support – Page 22 – The NEN – North Edinburgh News

SCVO and partners unveil HR for Creatives project

The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) has unveiled the 20 organisations who will be a part of a groundbreaking HR for Creatives project.

SCVO has partnered with Creative Scotland and Project Manager Kathryn Willens on the action research project to explore the support needed for micro and small creative organisations.

The project incorporates research into participant organisations’ learning journeys in order to share findings so that the wider arts, screen and creative industries can learn from this project.

This will allow the project partners to learn from organisations that access support and to identify where there are key and shared opportunities, challenges, strengths and weaknesses for the sector.

SCVO’s HR Service will now work with them to support them on their HR journey, including an audit of their HR policies and procedures, one-to-one advice and guidance, as well as access to webinars and a peer network.

The partners hope this will Improve people management for arts, screen and creative industries organisations, starting with legal compliance and moving beyond this to help organisations create a space and place to work where their people – staff and freelance practitioners – thrive and where fair work drives success, wellbeing and prosperity.

SCVO, Scotland’s national membership body for the voluntary sector, received over 80 applications from micro to small sized arts, screen and creative industries organisations from across Scotland. All applications were of a high standard, with only 20 places available.

The organisations represent a wide range of artistic practice including animation, digital art, theatre, film, poetry, music and dance. (1)

The number of applications highlights the demand for HR support in the sector especially from micro to small employers, with SCVO planning to offer some support to the organisations that didn’t make it to the shortlist through access to webinars and resources.

SCVO is delighted to be working with Creative Scotland, Kathryn, and research partner Tialt on the HR for Creatives action learning programme, funded by The National Lottery through Creative Scotland.

The programme will kick off in September 2023 and continue for 12 months.

Caroline Christie, SCVO’s Head of HR, said: “We are thrilled with the response to the HR for Creatives programme. This level of interest highlights arts, screen and creative industries organisations commitment to HR and to Fair Work as well as a need for this kind of support.

“HR for Creatives aims to offer support and learning to improve people management for arts, screen and creative industries organisations, support that will enable organisations to create work cultures where their staff and freelancers can thrive and where fair work drives success, wellbeing and prosperity.

“SCVO’s HR Service and the HR for Creatives project team are very excited to start working with the 20 shortlisted organisations and with the research partners, Tialt.”

Ashley Smith-Hammond, Creative Industries Officer at Creative Scotland, said: “As Creative Scotland develops its work in response to the Fair Work agenda, we’re committed to empowering organisations in the arts, screen and creative industries to best support their workforce.

“We’re pleased to partner with SCVO on this vital programme, which responds to challenges that small and micro creative businesses have in accessing appropriate, specialist support around people management.

“In this challenging economic context, it’s an investment in more competent, confident creative businesses and better experience for those in the creative workforce.”

HR for Creatives organisations

Africa in Motion	Glasgow
An Tobar and Mull Theatre	Tobermory
Art Link Central	Stirling
Civic Digits CIC	Edinburgh
Company of Wolves	Glasgow
Cove Park	Helensborough
Creation Mill CIC	Dumfries
Creative Dundee	Dundee
Forgan Arts Centre	Fife
Imaginate	Edinburgh
Lung Ha Theatre Company	Edinburgh
Media co-op	Glasgow
Print Clan CIC	Glasgow
Produced Moon	Glasgow
Push The Boat Out	Edinburgh
Regional Screen Scotland	Edinburgh
Scottish Artists Union	Glasgow
Scottish Sculpture Workshop	Lumsden
Sound Festival	Aberdeen
The Work Room	Glasgow

Out of the Blue helps support Edinburgh’s unpaid carers through the arts

The Creative Carers programme returns to Out of the Blue this Autumn
Now in its second year, the Creative Carers programme of arts workshops supports over 40 people each year with a programme of free arts workshops
The programme is a collaboration between Out of the Blue and VOCAL (Voice of Carers Across Lothian)

This September sees the launch of the Creative Carers programme at Out of the Blue Drill Hall. First set up in 2022, Out of the Blue will be working with several resident arts organisations to deliver a series of free creative classes for unpaid carers. The classes will take place over two months this Autumn at Out of the Blue Drill Hall and Abbeymount Studios.

