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STV News
15-05-2025
- Health
- STV News
Families let down by critical pressures in community paediatrics, report warns
Families are being let down by critical pressures in community paediatric services, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health Scotland has warned. Its report calls for investment, data improvements and a sustainable community workforce to better support vulnerable children and families, citing a lack of reliable data and workforce shortages. The document, titled Collaborative Healthcare In Scotland: Delivering The Services Children Need In The community, cited major challenges including in neurodevelopmental services, warned health professionals 'are stretched thin', and noted a 'postcode lottery' for services. The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) Scotland said community paediatricians play a vital role in safeguarding vulnerable children, co-ordinating complex care, and working alongside families and multi-agency partners, including conducting clinics in various settings and developing local health strategies. RCPCH officer for Scotland Dr Mairi Stark said: 'This report delves into the significant challenges faced by community child health services in delivering comprehensive care and support to children and their families. 'These challenges have been identified through feedback from our dedicated members. 'Our members have told us of long waiting lists and unsustainable demand for their services. 'Unlike our Worried and Waiting report, community paediatric data is not published for all health boards on Public Health Scotland. 'Despite submitting FOIs (freedom of information) to all health boards, we quickly uncovered a glaring inconsistency in data recording, preventing us from obtaining a clear picture of the need across Scotland. 'If we cannot grasp the full scale of the need, how can we possibly address it? 'Community paediatrics is essential for children with the most complex needs, yet it remains under-supported and under-resourced. 'Without better data, strategic investment, and a sustainable workforce, we risk failing the children who rely on us most. 'RCPCH Scotland is urging the Scottish Government and health boards to act decisively to protect and improve these vital services.' Michelle Wilson, head of children services at Children's Health Scotland, said: 'Children's Health Scotland is proud to have engaged with our health rights defenders to ensure that children and young people's lived experiences and priorities take centre stage in this essential new RCPCH Scotland report. 'Children and young people's insights, highlighted throughout this report, underscore the critical need for timely access to community child health services and collaborative care.' Nicola Killean, Children and Young People's Commissioner Scotland, said: 'Children have the right to the best possible physical and mental health, and that means getting the support they need, when they need it. 'This powerful report highlights issues that children regularly raise with us and it's vital that their voices are not only listened to but are acted upon. 'Much more needs to be done to address the postcode lottery of community-based healthcare and regional disparities to ensure that there is equal access to the right support and professionals at the right time. 'There is a real need for more investment in child community health including in early intervention, and resources to tackle the unmet need in relation to neurodevelopmental services.' A Scottish Government spokesperson said: 'We are committed to improving the quality of healthcare services for children and young people. We also recognise how crucial community based services are for children and their families throughout Scotland. 'We commend the RCPCH for putting the voices of young people front and centre of this report. We will consider the report's findings as we continue to work alongside NHS Boards and across government to improve the experiences of children everywhere.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Telegraph
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Muslim charity accuses prison officers of ‘Islamophobia' after jihadist attack
A Muslim charity has accused prison officers of Islamophobia amid calls for a crackdown on Muslim gangs after the knife attack on staff by a jihadist. Data obtained by Maslaha, a Muslim charity, show that prison officers were more likely to use force against Muslim inmates than other prisoners. The official figures, obtained through Freedom of Information (FOIs) requests, showed that Muslim prisoners in eight of the nine jails with high Muslim populations were more likely to be confronted with batons, made to wear rigid bar handcuffs or deliberately held in a painful position. The research comes amid demands by the Prison Officers' Association (POA) for dangerous Islamist terrorists to be subjected to a tougher 'supermax-style' regime in the wake the violent attack on staff by the brother of the Manchester Arena bomber in the high-security HMP Frankland, Co Durham. Hashem Abedi attacked three prison officers at Frankland with two home made knives and hot oil. He has been moved to HMP Belmarsh in south London to continue to serve his life sentence for his part in 22 murders in the Manchester Arena terror attack. The figures, which include Belmarsh, do not show whether the disproportionate use of force against Muslim prisoners by staff was because of discrimination or because Muslim prisoners were worse behaved than others. Maslaha said that it reflected a 'culture of Islamophobia and racism that runs through the prison system', but the POA maintained officers only used force as a 'last resort' and in a 'proportionate and reasonable' way. In its report, the charity said: 'The common public narrative is that officers are compelled to use force to protect themselves and other people in prison, and that Muslim and other racialised men are more aggressive, dangerous and disruptive than others. 