Constituency

Alison Thewliss MP urges women in Glasgow to attend cervical screening as attendance falls across the UK

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Glasgow Central MP Ms Alison Thewliss is supporting Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust in their call to make cervical cancer a disease of the past. Cervical screening prevents 75.5% of cervical cancers from developing, yet attendance in Scotland is falling. Only 70.0% of women in Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board are taking up their screening invitation.

Alison Thewliss MP said: “Nine women are diagnosed with cervical cancer every day in the UK. Cervical screening provides the best protection against the disease so it is concerning to hear that so many women are not attending this potentially life-saving test when invited. We all have a role to play in increasing attendance and I would urge the Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board to take action to tackle the declining coverage, which could ultimately save lives.”

Robert Music, Chief Executive of Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust, said: “Thanks to the cervical screening and HPV vaccination programme, cervical cancer is a disease that can be prevented. We want to see it eradicated, however to get there we need to work together to increase uptake of cervical screening and HPV vaccination. If we do not do this, we will see more women diagnosed and more lives lost.”

Women aged 25-49 are invited for their screening every 3 years and women aged 50-64 are invited every five years. In the UK, over 3,200 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer every year and 890 will lose their lives.

During January’s Cervical Cancer Prevention Week (22-28 January), Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust, will be raising awareness of how women can reduce their risk of cervical cancer through attending regular cervical screening, being symptoms aware, knowing the risk factors and taking up the HPV vaccination if offered.

Alison Thewliss MP backs campaign for better post-transplant care

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Alison Thewliss, MP for Glasgow Central, has backed a campaign by blood cancer charity Anthony Nolan, calling for better care for people recovering from a stem cell transplant.

Despite stem cell transplant patients often being known as “patients for life” due to the long-term side-effects of the treatment, many patients are not receiving adequate support for the physical, practical and psychological challenges they experience during recovery. According to research by Anthony Nolan, one in five are not offered any specialist care to help with their recovery, which includes access to physiotherapists, counsellors, and fertility experts.

Anthony Nolan is calling on health commissioners across the UK to urgently review the care arrangements they have in place for transplant recipients once they leave hospital, to ensure that patients and their families can continue to access vital support and services.

At an event in the House of Commons on Wednesday 11 October, Alison Thewliss MP heard from patient representatives about how difficult recovery can be without appropriate support.

Alison Thewliss MP said:

“A number of my constituents have got in touch to bring this issue to my attention, so I know how important it is for people in Glasgow that stem cell transplant patients and their families receive appropriate support.

“No patient’s recovery should be made more difficult by a lack of care and support, and that’s why I’m backing Anthony Nolan’s campaign, urging health commissioners to review the care arrangements they have in place once transplant patients leave hospital.”

Henny Braund, Chief Executive of Anthony Nolan, said:

“It’s vital that health commissioners carry out an urgent review into the long-term care that stem cell transplant recipients need throughout their recovery, so we’re delighted to have the support of Alison Thewliss MP in raising awareness of this issue in Parliament and in their constituency.

“Anthony Nolan is calling on health commissioners to work with us and the clinical community and make sure that post-transplant care works for every patient, to ensure they get the support they need to make a good recovery.”

Alison Thewliss MP urges households to ‘Keep a Step Ahead of Winter’

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New research from Scottish Gas has highlighted that having no heating or hot water would be the number one disaster for households in Scotland this winter. Even so, many people in Glasgow have not taken action to ensure their homes are winter-ready.

Despite the autumn chill, a national survey* shows that more than a third of households (35%) in Scotland have not checked that their central heating is working and nearly four in ten have not prepared their home for winter by getting their boiler serviced. Having an annual boiler service carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer is crucial as it detects problems with the boiler and controls, including whether it is leaking poisonous carbon monoxide.

Keeping homes safe is an important part of winter preparation, yet only four in ten households in Scotland have checked that their carbon monoxide alarm is working. Carbon monoxide is known as the ‘silent killer’, because the gas has no odour or taste, and is invisible. Fitting an audible alarm is the second line of defence against carbon monoxide poisoning.

Being energy efficient is particularly important during the winter months, and technology can help with this. Whilst more than half of households in Scotland (51%) acknowledge that technology could help their home to run more smoothly during winter, less than a third (32%) have smart meters.

