“You look after us, so we’ll look after you”

New resources for staff, carers, volunteers and their families 

Organisations from across Scotland have worked together to create a new platform to help health and social care workers and carers look after their physical and mental health.

Launching today, a new national digital wellbeing hub will enable staff, carers, volunteers and their families to access relevant support when they need it, and provides a range of self-care and wellbeing resources designed to aid resilience as the whole workforce responds to the impact of coronavirus (COVID-19).

The hub is the first of its kind in the UK and its content has been created by trauma and other specialists in Scotland. Its launch follows the £3.8 million extra funding announced in March to increase the capacity of NHS 24’s mental health helpline services and expand digital therapies.

Specifically tailored to support the challenges being faced by everyone in health and social care, the hub will provide advice on self-care and personal resilience to help users to recognise their own ‘warning signs’. Comprehensive information about services and resources available at national and local level within NHS Boards, Health and Social Care Partnerships (HSCPs) and local authorities will also be available.

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said: “This is a tremendously stressful time for our health and social care workforce and unpaid carers, juggling the demands of working in highly pressurised emotional environments with concerns for their own safety and that their families. We will do all we can to support them.

“The hub, the first of its kind in the UK, has the theme ‘You look after us, so we’ll look after you’ and has been developed with the support of a range of organisations, including professional bodies and trades unions. It actively encourages people to make use of available services such local NHS helplines for staff across health and social care services, including care home workers.

“Protecting health and social care staff, wherever they work, continues to be a priority for the Scottish Government and this includes doing all we can to protect people’s mental health. That is why, in addition to the wellbeing hub, we will also be providing staff with access to coaching and the opportunity to shape our future policies through a new Workforce Wellbeing Champion Network.”

The National Wellbeing Hub went live at 2pm on Monday 11 May.

New round of Wellbeing Fund open for applications

The second round of the Scottish Government’s Wellbeing Fund is now open to applications from voluntary sector organisations providing crucial services to people as a result of coronavirus.

The Fund is being delivered through an innovative model which involves national organisations and funders working alongside Third Sector Interfaces from across Scotland’s 32 local authorities.

The first round closed on 30 April having received over 1,000 applications, with half of applications already assessed and more than £6 million approved for funding so far.

Awards have been offered to support a wide range of activity across all communities in Scotland.  From creative learning packs, online exercise classes and increased phone contact to support the mental health and wellbeing of veterans and young people, to grocery and baby essential parcels for those who are self-isolating.

So far the majority of applications have been from local organisations working within a single local authority, and early analysis indicates good targeting towards areas of deprivation and those experiencing greater vulnerability.

The most common beneficiary group in round one was children and families followed by older people, and almost 60% of projects aimed to support mental health and wellbeing.  Around £4 million of applications related to food preparation and distribution.

The second round of the Wellbeing Fund is open to all voluntary sector organisations that did not apply or receive funding from the first round.

Applications from organisations working to support people facing financial or employment difficulties are being particularly encouraged, as well as applications from organisations working with minority communities.

Communities Secretary Aileen Campbell said: “I am pleased the Scottish Government continues to be able to support the vital work of Scotland’s third sector in providing a wide range of support for vulnerable communities at this difficult time.

“Through the first phase of funding, charities and social enterprises helping families and children were among the main beneficiaries and, as the second phase of funding is launched, we would particularly welcome applications that provide financial advice or employability support.”

Anna Fowlie, Chief Executive of the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO), one of the national funding partners, said: “I am pleased we are able to build on the success of the first round of the Wellbeing Fund and bring much-needed funding to voluntary sector organisations.

“Across Scotland, the sector is providing vital services and support to the people who need it most. New needs are emerging as the full impact of the pandemic unfolds and it is important that those needs are addressed. The partnership of government, grant-makers and local and national infrastructure organisations has been fundamental to making this work.”

Anthea Coulter on behalf of the TSI Scotland Network said: “The third sector has responded swiftly and safely in a complex and changing environment to protect and support the most vulnerable in our communities.

We are delighted that the TSI Scotland Network’s local knowledge is being recognised and understood and we are proud to be helping to ensure that funding gets through to these frontline organisations,  leveraging across Scotland the Network’s local connections, relationships and knowledge to continue this vital work.”

For more information about the Wellbeing Fund, including eligibility criteria and a link to apply – visit the SCVO Coronavirus Third Sector Information Hub at https://scvo.org.uk/support/coronavirus/funding/scottish-government/wellbeing-fund.

Changes to advice on going outdoors in Scotland

The advice on how often people can venture outdoors changes today, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has announced.

