Thousands of patients will be cared for at their local community optometry practice rather than in the hospital as part of a new NHS community glaucoma service.
The flagship eyecare service is being rolled out in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, and will expand across Scotland over the next two years and is expected to register an estimated 20,000 patients once complete.
As part of the service, patients with lower risk glaucoma or treated ocular hypertension will be safely cared for in community optometry practices, closer to home, rather than having to travel to hospital and help to reduce waiting times pressures in hospitals.
Marking the launch at Munro Optometrists, one of the first practices to offer the service, Public Health Minister Jenni Minto said: “Scotland is regarded as a world leader in community eye care service provision.
“We are the only country in the UK to provide free universal NHS-funded eye examinations, and our investment in community optometry services has helped reduce the burden on GPs and secondary care services.
“I am very pleased to celebrate the launch of this new flagship NHS Community Glaucoma Service in Glasgow and look forward to seeing more patients across the country benefiting from the rollout.”
Frank Munro, practice owner said: “This new development demonstrates another positive aspect of joint working across the eyecare sector. This policy development comes at a much-needed time with so many people on long waiting lists waiting for appointments.
“This innovation demonstrates the proactive, constructive discussions that have taken place and the Scottish Government and Optometry Scotland should be congratulated in bringing the Community Glaucoma Service into effect.
“There is no doubt that this will benefit thousands of patients living with glaucoma across Scotland.”
Strengthened standards ensure fewer restrictions on visiting
Strengthened national guidance on visiting has improved residents’ quality of life Health Secretary Michael Matheson was told by staff and residents at a care home in Greenock.
The Health and Social Care Standards which came into force last April gave people living in care homes rights to see loved ones and name relatives or friends they wish to be involved in their care plans.
The standards have helped deliver the aims of Anne’s Law, ensuring people who live in adult care homes have rights to see and get support from those who are important to them, ahead of the Scottish Parliament considering entering it into legislation as part of the National Care Service (Scotland) Bill.
The Bagatelle Care Home is one of two operated by the Greenock Medical Aid Society. Their “meaningful visits” team, set up during the pandemic to ensure residents had regular, safe contact with loved ones, won the Nursing Older People Award at the Royal College of Nursing Awards 2021.
Mr Matheson said: “Strengthening the standards has allowed us to meet our pledge to introduce the provisions of Anne’s Law as quickly as possible by using existing legal powers. This has minimised disruption to visiting and I am glad to hear how this is already helping residents and their loved ones.
“I would also like to congratulate the staff here at the Bagatelle Care Home on the Nursing Older People award and thank them for their continued hard work.”
Andrea Wyllie, Chief Executive of Greenock Medical Aid Society, said: “Since we introduced meaningful visits safely during the height of the pandemic we’ve seen improvements in residents’ and family members’ overall wellbeing.
“Our data showed an increase in appetites and a significant decrease in those at risk of malnutrition. We saw moods lift and a feeling of life and buzz return into our care homes. We demonstrated that we could balance the rights of residents and family members in being back together, with the risks that increasing footfall could bring.”
Kevin Mitchell, the Care Inspectorate’s executive director of scrutiny and assurance, said: “We recognise that recent years have been an unprecedented challenge for all those living and working in care settings.
“We have seen countless examples of care services working extremely hard to support people to maintain contact with their loved ones in meaningful ways.
“The Care Inspectorate continues to work closely with partners across the sector and with the Scottish Government to ensure people experiencing care are supported to have meaningful contact with the people important to them.”
Cathie Russell of Care Home Relatives Scotland said: “We are pleased the Health Secretary is marking the one year anniversary of the new care standards which are helping to ensure people can still have contact with loved ones even during Covid and other outbreaks and look forward to this approach being enshrined in Anne’s Law as a matter of urgency.”
Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth has written to teachers, education leaders and staff across Scotland setting out her priorities for the sector.
These include reforming education for the benefit of all learners, and continuing to close the poverty-related attainment gap.
