COVID NEWS


THE PANDEMIC HAS FORCED HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS ACROSS SCOTLAND AND ACROSS VARIOUS SECTORS TO RETHINK HOW THEY DELIVER THEIR SERVICE TO PATIENTS. SP TAKES A LOOK AT A FEW OF THE INITIATIVES…


Blood Bike pilot is a huge success


A six-month pilot, which was initially intended as an out-of-hours service transporting lab samples, has risen to the challenges that COVID-19 has presented.


Over the last six months, the Highland and Islands Blood Bikes Charity – which is completely staffed by volunteers - has delivered more than 500 urgent samples and supplies between hospitals and has clocked up over 92,000 miles while performing this vital service for the NHS.


‘When the pandemic was declared,’ said Alex Javed, Service Manager for Laboratories for NHS Highland, ‘many of us found that we had to change both how we worked and what we did in response to what was needed. The same could be said for the volunteers with Blood Bikes.


‘They very quickly were able to start distributing COVID test kits and returning samples to the labs for us, often with not much notice. No ask has been too big for them and they have been so valuable to us during this time.


‘Prior to their involvement we would be seeing an average spend of about £5000 a month on taxis to get urgent samples and/or tests between sites,


and Blood Bikes have been doing this for free.’


The pilot has been so successful that NHS Highland is now moving to having a Service Level Agreement in place with the charity so that it can continue to work alongside the Health Board in providing this service.


Link between obesity and COVID-19 drives change In the East of Scotland, meanwhile, a pioneering, interagency partnership led by NHS Lothian, NHS Fife, NHS Borders and the six local authorities in the region is working together to reduce type 2 diabetes across the East of Scotland.


The need to reduce the prevalence of the condition has become increasingly pressing, given the growing evidence of the link between obesity and an increased risk of complications from COVID-19. Research into the link has reinforced the need for healthcare professionals, social care providers and other stakeholders to work together to advance sustainable change. As such, a range of programmes has been established in the region.


Over 62,000 people are living with type 2 diabetes in the East of Scotland – around five per cent of the total population - and there are


Highland and Islands Blood


Bikes President Ross Sharp on one of the Blood Bikes


over 3,700 new cases in the region each year.


‘Our programme,’ says regional director, Nicky Waters, ‘is a priority initiative – reflecting the need for urgent action to reduce the prevalence of type 2 diabetes in Scotland and support people to lead healthy lifestyles.


‘By adopting a Whole Systems Approach and bringing a wide range of partners together, our programme is centred on tackling structural, systemic root causes – such as poverty, inequality and childhood trauma - and the part that we all need to play in addressing them.’


Four core intervention programmes - Get Moving with Counterweight, Type 2 Diabetes Remission through Counterweight Plus, Gestational Diabetes education and Let's Prevent Diabetes – are being rolled out across the region, with partners taking advantage of technology to support people throughout the pandemic.


‘From delivering targeted interventions, to addressing the widespread issue of weight stigma and tackling the health inequalities which exist across the region - partners are committed to making lasting improvements to the environment in which we live,’ added Laurie Eyles, one of the newly- appointed professional advisers for diet and healthy weight at the Scottish Government. ‘It is this that will allow us to build an East of


22 - SCOTTISH PHARMACIST


Scotland where we eat well, have a healthy weight and are physically active – reducing our risk of developing type 2 diabetes for the long term.’


Reshaping urgent care As with other healthcare sectors, urgent care has come under scrutiny during these challenging times. Now, a new approach to the way people access urgent care is being tested in NHS Ayrshire and Arran and NHS Borders.


From 1 December, people with non- life threatening conditions, who would usually attend the Emergency Department (ED), are advised to call NHS 24 first, day or night.


NHS 24 will now assess people by telephone and refer them to the right care by the right healthcare professional as close to home as possible. This could include self-care, GP practice or primary care, community pharmacy or referral into the flow centre within their health board for a clinical assessment.


Following assessment by NHS 24, if the patient still needs to attend ED the local flow centre will schedule an appointment. This is to help manage surge activity periods and avoid crowding to maintain a safe environment. Initially a limited number of slots will be available for people with non-life threatening conditions in the Borders General Hospital.


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