Having smart meters installed can help keep household energy in check, as they automatically send readings to the energy supplier. Smart meters also come with a display that shows you how much energy is being used, in pounds and pence, in near real-time, and identify where savings can be made.

Alison Thewliss MP said: “It’s really important to keep a step ahead of winter. I want everyone in Glasgow to understand what help is available for them, and for their family and friends. Being energy efficient and keeping bills under control is really important, so I’d encourage people to get in touch with their energy supplier to find out what support is on offer.”

Scottish Gas engineer Stephen Cosgrove, who fixes and repairs boilers, said: “Winter can be a challenging time for households, but there are some practical steps that you can take, with our help, to make sure that you are prepared:

Get the best deal

We have been working hard to ensure buying energy is simple, transparent and fair for customers – for every customer on a standard variable tariff they will get an Annual Energy Health Check to make sure they’re on the right tariff. This will highlight other ways we can help our customers save money like replacing old and inefficient boilers or insulating their homes for free.

Get smart meters

Your energy supplier will be able to install smart meters, which mean an end to estimated bills. A smart energy monitor shows how much energy you are using, and what you are spending. Scottish Gas customers are provided with online tools to help them manage their energy usage. Find out more by visiting www.britishgas.co.uk/smartmeters

The Scottish Gas Energy Trust

This independent trust gives face-to-face advice, financial support and grants to help clear energy and household debts. The average grant is around £600 and you don’t have to be a Scottish Gas customer. Find out more by visiting: www.britishgasenergytrust.org.uk.

Bleed your radiators: to make sure they are working properly. If your radiators have cold spots at the top, this means you have air in the system, so you will need to bleed them to get them working efficiently.

a. To do this, turn the system off and when cool turn the radiator key until the air stops and water runs consistently. Once you have turned the system back on, the problem should be solved.
b. Cold spots in the bottom or centre of the radiator may be an indication of sludge build up and the need for system flushing.
c. Bleeding your radiator may result in pressure dropping. If you have a pressure gauge, make sure the boiler is at the right pressure and top up as necessary.

Block the breeze: Make sure all of your windows and doors seal properly to stop warm air escaping. For those that don’t, fitting draught excluders, which you can buy from most DIY stores, is a quick and cheap way to cut down on your energy bills.

Stay safe: It’s vital to have a carbon monoxide alarm fitted and that you test it regularly.

Love your boiler: Check to make sure that your boiler is working properly before winter sets in. The older your boiler, the more inefficient it will be. If you have a pressure gauge, make sure the boiler is at the right pressure and top up as necessary.

Insulate your pipes: Burst pipes are a huge issue during winter months. To help prevent burst pipes, ensure all pipes are properly insulated by using lagging, which can be bought cheaply from most DIY shops.

Maintain your drains: If you’re trying to keep your drains outside well maintained, it’s a good idea to make sure they are clear of debris at the point at which they enter the ground. This involves checking your gullies for autumnal leaves and twigs in order to ensure that they don’t restrict water flow at any point.

Control your heating remotely with Hive Active Heating: Using Hive Active Heating means you can control your heating and hot water remotely from your smartphone with the Hive app, so you can ensure your home is warm when you need it to be. Find out more: www.britishgas.co.uk/hive

Peace of mind: Scottish Gas has a range of HomeCare products to help keep your home a step ahead of winter with protection for your boiler, heating, electrics and plumbing. With HomeCare you can have your boiler serviced every year for less than 40p a day. Find out more: www.britishgas.co.uk/homecare”

Alison Thewliss MP calls for secondary schools in Glasgow Central to teach CPR to students

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Alison Thewliss MP is urging secondary schools in Glasgow Central to teach their students CPR, following the British Heart Foundation (BHF) warning that people who have not been trained in CPR are nearly 3 times less likely to perform it.

Alison Thewliss MP met life saving charities BHF, St John Ambulance and British Red Cross in Westminster on Monday 16 October, Restart a Heart Day, to discuss making first aid skills a vital part of the PSHE curriculum.

There are over 30,000 out of hospital cardiac arrests every year in the UK, and devastatingly only 1 in 10 survive. The BHF estimates that 10,000 people die every year as rates of bystander CPR are very low.

Every minute without CPR or defibrillation can reduce a person’s chance of surviving a cardiac arrest by around ten per cent.

