As the busiest R&I office in Scotland, the NHSGGC R&I Team received in excess of 640 new research applications in 2024 and have approximately 1000 studies ongoing at any one time.
There are 3 teams working within the Systems Team structure:
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Staff Resources & Support
Welcome to the NHSGGC Public Protection Service Webpage.
We aim to raise awareness and inform on Public Protection issues both within NHSGGC and the wider community. The service is available to all staff groups within NHSGGC to offer training, support and advice on any issues relating to Public Protection. Within our service there is a dedicated team of specialist staff with knowledge and expertise.
The Public Protection Service can be contacted Monday to Friday 9.00am – 5.00pm 0141 451 6605
Additionally, there is a dedicated advice line for all Child Protection concerns or issues which can be accessed by choosing option 1.
A Child Protection Consultant is available Out of Hours – via switchboard 0141 201 0000. Ask for On Call Child Protection Consultant.
If you have a child protection concern that is identified out of hours social work can be contacted on their Out Of Hours service that covers the West of Scotland: 0800 343 1505
If you are concerned that a child is at immediate risk please contact the police on 999 or 101
Child Support and Protection
What is Child Abuse/Neglect?
Abuse and neglect are forms of maltreatment of a child. Somebody may abuse or neglect a child by inflicting , or by failing to act to prevent significant harm to the child. Children may be abused in a family or in an institution setting, by those known to them or, more rarely, by a stranger. Assessments will need to consider whether abuse has occurred or is likely to occur. When placing a child on the Child protection register, it is no longer necessary to identify a category of registration relating to the primary type of abuse and neglect. Instead the local authority should ensure the child’s name and details are entered on the register, as well as area of concern identified.
It is still helpful to consider and understand the different ways in which children can be abused. The following definitions, though not exhaustive show some ways in which abuse may be experienced by a child. Individual circumstances of abuse will vary from child to child.
Significant Harm
Protecting children involves preventing harm or the risk of harm. Harm refers to ill-treatment or the impairment of the health or development of the child. Significant harm is the test for legal measures to be taken in order to protect children. There is no legal definition of significant harm. It is a matter for professional judgement through analysis and multi agency assessment of the degree of harm a child has or is likely to be exposed too. This can be exposure to one traumatic event or an accumulation of concerns which can impact on the child’s wellbeing and development.
Physical abuse
This is the causing of physical harm to a child or young person. Physical abuse may involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning or scalding, drowning or suffocating. Physical harm may also be caused when a parent or carer feigns the symptoms of, or deliberately causes, ill health to a child they are looking after.
Emotional abuse
Emotional abuse is persistent emotional neglect or ill treatment that has severe and persistent adverse effects on a child’s emotional development. It can involve actions or inactions which can lead to feelings of inadequacy or fear. The child may feel devalued or unloved. It can involve placing expectation on a child which are inappropriate to their stage of development. Some level of emotional abuse can be present in all types of ill treatment or it can occur independently of other forms of abuse.
Sexual abuse
The act of sexual abuse involves the child in any activity for the gratification of another person, whether or not it is claimed that the child has consented. Sexual abuse involves forcing or enticing a child to take part in sexual activities, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening. The activity may involve physical contact, including penetrative or non-penetrative acts. It may also include non-contact activities such as sharing images of sexual activity with a child or the production of indecent images involving a child or using sexual language towards a child or encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways.
Neglect
Neglect is the persistent failure to meet a child’s basic physical and/or psychological needs, likely to result in the serious impairment of the child’s health or development. It may involve a parent or carer failing to provide adequate food, shelter and clothing, to protect a child from physical harm or danger, or to ensure access to appropriate medical care or treatment. It may also include neglect of, or failure to respond to, a child’s basic emotional needs. Neglect may also result in the child being diagnosed as suffering from non-organic failure to thrive, where they have significantly failed to reach normal weight and growth or development milestones and where physical and genetic reasons have been medically eliminated.
In its extreme form children can be at serious risk from the effects of malnutrition, lack of nurturing and stimulation. This can lead to serious long-term effects such as greater susceptibility to serious childhood illnesses and reduction in potential stature. With young children in particular, the consequences may be life-threatening within a relatively short period of time.
Adult Support and Protection
If you are aware of an adult being exposed to harm or is at risk of harm and they are unable to safeguard themselves then an Adult Support and Protection referral should be completed.
This can be done by completing an AP1 form, contacting the relevant local authority ASP team by phone, and completing a DATIX.
If you require Social work advice out of ours please call 0300 343 1505
If the adult is at immediate risk contact Police Scotland 101 or in the event of an emergency 999.
Notification of Concern Form
All NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde staff must follow the guidance for raising and submitting a Notification of Concern. The contact details for the relevant local authorities are contained within the guidance.
A Seven Minute Briefing
Policies and Guidelines
Training
Tutor Lead Training Online Training – Learn Pro
Mandatory LearnPro modules
Please register LearnPro account to enable you to complete your chosen training
https://nhs.learnprouk.com
LearnPro Modules for Child Protection
LearnPro Modules for Adult Support Protection
Other Relevant Organisations
For more information please visit the relevant organisations websites.