The letter reads:
To Scotland’s teachers and school leaders,
It is a great honour to have been appointed to the role of Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills. As you may know, I spent a decade working in education before entering politics. I recognise first-hand how dedicated and committed our teachers and support staff are to giving our children and young people the best opportunities to succeed in life.
The Covid-19 pandemic was a sharp reminder of just how important education is to our communities. I know how challenging it was for our young people – just as I know how challenging it was for our teachers and staff in school. I want to thank you all for your hard work and professionalism throughout that time. You stepped up when Scotland’s young people needed you most. Thank you.
We need to now focus on rebuilding, together, for the benefit of Scotland’s children and young people – and I firmly believe that post-pandemic we have a unique opportunity to do so.
There are many strengths in our education system which we must use as our foundation; equally I know of the challenges that the Covid legacy has created in our classrooms and school communities. I want to work with you on how we can address those challenges and opportunities together.
Undeniably, we are at a crucial point in setting out the future through a comprehensive programme of education reform. The National Discussion on Education and the Independent Review of Qualifications and Assessment (Hayward Review) will conclude soon. This work includes the reform of our national bodies as we work to establish the new agencies.
These new organisations will need to work better to meet the needs of our young people – but they also need to work better to support you, our educators.
The educational landscape which existed when the Scottish Attainment Challenge launched in February 2015 is markedly different. The cost of living crisis has deepened inequity; but it further necessitates our relentless focus on closing the poverty related attainment gap.
High quality learning and teaching is crucial to help disrupt the impact of poverty in our education system. Our schools have a key role to play in driving ambition and attainment; through promoting a culture of high expectations and excellence for all. Excellent teachers are fundamental to that endeavour – I want to make sure you have the necessary support and opportunity to fulfil that expectation.
Furthermore, I am committed to delivering excellence and equity in school education through empowering and supporting our teaching profession and putting learners’ needs at the centre. We will ensure that teachers and practitioners across the education system can access the high-quality support and professional learning they need. Our new national education bodies will be central to this, with clear roles and responsibilities to support this work collaboratively across the sector.
Scottish education is at an important juncture. The future for Scotland’s next generation depends on those of you who work in our education system. From our school janitors to our secretaries in school offices; from our catering staff to our Headteachers; from our classroom support assistants to our teachers – all of you make up the myriad of support provided to Scotland’s children and young people in our schools. All of you are valued.
As the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, I am committed to working with you to make sure the next steps on reform deliver real improvements, with partnership with our teaching profession as my guiding principle.
I look forward to working with you all, for the benefit of Scotland’s children and young people.
Councils empowered to prioritise ‘homes for living in‘
Plans to enable councils to raise the amount of council tax paid on empty and second homes will be included in a new consultation to help increase housing availability.
First Minister Humza Yousaf will announce proposals at the Scottish Trades Union Congress today (Monday 17 April) which could give councils powers to charge up to double the full rate of council tax on second homes from April 2024.
The proposed change would bring second homes into line with long-term empty homes from next year. The joint consultation with COSLA will also seek views on further powers to charge more than double rate on both empty and second homes in future years.
Latest figures show that in January 2023 there were 42,865 long-term empty homes in Scotland.
The consultation will also ask for views on whether there should be changes to the definition of when a property offering self-catered accommodation becomes liable for non-domestic rates.
The plans will deliver on commitments in the Scottish Government’s Housing to 2040 strategy and Bute House Agreement with the Scottish Green Party to enable councils to prioritise homes for living in and manage the impact of second or long-term empty homes.
Ahead of the consultation opening, the First Minister said: “We want everyone in Scotland to have an affordable home that meets their needs and this work to improve the availability of sustainable long-term housing opportunities is a core part of that.
“By recognising the important role councils have in considering local needs, these proposals aim to strike a balance between good housing supply and helping communities to thrive and benefit from tourism.
“I encourage anyone who is interested to respond to the consultation as we try to prioritise homes for living in, seeking a fair contribution to local services from everyone and recognising the benefits to local economies from self-catering accommodation and second homes.
