Tag: Scottish Government

Community Safety Boosted With Arrival of New Fire Appliances

The safety of communities across Scotland has been bolstered thanks to a multi-million pound investment in the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s front line. Four Aerial Ladder Platforms (ALPs) and a Turntable Ladder appliance (TTL) were unveiled yesterday in a spectacular convoy that set-off from Edinburgh’s George IV Bridge under a police escort. Continue reading Community Safety Boosted With Arrival of New Fire Appliances

Busiest year yet for organ donation

Figures for 2016/17 show a 34% increase in Scotland

The number of patients living in Scotland whose lives were saved or improved by an organ transplant has reached a record high.

New figures show that in 2016/17 there were 133 deceased organ donors in Scottish hospitals – up from 99 the previous year. This equates to a donor rate in Scotland of 24.8 per million of population – the highest rate in the UK. 348 people in Scotland waiting for an organ received a deceased donor transplant, which is also the highest ever number of transplants.

The NHSBT figures also show that the number of people in Scotland waiting for a transplant dropped to the lowest on record and that nearly 2.4 million people in Scotland are now on the NHS Organ Donor Register, which is approximately 45% of the Scottish population.

Public Health Minister Aileen Campbell said: “This is fantastic news and shows the real progress we’re making on organ donation. An increase in deceased donor numbers of 34% is not only really positive news for people waiting for a transplant, it puts us ahead of our target in progressing to reach 26 deceased donors per million of population by 2020.

“And it means that more Scottish residents than ever before received  a life-changing transplant, although we know that there is still more to do to ensure that as many people as possible can receive the transplants they need.

“We must always be mindful that most organ and tissue donation can only occur as a result of tragic circumstances and I’d like to thank every donor and their family who made the selfless decision to donate their organs or tissue and enabled others to live and transform their lives. I’m also very grateful to staff across the NHS in Scotland who work tirelessly to ensure that people’s donation wishes are respected and that every donation counts.

“Our consultation on a soft-op-out system closed recently and the responses are currently being independently analysed. We have a presumption in favour and will be setting out our next steps in the coming months.”

Primary teacher Heather Marshall (above) was facing an uncertain future until she received a life-saving liver transplant in November 2016.

The 40 year old from Gartcosh was diagnosed with Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC) in 2015 – a liver condition that she was initially able to manage with medication.  However in 2016, Heather’s health went into rapid decline, resulting in her being listed for transplant in October 2016.

At this point, Heather was retaining fluid, was constantly itchy and nauseous, was unable to lie down due to the threat of fluid filling her lungs and struggled to breathe or eat – a state she describes as ‘just existing’.

The liver she desperately needed came just three weeks after being listed for transplant and Heather admits that she wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for the decision of her donor and their family.

Heather said: “From the start of 2016, I noticed a dramatic difference in my health.   I had no energy, didn’t feel great and my skin had started to become jaundiced.  Throughout the year I struggled with infections to my bile ducts which resulted in me being referred to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh to be assessed for a transplant at the beginning of October.

“When I left the hospital after a week of assessment I was shocked at how ill I looked. I’d been working up until that point, but as soon as I stopped it was like my body had just given up.

“I knew that a transplant would be necessary at some point as it’s the only real treatment for PSC, but I had no idea it would happen so quickly.  I went from being someone who worked full-time to someone who could barely function in a few short months.  As well as the physical limitations, it was mentally very difficult.

Speaking about her transplant, Heather said:“I was relieved and excited when I got the call.  I knew I wasn’t well and that I didn’t have long without a transplant, but it was such a conflict of emotion.  You’re so aware that to get that chance of life, something awful had to happen to someone else.

“I’d always been on the NHS Organ Donor Register and I think it felt easier to accept that gift, knowing I would be happy to do the same for someone else.

“You never expect that this kind of thing will happen to you or someone you know so organ donation isn’t something that’s top of your mind.  I understand it’s not for everybody, but I would encourage people to think about it and make their wishes known.