The Practice Education Team will facilitate Flying Start Facilitator information sessions for facilitators and Conversation, courage and culture webinar series for NQPs on Microsoft Teams (MS Teams).
Conversation, courage and culture webinar series
These webinars aim to provide NQPs with the opportunity to think about emotional and professional development and how this could improve the care they provide. Fostering a positive culture within your working environment. Please click links below to book.
Webinar 1: Conversation, courage and culture. Date: Thursday, 6th November 2025 at 1.30pm – 3pm
As newly qualified practitioners, having the ability to manage your individual levels of stress and uncertainty is a key skill. Understanding the impact of your emotional responses for self and others allows for open conversations which fosters a positive culture of growth.
Webinar 2: Emotional agility. Date: Thursday, 13th November 2025 at 1.30pm – 3pm
Emotional agility encourages you to be flexible with your thoughts and feelings for you to respond effectively to situations and challenges. Being aware and accepting all of your emotions and learning from the difficult ones, allows you to create a space between how you feel and then respond, in line with your values.
Webinar 3: Civility Saves Lives. Date: Friday, 21st November 2025 at 1.30pm – 3pm
The Civility Saves Lives (CSL) campaign aims to create, enable and maintain positive workplace relationships and environments where the culture is improved by promoting the value of civil, caring and compassionate interactions, raising awareness of unprofessional and unproductive behaviours, and understanding the negative impact that rudeness (incivility) can have.
Webinar 4: Your health and wellbeing as a NQP. Date: Tuesday, 25th November 2025 at 1.30pm – 3pm
As NQPs it is important that you are aware of your personal wellbeing as you transition into your professional role. Having increased awareness of this and strategies to support you, is imperative.
Following attendance at webinars, NQP advised facilitators of their take home messages which included:
- Feeling understood.
- Reminds us that our emotions are important and about managing these as NQPs; and hearing other perspectives and realising we are all similar.
- It’s okay to take a pause and not feel we need to just continue on;
- To have more belief in own ability, be more open to ask questions.
- Tackle complex emotions with curiosity. Practice what we preach to patients;
- Self-care and wellbeing is vital for the provision of safe and effective care;
- Importance of self-care and compassion for preventing burnout; The importance of being considerate of others around me and how my emotions can impact this
Digital on Demand reports and other publications will be published here.
Search for the hashtag #NHSGGCdigitalondemand
This section takes a deeper dive in to what it means to be a digital champion and has some resources to help you with your digital journey
Becoming a digital champion
You could be a digital champion – someone who takes a lead within their team to help others with digital solutions. It could simply be helping with setting up passwords, getting others confident with using Teams, ensuring everyone can access and input to your clinical systems that you use everyday. You may not need specific training for this – you may just have the knack! Please join our Digital Champion Forum for more bespoke training, events and chat.
If this is the case then you should consider furthering your own knowledge and learning. A great way to do this is through the Digital Health and Care Leadership Programme .This course maximises the potential of digital to benefit people and supports participants to develop the strategic leadership skills required to influence the use of digital solutions in health and care delivery. Your project will need to fit with NHSGGC digital strategy but you can discuss this with your digital leads prior to and during your course.
You don’t necessarily require to do a formal course. Successful project work derives from great quality improvement methodology. Please refer to the online resources available on the NHSGGC website. Your Digital leads will be more than happy to support and advise. You can also submit project requests that require support from ehealth via the Project Management Office (pmo@ggc.scot.nhs.uk).
Social media is a highly influential way of connecting with others both with colleagues and patients. Please refer to the Information Systems: Acceptable Use policy if planning to provide a patient facing site on one of the many social media platforms available.
Building websites for your service
Many services and teams rely on websites to share information about their service.
There are 3 types and you may require more than one of the types for your service:
Service information webpage for the public
For information about your service that the public will access, it will likely be in the Hospitals and Service section on the NHSGGC website.
It should have the following structure:
- Service overview
- Info for patients
- About the condition
- What we do
- How to be referred to service
- What to expect at your appointment/hospital stay/what happens afterwards
- Frequently asked questions
- Leaflets
- About the team
- Publications
- Reports
- Forms
- Patient Leaflets
- Where to find us
- Contact us
- Useful resources/links
To build this type of site see information provided by the Web Team.
Generic staff information
For information that is for staff primarily but which is appropriate for public view if desired such as this website and HR Connect it will likely be in the Staff Resources section on NHSGGC website and the structure will vary depending on content.
To build this type of site see information provided by the Web Team. You will be asked to complete the LearnPro module GGC 289: WordPress CMS prior to beginning your webpage build.
Service and professional information for staff only
For information about your service that is for staff only such as rotas, contact lists, service operating procedures etc, it is best to use the functions of M365, especially Teams and SharePoint. How these work together is described in Teams and SharePoint integration.