The project is being delivered in partnership with local charity VOCAL (Voice of Carers Across Lothian) to help reach unpaid carers.

According to VOCAL’s most recent carer survey, 79% report an impact on their mental wellbeing after beginning caring and 48% don’t believe they have a good balance between caring and other things in their life.

To help combat these challenges, the project aims to offer unpaid carers a number of creative and inspiring workshops that carers can enjoy to take time away from their caring role, try something new and connect with others.

The free creative workshops include aerial dance, pottery, dressmaking, jewellery, printmaking and drama. The workshops are open for beginners as well as those who have some prior experience. The workshops will take place at Out of the Blue Drill Hall at 32-36 Dalmeny St and at Abbeymount Studios at the top of Easter Road.

These are:

● Aerial skills with All or Nothing
● Pottery with Edinburgh Ceramics Workshop
● Jewellery with Precious Metals Workshop
● Dressmaking with Remode Collective
● Printmaking with Out of the Blueprint

The project has been funded through the Scottish Government’s Community Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund which aims to support community based initiatives that promote and develop good mental health and wellbeing within the adult population.

Feedback from 2022 suggests that carers enjoyed the chance to engage with other activities offered through the classes (which they would not have done otherwise) and enjoyed the social element.

Some also suggested that they didn’t have time to pursue their own hobbies so they valued the chance to be creative alongside others in a similar caring role.

Feedback from participants in 2022:

● “It helped to focus on the course for a couple of hours and put the everyday stresses to the back of my mind.”
● “Felt as if I could achieve something for myself and be creative for a change.”
● “Felt very positive and excited to be doing something so different.”
● “There was a level of companionship, not just the common situation of being carers but also a shared interest.”

Out of the Blue Project Manager, Johnny Gailey, says: “We’re absolutely delighted to be able to run the Creative Carers programme again this Autumn.

“The feedback from last year’s participants was really positive – carers really valued having time to themselves away from their caring responsibilities and the chance to be creative.

“There’s estimated to be over 80,000 unpaid carers in the Lothian area so hopefully individuals who find themselves in a caring role and who think they would benefit from the programme might find out about the free programme and get in touch to sign up.”

VOCAL’s Chief Executive, Rosemary McLoughlin said: “Many carers face barriers to taking a break from caring, which is why thinking creatively and offering flexible options to short breaks across the city is so important.

“Building on the success of last year’s programme, we hope this partnership with Out of the Blue will support carers to take a much-needed break and have a positive impact on their health and wellbeing.”

The Creative Carers project takes place at the Drill Hall and Abbeymount Studios from early October. If you’re an unpaid carer and are interested in taking part please visit the VOCAL WeeBreaks website where you’ll be able to find out more.

Scottish Mosques raise money with Islamic Relief for Morocco

Islamic Relief UK launches nationwide Mosque collection this Friday (15^th September) to raise money for Morocco earthquake survivors

Aid agency, Islamic Relief UK, has announced nationwide Mosque collections on Friday 15^th September to raise funds for vital, life-saving aid for the survivors of the devastating earthquake in Morocco.

It is expected that this will be the charity’s largest ever Friday Mosque collection.

Participating Scottish Mosques are:

Masjid Al Hikmah (Glasgow) – 15th
Alloa Mosque (Aberdeen) – 15th
Blackhall Mosque (Edinburgh) – 15th
Aberdeen Mosque and Islamic Centre – 15th

The earthquake hit Morocco on 8^thSeptember at 11.11pm in the High Atlas region. 2,100 people have already been reported to have been killed with the death toll likely to rise as rescue teams continue to search for survivors.

Some villages have been completely flattened and residents are using whatever equipment they can find as they struggle to help their neighbours.