“All responses will be carefully considered before legislation is introduced to the Scottish Parliament.”
COSLA Resources Spokesperson Councillor Katie Hagmaan said: “Local government in Scotland is committed to supporting access for everyone in Scotland to an affordable home.
“That is why we are pleased to be launching this joint consultation, as we work to meet the shared aim of creating the right balance to increase the availability of housing and a taxation system that is fair for the tourism industry.
“We also welcome the greater fiscal empowerment for councils to reflect local circumstances this would introduce. Any additional funding created by these changes under consultation will enable councils to invest in local needs and support sustainable communities.
“We are pleased to be jointly working with the Scottish Government on this vital area of work and we look forward to considering the responses.”
Victims and witnesses are set to use virtual reality headsets to familiarise themselves with giving evidence in court as part of a pioneering Scottish Government initiative to allay fears or discomfort around the process.
Ahead of giving evidence in court, the world-leading £500,000 virtual court project will allow victims to ‘walk through’ a 3-dimensional world, comprising actual videos of the court building where their case will be held. The system uses cutting-edge software to allow victims and witnesses to interact in a virtual environment that includes depictions of the people and objects they can expect to encounter when they go to court.
The project will enable victims and witnesses to be supported at all times by Victim Support Scotland (VSS) volunteers as they experience the virtual court environment. This will remove the need to travel to court prior to their hearing date, while allowing people to familiarise themselves with what can be an unfamiliar, daunting and often retraumatising environment.
The project – a partnership between VSS, tech provider Immersonal and CivTech, the world’s first successful public-sector-focused innovation accelerator – has delivered a working prototype for Glasgow Sheriff Court and the High Court in Glasgow with wider development and roll out over the next year.
Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs Angela Constance said: “We continue to put victims at the heart of the criminal justice system, their needs are an absolute priority.
“However victims and witnesses can naturally find giving evidence a daunting prospect. This unique project, using innovative technology to support and prepare victims for attending court, could prove transformative.
“It has the potential to reduce anxiety and additional trauma, and also reduces the need to travel often long distances for victims to familiarise themselves with a new environment before experiencing it ‘in real life’.
“We hope that this will reduce retraumatisation and anxiety, supporting victims to give the highest quality evidence.
“This project is part of the Scottish Government‘s wider work that has seen more than £93 million invested through the justice budget over the past five years to prioritise victims’ rights and needs. Our Victim Centred Approach Fund continues this important commitment, making £48 million available to victims’ organisations.”
Chief Executive of Victim Support Scotland Kate Wallace said: “Victims and witnesses often tell us of the retraumatising effects caused by giving evidence in court and that it can cause as much anxiety as the crime itself.
“Victim Support Scotland strongly advocates for victims being able to give evidence remotely and in trauma-informed environments.
“This virtual reality experience will provide just that and can be accessed through a headset available with the help of volunteers from Victim Support Scotland, as well as through laptops, smart phones and tablets thereby offering more choice and access about how to prepare for court at a time and place that suits the victim.”
A new framework to strengthen Scotland’s engagement with global connections has been published.
The Scottish Connections Framework seeks to expand links and networks with:
Scottish people living elsewhere in the world
those with Scottish heritage
people who have previously lived in Scotland, including alumni
those with a professional, business, cultural or other links to Scotland
The Framework outlines commitments to Scotland’s global communities, recognising the benefits of international collaboration for both Scotland and the diaspora across the world.
As part of the Framework, a number of projects will be expanded or launched including a Scottish Connections Challenge Fund to support initiatives that promote Scotland’s reputation and interests.
During the lifetime of this Parliament, a recognition award to highlight the achievements of Scottish diaspora internationally will also be launched and an external advisory group will be established to shape proposed and future work with the diaspora.
External Affairs Secretary Angus Robertson said: “Scotland is an open, connected and outward-looking country with a long and proud history of intellectual, cultural and economic exchange.