Alison Thewliss, MP for Glasgow Central, said:

“It is worrying to hear the number of lives being lost because rates of bystander CPR in the UK are too low. Every second counts, and CPR really is the difference between life and death.”

“All young people should have the skills to save a life. I’m supporting first aid skills on the school curriculum as a vital part of the PSHE curriculum.”

Simon Gillespie, Chief Executive of the British Heart Foundation, said:

“It’s great to have the support of Alison Thewliss MP in incorporating this life saving skill into the secondary school curriculum. The chance of surviving is almost zero if people collapse and receive no bystander CPR until the emergency services arrive.

“There is clearly a huge benefit to the public knowing life saving CPR skills, evidenced by the vastly better survival rates from cardiac arrests in countries where CPR is part of the curriculum. Thousands of deaths could be prevented if more people learn CPR.

I encourage all secondary schools in Glasgow Central to apply for the BHF’s free training kits.”

Mel Fox, Director of Training at St John Ambulance, said:

“Now’s the time for first aid education to be available to all our young people. Learning CPR and other life saving skills should be part of their passage into adulthood and with many free resources available for schools like our Big First Aid Lesson on 3rd November, there is plenty of opportunity for children to become life savers.”

Joe Mulligan, head of first aid education at The British Red Cross said:

“We want all young people to feel confident and willing to help when faced with a first aid emergency. Learning first aid helps to increase confidence levels and we believe it’s a life skill everyone should have.

“Ultimately the British Red Cross would like everyone to have the opportunity to learn first aid throughout their lives, starting at school, so that a generation of people can be equipped with the skills they need to help in an emergency.

“Our free teaching resources and workshops are designed to give young people the skills, confidence and willingness to act in an emergency.”

Alison Thewliss MP gets a “dog bowl in one” for Guide Dogs Scotland

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Alison Thewliss MP saw the fun side of the SNP Party Conference this week by putting around street clutter on Guide Dogs Scotland’s mini golf course. With the interactive game, Guide Dogs Scotland raised awareness of their Streets Ahead campaign to keep streets free from clutter.

Street clutter, such as pavement parked cars, shop advertising boards and wheelie bins, is a real blight on the streetscape and a major problem for pedestrians. It is particularly dangerous for people with visual impairments, parents with pushchairs, wheelchair users and other disabled people.

According to a Guide Dogs survey, 98% of people with a vision impairment in Scotland encountered obstacles on the pavement and 88% of them have had problems with pavement parked cars specifically. Guide Dogs Scotland campaigns against problem pavement parking to make sure that blind and partially sighted people can get out and about independently.

Alison Thewliss MP commented:

“Our streets must be accessible to all our citizens and I am delighted to give my support to Guide Dogs Scotland in their campaign to tackle street clutter. The SNP in government have already taken action to tackle the most common obstacles facing blind and visually impaired people – including significant changes to the commercial bin arrangements in Glasgow which will see a reduction in the visibility of large commercial bins, thereby reducing clutter and making the city’s streets more attractive for everyone.

“I regularly receive complaints from my constituents about inconsiderate parking and I am hopeful that the SNP Scottish Government will adopt the proposals put forward by my colleague Sandra White MSP to ban unsafe pavement parking, thereby making the streets safer for all but especially those who are blind and visually impaired and rely on clear, obstacle-free pavements to navigate through everyday life.”

Niall Foley, Engagement Manager at Guide Dogs Scotland, commented:

“It is terrifying for someone who cannot see oncoming traffic or has small children with them to take the risk of stepping out into a road because of cars parked on the pavement. Everyone should be able to walk the streets without fear.

“We welcome Transport Scotland’s work on a law to curb unsafe pavement parking and are looking forward to seeing a prohibition of unsafe pavement parking as part of the Transport Bill in the near future.”

Chancellor must scrap tampon tax as more major stores absorb costs for consumers

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Alison Thewliss MP sitting at her desk in Parliament

Alison Thewliss, MP for Glasgow Central, has called on the Chancellor to scrap the tampon tax for good, following the Co-op’s announcement today (29th August) that they will cover the cost of the tax for their customers.

Several big retail companies, including Tesco, Waitrose, Morrisons and Lloyds Pharmacy, have already announced that they will absorb the cost of the tampon tax for their customers before it is scrapped entirely.