Blocked roads are preventing ambulances from reaching the wounded, and while officials are scrambling to clear debris, rescue and relief efforts are difficult amid the mountainous terrain, risk of landslides, and large distances.

Islamic Relief’s team on the ground is supporting local organisations to provide relief to survivors, including food, shelter and other items. The aid agency has also launched an appeal to raise £10 million to help with relief efforts, which Friday’s collection will go a long way to help reach.

Tufail Hussain, director, Islamic Relief UK comments: “The news of the earthquake in Morocco was devastating to hear, knowing that so many lives would be lost or ruined by this natural disaster. Islamic Relief teams were quickly deployed to Morocco to work with local partners.

“However, none of what we do in the field would be possible without the amazing generosity of our donors and the community. In times of crisis you can always count on the Muslim community to pull together to help the less fortunate.”

£12.4 million to help change choices about work

£12.4 million awarded to six innovative new projects to understand barriers to getting into work.
Projects include investigating the impact of endometriosis on women’s work choices and how programmes to reduce obesity and type 2 diabetes can improve workforce participation.
Funding will help overcome barriers facing those who need the most support getting into work

Six ground-breaking projects including an investigation looking at how endometriosis impacts women in the workplace have been awarded £12.4 million, the UK Government has announced today (Tuesday 12 September).

The projects comprise the first round of the Labour Market Evaluation and Pilots Fund, and take place over the next two years. The results will help to transform the government’s approach to the jobs market and drive forward research into best practice in employment.

While the UK’s employment rate is higher than a number of other advanced economies, the government is committed to ensure that those who most need help getting into the workplace are supported.

The Chancellor announced a range of interventions to address this at Spring Budget 2023 – including a significant expansion of childcare support, making 30 hours of free childcare a week available to parents from children aged 9 months.

The Labour Market Evaluation and Pilots Fund is part of that and will be used to test new approaches and generate better evidence to help specific groups back into work or to work longer hours.

Financial Secretary to the Treasury, Victoria Atkins, said: “Our jobs record is incredibly strong, with high employment that means millions of people are benefiting from work. But for some, that’s not happening.

“We need to look for solutions that are tailored to help people thrive in the jobs market. This analysis is the first step towards that – looking at specific health conditions or living arrangements to find out what works to help people work.”

Minister for Social Mobility, Youth and Progression Mims Davies MP said: “The vital opportunities and confidence employment gives, helps to transform lives. This is why we are determined to support all those who want to progress to do so, while also driving down inactivity and importantly growing the economy.

“This key new funding for our pilots will enable us to support even more people to move forward in work, including vitally those in supported accommodation and more disadvantaged communities, to help people to break down any barriers to work, so more people can fulfil their employment potential.”

National Statistician, Sir Ian Diamond, said: “The ONS welcomes the opportunity to shine light on this important area with these projects.

“This new analysis will provide crucial insight for decision makers in helping to understand how health conditions impact on people’s working lives and what interventions can help people stay in work.”

One of the projects includes a first-of-its-kind Office for National Statistics (ONS) evaluation which will investigate the impact of endometriosis on women’s participation and progression in the workforce.

Endometriosis can affect around 1 in 10 women, with symptoms including chronic pain and fatigue which can disrupt daily routines, fertility and mental health and time off work may be needed for coping with symptoms.

Previous work has shown that women with the condition often take this into consideration when making career choices, including the likelihood they will need to take significantly more sick leave. This project will improve understanding and help inform government plans to support women with the condition in their careers.

A second project by the ONS will evaluate whether programmes to reduce the risk of developing type two diabetes and obesity improve people’s ability to join the labour market.

Around 3.8 million people in the UK have type 2 diabetes and 2.4 million are at high risk of developing the disease which can have a strong effect on quality of life, including the ability to work. The evaluation will include reviewing the impact of the Healthier You NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme (DPP), a large scale nine-month, evidence-based lifestyle change programme aimed at people at risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

There will also be a new pilot to address barriers to work faced by those aged 18-24 living in supported housing, which is accommodation provided alongside care, support or supervision to help people live as independently as possible in the community and can act as a pathway to transitioning into work.