'But if we recognise the above interactions, if we open our eyes to the culture of Islamophobia and racism that runs through the prison system, then we may hear another side to the story. 'One that points to how prisons operate through the everyday management and control of racialised bodies, routines, and practices – especially when those bodies are seen as a 'risk'. And the consequences of challenging that discriminatory regime, showing inevitable frustrations with it, are much more severe.' Mark Fairhurst, the national chairman of the POA, disagreed with that interpretation of the data. 'Staff only use force at the last resort when necessary and when it is used, it is always proportionate and reasonable,' he said. The charity requested data from nine prisons with higher than average Muslim populations. From 2023, the latest year, it covered the use of batons and rigid bar handcuffs, and pain-inducing techniques such as thumb flexion, wrist flexion, inverted wrist hold and 'mandibular angle' – putting pressure on a nerve below the ear. At Belmarsh, a prison often used to hold terrorist suspects, Muslim prisoners made up 32 per cent of the population in 2023. Over the same period, Muslim men were subjected to 43 per cent of incidents involving the use of rigid bar handcuffs and 61 per cent of incidents involving the use of pain-inducing techniques. At HMP Whitemoor, in Cambridgeshire, Muslim prisoners constituted 43 per cent of the prison population, but more than half – 55 per cent – of the use of rigid bar handcuffs and pain-inducing techniques during the year was on Muslim prisoners. At HMP Isis, in south-east London, Muslim prisoners made up 45 per cent of the inmates, but Muslim prisoners were involved in more than 57 per cent of the incidents where batons were drawn, and 56 per cent of incidents of pain-inducing techniques involved Muslim prisoners. At HMP/YOI Feltham B, in south-west London, Muslim prisoners made up 42 per cent of the population. Figures showed that they were subjected to 53 per cent of the uses of rigid bar cuffs, 57 per cent of the instances where batons were drawn, and 64 per cent of pain-inducing techniques. At HMP Woodhill, in Milton Keynes, Muslim prisoners constituted 37 per cent of the population but were subjected to 49 per cent of the uses of rigid bar handcuffs, 63 per cent of instances of batons being drawn, and 64 per cent of incidents using pain-inducing techniques. Only in one of the nine prisons – HMP The Mount in Hertfordshire – was the use of force lower for Muslims compared with the overall population. Ministry of Justice data show there were 15,594 Muslim prisoners in England and Wales in September last year, accounting for 18 per cent of all inmates, despite Muslims comprising only 6.5 per cent of the general population. A Prison Service spokesman said: 'We recognise the use of force in prisons needs greater supervision and have already introduced mechanisms to reduce the disparities in how it is used. Our new race disparity unit will help tackle racial discrimination further.'
Sunday Post
28-04-2025
- Health
- Sunday Post
Deafness links to dementia spur call for faster access to NHS hearing tests
Get a weekly round-up of stories from The Sunday Post: Thank you for signing up to our Sunday Post newsletter. Something went wrong - please try again later. Sign Up Leading dementia experts are urging quicker access to NHS hearing tests because of the increased link between deafness and dementia. Their plea comes as people in more than half of Scotland are waiting more than two years to have hearing aids fitted. Last week The Sunday Post revealed research that shows an increased risk of dementia in a diagnosis of deafness. Over half the population aged 55 and 80% of people over the age of 70 will have hearing loss, according to the Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID). But Freedom of Information (FOI) requests by the RNID have revealed that 12 of Scotland's 14 health boards show 41,500 patients are waiting for audiology appointments vital to diagnose hearing loss. Scots wait an average of 30 weeks for a first appointment and an average of 26 weeks from assessment to fitting hearing aids, the FOIs show. The Scottish Government's target time from GP referral to treatment is 18 weeks. The RNID also reports that some patients feel rushed and leave the clinics with little guidance on using their hearing aids. Emeritus Professor June Andrews, a leading international expert on dementia, called the waiting times worrying. 'The Lancet medical journal tells us that acquired hearing impairment is a risk for dementia,' she said. 'Addressing that loss with hearing aids is vital because when we become older, the opportunity to address health problems closes faster. 'Treating deafness earlier certainly saves our NHS money in the long term.' © Supplied Her concerns are echoed by leading dementia expert David Wilson-Wynn, senior care consultant with the Dementia Services Development Centre at Stirling University. 'Evidence which shows an increased link between deafness and dementia is mounting and it is important to have a hearing test as soon as you feel your hearing is impaired,' he said. 'There is also evidence from France that demonstrates the slowing of cognitive changes/decline when patients were given a hearing aid. 'Any long or unreasonable waiting time for an audiology appointment or hearing aid is unreasonable and arguably more expensive for the NHS in the long term. 'Many people cannot afford private hearing aids costing around £2,000 or more.' He is urging the Scottish Government to raise the profile of the deafness link with dementia. 'I also feel that within policy, we have not made the connections between the increased risk of dementia and hearing loss in government policy,' he added. The RNID stressed the importance of reducing audiology and hearing aid fitting waiting times. 'Having ready access to audiology services is vital,' it said. 'For those who need them, being fitted with hearing aids can be life-changing – positively impacting on quality of life, boosting physical, social, emotional and mental wellbeing. 