“Recent research suggested that upwards of 40 million people across the world consider themselves to have Scottish heritage but the approach set out in Scottish Connections goes far beyond bloodlines. Recognising and engaging our diaspora is an objective in itself – not a means to an end. Scotland’s diaspora and our Scottish Connections are an extension of Scotland – our living bridge with people, organisations and communities around the world.
“Publishing this Framework will unlock many opportunities for Scots and those connected to Scotland across the world. Connecting with our international diaspora will enable us to learn from their skills, experiences and achievements.
“I look forward to discussing the Framework in detail with our friends and partners in New York City as part of the 25th anniversary of Tartan Week – itself a leading global event to celebrate Scotland’s contributions to the world.”
Request for judicial review of UK Government use of veto
The Scottish Government will challenge the Secretary of State for Scotland’s use of Section 35 of the Scotland Act to stop the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill going forward to Royal Assent following the Scottish Parliament’s approval of the legislation in December 2022.
Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville has informed the Scottish Parliament that the Scottish Government will lodge a petition for a judicial review of the Secretary of State for Scotland’s use of Section 35.
Ms Somerville said: “The Gender Recognition Reform Bill was passed by an overwhelming majority of the Scottish Parliament, with support from members of all parties.
“The use of Section 35 is an unprecedented challenge to the Scottish Parliament’s ability to legislate on clearly devolved matters and it risks setting a dangerous constitutional precedent.
“In seeking to uphold the democratic will of the Parliament and defend devolution, Scottish Ministers will lodge a petition for a judicial review of the Secretary of State for Scotland’s decision.
“The UK Government gave no advance warning of their use of the power, and neither did they ask for any amendments to the Bill throughout its nine month passage through Parliament. Our offers to work with the UK Government on potential changes to the Bill have been refused outright by the Secretary of State, so legal challenge is our only reasonable means of resolving this situation.
“It is important to have clarity on the interpretation and scope of the Section 35 power and its impact on devolution. These matters should be legally tested in the courts.”
Array currently tested before deployment this year
Scotland’s first array of floating solar panels will be installed this year as part of a move to generate renewable energy and reduce carbon emissions.
First Minister Humza Yousaf toured the manufacturing facility of Nova Innovation in Leith yesterday where the panels are being tested before their launch.
The company installed the world’s first offshore tidal turbine array in Shetland in 2016 and subsequently received £6.4 million from the Scottish National Investment Bank in September 2021 to boost production of innovative renewable energy generators.
It has since established project sites in Canada, France and Indonesia. Its floating solar panels build on its expertise in tidal energy and an official launch of the installation will take place later this year with a multi-megawatt international order already in the pipeline.
The First Minister said: “These panels give a fascinating glimpse into the opportunities for Scotland’s future energy system and are the first step towards harnessing our significant potential for floating solar.
“The investment by the Scottish National Investment Bank in Nova Innovation helped expand its manufacturing base here in Leith and aligned strongly with the Scottish Government’s priority of supporting innovative technology that will help us achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2045.
“Scotland is already one of the most advanced hubs in Europe for the testing and demonstration of marine energy technology and I look forward to seeing where the panels will be launched in the near future.”
Chief Executive of Nova Innovation Simon Forrest said: “With record-high energy prices and growing concerns over security of supply, there is an immediate need for Scotland to focus on homegrown energy from our abundant natural resources.
“Scotland is at the heart of the tidal energy revolution and Nova continues to lead the sector with proven technology and unrivalled reliability. With the addition of floating solar to our portfolio, we are ideally placed to help drive the race to Net Zero.
“We were honoured to welcome the First Minister to discuss the economic benefits, job creation opportunities and the part Scotland can play in the global supply for renewable energy.”
Disabled people are being urged to find out if they are eligible for Scottish Government disability benefits as part of a new campaign to increase benefit take-up.
The nationwide campaign aims to raise awareness about financial support available to help with the extra costs that disabled children and adults may face.