To support young people in making that transition, DWP and the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) have developed a Proof of Concept that will test financial support and simplification of the benefits system for 18-24 year olds living in supported housing who move into work or increase their working hours.

This will help them to build their employment prospects further, work towards becoming financially independent and progress into move on accommodation in a planned way.

Funding will also be allocated to two HMRC projects to evaluate the impact of Tax-Free Childcare on parents’ work choices and women’s return to work after maternity leave. In addition, funding will be provided to DWP to trial employment support and rent incentives to move people out of work or on low earnings into work or onto higher earnings.

Scots severely underestimate how many of us will get heart or circulatory disease  

  Scots severely underestimate the scale and seriousness of heart and circulatory diseases, according to a new survey by the British Heart Foundation.

While it’s estimated around half of people in this country will get a heart or circulatory condition during our lifetime, more than a quarter (27 per cent) of those surveyed in Scotland thought the likelihood of them developing a heart condition was just 1 in 10, while over a fifth (22 per cent) thought the chance was just 1 in 50.

Only three per cent of respondents knew the correct answer – which is 1 in 2.  

When people were asked if they thought they would be directly affected, Gen Z (33 per cent) are most likely to think they will ever be affected by heart and circulatory diseases, whereas baby boomers are the least likely (22 per cent).    

Despite heart and circulatory conditions affecting men and women almost equally, only 27 per cent of women thought they could be at risk compared to 33 per cent of men.    

These perceptions stand in stark contrast to the fact that there are currently 700,000 people living with a heart or circulatory disease in Scotland.  

Worryingly, the survey also found confusion among members of the public about the seriousness of a heart attack and cardiac arrest. While both are life-threatening emergencies that require immediate medical treatment, only 79 per cent of Scots would call 999 for an ambulance if they thought a person was having a heart attack, while only 60 per cent of people considered a cardiac arrest a medical emergency.  

The BHF released the figures to coincide with the launch of a new campaign that aims to shine a spotlight on hidden heart conditions. The charity says that these conditions can often go undiagnosed for too long and that they often aren’t discovered until something goes wrong, or it becomes too late.  

For mum-of-two, Hannah Kirkpatrick, from Dalbeattie, the impact heart conditions can have on the family, is something she knows all too well.

Her son Evan, now 10, was diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, an inherited heart condition which causes the heart muscle to thicken, when he was just 11 months old. But it wasn’t until August last year that he underwent surgery – a septal myectomy – which has helped improve his life.  

Hannah said: “He was only diagnosed with his heart condition by accident. When he was born, he had a bit of a flat head and, while it seemed to be getting better after a couple of months, his health visitor referred him to have a check over by his paediatrician.    

“At the appointment they spent a long time listening to his heart and I could just tell something was wrong. Why else would they be listening for so long? He was referred to Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary for a scan where they detected a heart murmur. It was a huge shock.” 

Doctors said they would closely monitor Evan’s condition and saw him every six-months for regular check-ups.

However, in March 2022 Evan started to become more breathless. His lips would also get a blue tinge after walking. Hannah, who is also mum to Caitlin, 22, and her husband, Christopher, took Evan back to his cardiologist and he was put on the waiting list for a septal myectomy – surgery which would remove some of the thickened muscle in his heart.  

The self-employed domestic cleaner, 40, said: “His surgery was on August 13, 2022, in Glasgow. It was meant to take around four to five hours. It was the worst day of my life, waiting and not knowing if he was going to be OK.”   

Thankfully Evan made a speedy recovery and within a few days the then nine year was back home. “He took everything in his stride and bounced back,” said Hannah. “It was a huge relief and we can look ahead to the future.”

