Take some time to care for the carers Rates rethink to save shops

NHS 24 is calling on people to look out for carers during the busy festive season.

Currently there are around 760,000 carers in Scotland and winter can be a difficult time for those who look after others, from dealing with reduced services to managing tight budgets and family tensions.

Now NHS24, the telehealth and telecare organisation, is calling on people to make sure carers get all the support they need this New Year.

Lynne Huckerby, its head of health information, said: “Caring for someone is a difficult job at any time of the year but winter places extra demands on those who do the dedicated job of looking after others.

“It’s important that people do their bit and look out for carers and help them all they can. After all, a problem shared is a problem halved.

“Carers or those being cared for might also find the Care Information Scotland website helpful. It has a whole host of useful information, from respite care to how to receive a care needs assessment to information about care homes. It provides signposting information on a range of caring topics, allowing carers to make informed decisions.

“Our personalisation tool Info for Me allows people to select relevant content which can be shared, saved or printed and our translation facility enables increased access.

“This service will be a useful for a whole range of carer groups, from young carers to those within the care system and those anticipating care and seeking further information.

The service can be accessed from 8am to 10pm, seven days a week, via webchat available through the website or via telephone on 0800 83 85 87.

Further advice and information on how to stay healthy over winter can be found at www.nhsinform. scot/winter.

The three things that we are recommending everyone does in preparation for their health this winter:

Make sure you have some over-the-counter remedies in the house for minor ailments.

Check you have enough repeat prescription medicines. Order only what you need and make sure you pick them up in plenty of time.

Know when your GP surgery and local community pharmacy will be open. NHS 24 www.nhs24.com Our town centres are being drained of shops for many reasons but one constant theme is that shopkeepers cannot afford the high rates.

It was all very well to charge substantial rates in more prosperous times for shops, when there was no competition from out-of-town supermarkets or online shopping, but these are difficult times, hence the disappearance of business after business from town centres.

A rethink is needed. Would it not be possible to charge shops only the cost of the services they require, such as waste disposal and water supply?

Do not let our town centres die, councillors. George McMillan, by email