Child Disability Payment provides financial support to help families and carers with the extra costs of caring for a disabled child or young person or a child or young person with a long-term health condition. Adult Disability Payment is available to people aged between 16 and state pension age who are disabled, have a long-term health condition or a terminal illness.
These benefits are administered by Social Security Scotland and replace the Department for Work and Pensions’ Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for Children, DLA and Personal Independence Payment.
People already getting disability benefits from DWP will see their award transfer automatically and they do not need to apply separately.
Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “Being disabled or having a long-term health condition can come with a variety of extra costs, such as paying more for accessible transport. We want to make sure that disabled children and adults get all the extra financial support they are entitled to, to ease the impact of those costs.
“This campaign is not just about raising awareness but also has an important role to play in helping to remove any stigma that people may be worried about when applying for social security. We believe social security is a human right. It is here for any of us should we need it and we want to make sure people are accessing what they are due.
“This is the first time that we are proactively promoting disability benefits as part of a national advertising campaign, including adverts on TV. We are not aware of the UK Government running a campaign on the equivalent UK benefits for over 30-years. I want to actively encourage people to check if they are eligible for Child and Adult Disability Payments and make sure they get extra financial support to help them live full and independent lives.”
The campaign features Piper, 9, who has Down’s Syndrome. Her mum Caroline Milburn, says disability benefits have helped cover extra costs as well as give Piper opportunities she’d never have had without them.
Caroline, from Edinburgh, said: “Piper is such a unique character. When she was born we were told she wouldn’t walk until she was around six, but she was walking at two. She’s so determined and knows her own mind. If she wants to do something she’ll do it.
“Disability benefit allowed me to buy her a sensory swing and a tablet that gives her access to games that help her learn. She just thinks she’s having fun but the games have taught her so much. She plays them with her five-year-old brother sitting beside her and he learns with her.
“Child Disability Payment helps cover the costs of buying Piper new clothes and duvets as she is always chewing holes in them It also allows me to send her to holiday clubs. She loves them and they’re really good for her, but they cost about £40 a week.
“Piper is such an amazing girl and she makes everyone’s lives better. Without disability benefits we’d not have been able to give her all the experiences and opportunities she’s had to learn and connect with the world.”
Innovative companies will be able to trial new health products in clinical settings across the country following a link-up between the Scottish Government’s £42 million Techscaler programme and the NHS.
Participants in the programme, which provides world class expertise and support to young businesses with high growth potential, are being offered access to NHS Regional Test Beds. These enable entrepreneurs to work alongside clinicians and have access to patients and anonymised data to test ideas, products and services.
And in a reciprocal agreement, firms already using the NHS Test Beds will automatically become part of the Techscaler network.
Wellbeing Economy Secretary Neil Gray announced the move during a visit to Bioliberty in Edinburgh, which uses robotics to provide rehabilitation and assistance for stroke survivors.
The company will be one of 14 firms in sectors including healthtech and life sciences to join a Scottish Government-funded visit to New York to showcase their work.
Mr Gray said: “Scotland’s life sciences sector has an annual turnover of more than £8 billion and is one of our key sectors for transformative economic growth.This partnership will be able to leverage our world-leading universities, life sciences hubs and excellent healthcare systems to support the growth of the sector and development of entrepreneurs.
“Testing products in a real world environment and accelerating development is vital, and will enable a broader reach of the Tech Scaler programme. This in turn will benefit patients and medical staff as they develop cutting-edge technology for use across the NHS, from stroke and rehabilitation through to reducing drug-related deaths.
“It is a further example of the steps we are taking as we develop a sustainable, high-skill economy that works for everyone.”
Chief Scientist (Health) Anna Dominiczak said: “I welcome this collaboration, which will result in transformative innovations for the NHS and help to ensure that Scotland is the best location for life sciences companies.”
Scotland’s Chief Entrepreneur Mark Logan said: “By making this connection between health testing and business support, we create an environment for innovation which enables Scottish companies to compete effectively, whilst bringing much-needed treatment solutions to the NHS.”
