The Scottish Ambulance Service’s specialist transport and retrieval service (ScotSTAR) is celebrating ten years of providing life-saving care to some of Scotland’s most vulnerable patients.
ScotSTAR is a multi-disciplinary team of paramedics, nurses, advanced practitioners, and doctors supported by pilots working together to provide specialist care to seriously ill babies, children and adults across Scotland using specialist helicopters and planes.
In 2022/23 ScotSTAR provided specialist care for 3158 seriously ill children and adults with the air ambulance crews attending 4527 incidents – an increase of 10% from the year before.
Mum Amie Taylor, of Ellon, Aberdeenshire, said ScotSTAR provided an invaluable service to her very sick son, Jackson, who was born four weeks prematurely in 2022.
Jackson was placed in a ventilator and had to be transported from Aberdeen to Edinburgh with the help of ScotSTAR staff, Dr Mark Worrall, Paediatric Consultant, and Ashley Daye, Paediatric Retrieval Nurse.
School teacher Amie said: “The retrieval team take the skills of the paediatric intensive care unit on the road and knowing that these specialists were incredibly skilled gave us so much peace knowing that Jackson was being well looked after. I just want to say a massive thank you for how they made me feel on the day. We felt incredibly well supported and cared for.”
“I am pleased to say he is a very happy and charismatic cheeky wee boy. He has been through more in his little life that some people encounter in a lifetime. He is strong, resilient and a fighter we are beyond proud of.”
Michael Dickson, Scottish Ambulance Service Chief Executive said: “ScotSTAR is an integral part of Scottish Ambulance Service and is critical to our ability to reach every part of Scotland.
“I’m delighted to be marking its 10th anniversary and I’d like to stay a big thank you to our staff who deliver this vital service for critically ill patients across Scotland, often in very challenging circumstances.
“They are all a credit to the Scottish Ambulance Service.”
The UK Government has issued a statement on the 10th Anniversary of the Russian annexation of Crimea
A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) spokesperson said: “Ten years ago Russia illegally, and unacceptably sought to annex Crimea. An action which, eight years later was used to launch its full-scale invasion into Ukraine.
“Today, Russia continues to deprive Ukrainians in Crimea of their liberty, waging a brutal and systematic campaign of human rights abuses and violations. This is unacceptable, and Russia must be held to account.
“We want to be clear that the UK will never recognise Russia’s illegal claims to the region, or to any Ukrainian territory and that we will continue to do all we can to stop Putin’s war machine, and support Ukraine in their fight, for as long as it takes.”
Capital’s employability commitment hits 10 year milestone
Edinburgh’s youth employability commitment, the Edinburgh Guarantee, marks a decade while expanding its support to help people of all ages and backgrounds:
Celebrating its 10th year, the Edinburgh Guarantee, originally the Capital’s youth employability commitment, is expanding to help people of all ages access fair work, training and employment opportunities with a new look website launched today by the City of Edinburgh Council.
Recognising the impact the pandemic has had on businesses and training providers, and the ripple effect this has on people’s prospects, there will also be a particular focus on those facing additional barriers to employment with the overall aim to give equal access to job and education opportunities.
The website will be a one stop shop to connect and sign up employers across the city, while offering people a quick and easy access point to job boards, information on training opportunities and additional support routes available.
Through the Edinburgh Guarantee team and network of employability partners, employers are incentivised to get involved by getting access to additional recruitment support, information on possible funding available and ongoing assistance for their business and new hires where required. All of this makes it easy and rewarding for employers to pledge their support.
Councillor Kate Campbell, Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener, said: “The Edinburgh Guarantee is rooted in the principal that everyone should have the opportunity to work, and access to training and skills development, and that everyone who is able to can be part of our city’s recovery. And that by working together, we can create those opportunities and a better future for everyone.
“Now in its 10th year, the Edinburgh Guarantee has been a great success helping so many young people move into fair work or gain the education and training that they deserve. We’re now widening this commitment to include people of all ages and backgrounds which clearly shows our intention to make sure no one is left behind as a result of this pandemic.
“It’s been great to hear how so many organisations across all sizes and sectors are able to play their part. Longstanding lead employers such as Standard Life Aberdeen, NHS Lothian and the City of Edinburgh Council, have paved the way for us to get to where we are today.
“And it is exciting to see that network grow to welcome new and smaller organisations and businesses like Basketball Scotland, JAD Joinery and The Wee Book Company – a small business that recently added to its workforce with a new recruit, made possible through Edinburgh’s Employer Recruitment Incentive, which is a funding package for private SMEs and third sector organisations to help fill vacancies and create new and additional jobs.
Councillor Mandy Watt, Vice Convener, said: “On this 10 year anniversary of the Edinburgh Guarantee I’d like to thank those employers that have been with us since the start and led the way for other businesses and organisations by demonstrating the benefits of getting involved over the last decade.
“We’ve recognised that the end of the furlough scheme will have serious implications and most likely further increase the levels of unemployment across Scotland, so we’re working hard to support and incentivise employers to play a part in the city’s recovery – such as helping smaller supporters access funding to help them to get involved.
“Over the past year we’ve spoken to business owners and employers from across all sectors, gaining valuable insight into the key implications of the pandemic on their industry. This has given us an overview of those who are currently able to offer opportunities as well as those who we may be able to support as we begin to move into the recovery period.”
Gavin Keddie, Publishing Assistant at The Wee Book Company was recruited thanks to the Edinburgh’s Employer Recruitment Incentive
The Wee Book Company, a new publishing business in the city, became aware of Edinburgh’s Employer Recruitment Incentives and as part of the Edinburgh Guarantee offer, employers who recruit someone with barriers to employment can secure up to £6,000 to help with the costs.
With the funding available to them they have been able to create a Publishing Assistant post for Gavin Keddie which he started in March 2021.
Andrew McAllister, Head of Sales at The Wee Book Company, said: “As a small business, the Edinburgh Guarantee has literally made the difference in us being able to give Gavin an opportunity, who has been a revelation. In a matter of only a few weeks he has been really helpful to the development of our publishing business.
“Gavin has come in and we have been really impressed with his commitment, effort and excellent knowledge of modern technology. As a result of being made aware of Gavin’s Aspergers condition, we were able to recognise that he had great talent, but during the interview was a little shy and reserved and was definitely very modest about his previous achievements including the fact that he has been successfully published and written at least five books to date.”
Young business people are discussing together a new startup project. A glowing light bulb as a new idea.
Established in 2011 to address the needs of school leavers who were unable to move into a positive destination following the last economic downturn, the Edinburgh Guarantee has since worked with over 550 employers to get over 3,500 young people into apprenticeships or training opportunities.
Many partners have come together to support this initiative’s continued success including colleges, voluntary sector organisations and national programmes, while also making it easy and rewarding for private sector businesses and organisations to play their part in helping people across the city.