From today, Monday 11 May, the advice is now that people can go outside more than once a day to exercise. This activity should continue to be undertaken close to home. Those going out to exercise should either go alone or with members of their household.

The change does not allow people to mix with people from different households, to gather in groups, or to go out to relax outdoors. 

The First Minister agreed the change following scientific advice using the framework set out by the Scottish Government last month. It was agreed that the timing was right to make the change because the impact on the vital R number – the rate of reinfection of COVID-19 – would be very limited.

Announcing the change yesterday, The First Minister said: “The core principles of lockdown in Scotland remain the same, people should stay at home to help save lives and protect the NHS.

“We do not underestimate how difficult these measures are, particularly for those living alone, or living in smaller accommodation with children or without access to a garden or outdoor home space.

“The hard work which people across Scotland have put in to follow the guidance and stay at home means we are now able to change our advice for people to exercise outdoors more than once a day.

“It is vitally important that anyone going out maintains physical distancing and strict hygiene measures in order to ensure we don’t lose ground. We have also encouraged the public to consider wearing a facial covering in enclosed spaces, where physical distancing is more difficult and where there is a risk of close contact people outwith their household.

“It also remains vitally important that anyone with symptoms of COVID-19 – a new and continuous cough or a high temperature – isolates themselves for seven days, and that anyone else in a household where someone has symptoms, isolates for 14 days.

“This change on going outside will be monitored carefully and reviewed in order to assess the effects on physical distancing and infection spread.”

First Minister: Forget ‘Stay Alert’ … STAY AT HOME!

Statement given by the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at a media briefing in St Andrew’s House yesterday (Sunday 10 May).

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 Covid-19 in Scotland.

As at 9 o’clock this morning, there have been 13,486 positive cases confirmed – an increase of 181 from yesterday.

A total of 1,484 patients are currently in hospital with confirmed or suspected Covid-19 – that is a decrease of 101 from yesterday.

A total of 82 people last night were in intensive care with confirmed or suspected cases of the virus. That is a decrease of seven since yesterday.

I am also able to confirm today that since 5 March, a total of 3,100 patients who had tested positive and been hospitalised for the virus have been able to leave hospital. I wish all of them well.

Unfortunately I also have to report that in the last 24 hours, 10 deaths have been registered of patients who had been confirmed through a test as having the virus – that takes the total number of deaths in Scotland, under that measurement, to 1,857.

These figures should be treated with some caution. Although deaths can now be registered at weekends, registration of numbers over weekends are usually lower than they are during the week. This should be taken into account when considering today’s figures.

As always, I want to stress that these numbers are not simply statistics. They represent individuals whose loss is being felt and mourned by many. As always, I send my deepest 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. You are continuing to do extraordinary work in very challenging circumstances. There is not a day that passes that I don’t feel a deep debt of gratitude to you.

I have one issue that I want to talk about today and it relates to lockdown. Let me emphasise at the outset that the lockdown in Scotland remains in place.

As I have set out before, the rate of transmission of the virus in Scotland – the R number you are used to hearing about – is still too high for any significant change to be safe at this stage. Indeed, the R number may, as I said earlier in the week, be slightly higher here than in other parts of the UK at this point.

That means we must be very cautious and very careful about where we proceed to from here. Having made real progress in recent weeks and I think you can tell from the figures that I am setting out day after day that we have made real progress.

The objective now for all of us must be to consolidate and solidify that progress – we must not squander our progress by easing up too soon or by sending mixed messages that result in people thinking it’s ok to ease up now.

Let me be very blunt about the consequences if we were do that – people will die unnecessarily and, instead of being able to loosen restrictions hopefully in the near future, we will be faced instead with having to tighten them.

We must not take that risk.

For that reason, my basic message for Scotland remains the same as it has been – please stay at home, except for essential purposes.

I have made clear, however, that the Scottish Government will keep what constitutes an ‘essential purpose’ under review, and I told you last week that we were considering making one immediate change – a change to the guidance relating to exercise.

I can confirm that the Scottish Cabinet met earlier this afternoon and agreed a change to that guidance.

At present, you are only permitted to leave home to exercise once a day. From tomorrow, that once-a-day limit will be removed. So if you want to go for a walk more often – or to go for a run and also a walk later on in the day – then you can do so.

It is important to stress this new advice does not apply if you or someone in your household has symptoms of the virus, or if you received a letter explaining that you are in the shielded group. In those cases, the advice is still to stay at home completely and not go out at all.

And for everybody, all other lockdown restrictions remain in place.

