Scam call warning issued by NHS Forth Valley
NHS Forth Valley have issued a warning over scam calls from someone claiming to be from Public Health, asking individuals about their vaccination status.
The warning was put out yesterday by the health board, asking people to be vigilant and offer advice over what to look out for.
It said: "We have been made aware of a scam phone call from someone claiming to be from Public Health, asking individuals about their vaccination status. The number reported in one case was 07441 472225, which has been flagged online as a known scam number."
The board spokesperson asked people to be aware that:
Legitimate NHS authorities will never ask for personal or medical information over the phone in this manner.
If you receive such a call, do not share any personal details.
Hang up immediately and report the call.
What to do if you receive a suspicious call:
Do not engage with the caller.
NHS Counter Fraud Authority (if NHS-related): cfa.nhs.uk/report-fraud or call 0800 028 4060
They also warned to be "cautious of unsolicited calls asking for personal or health information" and, if in doubt, contact your GP practice or local health board directly using official contact details.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Telegraph
6 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Why England can learn from Scotland after first measles death in a decade
The NHS in England could learn important lessons from Scotland after a measles death in Liverpool last week, experts say. Comparative data shows that vaccine uptake in Scotland is considerably higher than in England, with nearly 90 per cent of children fully protected against measles by age five. The difference, say experts, is most likely to be explained by the fact that access to GPs and other primary health care facilities is much better north of the border 'Everybody talks about [vaccine] hesitancy, but the main thing that's stopping uptake is access,' Dr Helen Bradford, Professor of Children's Health at University College London, told The Telegraph. 'That includes knowing what vaccine is due and when, being able to make an appointment, and actually getting to that appointment – all of which can be really difficult for some families.' News of the death of a child in Liverpool of measles comes as Britain's vaccination rates have fallen to the lowest of any G7 country, including the US. The problem appears to be being driven by the performance of the NHS in England. At least 89.2 per cent of Scottish children are fully vaccinated with the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine by age five, compared to just 83.9 per cent in England. At the same time, Scotland has much better access to primary care – with 76 GP's per 100,000 people, compared to just 58 per 100,000 in England. 'General practice [in England] has continually had resources withdrawn, but at the same time delivers most of the childhood vaccinations,' said Dr David Elliman, an honorary senior associate professor and medical doctor at UCL. Access, he added, was the most important issue. 'In a GP practice, most parents are happy to have their children immunised. Some may have questions, but as long as they receive clear and satisfactory answers, they're usually comfortable proceeding,' he added. During the pandemic – a time where nearly all health systems saw a noticeable decrease in routine vaccinations – Scotland's coverage of routine childhood jabs actually increased. Researchers at the University of Edinburgh found a 14.3 per cent increase in children receiving the second dose of the MMR vaccine on time during the first lockdown in Scotland compared with vaccination levels in 2019. England saw a net fall in the same period of 1.93 per cent. The researchers linked the boost to flexible working for parents – which meant they could attend vaccination appointments – and better access to mobile vaccination centres. In 2018, the Scottish Government took the decision to transfer the responsibility for delivering vaccinations from GP practices to regional health boards as part of a plan to boost uptake. While most vaccines are still administered by GPs, the shift gave health boards the flexibility to tailor services for harder-to-reach communities. Unlike in England – where families often struggle with rigid booking systems, the so-called '8am scramble' for same day appointments, and limited availability – Scotland offers vaccinations in several different settings like schools, A&E departments, and at home visits. 'We need to get away from being too rigid in what sort of settings we give the vaccine in. Traditionally it's either been a community clinic or general practice but we ought to be doing it more in the places that parents go to, and particularly children who are at high risk,' said Dr Elliman. 'That means more immunisations in hospital settings and in neighbourhoods,' he added. Scotland's better vaccination rates appear to be positively influencing outcomes. So far this year, England has recorded 529 measles cases, while Scotland has had just 27. In 2024, those numbers were even more dramatic: 2,911 cases were recorded in England, compared to just 24 in Scotland. While population size partly explains the disparity – England's population is more than eleven times larger than Scotland's – it doesn't account for an almost 120-fold difference in infection rates, say experts. Only last week, the health secretary Wes Streeting acknowledged the need for better access to primary health care in England. Under the government's new NHS 10-year plan, he committed to rolling out 'neighbourhood health services' to try and 'end the 8am scramble and make it easier to see your GP,' referencing the country's maddening and archaic GP booking system. The document also includes a plan to boost vaccine uptake by allowing nurses and midwives that carry out home visits to administer vaccines in England. Yet it is unclear when the new measures will come into force: England currently faces a 5,000 shortfall in the number of health visitors needed to provide the mandated four at-home visits required for every child in the country under school age. Scotland outcompetes England in this area, too. About 90 per cent of Scottish children receive at least their first four scheduled reviews, compared to just short of 65 per cent in parts of England, including London. 'These are the public health nurses that have contact with all young families with young children, often the first port of call, the first place that parents will ask questions about immunisation. The numbers [in England] have gone down dramatically, which for those people who have got questions means there isn't always somebody obvious to ask,' said Dr Bradford.
