jjarvis – ELHSCP News

November 15, 2022November 15, 2022

HSCP Winter Vaccination Clinics

Keeping our staff and our patients safe from flu and COVID-19 is a priority for us all this autumn/winter.

https://vacs.nhs.scot/csp

What am I eligible for?
All NHS Lothian and HSCP staff are being offered a free seasonal flu vaccination. Some HSCP staff are eligible for the Covid-19 Winter Booster.

Some of our staff may not be eligible under the health and social care staff criteria, but may be eligible for the winter booster under the public criteria, which are:

adults aged 50 years and over
persons aged 5 to 49 years in a clinical risk group
persons aged 5 to 49 years who are household contacts of people with immunosuppression
persons aged 16 to 49 years who are carers

NHS Inform has a self-assessment tool you can use if you’re still unsure what you’re eligible for this year.

Why should I get the winter vaccines?

The flu virus is always changing and research shows that COVID-19 vaccine protection can fade over time, so it’s important to keep protection levels topped up by getting the vaccines when offered.

Vaccination is still the best way of protecting yourself and those around you against severe COVID-19 illness. Please speak to one of our vaccinators if you have any questions about the winter vaccines as they are happy to help.

Which COVID-19 vaccine will I be offered?

The COVID-19 winter booster on offer in Lothian is a Spikevax bivalent booster vaccine, which gives great protection from the Omicron variant as well as older strains of the virus.

Can I drop-in or do I have to book?

Some clinics offer drop-ins and some require advanced booking. A list of drop-in clinics for staff can be found at the end of this page.

If you drop-in, you may have to wait to be seen. If you’d prefer to book an appointment, you can do so via the online booking portal.

If you have booked an appointment and can no longer attend, please make sure you cancel this as soon as possible so we can offer your appointment to someone else.

If you need any assistance with booking or rescheduling, please call the National Vaccination Helpline on 0800 030 8013.

Line managers are expected to support staff to attend their appointments during work time.

Area	Site	Days	Drop-in times
East Lothian	Haddington Corn Exchange	Monday to Friday and Sunday	8.30am – 12pm 1pm – 4pm
Edinburgh	The Gyle Shopping Centre	Monday to Sunday	9am – 6.30pm
Edinburgh	Ocean Terminal	Monday to Sunday	9am – 6.30pm
Edinburgh	Waverley Mall	Monday to Sunday	10am – 5.30pm
Midlothian	Gorebridge Community Centre	Monday to Friday	8.30am – 12pm 1pm – 4pm
Midlothian	Penicuik YMCA/YWCA	Monday to Friday	8.30am – 12pm 1pm – 4pm
West Lothian	Livingston Designer Outlet	Monday to Wednesday and Friday	9.30am – 5pm
		Thursday	9.30am – 6pm
		Sunday	10.30am – 4.30pm
West Lothian	Carmondean Health Centre	Monday and Tuesday	9am – 12pm 1.15pm – 4.30pm
West Lothian	West Calder Health Centre	Wednesday and Friday	9am – 12pm 1.15pm – 4.30pm

September 5, 2022

Event Workshop: 17 November 2022

Trauma, Domestic Abuse and Children and Young People under 18
Thursday 17th November 2022 | 9:30am – 12:pm

To book a place please contact emppo@eastlothian.gov.uk
NO LATER THAN Thursday 27^th October

What is this training?

This training will focus on the impact domestic abuse has on children and young people under 18, the effect on development and trauma and the impact on child and family functioning. Participants will gain an overview of the Safe and Together model and will look at how to respond safely to disclosures by minimising service generated risks and re-traumatisation.

Who is this learning for?

This training is aimed at people who are working directly or indirectly with children and young people experiencing domestic abuse.

Are there any pre-requisites for attending this course?

Applicants must have a firm grounding in Violence Against Women and Girls by either having completed ‘Understanding Violence against Women and Girls: Spotlight on Domestic Abuse’ or an equivalent VAWG face-to-face training and also the Domestic Abuse Awareness Raising Tool.

What are the learning outcomes?

Participants will be able to:

Understand the impact of domestic abuse on child and adolescent development including the impact of trauma
Gain an overview of the Safe & Together model, including how the perpetrator’s pattern of behaviour impacts on child and family functioning
Understand the elements of safe practice when working with children and young people experiencing domestic abuse

How will the training be delivered?

This training will take place on a virtual basis, using Microsoft Teams. You should only sign up to this course if you are able to attend and can access the training via Microsoft Teams.

How do I apply?

Speak to your line manager about whether this course is suitable for your role and level of experience. Demand for this course will be high, therefore you are required to seek your manager’s approval, ensure that you are available on the day, and that you have protected time to attend before applying. The closing date for booking on this course is Thursday 27^th October. We will confirm as soon as possible after the closing date if you have a place.