“I know that without my transplant I wouldn’t be here now.  I got married just after my diagnosis, and because of my donor I have a future.  I’ll never stop being grateful for that.”

Baby Boxes encourage safe sleeping, say parents

Scotland’s Baby Box scheme is helping to raise awareness of safe sleeping practices, according to early evaluation findings. The scheme has been criticised as an expensive gimmick by some critics, but early research indicates the boxes are proving popular with new parents. Continue reading Baby Boxes encourage safe sleeping, say parents

Education attainment gap begins to close

New analysis shows greater proportion of pupils from deprived areas are entering higher education

A new analysis of school leaver destination statistics published by the Scottish Government reveals that the poverty-related attainment gap has begun to narrow over the past five years. The figures show that the proportion of young people entering higher education at college or university directly from school has increased faster among those from the most deprived areas in Scotland when compared to the least deprived.

In 2012, 20.4% of school leavers in the 20% most deprived areas went straight into higher education from school, compared to 58.6% of pupils from the 20% least deprived. In 2016, the percentage of school leavers entering higher education from the most deprived areas had risen to 24%, with the percentage entering from the least deprived up to 60.5%.

Deputy First Minister John Swinney welcomed the analysis but said more needed to be done to widen access to higher education, given the figures also demonstrated that young people from Scotland’s least deprived areas are more than 2.5 times more likely to go into higher education straight from school than their counterparts from the most deprived areas.

Mr Swinney said: “I want every child to have an equal opportunity to go to college and university and to succeed in life, no matter their circumstances. This new, detailed analysis provides welcome evidence that we are beginning to make progress in that aim and closing the poverty-related attainment gap.

“However, it also demonstrates the scale of the challenge in creating equity and excellence in our education system. The status quo is not an option – change is needed, and indeed change is happening.

“We need to reform our approach to get the whole system pulling in the same direction with an integrated framework that meets the needs of all young people at every stage of their journey through education.

“We are taking forward the actions recommended by the Commission on Widening Access, including the appointment of the Fair Access Commissioner to drive the whole system approach needed in this area. We are also reviewing the learner journey from 15 to 24 to ensure that the system of post-school education works effectively and efficiently to provide support to those who need it the most.  This breakdown helps to show what we are beginning to get it right and what more we need to do.”

Supplementary analysis of last month’s school leaver destination statistics shows:

  • A record proportion of young people from Scotland’s most deprived communities are continuing their education, entering training, volunteering or getting a job after they leave school.
  • A record proportion of school leavers from all backgrounds went directly into higher education in 2015/16. The proportion from the most deprived areas was 24% – up from 22.2% in 2014/15 and up from 20.4% in 2011/12.
  • There was also a narrowing of the gap in school leavers initially in further education. In 2012, 34.9% of pupils from the most deprived areas went on to further education, by 2016 this had risen to 35.9%.  Over the same time period, the percentage of pupils from the least deprived areas in further education went from 17.2% to 16.1%.
  • Over the same period, the percentage of school leavers from the most deprived areas entering employment has risen year-on-year, from 16.8% in 2011/12 to 21.2% in 2015/16.

Scottish Funding Council figures published in March showed an increase, in 2015-16, to the proportion of entrants to higher education from the 20% most deprived areas in Scotland, with wide variation among universities and colleges.

 

£1 million for national social and community care organisations

 

More than £1 million has been awarded to voluntary organisations to help support and develop social and community care services in Scotland. The allocation is part of the Section 10 grants scheme and together with on-going grants, brings current Scottish Government investment in the scheme to £2.82 million. Continue reading £1 million for national social and community care organisations

Scottish Government acts to protect families hit by welfare changes

“The squeeze will be felt most by families with children, young people and those who have already been hardest hit by continuing UK Government austerity” – Social Security Minister Jeane Freeman

Families with children will be among those worst affected by UK welfare changes coming into effect, Scotland’s Social Security Minister has said. A number of UK Government changes come in to force yesterday which will cut the benefits people in Scotland are entitled to.

Continue reading Scottish Government acts to protect families hit by welfare changes