When you are exercising, you must stay relatively close to your own home and at all times at least two metres away from people from other households. And although the rules permit exercise – such as walking, running or cycling – they do not yet extend to outdoor leisure activities such as sunbathing, picnics or barbecues.

The fact that you are allowed to exercise more than once is definitely not – and I want to stress this point – a licence to start meeting up in groups at the park or the beach. Doing that really does risk spreading the virus, and could potentially force us to reintroduce stricter guidelines or toughen up the regulations and penalties in future.

What we are confirming today is instead a small but important change, to one part of the lockdown requirements.

We believe that it will bring benefits to health and wellbeing – particularly for people who live in flats and don’t have access to private gardens, and for children, who I know will have found the once a day limit particularly difficult. The most important point is this – it will bring those benefits without, in our judgement, having a major impact on the spread of the virus.

However – and this is really important – the other basic principles and rules of lockdown remain for now the same. Unless you are doing exercise, or performing another essential task such as buying food or medicine, you should stay at home.

And you should not meet up with people from other households – because that is how we give the virus a chance to spread, giving it bridges it can travel over and lead to increased spread.

The change I have confirmed today is the only change the Scottish Government judges that it is safe to make right now, without risking a rapid resurgence of the virus.

We do not, at this point, want to see more businesses opening up – or more people going to work. Our guidance to business remains the same as it has been.

And we are not yet changing who can or should be at school.

You may hear the Prime Minister announce other immediate changes tonight for England – and that is absolutely his right to do so. I’ve just come from a Cobra meeting with the Prime Minister and the First Ministers of Wales and Northern Ireland.

Now it’s important to say that I don’t expect the detail of these immediate changes that the Prime Minister will announce to be significant and I predict that any differences with the position here in Scotland will be relatively minor.

However, for the avoidance of doubt, let me be clear – except for the one change I have confirmed today, the rules here have not changed. We remain in lockdown for now and my ask of you remains to Stay at Home.

However, we will continue to monitor the evidence closely and make further changes as soon as we consider it safe to do so.

In the interests of openness and transparency and the grown up conversation I keep talking about that I want to have, I want to give you as much visibility of that as I’m going to share with you now that over this coming week – as we hopefully see more evidence of a downward trend in the virus – we will assess further whether it is possible to further extend the range of permissible outdoor activities that you can do on your own or at a safe distance.

We will also consider over the coming days whether garden centres can re-open; and we will think about whether some additional forms of outdoor work – particularly where people work on their own or at a distance – can safely resume. We will also be looking urgently – in close discussion with councils – at the possibility of reopening waste and recycling centres.

I will update you on these further issues next weekend.

Beyond that we will continue to consider when and how more businesses can safely start to re-open, what changes will be required to public transport, and when and how children can start returning to school.

On that latter point, though, I do not expect that schools in Scotland will start to return as early as 1 June.

As well as announcing immediate changes, I understand that the Prime Minister will also tonight set out a longer term plan for England. The Scottish Government has not yet seen the detail of this plan, so it is not possible for us to simply adopt it for Scotland – and indeed the evidence may well tell us that moving at exactly the same pace is not appropriate.

We will consider it carefully and we will take our own expert advice on it. And as soon as possible we will set out our own view on the phasing of a more substantial lifting of the lockdown.

We are already working with businesses to produce guidance specific to the needs of industry, workers and public health in Scotland. We will publish that guidance, sector by sector, in the coming days and weeks – our early priority is to give guidance and visibility to the construction, manufacturing and retail sectors.

Lastly, in areas which are the responsibility of the UK Government in Scotland, we will make sure that our views and concerns are known. For example – we expect confirmation tonight of a period of quarantine for people travelling into the UK. I have made it clear that I believe this is vital to our efforts to contain the virus in the period ahead, and I would encourage the UK Government to introduce it as soon as possible.

Lastly, let me say something about co-operation between the four nations of the UK.

I remain committed to the closest possible co-operation, collaboration and alignment. And, let me stress again, I have no interest in politics when it comes to tackling this virus.

It is perfectly consistent with an overall four nations approach to have a pragmatic acceptance that we may move at different speeds if the evidence tells us that is necessary – and I believe we do now have that acceptance.

But genuine consultation and alignment of messages – even, perhaps especially, when the evidence is putting us on slightly different timelines – remains really important.

We should not be reading of each other’s plans for the first time in newspapers. And decisions that are being taken for one nation only – for good evidence based reasons – should not be presented as if they apply UK wide.

Clarity of message is paramount if we expect all of you to know exactly what it is we are asking of you. As leaders, we have a duty to deliver that clarity to those who we are accountable to, not confuse it.