In October 2015, the UK Government announced that it had reached agreement with the European Commission to scrap the tampon tax, after an amendment to the 2015 Finance Bill forced them to explore options to remove the levy. In March 2016, the UK Government promised to bring forward legislation to scrap the tampon tax by changing the bands at which VAT is applied to tampons and sanitary products.

However, over a year since the UK Government promised new laws to remove VAT on tampons and sanitary products, they remain subject to 5% VAT and no legislation has been brought before Parliament to end the tampon tax.

Commenting, Alison Thewliss MP said:

“I am pleased that the Co-op have joined several other major retailers in paying the cost of the tampon tax for their customers. However, retailers should not need to mitigate the cost of an unjust tax that the UK Government has already promised to scrap.

“It is appalling that, over a year since the UK Government promised to end the injustice of taxing periods, no draft legislation has been brought to the House of Commons to remove VAT from tampons and sanitary products. This issue has been running on for far too long and too many women are still being taxed for their periods, despite the commitments of some retailers to shield their customers from the tampon tax.

“The only way to guarantee that all women will benefit from the tampon tax being axed is for new laws to be brought in without further delay. The Chancellor must now come to Parliament with a clear plan and timetable to end this unjust tax once and for all.”

Alison Thewliss MP supports heart disease and stroke patients in Glasgow Central

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Last week Alison Thewliss MP met with health experts to discuss the burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in Glasgow Central.

Latest figures show that there are 14,400 people living with heart disease and stroke in Glasgow Central.

Ms Thewliss attended an event in Westminster held by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Heart Disease and met with experts from the British Heart Foundation (BHF) to learn more about the levels of CVD locally, and ways to improve patient care.

They also discussed the progress the group had made on other issues such as heart failure, and inherited heart conditions.

Commenting on the meeting, Alison Thewliss MP said:

“Cardiovascular disease is a devastating condition responsible for more than a quarter of all UK deaths, and it is the most common cause of hospital admission for people over 65 years of age.

“Politicians in Westminster and the British Heart Foundation are working to support people burdened by heart disease and stroke, and find new ways of improving care in Glasgow Central.

“It’s vitally important that we work together to ensure that people living with cardiovascular disease in Glasgow Central get access to the care and support they need.”

Glasgow MP: Tories must reverse further cuts to disability benefits

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Alison Thewliss, SNP MP for Glasgow Central, has called on the UK Government to re-examine the criteria for Personal Independence Payment (PIP), after it emerged that changes to the criteria for PIP have severely disadvantaged claimants with long term mental health problems.

At Prime Minister’s Questions today, Ms Thewliss raised the case of a constituent whose mental health condition is so severe that she has had over 50 separate admissions to psychiatric care. She needs regular assistance to manage her condition, which currently qualifies her for Disability Living Allowance but not for Personal Independence Payment. She stands to lose £110 a week as a result of the UK Government’s planned transition from DLA to PIP.

In March 2017, the UK Government brought in a change to the eligibility criteria to Personal Independence Payment, in light of a tribunal rulings which stated that people who required supervision to take medication for a long-term health condition should be awarded more points in the PIP assessment.

The change is estimated to deny at least 2,000 people with long-term mental health conditions access to Personal Independence Payment, according to figures provided by the DWP’s own Equality Impact Assessment – around 1.2% of the total number of people who claim PIP.

Ms Thewliss has written to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to ask for an urgent review of the PIP criteria, to ensure that people who require long-term monitoring of medical conditions can continue to receive the support they need.

Speaking after Prime Minister’s Questions, Alison Thewliss MP said:

“The denial of PIP to my constituent demonstrates the real human cost of the Tories’ callous austerity agenda. My constituent, and many like her, have been placed in a very difficult position because of the Tories’ obsession with cutting social security for some of the most vulnerable people in society.

“When changes to the PIP criteria were introduced in March 2017, the Government’s own assessments indicated that a small, specific group of people with long-term mental health conditions would lose out on crucial financial support. The Government ignored the warnings given and decided to press ahead with targeting some of the most vulnerable people in society.

“The Prime Minister’s promises of radical action on mental health are ringing hollow today. If Theresa May is serious about supporting people with serious mental health conditions, she must act to reverse the changes to PIP immediately.”

Alison Thewliss MP supports Summer Reading Challenge

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Alison Thewliss, MP for Glasgow Central, is supporting a campaign run by Scottish libraries, Tesco Bank and The Reading Agency to encourage children to take part in this year’s Tesco Bank Summer Reading Challenge Scotland.