'However, people in Scotland are not getting access to these services in a timely manner.' It adds that poor access to audiology clinics causes distress to people needing vital support for education and at work. It said: 'Left untreated, deafness can contribute to isolation, potentially raising the risk of cognitive decline. 'We call on the Scottish Government to instigate the recommendations of their 2023 review of audiology services in full, including the review's recommendation for routine publication of waiting times, to ensure there is an ongoing focus on reducing these.' Professor Kevin Munro, of Manchester University, warned against patients fearing that deafness means certain dementia. 'It is a risk factor and we need more research to prove the link between deafness and dementia,' he said. 'However, have any hearing loss treated earlier than later because it can affect so much of our social and professional lives.' Health Secretary Neil Gray said: 'We know services are facing sustained pressure and this is not unique to Scotland, with similar challenges being felt right across the UK. But some people have had to wait longer than they should for appointments and referrals – that is not acceptable. 'We are taking action, and the 2025-26 Budget is providing a record £21.7 billion for health and social care. 'The Scottish Government has accepted the findings of the Independent Review of Audiology Services in Scotland. A final report will set out how each of the recommendations have either been already fully implemented, or embedded into longer-term programmes to ensure they are delivered.'
The Independent
23-04-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Plaid Cymru says Labour ‘abandoned' Port Talbot steelworkers after Tata closure
Labour have let down former workers from Tata Steel's plant in Port Talbot, an MP has claimed, as she said the Government did not know how many redundant employees from the steelworks in south Wales it has helped retrain. Liz Saville Roberts, who leads Plaid Cymru in Westminster, said two Government departments reported it did not know how many staff had accessed a fund established to help 2,500 workers who were made redundant in last year. The plant's final two blast furnaces were shut amid claims they were losing money – one in July and another after the general election in September. The departments also said they had no information on how many grants were awarded from the Employment and Skills Flexible Fund, or if any training providers had received funding from it. In response to Freedom of Information (FOI) requests from Plaid Cymru, the Wales Office, and the Department for Housing, Communities and Local Government, said they had no information to provide. The reply also said the Community trade union and the Aberafan community support centre did not get any money to help train or reskill steelworkers from Port Talbot, or those in supply chains. Speaking at Prime Minister's Questions, Ms Saville Roberts said: 'Former steelworkers in Port Talbot watched in dismay as this Government deemed their livelihoods worth less than those in Scunthorpe. 'FOIs reveal that the UK Government doesn't know how its funding for reskilling workers in Wales is being used, or even how many people are being retrained. 'We know concerns have been raised by the transition board. If this Government can't explain how it's helping Port Talbot's laid-off workers to build a future through reskilling, why shouldn't those workers then come to the logical conclusion that Labour has abandoned them?' Tata closed the blast furnaces, with the company reporting they were losing £1m a day. Upon entering government Labour renegotiated redundancy terms which led to an improved deal. Workers got a minimum voluntary payout of £15,000. Tata will build a £1.25 billion electric arc furnace at the plant, which will allow steel to be produced with fewer carbon dioxide emissions. Neath Port Talbot Council gave the electric arc furnace planning permission in February. It is expected to be operational by early 2028. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said £80 million in funding had been put aside to help workers, including those in the supply chain, retrain. Sir Keir said: 'She raises a really important issue in relation to Port Talbot, and I visited a number of times and heard first-hand from the workforce there. 'She may or may not know that even in opposition before the election I was talking to the owners to try to persuade them to delay their decisions because I knew an election was coming. That's how important I thought it was. 'I would remind her that at the same time the then-prime minister refused to pick up and call the first minister to even discuss the issue. I took a different approach, because I realised just how important it was. 'I would remind her, because she compares it with the decision we took last week that the blast furnaces were turned off in January of last year, the coke ovens in March 2024, and therefore that was before the election.' Speaking after Prime Minister's Questions, Ms Saville Roberts added: 'The Prime Minister's response shows his Government is clueless about the reskilling support needed for former steelworkers in Port Talbot. People deserve clarity about the future, not a vague description of the past. 'He claimed he was powerless after the election because the blast furnaces shut down in January. But the second only closed in September – leaving months in which he could have acted, just as he did in Scunthorpe. 'Once again, it's clear Labour treats livelihoods in south Wales as expendable.' Ian Ross, chief executive of Whitehead-Ross Education, which runs training centres in South Wales said: 'When compared to the significant efforts and funding that has been provided to support steelworkers in Scunthorpe in a very short period of time, this lack of information and clarity from the UK Government some significant time after issues first arose at Tata Steel is concerning and further highlights a significant set of double standards.'
