Author Archives: Alison Mcgrory

Fiona Duncan, Oral Health Practitioner wins award

Fiona Duncan, Oral health Practitioner, based at Cowal Community Hospital, Dunoon, won the community award at the Scottish Dental awards 2014, for her work in making the short film “The Last Cigarette”.

The award was sponsored by Martin Aitken & Co, accountants. Jayne Clifford, Director with Martin Aitken, said “Martin Aitken & Co is delighted to sponsor The Community Award at this year’s Scottish Dental Awards. I would like to congratulate Fiona Duncan on winning this prize and for contributing significantly to the local community. Fiona’s ability to engage with her local community to raise money for good causes as well as raising awareness of issues which may have a detrimental effect on our children is very impressive. I would like to say thanks to all the finalists and entrants and wish everyone good luck with their future fundraising, voluntary and campaigning activity. ”

Fiona Duncan, Oral health Practitioner, based at Cowal Community Hospital, Dunoon, for her work in making the short film "The Last Cigarette". The award was sponsored by Martin Aitken & Co, accountants. Jayne Clifford, Director with Martin Aitken, said “Martin Aitken & Co is delighted to sponsor The Community Award at this year’s Scottish Dental Awards. I would like to congratulate Fiona Duncan on winning this prize and for contributing significantly to the local community. Fiona’s ability to engage with her local community to raise money for good causes as well as raising awareness of issues which may have a detrimental effect on our children is very impressive. I would like to say thanks to all the finalists and entrants and wish everyone good luck with their future fundraising, voluntary and campaigning activity. ”

Keep Well Service Launched in Dunoon

People aged between 40 and 64 living in Dunoon are being encouraged to take up an offer of a free health check.  The health checks are also being  targeted at communities of interest including South Asian groups; Black and Afro-Caribbean; Offenders, Gypsy/Travellers; carers; individuals who are homeless and those affected by substance misuse.
 

The Keep Well programme is offering free health and wellbeing checks to individuals at greatest risk of preventable ill health as a result of life circumstances.  The health checks focus on the screening for cardio vascular disease and its associated risk factors.  It is designed to help people get fit by learning about healthy eating, coping with stress and the health and financial benefits of quitting smoking.

At your health check you will be offered the opportunity to have your height, weight and blood pressure readings taken.  Staff will then have a chat about a number of issues regarding your health and wellbeing, for example, how active you are, what your diet is like, whether you smoke, your alcohol intake and any money worries or other life stresses.  At the end of the check staff will discuss your results and any support or treatment that you may wish to consider.

Alison Hardman, Keep Well Manager for NHS Highland in Argyll and Bute, said:

“This is a great opportunity to sit down and look at your own health and wellbeing.  You will have the opportunity to talk about your health and opportunities to improve it through the services within your community.” 

European Health Award for Argyll Community Housing Association

Recently, Argyll Community Housing Association (ACHA) were the proud recipients of a prestigious Award from the European Network for Workplace Health Promotion for representing a successful Model of Good Practice in ‘Promoting Healthy Work for People with Chronic Illness’.  This Award recognised their commitment to ensuring the health of their staff particularly in relation to the management of those who present with chronic illnesses.

See link to press report

 ACHA European Award

Keep Well with Local Produce

In response to food and health repost in the national media during January 2013 The Food and Health Working Group decided to raise awareness of cooking with local produce, rather than opening a prepacked meal.  Food purchaeses and preferences are based on convenience and budget rather than freshness and quality.  It was the perfect opportunity to work in the wider community in Argyll to demostrate that budget contraints should not exclude eating good local fresh food.

Attached is a report on the project along with an abstract which was submitted to a national conference.

Visual Report 4(1), Keep well with local produce poster for fph conference nov 13 final(2)

 

Macmillan Cancer Information and Support Service

The Macmillan Cancer Information and Support Service is a pilot, non clinical service based in Campbeltown and Rothesay Libraries. Quality information on all aspects of support for someone affected by cancer is available in one place and volunteers are carefully selected and trained to offer emotional support, to guide people to the most helpful information, and to signpost people to specialist services at weekly drop-ins. The service can also support people with other long term health conditions. Signposting to specialist services might include financial help, exercise programs, social groups, counselling, complementary therapy, or specialist healthcare services. All support is free and given over a friendly cup of tea.

Campbeltown Library Drop-in: Thursdays 11am to 3pm

Rothesay Library Drop-in: Tuesdays 11am – 1pm, 2pm – 3.30pm

We can help managers and staff by:

  • Supporting managers who are supporting people affected by cancer and other long term health issues. Online cancer workplace information can be found here: http://www.macmillan.org.uk/Cancerinformation/Livingwithandaftercancer/Workandcancer/Supportformanagers/ManagersandEmployers.aspx and we can send information directly to the managers and staff.
  • Provide support that will reduce the stress on people affected by cancer and other long term health condition. This might be the person diagnosed, family, friends or co-workers.
  • Enable staff to have access to quality information and encouragement to lead healthier lives.
  • Raise awareness and normalise the discussions around cancer in workplaces to encourage earlier diagnosis and reduce isolation.

Managers and staff can help us by:

  •   Signposting people to the support and information offered.
  •   Host promotional materials and invite us to team meetings / training.
  •   Give us feedback from people who have used our service, good or bad.

 It is anticipated that the library based services will be rolled out across the whole of Argyll and Bute in the next few years. For managers and staff closer to Glasgow, presently there are similar services in the Beatson Hospital, Ayrshire libraries, Glasgow libraries and Renfrew libraries. More information and resources can be found at the main Macmillan website www.macmillan.org.uk . In addition, there is a free Macmillan helpline 0800 808 00 00 open Mon – Fri 9am to 8pm which is staffed by Macmillan Nurses and Financial Experts. Information on cancer can also be found at http://www.nhsinform.co.uk/Cancer/TIPS .

Hollywood comes to Dunoon

A short film and documentary will be getting their world premiere in Dunoon on 12 March 2014, No Smoking Day.

“The Last Cigarette” features pupils from Dunoon Grammar School, as well as actor and director David Hayman.  The short film has been veiled in secrecy, but both it and the documentary have a strong No Smoking theme.

Fiona Duncan, Oral Health Practitioner, was the lead person for the project.  She said “This all started two years ago, during previous No Smoking campaigns.  Whilst working with Mairi Thomson, the schools drama teacher, she showed me a previous film the children had made about domestic violence and alcohol and drugs abuse.  It gave me the idea for the project.”

Fiona worked hard with Spirit Aid, a charity set up by David Hayman.  It total £18,000 of funding was raised from various sources including the Health and Wellbeing Network.