The annual Tesco Bank Summer Reading Challenge Scotland, run by national charity The Reading Agency in partnership with Scotland’s libraries and Tesco Bank, encourages children to read at least six books of their choosing over the summer holidays, a time when children’s literacy skills traditionally dip. This year the initiative follows on naturally from the inaugural First Minister’s Reading Challenge which runs during term time, helping to contribute to a continuation of children’s reading in the break from school.

Research shows that reading for pleasure is a more powerful factor in life achievement than socio-economic background, and that children who use libraries are twice as likely to be above average readers.

The Challenge is a unique partnership between The Reading Agency and public libraries across the UK which last year got over three quarters of a million children borrowing, reading and talking about their favourite books.

This year’s challenge theme is Animal Agents, based on a detective agency staffed by all kinds of clever animals – furry, scaly and slippery – who are out to crack a case with a little help from their friends. Tony Ross, the UK’s best-selling children’s illustrator (including creator of the Little Princess books, illustrator of the Horrid Henry series by Francesca Simon, and books by David Walliams and Claire Balding), has created this year’s exclusive artwork.

To take part, all children need to do is to head to their local library where they will be given a collector folder to keep a record of their reading journey. Children that read at least six library books over the summer, will collect stickers which will give them helpful clues to crack the case and help the Animal Agents find out what’s really been going on!

Alison Thewliss MP said: “I hope parents, grandparents and carers in Glasgow will take their children to the library over the summer to sign up for the Tesco Bank Summer Reading Challenge Scotland. The challenge is free, inclusive and makes reading fun – a vital ingredient in building literacy.’

Sue Wilkinson, CEO of The Reading Agency said: “At The Reading Agency, we believe that everything changes when we read and we know from our research how much fun families and children have when taking part in the Challenge. This year we hope the wonderful characters created for us by Tony Ross will inspire more children than ever to take part and make use of their local library throughout the summer and beyond.”

Adele Mills, Senior Community Investment Manager at Tesco Bank said: “Reading for pleasure is one of the best ways to spend the long summer holiday so we’re delighted that over 40,000 children from across the country will get involved in the Tesco Bank Summer Reading Challenge Scotland through their local library. The Challenge aims to inspire children to pick up and enjoy reading books – something that will undoubtedly have a positive effect on their future.”

For more information on the Summer Reading Challenge including how to get involved and resources for schools, go to www.readingagency.org.uk/summerreadingchallenge

Follow the Summer Reading Challenge at www.facebook.com/SummerReadingChallengeUK and on Twitter @readingagency #summerreadingchallenge

Alison Thewliss MP supports campaign to revolutionise Parkinson’s research

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This Parkinson’s Awareness Week Alison Thewliss, SNP MP for Glasgow Central, has pledged their support to the charity Parkinson’s UK’s We Won’t Wait campaign, calling for urgent action to unlock the promise of research developments that could pave the way to better treatments and stop Parkinson’s drugs ‘falling behind’.

Alison Thewliss MP said;

“While great strides have been made over the past 200 years, people with Parkinson’s are still waiting for a treatment that can tackle the condition head on.

“Because of this, I am supporting Parkinson’s UK’s We Won’t Wait campaign: we need a complete step change to deliver better treatments and a cure faster.”

Research released by the charity revealed that despite being an incurable, degenerative condition which can affect anyone, in Scotland:

• Almost half (48%) of people are unsure, or wrongly say that it is possible to prevent Parkinson’s.
• Four in five (83%) are unsure, or incorrectly think that there is no limit to the amount of time Parkinson’s medication works for.
• Two in three (65%) wrongly believe that Parkinson’s medication does more than mask or ease the symptoms of the condition.

Parkinson’s UK wants to drive forward crucial developments in Parkinson’s research and to pioneer more effective treatments that are desperately needed for the 11,000 people in Scotland currently living with the condition.

Commenting on Alison Thewliss MP’s pledge, Katherine Crawford, Scotland Director at Parkinson’s UK said;

“We are delighted that Alison Thewliss MP is supporting our crucial campaign to transform Parkinson’s research. People with Parkinson’s across Scotland are telling us that they need access to new and better treatments to improve their lives, and ultimately a cure for this cruel condition.”