To that end, I have asked the UK Government not to deploy their ‘Stay Alert’ advertising campaign in Scotland. Because the message in Scotland at this stage is not stay at home if you can, the message is, except for the essential reasons you know about, stay at home full stop.

Fundamentally, we all have a responsibility – and it is a heavy one for all of us – to make decisions and set policies for based on our own data of what is safe and what is not.

I am clear that for Scotland, at this present moment, relaxing too many restrictions too quickly creates the risk that the virus will take off again. I am not prepared to take that risk.

That is why – except for the fact that from tomorrow you can go out to exercise more than once a day – the current lockdown restrictions remain in place.

I very much hope that it will be possible to lift more of them in the days and weeks ahead – and we are making plans for that – but at the moment, the risks are still too great.

For all of us, in fact, the way in which we can emerge from lockdown that bit more quickly, is to stick with the current restrictions now.

It is easier for us to start leaving lockdown, the lower the R number is, and the fewer infectious cases there are.

So please, stay at home except for when you are buying food or medicines, or exercising.

Go for walks or runs more than once a day if you want to – it’s good for your health and your physical and mental wellbeing. But stay more than two meters from other people when you are out, and do not meet up with people from other households.

Please wear a face covering if you are in a shop or on public transport. And isolate completely if you or someone else in your household has symptoms.

I know that these restrictions continue to be really tough. And I know that hearing any talk about easing the lockdown, might make them seem even tougher. But please, I am asking you to stick with it.

We are making progress – never lose sight of that. But – even as we stay in touch by phone, by social media or by video calls – we still need to stay apart physically from each other. We still need to stay at home.

By doing that, we will continue to slow down the spread of the virus, we will continue to protect the NHS, and we will save lives. Thank you, once again, to all of you from the bottom of my heart for what you have been doing.

And please, for now, stay at home.

Coronavirus: Funding boost for North Edinburgh’s Foodshare Group

North Edinburgh’s Covid-19 Foodshare Group is among the groups to share in the Scottish Government’s £10 million Supporting Communities Fund.

The funding from the Scottish Government’s Supporting Communities Fund will go directly to more than 250 community ‘anchor’ groups, supporting families on lower incomes and older people access lifeline services to cope with the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The community groups operate as ‘anchors’, bringing together charities, volunteers, social enterprises and the public sector to co-ordinate the local response and channel support where it is needed. This includes making hot meals, organising grocery and prescription deliveries and providing wellbeing support.

North Edinburgh Arts is a lead organisation in North Edinburgh’s Covid-19 Foodshare Group, which saw a range of local community organisations join together in March to support vulnerable people across Drylaw, Muirhouse, Pilton, Granton and Royston Wardieburn. The group will receive £96,370.

Since the group was established thousands of hot meals, packed lunches, sandwiches and essential supply packs have been distributed across the area in an operation which is now being  introduced in other areas across the city.

The North Edinburgh group has been calling for resources to meet demand for some weeks and this morning’s announcement will enable the group to maintain and expand the vital service they provide.

North Edinburgh Arts chairperson Lesley Hinds said: “I am delighted with the award of funding from the Scottish Government’s Supporting Communities for Covid-19 work in North Edinburgh.

“Over the last several weeks community groups have come together, to deliver over 13,000 food packages weekly, culture packages and supporting vulnerable residents in North Edinburgh. As Chair of North Edinburgh Arts I am proud of the staff and volunteers who have played an important role in the work, as part of North Edinburgh Covid-19 Foodshare Group.”

While the North Edinburgh Arts-led application was the biggest of those allocated in the capital, there were successful applications by Edinburgh anchor organisations all across the city.

Cyrenians (£71,596), Edinburgh City Youth Cafe (£82,713), Edinburgh Community Food (£25,800), Edinburgh Community Health Forum (£56,693), Edinburgh Old Town Development Trust (£27,720) and Out of the Blue (£49,157) all receive funding to tackle the crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Communities Secretary Aileen Campbell said: “We know that community groups working in the heart of our communities and neighbourhoods have a wealth of experience in responding to challenges.

“We have seen this through many examples of the incredible response to COVID-19 in the past weeks that have made such a huge difference to so many people. This inspiring work that is already underway in our neighbourhoods is proving essential to our nation’s resilience.

“This funding will be a valuable lifeline for the range of innovative support available for people in our communities, and we are working fast to get that support to where it is needed most.”

The Supporting Communities Fund was announced on 18 March 2020 as part of a £350 million package to help those most affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Up to £10 million is being made available as an initial sum available to support community anchor organisations, and a further allocation of £10 million has been approved to support the second phase of the fund.

List of the community groups that will receive funding.

