Support for‘long-COVID’is welcomed
An East Kilbride mum left battling long-COVID has welcomed a £700k funding boost to develop care services for those with the condition.
We told you last week how Ruth Moore had been floored by the after-effects of the virus, getting out of breath by simply loading a washing or walking up stairs.
That’s the previously fit and healthy 49-year-old after she contracted the virus in October.
Now Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland (CHSS) has announced £760,000 of joint funding with the Scottish Government to create coordinated care for people left with long-COVID.
Ruth, from East Mains, welcomed the news, saying:“Anything that leads to a greater understanding of this is welcome.
“At the minute there is no treatment or after care and very little support. A lot of people will lose their jobs as they can’t work – I don’t know if I will ever feel 100 per cent again.
“It’s no fault of the health board or doctors, but at the minute it feels like you are just left to your own devices to try and get on with it.
“It had been a nightmare for me and my family and there needs to be more resources put into this.”
The package will see Scottish Government contribute £460,000 of funds and CHSS £300,000 to boost capacity for the charity’s support services.
Over the coming months it will also lead to the creation of a coordinated nationwide care pathway between the NHS, GPs and CHSS.
The development comes following the charity’s long-COVID Care Now campaign which saw people send over a thousand emails to their MSPs urging action to offer better care for people with the condition.
Long-COVID is a complex condition with sufferers experiencing a variety of symptoms ranging from breathlessness, chronic fatigue, anxiety and stress.
It is estimated that as many as 10 per cent of people who have had COVID are now living with long-COVID in Scotland.
The CHSS helpline for people with longCOVID is open and can be accessed by calling 0808 801 0899
President of motor technology specialist Control Techniques, Anthony Pickering says planning has helped the Powys-based company cope with the changes. “We export to 77 countries, and have 26 sales offices around the world, so we had to be well prepared for the transition out of the EU. This meant going to our suppliers and making sure they were ready, and having contingency plans in place – for example, if the port at Dover became blocked.
“Planning has been the root cause of our success since January 1, because we’re reliant on our supply chain. Our factories are full – we’re absolutely flat out, with orders coming out of our ears. We’ve not missed a beat, and our business is continuing to evolve. There are some delays – items that would take two days to come from Europe are now taking two weeks – but I think it will figure itself out.”
The Mental Health Foundation Scotland is calling on South Lanarkshire students to help provide better mental health support at universities and colleges.
Believed to be the largest ever study of student mental health in Scotland, it is hoped that over 40,000 students will get involved in the two-year project.
In this first phase of study, students at Scotland’s 19 universities are invited to share their views in an online survey and help drive positive change in the provision of mental health prevention and support for students across the country.
A survey will be available for college students in the next stage of the project.
It is anticipated the results of the university study survey and subsequent recommendations within the facilities will be available later this year.
Universities Scotland and Colleges Scotland are partners in the project along with funders The RobertsonTrust.
Participants will also be offered the chance to be entered into a prize draw with three students at each university winning a share of £200.
To find out more, visit mentalhealth.org.uk/ scotland/ supporting-studentsthrive
An EK business is celebrating their successful apprenticeship scheme, and are looking forward to bringing another local on board.
MAGE Systems pride themselves on hiring local young people and allowing them to succeed in a new career.
Since founding in 2016 the engineering firm has taken on six apprentices, in both office and engineering roles.
Jordan Lindsay, Business Development and Marketing Manager at MAGE, also started as an apprentice.
He said:“Our Operations Director, Janet Menzies, is very passionate about youth development and career progression with a focus on apprenticeship opportunities.
“We have very good relationships with local schools too, and pre-covid would regularly attend various careers events.
“We find it important to keep it local, and show people that there is opportunity in the town to expand your career.”
The newest apprentice at MAGE is Rachel Bissett, 22, who joined the company just last month,
Rachel will be working in the business support team at the company, and while working there will be studying via MicroComm towards a degree.
Rachel said:“I started at MAGE just last Monday and it has been really good so far, I am kept very busy.
“I used to work in an admin role after I left Calderglen High for a few months, so I have a little bit of experience within the role.
“My main responsibilities just now is dealing with deliveries that come in and go out, and invoicing them.
“I’ve not fully started my apprenticeship yet so I think I’ll have a lot more jobs to start looking forward too.
“I’m just ready to get stuck in and get really busy.”