Reminder to respond to Scottish Government HPL cladding data collection
We contacted care homes recently to ask that they respond to the Scottish Government’s request for information about the presence of high-pressure laminate (HPL) cladding in care homes. In light of the Grenfell Tower fire, the Scottish Government is undertaking a data collection exercise to establish the extent of HPL cladding in buildings across Scotland.
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Joint inspection of services for children and young people in need of care and protection in Orkney
Inspectors have identified major weaknesses in the way children and young people in need of care and protection are supported and cared for in Orkney.
The Care Inspectorate leads joint inspections which focus on how well services are working together to improve the lives of children and young people who have experienced or are at risk of abuse and neglect, and those who are, or have been, looked after by the local authority.
CSU / MSU Pocket Guides
NES have produced two new pocket guides to support all health and social care staff who require to obtain or support a person to take either a midstream specimen of urine (MSU) or a catheter specimen of urine (CSU).
They outline the step by step correct procedures to follow for urine specimen collection to minimise the risk of possible contamination and the resultant incorrect diagnosis and antibiotic treatment.
The Pocket Guides are available to download from the NES website (see links below) and hard copies available on request.
If hard copies are wanted please contact NES with full details of your postal address and the number of copies you require to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Novel Coronavirus (2019N-CoV)
We are aware that services and people working in social care may have concerns or questions on the outbreak of coronavirus.
Health Protection Scotland has produced information and guidance which should be useful and this is updated at regular intervals.
Information is also available on the NHS Inform website, including a communications toolkit with information to display in your service.
The Scottish Government summary of response arrangements for coronavirus in Scotland can be found here.
Other guidance
- Guidance for health care providers - healthcare workers who have travelled to a risk area for Covid-19 (last updated 24 February)
- Guidance to educational settings (last updated 26 February 2020)
- Factsheet on the coronavirus for places of education
If you have an outbreak of coronavirus in your service please notify us as you would normally do for any outbreak of an infectious disease. More information about notifications can be found here.
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Blog by Maree Todd MSP, Minister for Children and Young People
Happy new year! I am excited to be entering 2020 as this is, of course, the year when children’s entitlement to funded early learning and childcare will nearly double.
From August 2020, all 3 and 4 year olds, and around a quarter of 2 year olds, will be eligible for 1140 hours of early learning and childcare a year. funded by the Scottish Government and local authorities. That’s 30 hours a week if taken during school term time, or 22 hours a week year round.
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