An estimated 27,000 people in Scotland have an inherited heart condition. The charity say heart and circulatory conditions can affect almost anyone at any stage of life regardless of lifestyle choices and family history which contradicts common misconception we may have in our heads of them only affecting those who may be older with unhealthy lifestyles.

David McColgan, Head of BHF Scotland, said: “It is deeply concerning to see that so many people are unaware of the scale and seriousness of heart and circulatory diseases.    

“Decades of lifesaving medical advances have perhaps lulled people into believing that we’ve beaten heart and circulatory diseases when nothing could be further from the truth.    

“These potentially deadly or life-limiting conditions continue to rob families of loved ones or blight the lives of people facing a future with an incurable disease.    

“With this campaign we want to shine a spotlight on heart and circulatory diseases and help people understand that everyone can be affected. 

“By funding groundbreaking research, we can get a step closer to breakthroughs that that can save outsmart heart disease for good.” 

This September, the BHF is shining a spotlight on hidden heart conditions and urging the whole of the UK to get involved by supporting the charity however they can. Stories, stuff, time, or money: whatever you can give, please give.

Visit: https://spotlighton.bhf.org.uk/

Fringe 2023: The Show’s Over

The 2023 Edinburgh Festival Fringe drew to a close yesterday, (Monday 28 August 2023), having brought together artists, arts industry, media and audiences from nearly 170 countries, with 2,445,609 tickets issued across the festival.

288 venues hosted a diverse selection of work from Scotland, the UK and the rest of the world, with 67 countries represented, and performance showcases from 17 countries. They were joined by nearly 500 of the world’s finest street performers, buskers and street artists, who brought vibrancy and joy to the Mound and Royal Mile as part of the Fringe street events.

As the largest performing arts festival and expo market for professional development in the world, this year’s Fringe also attracted nearly 1,400 accredited producers, programmers, bookers, talent agencies, festivals and others from 49 countries, who come to Edinburgh looking to find talent and shows, providing touring and onward opportunities for artists well beyond August.

In addition, 840 of the world’s media accredited for this year’s festival through the Fringe Society, with the number of reviewers up 10% on last year, and who in total generated 25% more reviews for artists at the Fringe than in 2022.

The themes and issues tackled by artists in the 2023 programme included mental health and wellbeing, disability, queer lives, working-class representation and the climate crisis; with emerging talent showcased alongside big names and ground-breaking international work.

To help audiences discover work among the 3,553* shows featured in this year’s programme, the Fringe Society launched a new Fringe app for 2023. Using the app, audiences could ‘shake to search’, generating a random show suggestion simply by shaking their phone, while the ‘nearby now’ function let app users find shows starting soon in close proximity.

Since its launch in July, the app has been downloaded nearly 80,000 times, with over 400,000 tickets issued through it.

Ensuring artists remain at the core of what the Fringe Society does, the Fringe Central: Artist Hub welcomed more than 1,500 artists and hosted a programme of over 40 events, working with 30 external partners including Health in Mind, Nouveau Riche, Birds of Paradise and World Fringe.

The Fringe Society has made a long-term commitment to community engagement and access. Key initiatives this year included loaning out 320 sensory resources for autistic children and adults, BSL interpretation of the street events in partnership with Deaf Action on three dates during August, and a dedicated Changing Places toilet located near George Square. This year the number of access bookings increased by around 35% compared to 2022.

35 local schools, charities and community groups took part in the Fringe Days Out scheme, which offers free Fringe vouchers and Lothian bus tickets to people who wouldn’t normally get to experience the Fringe. In addition, over 800 schoolchildren and teachers came to the festival as part of the Fringe Society’s schools outreach work.

Shona McCarthy, Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, said: “This year’s Fringe has been one that’s felt fresh, brave and energetic, and has sparked joy, discussion and provocation in equal measure, tackling the prevalent issues of our times and looking at them afresh through the creative lens and ingenuity of the performing artists.

“People come from all over the world to perform here, to see shows and to commission work. This festival remains a beacon for people to share and discuss ideas – I want to express my heartfelt thanks and admiration to everyone who makes it happen.

