Last updated - 30 September 2020
As the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak continues, things continue to be extremely challenging for neurological charities, as well as for the people we support in Scotland.
Issues like fundraising, the health and wellbeing of staff and volunteers, and finding new ways to continue to provide our services are some of the concerns that neurological charities will be facing in the coming weeks and months. At the same time, we continue to respond to the huge pressures that coronavirus will place on all the other vital services that people with neurological conditions and their families need.
The Neurological Alliance of Scotland wants to bring neurological charities together so that we can share information and support each other in these rapidly changing times.
Useful information
Please see our general coronavirus information page for people with neurological conditions and carers.
This includes advice on handwashing for people with conditions that can make it more difficult as well as links to condition specific resources. Please email us if you would like to suggest a link to condition-specific information we have not included.
The Scottish Government published new information for people with neurological conditions on the 23rd September 2020.
The free helpline - 0800 111 4000 - continues to operate, providing advice for people in the high risk vulnerable group who do not have family or community support. The helpline is there to help people to access practical support with practical issues like shopping, medicines delivery and contact details for local organisations from their local authority.
The Scottish Government reacted to rising cases of coronavirus in Scotland, implementing new rules from the 22nd September.
Suppressing the virus will continue to rely on people following essential hygiene measures and physical distancing.
You can leave your home for any purpose. But before leaving your home you should plan how you will keep safe and minimise risk to yourself and others.
Things to consider:
- whether and how you will avoid touching surfaces that others have touched and how you will practise good hygiene
- where physical distancing might be more difficult to follow, and how you will avoid or reduce the risk
- what additional things you may need to take with you, such as hand sanitiser, a bag for used tissues and a face covering
People who are in the high risk vulnerable group should continue to follow strict physical distancing measures.
The Association of British Neurologists has published guidance on COVID-19 and neurological conditions. This guidance is being updated regularly.
Where to find the latest coronavirus information:
- Scottish Government
- Health Protection Scotland
- NHS Inform
- Free Coronavirus (COVID-19) helpline for people without symptoms who want general information 0800 028 2816 Opening hours: Monday - Friday, 8.00am - 10.00pm Saturday and Sunday, 9.00am to 5.00pm
Emergency funding
There are a number of new funding streams designed to help charities to continue our vital work and support vulnerable people at this time. This includes a £20m Third Sector Resilience Fund for charities, community groups, social enterprises and voluntary organisations working in Scotland, and the £33m available through the Wellbeing Fund announced on 13 April 2020. Please see the SCVO Coronavirus Funding Page for more details of all the schemes and how to apply.
Other information for charities
SCVO has a helpful COVID-19 page for charities including a Community Assistance Directory.
OSCR also has information on COVID-19.
The Scottish Parliament Information Centre has curated a list of helpful local support.
Our friends at the Neurological Alliance in England have set up a Neuro COVID-19 response forum, to enable organisations to share experiences, suggest collective action and align messaging across the neurological third sector.
Tell us how we can help!
We would love to hear from you about the impact that the coronavirus outbreak is having on your charity and the people you support. Please email us to tell us about the challenges you’re facing, things that are helping your organisation, and your ideas about how we can facilitate neurological charities to work together at this challenging time.
Diary of past online meetings and actions for neurological charities
26 June 2020
We met with the Minister for Public Health, Wellbeing and Sport, Joe Fitzpatrick MSP.
24 June 2020
We published our lived experience report, Neurological Voices: Living through lockdown.
9 June 2020
The Executive met with the Scottish Government's lead on shielding policy to discuss the needs of people with neurological conditions who are shielding.
4 June 2020
The meeting scheduled for Thursday 4 June, 12 noon - 2.30pm via Zoom, was cancelled.
7 May 2020
We held a second meeting for members on Thurs 7 May, 2020 at 12 noon, via Zoom. Read the meeting notes here.
Scottish Huntington's Association has published findings from its survey of the impact of coronavirus on the Huntington's community in Scotland.
Members agreed to create a lived experience report from the neurological community.
15 April 2020
We wrote a letter to the Public Health Minister, Joe Fitzpatrick MSP, raising the issues that members spoke about at the meeting. You can see his reply here, and a response from Police Scotland here.
2 April 2020
We held an online meeting for our members on Thurs 2 Apr, 2020 at 12 noon via Zoom. Thank you to everyone who joined us. You can read the meeting notes here.