‘If it’s urgent, it’s urgent’: more Scots taking medical advice

New research has highlighted that people in Scotland are more likely to go to their GP practice or to hospital with an immediate medical concern not related to coronavirus (COVID-19) than they were two weeks ago.

The research, commissioned to support the recently launched NHS is Open campaign, shows just over half of those surveyed (51 per cent) stated they wouldn’t avoid going to their GP practice or a hospital at the moment, compared to 41 per cent a fortnight before – a shift that has been welcomed by the GP fronting the campaign, Dr Carey Lunan, and the Scottish Government’s National Clinical Director, Jason Leitch.

While around a third (34 per cent) agreed they would still delay attending their GP or hospital at the moment, this figure has fallen from 45 per cent before the campaign began.

The Scottish Government is encouraging people to seek medical help for urgent health issues not related to COVID-19, and has launched a campaign in response to figures indicating patients were delaying contacting their GP or going to hospital during the pandemic, that there was a drop in urgent suspected cancer referrals, and a reduction in families bringing their children for immunisation appointments.

People who need immediate medical assistance are being urged to call their GP surgery, or 111 out of hours, and in emergencies to dial 999.

https://youtu.be/lDaVtO81e2k

Dr Carey Lunan, a working GP and Chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners in Scotland, who features in the TV adverts said: “The NHS is open and it’s encouraging to see that the campaign is getting the message across. 

“However, I want to reiterate that if it’s urgent, it’s urgent, and it is just as important as ever for people to seek help if they have an urgent health concern, or are worried about a potential cancer symptom.  You are not being a burden, it’s what the NHS is here for and we want to hear from you.

“Your health and safety are our top priorities, and both GP practices and hospitals are working differently during the pandemic to minimise infection risk. It’s important to reassure you that patients with coronavirus are treated in separate parts of hospitals.

“Likewise, immunisations against other infectious diseases remain a vital part of protecting the people of Scotland, so please do attend your appointments for these. They can easily be rescheduled if you or your family members are showing signs of coronavirus at the time of your appointment.”

 Jason Leitch said: “Thank you to all our health and social care staff for their continuing extraordinary efforts as we face this pandemic. Thanks to them, the NHS remains open because it is vital that you receive urgent medical attention if you need it.

“Your community pharmacy and your GP are open. Your first GP appointment may be by telephone or video but it is still a hugely important step in finding out if you, or your loved one, needs urgent medical help.

“Don’t ignore early cancer signs and symptoms, and certainly don’t delay getting checked – your GP practice is still here for you. If you or anyone in your household notices a rapid deterioration in health, seek help immediately – please don’t ignore the early warning signs of serious conditions such as heart attacks, strokes, severe asthma, or diabetic collapse.

“Immunisation appointments are a legitimate reason to leave your home and now more than ever vaccinations in children and pregnant women should be up to date. Our childhood immunisation programmes continue, and we urge parents to take their children to be vaccinated so they can be protected against very serious disease, including meningitis and measles.

“We are so thankful to those who are staying inside to save lives and our NHS, but the NHS is still open and there for you.”

Overwhelming majority of Scots support lockdown restrictions

Staying at home to save lives is recognised as a vitally important action in tackling coronavirus (COVID-19).

Over 90 per cent of people who responded to surveys carried out for the Scottish Government during April agreed that by remaining at home, they would be saving lives and protecting the NHS.

There was also general compliance with the guidance about physical distancing, with up to 80 per cent of those surveyed saying that they are keeping to the two metre distancing advice.

The polling also reveals that 85 per cent of respondents believe that the best thing to do during the COVID-19 crisis is follow government advice.

The findings are contained in a report published by the Scottish Government summarising two surveys on public attitudes carried out weekly during the COVID-19 crisis.

The surveys, by Ipsos MORI and YouGov, are part of a range of analysis undertaken by the Scottish Government to understand the impact of the virus and measures to suppress it.

The weekly online surveys provide information about key issues including the national mood, wellbeing, awareness, public behaviours and trust in government.

Key trends from the report, covering a six week period from 16 March to 24 April, are:

  • Levels of anxiety and worry associated with COVID-19 remain relatively high
  • Awareness of and support for compliance measures is high
  • The NHS was consistently rated highly in terms of doing a good job to contain the virus
  • Levels of trust in information from the Scottish Government were high

Deputy First Minister John Swinney said: “It is vital that we collect and analyse as much information as possible to inform our decisions on tackling the COVID-19 outbreak and these surveys provide valuable evidence about public knowledge, attitudes and behaviours.

