As soon as one starts to get a State Pension you lose any Carers Allowance (already at a ridiculously low rate!). Carers provide an enormous saving to the Government and at the very time of greatest need they are penalised unfairly.

I understand the logic in wanting someone to avoid A&E unless they have co-morbid psychical injury, however people often feel scared, like they have nowhere else to go. If someone reaches somewhere safe like A&E it is absolutely vital that they are seen. It seems morally wrong that this service is now shielded, asking people to phone the First Response call centre even once they have arrived at A&E, to reduce the amount of people being seen. To someone in severe distress, this could be the last straw and make them feel as if they don’t deserve help and that they shouldn’t have reached out. Those in a mental health crisis are highly vulnerable individuals who could be at serious risk of harm, many will not be able to talk on the phone. I have unfortunately had first-hand experience of this new system. Appendix 1.4.1 of this NHS England document from 2016, “Achieving Better Access to 24/7 Urgent and Emergency Mental Health Care”, states “ The evidence-based treatment pathway introduced in this guide requires that people who need urgent and emergency mental health care receive an evidence-based package of care informed by NICE guidance within four hours of presenting in an ED or referral from a ward. • An urgent and emergency liaison mental health service should respond to the person within one hour of receiving a referral. An emergency response consists of a review to decide on the type of assessment needed and arranging appropriate resources for the assessment (see Section 4.2.2) c The NCCMH, a partnership between the Royal College of Psychiatrists and University College London, was one of the national collaborating centres first established by NICE in 2001 to develop clinical guidelines. d Forthcoming on the NICE website. • Within four hours of arriving in an ED or being referred from a ward it is recommended that the person should: • have received a full biopsychosocial assessment, and • have an urgent and emergency mental health care plan in place, and • at a minimum, be en route to their next location if geographically different, or • have been accepted and scheduled for follow-up care by a responding service, or • have been discharged because the crisis has resolved OR • have started a Mental Health Act assessment. ” It’s worth noting that official NHS England advice on nhs.uk, (https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/nhs-services/mental-health-services/where-to-get-urgent-help-for-mental-health/) remains the same: " Call 999 or go to A&E now if: • someone's life is at risk – for example, they have seriously injured themselves or taken an overdose •you do not feel you can keep yourself or someone else safe A mental health emergency should be taken as seriously as a physical one. You will not be wasting anyone's time. Call: 999 Find your nearest A&E "

Mental health is a real issue, more especially during this pandemic, everyone has to make sacrifices to stay safe but there is a solid argument for this campaign

These familys are struggling enough during this pandemic and stressing over feeding their children or paying the Bill's. In this day and age no child should be left to go hungry.

Scotland's physical and mental wellbeing is suffering. Suicide rates are going up and not enough is being done to help freelance group instructors and Yoga businesses who are trying to ease the burden on the NHS AND support NHS workers who need that external support from dealing with the added stress put on them. These sole traders and small businesses are supporting people by helping improve their immune systems with gentle breathwork and physical activity in a safe and nurturing environment, improving physical and mental wellbeing with Meditation and Mindfulness and generally create a support network for those that are more vulnerable including trauma-informed Yoga. These sessions are lifelines to people and without more help and support are at risk of disappearing altogether.

Eating disorders rates are increasing rapidly, many young girls and a lot of young boys today have an eating disorder of some sort and putting calories on a menu encourages the disorder and discourages them from seeking help and recovery, as well as this, it can also allow people to develop an eating disorder if they did not have one already. Anorexia has a 20% mortality rate and can lead to infertility, anaemia, death, ect, bulimia can lead to cardiac arrest, infertility, tooth loss and death also, they're incredibly deadly eating disorders that need to be looked out for more.

Often community care staff travel to many clients homes .vulnerable clients can easily be exposed to asymptomatic staff carrying the covid virus and passing it to vulnerable patients

Because if these workers aren’t supported both generally and financially they may take longer to recover, will be unable to afford to live near their place of work and we run the risk of many of them leaving the NHS. They’ve been trained and it would be a great shame to lose so many of the people we all depend on.

Vitamin D supplements have been shown to reduce rates and severity of respiratory infections in people who are low in vitamin D. Vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency is associated with increased susceptibility to a variety of bacterial and viral infections including influenza. Associations have also been made between low vitamin D levels and severity of covid19 symptoms. Due to lockdown restrictions many residents will have had little or no sun exposure and will therefore be experiencing low levels of vitamin D putting them at increased risk from respiratory tract infections..

With the risk of Covid-19 still with us, it is deeply hurtful and insensitive that ITV have decided that Celebrity's lives matter more than the General Public of North Wales and have decided to push ahead, against medical knowledge, and will stage this year's 'I'm A Celebrity' series in North Wales. The local people were not consulted about this and there is every chance that because of this, Covid-19 will be brought into the area which completely goes against the point of the Government's advice (Westminster & Cardiff Bay) and only adds fuel to the fire of Covid-19 and lockdown sceptics. When I recently voiced my concerns to a member of the show's production, (Hayley McFarlane) I was told to '....' myself and that Celebrities were more important than the people of North Wales and their 'stupid precious feelings.' I have the email on file and a copy is with my Solicitor. If ITV think that the people of North Wales do not matter, and they can ride roughshod over them, they then need to be shown they cannot do this and should be prosecuted for their arrogant and criminal treatment of people who are trying their best to shield and not spread this virus as we want to go back to the old normal as soon as possible. It is as if they are trying to deliberately upset people and are working to spread this virus. It is almost tantamount to a terrorist attack.

The Scottish Government says it wants to: "protect those most at risk from flu in the coming season and to ensure that the impact of potential co-circulation of flu and Covid-19 is kept to an absolute minimum." (Letter from the Chief Medical Officer Directorate dated 7 August 2020) What's actually happening on the ground? The computer programme being used in Greater Glasgow and Clyde sends out appointment letters to over 65s, starting with the youngest age groups and leaving the oldest and most frail people to the last. It was designed for child immunisations, not older people. Many over 65s with underlying health conditions have not yet had appointment letters. They may be having difficulty finding anyone to help them. GPs are only allowed to deal with under 65s (who get a different type of vaccine). This means that most of our older relatives and friends are facing the start of winter without being protected from the flu, and at risk from successive waves of Covid 19 at the same time. We must demand urgent action so that our most vulnerable and frail older people are protected from the flu before the winter arrives

One of the highest infection rates in the world and the highest percentage of deaths in the developed world together with hundreds of millions of pounds spent on contracts to inexperienced private companies that they are refusing to publish details of in defiance of British law and govt rules.