Go-ahead for North West Edinburgh Partnership Centre
Edinburgh Apps
Carers payment
Kate Adie in Edinburgh
Guide dogs
Plans for a new £12-million health and social care hub in the heart of Muirhouse have taken another major step forward.
The planning application for the North West Edinburgh Partnership Centre has been approved by the planning committee at The City of Edinburgh Council.
The new centre, a joint development between NHS Lothian and the City of Edinburgh Council, will bring increased health and social care services to the local community, including new GP accommodation and additional physiotherapy, podiatry, dentistry and child health services.
Peter Gabbitas, Joint Director, Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership said: “The North West Edinburgh Partnership Centre is another good example of the benefits of bringing health and social care services together on one site and in doing so putting people’s health and welfare at the forefront of our services.”
Cllr Ricky Henderson, Health, Social Care and Housing Convener, said: “We are committed to providing high quality health and social care within communities, and working in partnership with organisations such as NHS Lothian on projects like the North West Edinburgh Partnership Centre is a great way to ensure this happens.”
Hub South East Scotland Ltd is delivering the project and has appointed GRAHAM construction to build the new centre.
Paul McGirk, Chief Executive of Hub South East Scotland, said: “This is an exciting step in the development of the North West Edinburgh Partnership Centre and we look forward to continuing our successful partnership with both NHS Lothian and the City of Edinburgh Council to make these plans a reality. We’ve been involved in this project from the beginning, so it’s exciting to reach this major milestone and we look forward to continuing our successful partnerships and making these plans a reality.”
Ground works will start on Tuesday 7 October in order to prepare the site for construction of the new Centre which is anticipated to begin next year.
The works will involve digging up and working on pipes and cabling within certain areas of the site. The works will not impact on surrounding properties and while there will be activity on parts of the site over the coming months, none of these works relate to the actual construction of the facility.
These works will also involve the creation of a new entrance to the shopping centre service yard from Pennywell Gardens, demolition of two buildings (Pennywell Dentist and Pennywell House), closing Muirhouse Crescent and diverting existing utilities (gas, electricity, water, telecoms) within the site.
The project team is now working towards finalising contracts in January 2015. Work is then scheduled to start on the new Centre in early 2015 and it will open in autumn 2016.
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The City of Edinburgh Council is calling on designers, developers and start-up companies to sign up to the challenge.
There are only a couple of days left until the next stage of the 2014 EdinburghApps contest, being held at the Capital’s Informatics Forum this weekend (4 and 5 October).
If you are interested in taking part in this event, visit the EdinburghApps website and register on the event page or email edinburghapps[at]edinburgh.gov.uk.
The open data contest, which aims to find innovative solutions to help improve the lives of people in Edinburgh, will see participants pitch ideas about digital services like mobile apps, websites and product concepts which have the potential to enhance health, sport and cultural life in the capital.
The weekend will feature a master class on how to pitch ideas to judges, followed by a two day long ‘hack’ where participants will have the chance to work on their ideas, hear more about open data and take part in a ‘flash hack’ to build the city’s first dashboard.
Participants focusing on health will be asked to come up with ideas to either help people who have been supported by Council services to stay safe or to make it easier for individuals with deteriorating conditions like MS and dementia to access advice and information.
Those interested in culture and sport have been challenged with encouraging people to take up physical activity. Competitors can also use data to improve visitor experiences in the city’s museums and galleries, or to promote the capital’s attractions and history.
The Council’s Digital Champion, Councillor Frank Ross, said: “I am delighted to be involved in such an innovative event which really channels people’s creativity in using technology and data to make a difference to the lives of people in Edinburgh. The challenges this year are so diverse and I look forward to seeing the new and original ideas and concepts participants produce.”
The entries will be judged at a competition final on 26 October, with the winners being offered business support and the opportunity to work with the Council on developing their concepts further.
This is the second year the Council has run EdinburghApps. Previous winners include AIRTS, who are developing an app that helps the Joint Equipment Store operate more efficiently, and a Waste app helping the public to locate their nearest recycling bank. Thanks to the competition these apps are now due for release by the Council in October.
The event is sponsored by Jadu, MacRoberts, IBM, FreeAgent, Marketing Edinburgh, Transport for Edinburgh and CSI.