“The surveys show compliance with physical distancing measures is high and we thank the public for their continued observance of these vital rules at this critical time.

“We recognise that public tolerance of the distancing measures is hard to sustain, and that these measures in turn have wider impacts on society and the economy, but we ask the public to continue to comply with them until we are certain we will not be risking a resurgence in infection rates.

“The surveys also highlight the very high regard the public has for the NHS and that levels of trust in information from the Scottish Government remain high.”

public-attitudes-coronavirus-april-summary

First Minister: “You have been magnificent”

Statement given by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at a media briefing in St Andrew’s House, Edinburgh yesterday (Friday 8 May):

Good afternoon. I’m joined today by Iain Livingstone, Chief Constable of Police Scotland and Professor Jason Leitch, National Clinical Director.

We’re starting a bit later today, because of the commemorations for VE Day.  At 11 o’clock, with members of our armed forces here at St Andrew’s House, I observed the two minutes’ silence.   I’m sure many of you, watching at home, did the same.

On the 75th anniversary of VE Day, Scotland remembers all those who lost their lives, during the conflict.  We think of all the men and women who served– at home and abroad.  And in doing so, we consider the incredible legacy of our World War 2 generation.

Their sacrifices ensured the freedoms that we enjoy today.

The challenge they faced then is, of course, very very different to the one we face today – we are not fighting a war – but we should nevertheless draw strength and inspiration from their example.

They showed the necessity and value of personal sacrifice for the common good.

They demonstrated the resilience of the human spirit and our ability to overcome adversity.

So as we pay tribute to them for the bravery, dedication and idealism they showed 75 years ago, let us also thank them for the inspiration they give us today.

Our challenge may be different but, just as they did, we will overcome it.

Now, there are a few items I want to cover today.

First, as I always do, I will update you on some of the key statistics in relation to COVID-19 in Scotland.

As at 9 o’clock this morning, there have been 13,149 positive cases confirmed – an increase of 225 since yesterday.

A total of 1,584 patients are in hospital with the virus either confirmed or suspected – that is a decrease of three from yesterday.

A total of 84 people last night were in intensive care with confirmed or suspected COVID-19. That is a decrease of two since yesterday.

I am also able to confirm today that since 5 March, a total of 3,016 patients who had tested positive and been hospitalised have been able to leave hospital. I wish all of them and their families well.

And unfortunately I also have to report that in the last 24 hours, 49 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 1,811.

As always, I will stress that these numbers are not simply statistics. They represent individuals whose loss is a source of grief to many people. And I want as always to send my deepest condolences to everyone who is grieving a loved one lost to this virus.

I also want to thank – as I always do – Scotland’s health and care workers.  Once again, last night, I – like so many others – joined in the applause at 8 o’clock.  It has become a very important moment of the week.  And it’s just one small way in which we can as a country show our gratitude, for your extraordinary efforts.

Before I move on to the main item for today, I want to provide a quick update on testing capacity which is important now but becomes even more important as we look ahead to the next phase of tackling this virus.

Since I updated you – this time last week – testing capacity within our NHS has risen by more than 2,000.  Together, with the capacity from the Lighthouse Lab at Glasgow University, that brings Scotland’s total testing capacity to over 10,000 tests per day.  And we expect that number to exceed 12,000 per day by this time next week.

We should remember we started at the outset with a testing capacity of 350 so this is a significant step forward and I want to thank everyone who is playing their part in making that progress possible.

The main issue I want to talk about today is about the decision to extend lockdown – while of course keeping the situation under ongoing, indeed daily review.

Yesterday, I spoke to the Prime Minister – and reiterated that Scotland’s lockdown restrictions would stay in place for now.

There was, I think, a helpful recognition in that call that the four UK nations may well move at different speeds if our data about the spread of the virus says that it is necessary to suppress it- but we would of course continue to co-ordinate our planning and messaging as far as possible.

In line with that, I confirmed that the only change we’re considering in the immediate term is to the guidance on outdoor exercise, I mentioned that yesterday and I will give a further update on that over the weekend.

I also emphasised the importance – in my view – of maintaining a clear ‘Stay at Home’ message and the Scottish Government’s intention to do so for the immediate future.

That position is based on our assessment of the evidence – and on what we think is right for the protection of the people in Scotland.

As I said yesterday, we are not yet confident that the all-important R number is far enough below one.  In fact, we think the R number here in Scotland may still be a bit higher here than in other parts of the UK.

That’s why sticking with the lockdown measures at this stage is so important.  It’s key to driving down infection rates and driving down the R number.  And that – in turn – is a prerequisite for any easing of the restrictions.