“Congratulations to the whole Fringe community of Fringe 2023; we will be relentless in our ongoing work to ensure that the Edinburgh Fringe lives up to its mantra – to give anyone a stage and everyone a seat.”

Benny Higgins, Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society Chair, added: “The discussions and debates held at this year’s festival have made it one of the most vital and memorable – and one of the loudest conversations was the one around affordability.

“Certainly artists are facing some of the most severe challenges ever, and while the Fringe Society will continue to do everything in its collective power to support artists, this will become harder and harder without finding support commensurate with its contribution to the economy.

“We will continue to make the case for funding, to protect what the Fringe represents – an unrivalled outpouring of creative expression.”

By Monday afternoon, with hundreds of performances still to take place, the Fringe Society can confirm that just under a quarter of a million people attended Fringe shows this year. 33% of attendees came from Edinburgh, 15% from the rest of Scotland and 10% from overseas, highlighting the continued appeal of the Fringe for locals and visitors alike.

Over 800,000 tickets were issued to ticket-buyers with EH postcodes, and 611 shows came from Edinburgh and the Lothians.

CHOUDHURY: Support needed beyond the Fringe

Scottish Labour MSP and Shadow Minister for Culture, Europe, and International Development Foysol Choudhury has raised concerns about the need for increased investment in local arts and culture groups all year round.

“The crowds that our festivals attract from all over the world show great levels of support for the arts from members of the public. However, additional support needs to be provided, all year round, to ensure these can be sustained for the public to enjoy.

“As the Scottish Government continues to waste money on the establishment of a new Independence Minister, Scotland’s culture and arts sector is suffering from a lack of investment.

“The closure of the beloved Edinburgh Filmhouse is testament to this, after it was forced to close its doors despite being known as a community lifeline for many.

“We also sadly see other much-loved venues facing challenges. Action is needed now before we lose these integral arts and culture venues for good.”

The 2023 Edinburgh Fringe Festival ran from the 4^th – 28^th of August 2023 and the Edinburgh International Festival ran from the 4^th– 27^th of August 2023.

There are some reports that there has been a drop in the number of shows taking place across the Edinburgh Fringe, with the 2023 Festival reportedly having less shows than the 2019 festival.

Noting this apparent decline in participants in the Fringe festival, Mr Choudhury says he will continue to pursue support for the arts and culture sector, so that Scotland’s vibrant cultural scene can flourish and is supported out of the COVID-19 pandemic and cost-of-living crisis.

Next year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe will run from 02 – 26 August 2024.

Women’s sport to be boosted by new investment scheme

Women’s sport investment is set to be boosted by a new scheme launched by the Department for Business and Trade, the Women’s Sport Investment Accelerator.

In association with Deloitte’s Sports Business Group and supported by the International Working Group (IWG) on Women and Sport, the new initiative will run for a year starting from autumn 2023.

It will bring UK-based women’s sports rightsholders – leagues, teams, competitions and events – who are seeking investment together with industry experts and sports investors.

The new programme will provide a series of sessions offering market insights, connections and networking events alongside comprehensive mentoring for rightsholders who are looking for investment.

Elite women’s sport competitions such as the FA Women’s Super League and Netball Super League are among those which could benefit.

Minister for Industry and Economic Security Nusrat Ghani said: “We want to make the UK the world’s top destination for women’s sport investment, and with this new scheme we can build on the Lionesses’ fantastic World Cup run to help attract investment in women’s sports’ next success stories.

“This is an open goal for women’s sports leagues, teams and competitions looking for backing and will give rightsholders the tools they need to secure investment and drive growth.”

The application process is open to rightsholders of any UK-based women’s sports leagues, teams, competitions or events aiming to attract investment and boost their growth.

It is also being made available at no cost to taxpayers, with all speakers and mentors providing their time and expertise on a pro bono basis and the scheme being delivered through DBT’s partnership with Deloitte, who are providing event space and facilitating several of the scheme sessions.