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Carers in Edinburgh are being offered a single cash payment of £250.
The Carer Support Payments from the City of Edinburgh Council are a way to acknowledge the invaluable support unpaid carers give.
Carers who provide substantial and regular unpaid support and meet the criteria can use the payment to spend on themselves and improve their health and wellbeing, or to provide a short break from caring.
The funding has come from an extra £200,000 set aside by the Council this year to help carers and has been made available after similar payments were awarded last year.
Recent Census figures show that Edinburgh has an estimated 38,000 carers of which around 8,000 provide 50+ unpaid caring hours per week.
The Council consulted with carers on how they felt the money should be distributed.
Councillor Ricky Henderson, Convener of Health and Wellbeing, said: “Carers provide essential, quality care but they can become overwhelmed with their responsibilities and this can often lead to stress, anxiety or ill health.
“It’s important to provide carers with the support they need and these payments are a small way of telling them that they are very much valued and respected. We have listened to what they have said and we hope these ideas will ensure we can continue to help carers carry out their roles.”
To apply for a Carer Support Payment please contact Social Care Direct on 0131 200 2324.
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Celebrated journalist Kate Adie OBE will host the Combat Stress annual Autumn Lecture in Edinburgh this October. Combat Stress is the UK’s leading mental health charity for Veterans.
Titled ‘Fighting on the Homefront’ the Autumn Lecture will take place at the Merchants’ Hall in the centre of Edinburgh on Thursday 9 October at 6pm.
Kate Adie is best known for her long standing role as Chief News Correspondent for the BBC, a role she held for 14 years. After reporting on high profile events such as the Gulf War, the 1994 Rwandan Genocide and the war in Sienna Leone in 2000, Adie was awarded an OBE from the Queen in 1993. Upon withdrawing from front-line reporting Kate Adie became a best-selling author, writing books such as her latest release Fighting on the Home Front: The Legacy of Women in World War One. Signed copies will be available on the night.
Combat Stress marks its 95th anniversary this year, and has supported more than 100,000 Veterans since founded in 1919 in the aftermath of the War. With more than 759 Veterans currently being helped in Scotland, the charity’s work is as vital today as it was after the First World War.
Combat Stress provides specialist clinical treatment and welfare support to Veterans suffering from psychological injuries including Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), depression and anxiety. All services are provided to Veterans free of charge and include a treatment centre at Hollybush House in Ayrshire, a Community and Outreach Service across Scotland and a 24-hour Helpline which is available on 0800 138 1619
Kath Provan, Fundraising Officer for Combat Stress in Scotland, said: “We are delighted to welcome Kate Adie to speak on October 9. With her wealth of experience in reporting on combat and research into the affects war has on those who served, with a specific focus on women, I am sure Kate will deliver a powerful and compelling speech.
Guests will be invited to enjoy a reception with drinks and canapés before hearing Kate Adie. Tickets are on sale now at a cost of £29.50 and are available by calling 01372 587 148 or via www.eventbrite.co.uk.
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Guide Dogs are calling on all dog owners in Edinburgh to make their pet pooch a hero for the day, donning their own superhero cape and signing up to a Dogs Unite sponsored dog walk in beautiful surroundings. The money raised will help the 2 million people living in the UK with sight loss to lead confident, independent and active lives.
They will gather at Arthur’s Seat, t his Sunday, 5 October
Dogs Unite is a series of sponsored dog walks taking place across all the UK – the only event of its kind, where your dog gets sponsored to take part. By attending a Dogs Unite event your dog will become a hero for the day, helping raise much needed money for their canine friends – the guide dogs – who are genuine heroes every day for their owners. This is dogs helping dogs, dogs working together, dogs united!
The 3 mile walk at Arthur’s Seat this weekend will feature the ancient ruins, mini lochs, and rugged volcanic cliff faces of Holyrood Park, and there is also a shorter route available.
Every dog will receive their own superhero cape and goody bag in return for their heroic role in this important cause.
Registration opens at 11am on Sunday and costs £5. It takes £35 to support a Guide Dogs partnership for a week, but there is no minimum sponsorship for Dogs Unite walks as every penny can help change the life of a person who is blind or partially sighted.
Register online at the Dogs Unite website for £5. (Children under 13 and dogs go free!)
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