So for now, the message remains the same.  You must stay at home, please stay at home.

Except for essential purposes such as exercise, or buying food or medicines – you should not be going out.

If you do go out, you should be staying more than two meters from other people, and you should not be meeting up with people from other households.

You should wear a face covering if you are in a shop or on public transport.

And you should isolate completely if you or someone else in your household has symptoms.

I know how difficult these restrictions are.  And I know that they will feel especially tough over this long weekend, when the sun is out.

However, I’m also very confident that the vast majority of you will continue to comply with these rules.    After all, you have been magnificent over these past few weeks. 

By doing the right thing, you have helped us to make really significant progress.  And I know that you won’t want – any more than I do – to throw that progress away at this stage.

As I said at the start, I’m joined today by the Chief Constable – who will say a little bit more about compliance, and how these restrictions are being enforced.  And I want to take this opportunity again to thank all the police officers and staff who are helping Scotland through this crisis.  You are doing a difficult job, exceptionally well – and I’m hugely grateful to all of you.

None of us, including me, want these restrictions to be in place for a minute longer than they need to be.  But we cannot allow ourselves to become complacent against this virus.

By easing the restrictions prematurely, we would risk undoing all the progress we’ve made.  We would risk allowing the virus to spread out of control.  And that would cost lives.

So for now, all of us need to continue to comply with the restrictions.  It remains our best chance of continuing to slow the spread of this disease, of protecting our NHS – and saving lives.

The final issue I want to cover concerns the economic impact of COVID-19.

This morning, as I do every Friday, I chaired the Cabinet sub-committee on the economy.

As usual, one of the key items we discussed was support for our businesses.  We are determined to do everything we can to help Scotland’s businesses through this crisis.  A crisis not of their making.

Yesterday we launched a new £100 million loan fund for housebuilders.  The fund is aimed at small and medium sized firms that are facing short-term liquidity problems.

We know that housebuilding companies, especially smaller ones, have been hit by the temporary halt in construction activities.  This fund will help to ease any cashflow or liquidity problems that they have. And it will help to safeguard jobs for the future as we work with the construction industry to look at a safe restart of their activities.

Today, I can announce further support for businesses.

Just over a week ago, we launched a £45 million new Pivotal Enterprise Resilience Fund.  That fund will provide grants to small and medium sized businesses – businesses that are potentially vital to Scotland’s economic future, or to the economy of local areas – but which have been made vulnerable by this crisis.

We have already received a very significant number of applications.  So today, I am announcing that we will double the size of that fund – to £90 million.

That is a direct response to feedback from business. It’s part of our commitment to ensure that every penny of consequential funding from UK Government decisions is passed on here in Scotland. And it demonstrates our determination to support businesses which are suffering, through this unprecedented crisis.

I want to close by reiterating my main message for today – about the importance of staying at home.

I know it’s tempting to think that this weekend – after so many weeks of lockdown – we can allow ourselves one little slip.  You might even think – given recent unhelpful news headlines – that things have eased up, and that there’s somehow less at stake.

But I want to emphasise as strong as I possibly can – that is absolutely not the case.  The risk remains too high.   And if we do we risk delaying the moment of easing.

The one time you ignore the guidance could be the time when you get infected with the virus – or it could be the time you pass it on to a loved one, without knowing it.

So please, do not throw away all of your good work. Do not put yourself or loved ones at risk.

The fact is these restrictions are working.  They are helping us to slow the spread of this virus.  So we need to stick with them for a bit longer.

By doing that we save lives.  And we hasten the day when we can – and we will – return to some semblance of normality.

As I said earlier, personal sacrifice for the common good is a lesson we can learn from those whose courage 75 years ago we  remember today.

So I want to thank all of you for making the sacrifices you are making and doing the right thing. I hope you all stay safe.

And I hope – in these trying circumstances – you all have the best possible weekend.

Chief Constable Iain Livingstone QPM joined First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and the National Clinical Director Jason Leitch during the Scottish Government’s coronavirus briefing. He said: 

Thank you First Minister. Good afternoon. From the beginning of this emergency, I have been clear that policing has an important supporting role to play in helping the national effort to combat coronavirus.

Police Scotland’s response and our service will be assessed against three things – how the work of our officers and staff to support physical distancing contributes in some way to reduce the mortality rate in Scotland; secondly, whether, through our actions, we can maintain, and possibly even enhance, the very strong relationship of trust that policing has with the public of Scotland; and thirdly, that in doing this we protect the health, welfare and safety of all our officers and staff and their families.