The Guardian
36 minutes ago
- The Guardian
NHS must adapt to work better in heatwaves
Higher temperatures are becoming more frequent with climate change, and our patients are paying the price ('Profound concern' as scientists say extreme heat 'now the norm' in UK, 14 July). Increasingly, physicians are seeing more patients whose health is affected by extreme heat. During heat periods in the summer of 2022, there were 3,271 excess deaths in England and Wales, and last month's heatwave alone will cost hundreds of lives. Demand for healthcare will rise as a result of extreme temperatures. It is not only people's health at risk, but our ability to care for patients too. About 90% of hospitals in England alone are at risk of overheating, making it harder to keep services running safely. We need to get serious about adapting the NHS to cope with changing conditions. The climate crisis is a health crisis. Preventing disruption in the NHS, by investing in building upgrades, workforce preparedness and adequate resilience planning, is no longer optional – it is essential, so the NHS can continue to provide healthcare when Mark HarberSpecial adviser on healthcare sustainability and climate change, Royal College of Physicians Have an opinion on anything you've read in the Guardian today? Please email us your letter and it will be considered for publication in our letters section.
The Guardian
36 minutes ago
- The Guardian
As a long-term psychiatric patient, I've had superior care from the NHS
I read with interest the letters about psychiatric care in the NHS (11 July), prompted by Rachel Clarke's review of Bella Jackson's book Fragile Minds (A furious assault on NHS psychiatry, 30 June). I have not read the book but, as a long-term psychiatric patient, I would like to make two points. First, care naturally varies in quality, suitability and success. Following three years in unsatisfactory private care (after many previous years in NHS care), I have happily returned to the NHS. I find its care superior, but hamstrung by limited resources, which can mean waiting many months for an appointment. But I have never been treated badly, as Jackson suggests is common, even when in the worst state. Second, I was struck by what Jackson says a junior doctor said to her (as quoted by Clarke): ''Let's quetiapine them today!' And I asked him why quetiapine, and he said, 'They put you in the best hotels for conferences.'' As Clarke says, this is ludicrous, and certainly the only time I have heard 'quetiapine' used as a verb, which strikes me as improbable. Quetiapine has been a generic drug since 2012 (ie open to any company to manufacture and market, just as, say, paracetamol is). I cannot believe that a junior doctor would prescribe it in the hope of being put up in a 'best hotel' for a conference. It has long been the first-line treatment for psychosis, and for good reason: it works. I have been on quetiapine for 15 years. It's not an enviable position to be in, but I am glad it exists, and grateful to those who have – quite rightly – prescribed it to and address supplied I was disappointed to read that Cathy Wield was 'subjected to increasingly damaging interventions, including electroconvulsive therapy' (Letters, 11 July). I was treated with ECT for severe depression (with my full consent) in 2006 and it saved my life. In subsequent years when I had relapses, it again was highly effective as a treatment and I recovered fully, and have been well for the last five years. I would hope that patients won't dismiss ECT as a potential treatment for depression based on its negative portrayal in the press, but be guided by NHS professionals who prescribe what they believe is best for the individual and address supplied
