#2 | What happens when you call 111?

This months episode of Talking 24 is on the subject of mindfulness. A lot of us have probably heard about mindfulness, but in practice, what is it and can it help you? 2020 and 2021 have been significantly changed the COVID-19 pandemic and we know this has presented a lot of issues for people, and one of the most prevalent issues has been poor mental wellbeing. Heightened anxiety, depression, stress and various other factors can affect us at any time of our lives and particularly scary when then they happen for this first time, this is where mindfulness can help.  Aside from mindfulness, we also speak about music, and more specifically, the most relaxing song ever! Guests on the podcast include Breathing Space Coordinator, Tony McLaren, and two mental health nurses, Lisa and Anna. NHS 24 Mindfulness Playlist  https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2OIn8y69ldWe4SQT4EF7kR?si=f0d6ed0e950d4c2f Tracklist Daniel Avery & Alessandro Cortini - Illusion of Time Marconi Union - Weightless Tycho - A Walk Tides - Mighty Meditation Hammock - Tornado Warning Kiasmos - Looped Ed Carlsen - Grey Hiatus - River Incubus - Aqueous Transmission Nils Frahm - Says Bonobo & George Fitzgerald - Outgrown

Ask The Doc #1 Hello everyone, it's been a while, but Talking 24 is back, albeit with a virtual spin. This episode and forthcoming episodes will be recorded via Microsoft teams, so if you notice a change in recording quality, that's why. Christmas is a busy time for everyone, but it's an especially busy time for NHS 24. A range of winter ailments can cause worry and discomfort for many people across Scotland, and these include norovirus, mental health issues, sort throats and more. There' one difference this year though, and that's unprecedented COVID-19 situation that we're still very much living with. In this episode, we speak to Dr Anna Lamont, our Associate Medical Director about a range of winter health conditions, and what we can all do to treat and prevent these conditions. We cover a range of conditions including: Coronavirus Norovirus - the winter vomiting bug Mental health issues Falls Chillblains  Raynauds phenomenon  As mentioned in the podcast, for a range of in-depth health information, you can visit NHS inform  (nhsinform.scot). Ask The Doc is a new podcast theme we will be exploring across 2021 and beyond, where one of our medical directors answers a number of common health questions. Please get in touch with us on social media if you have any requests for future episodes. From everyone at NHS 24, Happy Christmas to everyone when it comes.

Cold Vs Flu Every year we see news headlines about an impending flu outbreak, thankfully it's for this seasonal illness to reach pandemic levels, but it is true that yearly outbreaks do kill people. It's also true that we can help to protect ourselves from the risk and we need to get better at recognising the symptoms of this potentially serious viral infection so we can protect ourselves and those around us. A good place to start is understanding the differences between the flu and a cold.  In this episode we'll hear from doctors, nurses and an epidemiologist to help us understand the differences between the cold and flu, and what we can do about either if we're unlucky enough to become unwell. Guests Dr Anna Lamont | Associate Medical Director, NHS 24 John Sandbach | Interim Head of Clinical Systems, NHS 24 Dr Jim McMenamin | Interim Clinical Director, Health Protection Scotland Any questions or feedback? Get in touch with us via social media at www.instagram.com/nhs24.scot

Episode 8 | Suicide Prevention Week Ahead of Suicide Prevention Week (8th - 14th of Septmber) Lisa sat down with Shirley Windsor. Shirley Windsor is the Organisational Lead for Public Mental Health at NHS Health Scotland. Working together with key national and local agencies, she supports the implementation of mental health improvement and suicide prevention activities, flowing from the national Mental Health Strategy and Suicide Prevention Action Plan. HS Health Scotland and NHS Education for Scotland (NES) were jointly commissioned to develop a range of animations as part of the Scottish Government’s ‘Suicide Prevention Action Plan’. Links to these can be found below. Ask, Tell - Save A Life: Every Life Matters https://vimeo.com/338176393 Ask, Tell - Have a Healthy Conversation https://vimeo.com/338176393 Ask, Tell - Have a Healthy Conversation https://vimeo.com/338176495 George Dodds, Director of Health Equity at NHS Health Scotland, and member of the National Suicide Prevention Leadership group, said: “On average two people die by suicide every day in Scotland. That is tragic and preventable. We also know that one in three people who take their own life have had no contact with any specialist services before they die. We need to change that dramatically. “That’s why NHS Health Scotland and NHS Education for Scotland worked together to develop these resources, to help the Scottish workforce improve mental health and prevent suicide. The online animations created aim to raise awareness of the issues that affect people and that can lead those in distress to sometimes think about taking their own life. They’re also designed to increase the confidence of healthcare staff to respond compassionately and effectively to support anyone in that situation. “We hope the animations will help staff from other sectors have the confidence to hold compassionate conversations with those they meet, so that they can get help to those most vulnerable at the time it’s needed.”

Supporting the GP Triage Service The way we work at NHS 24 is changing all the time. In this episode, Jim Alexander and Lynn McCulloch speak to Lisa about our new GP triage service and how it's being rolled out across Scotland. They speak about the benefits it provides to patients, and how it's changing the way our staff need to work Career development and work life balance are important to us at NHS 24, and both of our guests speak about why they enjoy working with NHS 24 and discuss how it's different to traditional nursing in a Hospital setting.  If you're interested in applying for a role at NHS 24, you can search or vacancies www.nhs24.scot/jobs

This months podcast is on the topic of remote and rural healthcare.  Dr Antonia Reed, a GP on the Black Isle and the Clinical Director for Out of Hours Services at NHS Highland is in conversation with one of NHS 24’s Clinical Services Manager, Billy Togneri. It’s a fascinating insight into the way in which the two organisations are working together and how they use feedback from communities to improve the services provided. It also includes details about how technology is increasingly being used to meet those challenges.  Anything you'd like us to cover? Get in touch at www.facebook.com/NHS24

In the 4th episode of Talking 24, Lisa sits down with Director of Service Development, Lynne Huckerby They discuss how NHS 24 is working hard to redesign and redevelop services in order to make them fit for purpose in the 21st century, and how NHS services should align with technological advancements and changes in public behavior.  Dr Google? Webchat? Health Apps? Listen to find out more. 

It's almost Christmas, a time for family and friends to come together, but for some people, Christmas is a time of great sadness, emphasising their loneliness.  In this episode of Talking 24, Dr Laura Ryan and Tony McLaren speak about their own experiences of loneliness, the effect it had on their physical and mental health, and discuss what we can do help those around us who may be suffering.

In this episode of Talking 24, we're with Janice Houston & Susan Docherty. They speak about NHS 24 as a whole, and more specifically what happens when you call the 111 service.

The very first episode of Talking 24! Guests: John Sandbach: Interim Head of Clinical Systems Development Angiolina Foster : Chief Executive John and Angiolina speak reflect on the 70th anniversary of the NHS in the UK, and discuss how NHS 24 is positioning itself as digitally focused organisation.