Investment in women’s sport is growing rapidly and the popularity of the Lionesses’ run to the final of the Women’s Football World Cup demonstrated the scale of the opportunity available, in an industry expected to be worth over £1 billion a year by 2030.

Lisa O’Keefe, Secretary General for the IWG on Women and Sport, said: “The Women’s Sport Investment Accelerator is a fantastic initiative for the UK and one which the IWG is very pleased to support.

“This year has been exciting for women’s sport around the globe, and we’ve seen some superb performances on the field of play and fanbase growth off it. The standard has risen, and the increased long-term investment has undoubtedly played a part in this.

The Accelerator pilot programme will help women’s sports teams and leagues capitalise on this opportunity and help push forward women’s sport.”

Rightsholders for UK-based professional women’s leagues, teams, competitions, and events seeking investment can apply to take part in the programme via the following link, by 8 September 2023: https://eu.eventscloud.com/website/12237/.

Aldi donates over 14,500 meals to Edinburgh and Lothian charities over summer

Aldi stores in Edinburgh and the Lothians donated 14,653 meals to families in need during the recent summer school holidays.

All of its stores in Edinburgh and the Lothians supported local charities and foodbanks during a period of increased demand by redistributing surplus food via community giving platform Neighbourly.

Since Aldi’s partnership with Neighbourly began in 2019, Aldi stores across the country have already donated more than 35 million meals – including over seven million meals so far this year.

This summer, Aldi also gave every child in the UK a chance to try an Olympic or Paralympic sport for free as part of its ‘Get a Taste for Sport’ initiative, helping parents meet the cost of providing healthy activities during the summer holidays.

Liz Fox, Corporate Responsibility Director at Aldi UK, said: “The school holidays are always an incredibly hard time for households across the country, made even worse by the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.

“That’s why we committed to supporting even more families in Edinburgh and the Lothians this summer via our food donations scheme with Neighbourly, helping vital charities provide meals to those who need them most.”

Steve Butterworth, from Neighbourly, added: “Demand on charities and foodbanks in Edinburgh and the Lothians is incredibly high.

“This push in donations from Aldi was essential in helping so many families during the school holidays and we know how grateful the organisations were for the supermarket’s support.”

Shoppers can also donate food to local charities, food banks and community groups via the community donation points in Aldi stores nationwide.

Britain’s fourth largest supermarket also works with Company Shop, the UK’s leading redistributor of surplus food and household products, to redistribute surplus food from its Regional Distribution Centres to Community Shops around the country.

Every Dog Has It’s Day

Hundreds of dogs and their owners descended on Cammo Estate in Edinburgh on Sunday (20^th August) for the annual dog show on behalf of the Lewis Leap charity.

The show aims to raise awareness and funds for the charity which was set up to honour the memory and spirit of Cammo schoolboy Lewis Johnson, who died suddenly whilst on a family holiday aged just 13.

The charity’s vision is to introduce a new service later this year to offer early support to local families who have suddenly and traumatically lost a child, sibling or parent.

They are partnering with national bereavement support group Cruse Scotland and the new service will support family members collectively and individually in the early stages of grief.

For more information visit: www.lewisleap.com/cammo-dog-show

UK Health Secretary offers waiting list support to Wales and Scotland

The UK Health and Social Care Secretary has invited the devolved administration for talks to discuss lessons learnt and tackle waiting lists across the UK

The UK Government Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay has written to the devolved administrations inviting them for talks about how all parts of the UK can work together to tackle long-term waiting lists in all parts of the UK.

NHS services across the UK are a devolved matter, but Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has made cutting waiting lists a priority across the UK. Although approaches taken across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland share many common features, significant variations in outcomes exist.

In Wales, more than 73,000 people are waiting over 77 weeks for treatment, and at least 21,600 people are waiting over 78 weeks for an outpatient, day case or inpatient appointment in Scotland. In England, waiting times for patients over 78 weeks have been virtually eliminated.

