Tag Archives: Scotland
The plight of Scotland’s carers must be addressed,
The plight of Scotland’s carers
Apr 24 2012 By Craig McQueen
tommy whitelaw
EIGHTEEN months ago, full-time carer Tommy Whitelaw was struggling to cope.
His mother Joan, 72, has vascular dementia, leaving her unable to perform the simplest of tasks or even recognise him.
As the illness progressed, Tommy found himself isolated, cut off from friends and family and from services, which could help.
With the stress taking its toll, the Glasgow 49-year-old visited his GP and began getting some of the help he needed. But Tommy knew he wasn’t the only one and decided then to do something about it.
He embarked on a tour of Scotland, collecting letters from carers detailing their experiences.
Paisley MSP urges politicians to work together for M.E.
It is estimated that more than 250,000 people in the UK suffer from ME
Apr 12 2012 by Jeff Holmes, Paisley Daily Express
A CAMPAIGNING politician is urging fellow MSPs to back her efforts to raise awareness of a devastating illness.
West of Scotland MSP Mary Fee wants to turn the spotlight on Myalgic Encephalopathy, also known as ME, which is often misunderstood by members of the public who have had no experience of the condition.
ME is recognised by the World Health Organisation as a neurological condition and can result in muscle pain, with intense physical or mental exhaustion, relapses and specific cognitive disabilities.
The condition can affect people of any age, although it’s more common among those aged between 25 and 45 and is more prevalent in women than men.
NHS patients encouraged to give feedback about care on revamped website
Patients in Shetland are being encouraged to write about their experiences of health care, good and bad, on NHS Shetland’s revamped website which has just gone live.
In future some patients and carers may be invited to tell their stories on tape, video or in person to the NHS board, which manages health services in Shetland.
The new independent feedback system, called Patient Opinion, started in a low-key way in January, prompting only six responses so far by email, phone and letter. Five were complimentary and the other conveyed ideas for improvements.
Patient Opinion is a non-profit service independent of NHS Shetland and the NHS which confidentially handles each “story” about a person’s experience of the NHS, including what was good and what could have been better.