What we have seen and experienced across Scotland to date, is that communities have stepped forward, collectively, and as individuals, to do their duty, to help each other. I want to acknowledge and highlight in particular the significant sacrifices which children and young people are making during this important stage of their lives, when many milestones and events are arising.

To my mind, this reflects the fact that my officers and staff are experiencing high levels of co-operation and consent from our fellow citizens, as policing does our part to support the application of what I acknowledge are very restrictive measures on personal freedoms.

Reassuringly, we have seen some early indications in an independent survey commissioned by the Scottish Police Authority that public confidence in policing in Scotland remains solid during this time, and is perhaps even higher than it had been prior to this emergency.Going forward, we will continue to value the trust of the public and support them during these difficult days.

And, I’m extremely grateful for the public’s support for policing. It is my plea, today, for everyone to continue to exercise the self-discipline, commitment and common sense, which has, thus far, served us all well.

It is essential to protect the NHS and to save lives. Please stick with it.

The First Minister has discussed how things may change in the future, when it is judged safe to do so.

We don’t know exactly when any changes will come, what they will be or how they will be viewed. What I can tell you is that the Police Service of Scotland will continue to act with courtesy and common sense and in line with our values of public service.

As I have explained before, I have commissioned independent, expert, assurance led by a leading human rights lawyer, John Scott QC, to better understand the effect of the emergency legislation in our communities, and help us to discharge our duties consistently and fairly.It remains crucial that everyone right across the country continues to play their part. Please – stay home; stay safe; and follow the guidance.

Officers will remain visible in communities across Scotland and may speak with you to explain restrictions and encourage you to adhere to them. Where necessary, and bluntly as a last resort, we will enforce the law.

At the same time, I want to reiterate that Police Scotland remains here to help and support our fellow citizens to keep them safe in all aspects of their lives.

Sadly, for some people, the stay at home guidance may expose them to a greater risk of abuse, harm and neglect. I know that private, and indeed virtual, spaces are not safe places for everyone.

If you need police assistance, if you need our support or intervention, or if you have concerns about someone else, contact us and we will help.

We are here 24 hours a day to support those in need, support those who may be vulnerable, and to ensure fairness and the rule of law.

Police Scotland officers and staff are working around the clock, at times putting themselves in harm’s way, to respond to coronavirus and day to day policing demands. I reiterate my respect as Chief Constable and thanks for all they are doing and will continue to do.

And I ask you, the people of Scotland, please continue to work together during this emergency. It is a shared mission for everyone in Scotland to reduce the spread of the virus, protect each other, and save lives.

Thank you for your forbearance and commitment.

Stay safe; look after yourselves; look after each other; and look after your families.

Police Scotland has also published updated information on the enforcement of the coronavirus regulations. You can read that information here.

Connecting Scotland initiative to get vulnerable people online

A new £5 million programme is to offer an internet connection, training and support, and a laptop or tablet to vulnerable people who are not already online during the response to coronavirus (COVID-19).

The Connecting Scotland programme will connect 9,000 more people who are considered at clinically high risk themselves so they can access services and support and connect with friends and family during the pandemic.

Those who take part in the programme will be paired with a ‘digital champion’ to support them for six months while they get connected and find the information they need.

Communities Secretary Aileen Campbell said: “Access to the internet is a real lifeline during these difficult times, so we want to support people to get online and stay connected through this project.

“The advice is clear that we need to stay at home, but for those shielding and in a high risk group, and not online, we know this is difficult and can increase isolation and loneliness at a time they already feel vulnerable and might be missing other support.

“The internet helps us to keep in touch with friends and family and is an important way to find information on support services during this challenging time. This £5 million investment will bring 9,000 more people online over the coming months, and help people best manage the impact that coronavirus is having on their lives.”

Local authorities and the third sector will lead on identifying people to receive devices, distributing them and providing training and support.

SCVO Chief Executive Anna Fowlie said: “For most of us, technology has played a crucial role in keeping us connected to friends and family, informed and entertained, and able to continue with learning and work.

“However, there are people that can’t access the benefits of being online because of the affordability of kit and connectivity, or the confidence and skills to be able to use technology effectively. This additional investment will go a long way towards reducing that digital divide and ensuring everyone can benefit from being online.”

Councillor Gail Macgregor, COSLA’s Resources Spokesperson said: “Ensuring that our communities are connected is essential to our response to tackling coronavirus, and COSLA welcomes the positive role that this programme will have in getting people online in the coming weeks and months.”

“Local Government has been at the forefront of efforts to tackle digital exclusion and is ideally placed to understand the significant challenges that it presents, particularly to the most vulnerable. That is why we are working closely with Scottish Government and third sector partners to deliver on this programme.”