Note: This course counts towards the Continuous Professional Learning requirements (Child Protection) for registered social service workers.

To book a place please contact emppo@eastlothian.gov.uk
NO LATER THAN Thursday 27^th October

September 5, 2022

Event Workshop: 8 & 9 November 2022

Adult Support & Protection Roles & Responsibilities
Tuesday 8 & Wednesday 9 November 2022 | 9am – 12:30pm

To book a place please contact emppo@eastlothian.gov.uk
NO LATER THAN TUESDAY 11th OCTOBER

Who is this learning for?

This Level 2 course is for multi-agency operational staff and managers working within East Lothian and Midlothian who are in regular contact or carry out direct work with vulnerable adults and who have a requirement to learn more about Adult Protection for their role. This course is suitable for staff who have not previously completed this training as it is not refresher training. It is not appropriate for social workers in adult services who have Council Officer duties under the Adult Support and Protection Act.

Are there any pre-requisites for attending this course?

Applicants must have previously completed Level 1 Adult Support and Protection training (either through Learnpro, or a virtual or face-to-face session).

In advance of attending the course, you should ensure you are familiar with EMPPC Adult Support and Protection Policy and Procedures, ELBEG Adult Support and Protection Multi-agency Guidelines and as well as your employer’s Adult Protection Policy and Procedures.

What are the learning outcomes?

To understand the national and local policy and legislative context for Adult Protection
To describe the roles of agencies involved in Adult Protection
To become familiar with the key processes and procedures (including the duty to inquire, inter-agency referral discussions and case conferences)
To explain concepts of risk assessment and risk management in an Adult Protection context

How will the training be delivered?

This training will take place on a virtual basis, using Microsoft Teams, over two half days. You should only sign up to this course if you are able to attend both days, and can access the training via Microsoft Teams. The training will be delivered on a multi-agency basis by professionals from Police, Health, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, Adult Social Work and the Adult Support and Protection Lead Officer.

How do I apply?

Speak to your line manager about whether this course is suitable for your role and level of experience. Demand for this course will be high, therefore you are required to seek your manager’s approval, ensure that you are available on the day, and that you have protected time to attend before enrolling. You can then apply by completing the booking form overleaf. The closing date for booking on this course is Tuesday 11^th October. Applicants will be notified shortly thereafter if they have been allocated a space on this course.

Note: This course may count towards the Continuous Professional Learning requirements for your registration body.

To book a place please contact emppo@eastlothian.gov.uk
NO LATER THAN TUESDAY 11th OCTOBER

September 5, 2022September 5, 2022

Event Workshop: 28 September 2022

Mental health and women involved in selling or exchanging sex

28th September 2022: 11:30am – 1pm
FREE Event for front line workers and support services.

Register at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/mental-health-and-women-involved-in-selling-or-exchanging-sex-in-scotland-tickets-407337847467

Mental health is a core issue in the lives of women involved in selling or exchanging sex. In Scotland, the 2021 Snapshot by the Encompass Network of services supporting women involved revealed that 80% of the women supported disclosed a mental health issue.

Yet, the links between mental health and selling/exchanging sex are not simple.

For women mental health issues can be a pathway into exchanging and selling sex, for some the impact on their mental health is not fully seen until they have stopped their involvement, and for others the coping strategies used can impact long term on their mental health.

Further, being involved in the ‘sex industry’ can lead to and/or exacerbate previous mental health issues. It can affect women’s self-esteem and sense of self, change their perception of safety, and challenge their trust in others.

At the same time, women’s wider needs such as housing, safety, money, legal support, substance use support cannot be seen in isolation from their mental wellbeing. Indeed, lack of appropriate mental health support can become a barrier for women to approach and meaningfully engage with wider services.

Following the publication of our CSE Aware Bulletin on Mental Health, this CSE Aware event will offer an introduction to the mental health needs of women involved in selling or exchanging sex in Scotland. We will reflect on the links between women’s mental wellbeing and their wider needs, and discuss examples of good practice when responding to women.

Agenda

This is an introductory session and is not intended to be a comprehensive training session.

The event will offer a mix of presentations and speaker inputs along with the opportunity for attendees to participate through polls, questions and a case study. The session will cover:

An overview of women’s mental health needs
Inputs from practitioners who support women selling or exchanging sex
Participation activities to consider how to respond to women’s mental health and support needs in practice.

Who can attend?

This event is open to front-line workers and support services, and it will be of particular interest to those working on violence against women; mental health; sexual health and relationships; addictions; housing; advice and support; criminal justice; public health; and social work.

Please note this event is funded through Delivering Equally Safe and follows the Scottish Government’s approach to commercial sexual exploitation as a form of gender-based violence. The event will address women’s experiences from this perspective.

