A Bill allowing the Scottish Government to make the first social security payments later this year has been passed by Parliament. Last night’s unanimous vote means MSPs have passed the Social Security (Scotland) Bill establishing Scotland’s first social security system. Continue reading Holyrood passes landmark Social Security Bill
Creative projects in Edinburgh will benefit from over £40,000 as part of the Scottish Government’s aim to tackle inequalities experienced by young people, in the Year of Young People 2018. Six Edinburgh arts projects – including Granton Youth Centre, North Edinburgh Arts and the Tinderbox Orchestra – will receive funding as part of the CashBack for Creativity Open Fund, which has awarded a total of £252,000 to 32 projects across the country. Continue reading Cashback for city arts projects
More than 285,000 households in financial difficulty have received Scottish Government grants to help them over the past five years. Continue reading Families at breaking point: Tens of thousands turn to Scottish Welfare Fund
Children with congenital heart defects are amongst those set to benefit from new technology designed to improve diagnoses and treatment planning thanks to investment announced by Economy Secretary Keith Brown.
Scottish Enterprise has awarded Edinburgh based Canon Medical’s European Research and Development Centre £1.9m towards developing its new £6.6m life sciences software. The technology will give medical staff a single ‘cockpit’ view, quickly pinpointing and collating key patient information from a variety of medical sources to better inform treatment decisions.
Initially the software will be used by medical staff treating congenital heart defects in children with the potential for it to be developed to support treatment for a wider range of medical conditions in future, including cardiovascular, stroke and oncology patients. The funding will also create 10 new jobs and protect 16 existing posts on the project.
Economy Secretary Mr Brown said: “Developments in life science technologies are hugely welcome in terms of both improving patient care and treatment and growing our economy, as well as further establishing Scotland as a centre of excellence in this important sector.
“Our aspiration is for Scotland to continue to lead innovations in life sciences and our Programme for Government saw business Research & Development grants boosted by 70%.
“Scottish Enterprise has worked with Canon Medical over the last 13 years to help achieve its growth ambitions and I look forward to seeing this collaboration continue to flourish and the company expanding its global business here in Scotland.”
Ken Sutherland, President of Canon Medical Research Europe, said: “Scotland is a fantastic location for us to innovate as we have access to top talent, universities and research collaborators, together with the strong support of the Scottish Government and Scottish Enterprise. We’re actively recruiting staff now to work on this project and hope to continue harnessing the excellent international graduate talent from Scottish universities.
“This project comes at a pivotal moment for us, allowing us to evolve into a healthcare data and AI research and development business. This £6.6m project also underlines the confidence our Japanese parent company has in further investing in our Scottish activity.”
Rhona Allison, Interim Managing Director at Scottish Enterprise, said: “Business innovation is critical to the success of our economy. Innovation is a key driver of growth and companies that innovate are more productive, do more international trade and employ more people.
“Giving our backing to this Research & Development project means we can help Canon Medical maximise its investment, cement its activity in Scotland and further increase Scotland’s reputation as a global hub for life sciences and medical technology excellence. I wish Canon Medical every success with this project and look forward to continuing to work with Ken and his team to grow the company further in Scotland.”
The City of Edinburgh Council has pledged support for PROCESSIONS Edinburgh. Alongside the Scottish Government’s Centenary Fund, Event Scotland part of VisitScotland’s Events Directorate and Creative Scotland, the City of Edinburgh Council has partnered with Artichoke to support the mass participatory event on 10 June. Continue reading “I was there”: sign up for PROCESSIONS Edinburgh
A new amendment has been tabled to the Social Security (Scotland) Bill, which would remove any time qualification for people who are terminally ill. Continue reading Social Security Bill: no time qualification for the terminally ill
Shoppers on Scotland’s high streets and retail parks will learn about the symptoms of cervical cancer in a nationwide campaign this summer. The £100,000 ‘Be Cervix Savvy’ campaign will tour Scotland from mid-June, with volunteers from Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust raising awareness of the signs of the disease. Continue reading Cervical Cancer campaign to hit the road this summer
The country’s most senior clinician is encouraging patients to get more involved in their treatment and care options. Scotland’s Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Catherine Calderwood is calling for a move away from the “doctor knows best” culture in her annual Practising Realistic Medicine report, which sets out steps to help patients get more involved in their medical consultations. Continue reading Chief Medical Officer calls for move away from “doctor knows best”
A new service led by Victim Support Scotland (VSS) will provide free, practical and emotional support to victims of crime across the country. The charity has been awarded £13.8 million over three years, part of which will provide for a new homicide service giving families of murder victims access to a dedicated case worker and continuous support. Continue reading Support for bereaved families: funding for new homicide service
Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport Shona Robison visited Muirhouse yesterday to officially open the new Pennywell All Care Centre. Ms Robison met staff and guests during a tour of the facility before cutting a ribbon to declare the ‘one stop shop’ open. Continue reading Health Secretary formally opens Pennywell All Care Centre