The Secretary of State is inviting health ministers from the devolved administrations to discuss what lessons can be learnt from the different approaches taken.

In England for example, NHS patients are offered a choice of provider at GP referral – NHS or independent sector – provided that it meets NHS costs and standards. And from October we will proactively notify patients waiting over 40 weeks for treatment of their right to choose to be treated elsewhere.

In his letter, the Secretary of State writes that he would be open to requests from the devolved administrations to allow patients in Wales and Scotland who are waiting for lengthy periods to choose to be treated at providers in England, NHS or independent sector – building on the current arrangements for cross-border healthcare.

The Secretary of State has also asked UK health ministers to discuss how health data can be made more comparable across the UK. Northern Ireland official counterparts have also been invited to the ministerial meeting.

Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay said: “I hugely value being able to share knowledge and experiences on the joint challenges facing our healthcare systems. I want to support collaboration between our nations to share best practices, improve transparency and provide better accountability for patients.

“This will help to ensure we are joined up when it comes to cutting waiting lists – one of the government’s top five priorities – and will allow us to better work together to improve performance and get patients seen more quickly.”

The letter reads:

Dear Michael and Eluned,

Thank you for a constructive meeting last month.

As you know, the NHS is at the forefront of people’s minds, and the Prime Minister has made cutting waiting lists a priority to ensure people across the UK get the care they need more quickly. We must continue to take steps to support the NHS and reduce waiting times to ensure no part of the UK is left behind. I am therefore concerned by the variation in performance across NHS services.

As we look to address this issue, it is important that the UK Government and Devolved Administrations work together to ensure that no matter where you are in the country, citizens can access vital services quickly.

In England, we are delivering on the actions set out in the NHS’s Elective Recovery Implementation Plan published last February. Our target to virtually eliminate waits of longer than two years by July 2022 was achieved on time and waits for treatment of more than 78 weeks have been virtually eliminated. Although data is not collected on the same basis across the UK, recent figures show more than 73,000 people are waiting over 77 weeks for treatment in Wales, and at least 21,600 people are waiting over 78 weeks for an outpatient, daycase or inpatient appointment in Scotland.

Whilst there are common features across the approaches of England, Wales and Scotland, one area of difference relates to patient choice. In England, patients have the legal right to choose the provider for their first outpatient appointment (at the point of GP referral) for many healthcare services. Patients may choose to be treated free of charge at any provider – NHS or independent sector – provided they meet NHS standards and costs and hold a contract for the provision of services to the NHS. A Patients Association study has found that this can reduce a patient’s waiting time by up to 3 months.

From October, we will proactively notify patients in England who have been waiting over 40 weeks of their right to request to be treated at a different provider if clinically appropriate, again in the NHS or in the independent sector, provided they meet NHS standards and costs, and they hold a contract for the provision of services to the NHS.

The Secretaries of State for Scotland and Wales share my desire to see patients across the UK have the same rights when it comes to accessing treatment. I would therefore be happy to facilitate a Ministerial working group session (with NI official counterparts) to share how we are implementing this choice approach in England, and to share lessons on work across the UK to tackle the elective waiting list. I would also be open to considering any request from you for patients waiting for lengthy periods for treatment in Scotland and Wales to be able to choose from alternate providers in England – NHS or independent sector – in line with the approach we are taking here, and building on the existing arrangements for cross-border healthcare.

I also believe we need to work together to ensure that health data is more comparable across the UK. It is important that all our citizens can understand the performance of the health services they are receiving and that we can learn from what has been tried and tested in one part of the UK to improve services across the country. I welcome the work our respective teams have been doing to improve data comparability, for example through the Office for National Statistics’ work to improve key UK-wide health performance metrics.

I am very keen to see this work progress and ask for your continued support in prioritising this moving forward.

In the absence of Ministers in Northern Ireland, I am copying this letter to the Department of Health in Northern Ireland and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

Yours sincerely,

RT HON STEVE BARCLAY MP