Register at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/mental-health-and-women-involved-in-selling-or-exchanging-sex-in-scotland-tickets-407337847467

August 31, 2022August 31, 2022

NHS ‘Near Me’ Video Appointments available at Dunbar Library

Dunbar Library is one of 10 libraries across Scotland to offer private space and the use of digital devices for Near Me appointments. Near Me is a video consulting service that enables people to attend appointments from home or wherever is convenient. The service is already widely used across NHS Scotland for health and care appointments with around 20,000 consultations being held every week. The service is now being rolled out across a wide range of public services.

From today (Wednesday 31 August), patients with a Near Me (online) healthcare appointment – but no internet connected digital device) or suitable private space from which to join the video call – can now book a private room in Dunbar Library.

They will be given an internet enabled iPad they can use to connect to their Near Me appointment and can ask for support from library staff to get connected if required.

The benefits of Near Me video appointments include:

Reduced travel to appointments: time, cost, convenience
Reduced time away from work, school or home
Easier to attend if you usually need someone to take you to appointments
Enables you to have someone with you for support at your appointment (either with you or joining the consultation by video from another location, even from abroad)
Better for the environment
Reduces spread of infectious diseases

The 10 libraries across Scotland are participating in the Scottish Government funded pilot with the aim to break down barriers to accessing appointments using Near Me. Patients with a Near Me appointment can phone Dunbar library on 01620 827827 (ask for Dunbar Library) to enquire about booking the room and iPad. If successful, the scheme may be rolled out to other libraries across Scotland.

Cabinet Spokesperson for Community Wellbeing and Sport, Countryside and Leisure, Cllr Colin McGinn, said: “It’s recognised that local libraries provide a suitable alternative to home and are ideally positioned to support people who may be at risk of digital exclusion from health and care services. They are networked with free public wifi, have access to private and confidential spaces, and have trained staff who support users with their digital and health literacy needs.”

By using libraries as a venue for Near Me, staff can have access to clients and patients without people needing to travel a great distance from home. It has also been shown that libraries have a substantial footfall with over 40 million visits in 2019 (pre-pandemic).

This initiative is a collaboration with the Scottish Library & Information Council, Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre (DHI), local authorities, health and care partnerships and the Scottish Government. The Scottish Government Technology Enabled Team has provided funding of c20K, which has been allocated to the 10 libraries to purchase equipment and refurbishment requirements through their local processes, involving IT departments.

The libraries selected cover a diverse range of settings and population types and will be used to test the feasibility. This will include creating confidential booking systems and establishing communication and partnership with local health services. Based on the pilot results, the libraries will start to deliver Near Me access as part of their core service and set the groundwork to inform further rollout.

Find out more about Near Me here: Video Appointments (nearme.scot)

July 22, 2022August 22, 2022

Hello Colleagues

Introducing Fiona Wilson, East Lothian Health & Social Care’s Chief Officer

Having now spent my first few weeks in my new position as Chief Officer, I wanted to reach out of all East Lothian Health & Social Care colleagues, to say hello and formally introduce myself.

Background

I started my career as an Occupational Therapist, before moving into Service Manager roles; firstly in the Western General Hospital, then at the Edinburgh Health & Social Care Partnership where I had responsibility for both health and social care services including care at home, social work, district nursing and care homes.

In 2018, I was seconded to support the Chief Officer in Edinburgh HSCP in addressing the challenge of Delayed Discharge. In my time at Edinburgh, I secured funding and introduced a number of initiatives that support prevention of admission and early discharge promoting assessment in the individual’s own home.

Prior to moving to East Lothian, I was involved in a number of transformation programmes in West Lothian that looked to change service delivery focused on delivering person centred care, through different models of delivery.

Priorities for East Lothian

I’m really excited to be taking up this new and challenging role at such a critical time as we recover from the pandemic. I am keen to build on the good work already taking place transforming patient care and supporting the East Lothian community.

My passion has always been improving services in order to ensure people receive the treatment and care they need as close to home as possible, which is where they want to be.

Some of my personal key priorities are:

To understand the East Lothian’s local communities and the people who live within them.

To meet the multiple teams across the Partnership, understand the challenges we are facing, and together; develop strategies, pathways and action plans to overcome these obstacles.

To familiarise myself with the strategic needs assessment projects currently underway, and from these initiatives, identify ways of enhancing our services to help improve the lives of the people that live within East Lothian’s communities.

Develop relationships with the IJB, East Lothian Council, NHS Lothian and our wider stakeholder network to understand how we can support each other and deliver better outcomes for people across the county.

Meeting the Team

Over the coming weeks, I am eager to meet with colleagues wherever possible, across the service and the county. Teamwork and listening to people is incredibly important. I strongly believe these are the key elements to person centred care.

Together, I believe we can make a real difference to health, social care and wellbeing in East Lothian, and I can’t wait to get started.

I look forward to meeting you soon.

Best wishes

Fiona