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Plaid Cymru says Labour ‘abandoned' Port Talbot steelworkers after Tata closure
Labour have let down former workers from Tata Steel's plant in Port Talbot, an MP has claimed, as she said the Government did not know how many redundant employees from the steelworks in south Wales it has helped retrain. Liz Saville Roberts, who leads Plaid Cymru in Westminster, said two Government departments reported it did not know how many staff had accessed a fund established to help 2,500 workers who were made redundant in last year. The plant's final two blast furnaces were shut amid claims they were losing money – one in July and another after the general election in September. The departments also said they had no information on how many grants were awarded from the Employment and Skills Flexible Fund, or if any training providers had received funding from it. In response to Freedom of Information (FOI) requests from Plaid Cymru, the Wales Office, and the Department for Housing, Communities and Local Government, said they had no information to provide. The reply also said the Community trade union and the Aberafan community support centre did not get any money to help train or reskill steelworkers from Port Talbot, or those in supply chains. Speaking at Prime Minister's Questions, Ms Saville Roberts said: 'Former steelworkers in Port Talbot watched in dismay as this Government deemed their livelihoods worth less than those in Scunthorpe. 'FOIs reveal that the UK Government doesn't know how its funding for reskilling workers in Wales is being used, or even how many people are being retrained. 'We know concerns have been raised by the transition board. If this Government can't explain how it's helping Port Talbot's laid-off workers to build a future through reskilling, why shouldn't those workers then come to the logical conclusion that Labour has abandoned them?' Tata closed the blast furnaces, with the company reporting they were losing £1m a day. Upon entering government Labour renegotiated redundancy terms which led to an improved deal. Workers got a minimum voluntary payout of £15,000. Tata will build a £1.25 billion electric arc furnace at the plant, which will allow steel to be produced with fewer carbon dioxide emissions. Neath Port Talbot Council gave the electric arc furnace planning permission in February. It is expected to be operational by early 2028. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said £80 million in funding had been put aside to help workers, including those in the supply chain, retrain. Sir Keir said: 'She raises a really important issue in relation to Port Talbot, and I visited a number of times and heard first-hand from the workforce there. 'She may or may not know that even in opposition before the election I was talking to the owners to try to persuade them to delay their decisions because I knew an election was coming. That's how important I thought it was. 'I would remind her that at the same time the then-prime minister refused to pick up and call the first minister to even discuss the issue. I took a different approach, because I realised just how important it was. 'I would remind her, because she compares it with the decision we took last week that the blast furnaces were turned off in January of last year, the coke ovens in March 2024, and therefore that was before the election.' Speaking after Prime Minister's Questions, Ms Saville Roberts added: 'The Prime Minister's response shows his Government is clueless about the reskilling support needed for former steelworkers in Port Talbot. People deserve clarity about the future, not a vague description of the past. 'He claimed he was powerless after the election because the blast furnaces shut down in January. But the second only closed in September – leaving months in which he could have acted, just as he did in Scunthorpe. 'Once again, it's clear Labour treats livelihoods in south Wales as expendable.' Ian Ross, chief executive of Whitehead-Ross Education, which runs training centres in South Wales said: 'When compared to the significant efforts and funding that has been provided to support steelworkers in Scunthorpe in a very short period of time, this lack of information and clarity from the UK Government some significant time after issues first arose at Tata Steel is concerning and further highlights a significant set of double standards.'