Put simply, every team in Teams has a SharePoint site already but SharePoint sites can be created independently too. See information at M365 Training Sessions to get started using Sharepoint or watch these videos:
Adopting EPR
Most of us now input our notes in to an electronic patient record whether it be EMISweb, Trakcare or Clinical Portal. But its important to know that these systems have regular upgrades and in time and through service improvement can change to a completely different product. You should see the record as being something that evolves and that can be improved to suit the service needs and not seen as a static unchanging entity. Have a read of EHCR Adoption Considerations which describes the move from paper to EHCR but also outlines considerations for getting the most out of your current notes tool. Making the Most of your Electronic Patient Record is a great site for more in depth reading.
Using data
Good data collection is crucial to changing and influencing a service. Understanding the power of data is becoming a must have skill. Look at how you collect data within your service or team. Can it be improved? Do you know if your patient clinical system such as Clinical Portal, Trakcare or EMISweb assist processes around referral management, workload, caseload management etc. FutureLearn offers a free online course to develop your skills and understanding of the data in health care – Power of Data in Health and Social Care.
Using apps
Using apps is becoming increasingly common but there are things that need considering before adopting:
- Don’t jump into a specific product – what are the functional needs?
- Will you need to capture identifiable data?
- IG will need to be involved – a data protection impact assessment (DPIA). See Information Security policy
- Is there something that already does the job in the organisation?
While a specific app may have caught your eye from an advert or event, there may be others.
Some estimate that 45% of all software features are NEVER used.
There is likely to be a cost after an initial free trial.
Is it for clinical work?
- Clinical safety of the product will need considered – some apps are even classed as medical devices. Use the DTAC
- Will it be part of the clinical record or need to integrate with it?
- What products suit these needs?
- Installed app or web-app?
- Competitive tender may be required
If considering a trial, also consider a ‘get-out’ as you could make a change that cannot be sustained due to financial or service implications.
Speak to your digital leads early on.
Look at what is already available in the Right Decision Service.
Digital resources
Scotland’s Digital Health and Care Strategy alongside the NHSGGC strategy Digital on Demand are 2 key documents that help shape the digital landscape with health and care. Visit the Digital Health and Care and the Digital Data and Capability sites on TURAS/Learn for lots more information and resources to support your digital journey.
This section looks at more in depth digital resources related to Virtual Patient Management. A term that describes all the work relating to patient care that isn’t face-to-face in nature.
Virtual Patient Management
Groupwork
- Groups have been running for some time in mental health and AHP services using Teams.
- Near Me has recently upgraded to allow groups to run from its platform.
- For more help with this put in a request through eHelp or Chat with Me on Teams
Website build
- Your service will greatly benefit from having its own site to promote your work and provide lots of useful information to your patients.
See Podiatry as a really good example.
- You require to get access to WordPress and you will be given help and instruction from the Web Team, you can find out more on their Website SharePoint site. See Leading Digital pages for more information.
Physiotools
- Physiotherapists and other AHPs such as Podiatry and Orthotics can use this tool for free. Log a call with eHelp to have it downloaded to your PC or laptop. Have a look at the training stream. A SWAY is also available on request from Gillian.Ferguson6@nhs.scot
- Can you make use of QR codes and email facility to make it easy for your patients to access?
- Can you make templates for commonly used exercises and activities?
- Add your own videos and photographs if required.
- Just remember to limit the patient data the site asks for. Stick to initials only and always gain consent from the patient before making use of their email.
Netcall Patient Hub
- This is a new system to NHSGGC. Information can be transferred electronically to your patients and including a digital appointment service.
- They will be able to receive notification of their appointment and interact by accepting, cancelling or requesting to rebook.
- It can be used to send leaflets, questionnaires and test results. The tonsillectomy service are now using a pre-op questionnaire which the patient completes and sends back with no need for a face-to-face appointment.
- If you think your service would benefit from using this in the future, put in a project request via the Project Management Office.
Email
- Email is fast becoming a popular way for patients to connect with their healthcare professionals.
- Use your own or set up a generic mailbox for your service.
- Review the Information Security: Acceptable Use policy for information on emailing patients to ensure safe use. It’s a safe and secure method of delivery for information such as exercise programmes, advice following provision of equipment, quick confirmation of appointment time.
- It shouldn’t be used for detailed clinical discussion and must have the minimum of identifiable data included in the body of text.
Data coding
- Most of us now write in to an electronic patient record.
- All the systems have the function of using ‘structured’ data by linking to read codes or Snomed CT.
- Services can pull lots of information by using simple coding to, for example, code a referral type or condition.
- You can see how making use of this gives access to powerful data about your service.
- Talk to your service leads about using this functionality.
Other
Asynchronous appointments
- Asynchronous appointments or those not done in ‘real time’ can be used to cut down face-to-face visits.
- Allows patients to answer a questionnaire or provide a short video or photograph in the comfort of their own home.
- You can then view this later before making a decision about further therapy.
- This image would need to be part of the clinical record and there are several products being tried and tested – SCIT app dermatology, vCreate neurology.
MIMS
- The MIMs (Medical Illustration Management System) upgrade is a project in progress to provide a stable system for NHSGGC which allows capture of all types of clinical image.
Referral Triage
- Active Clinical Referral Triage isn’t a specific digital tool. It is a model of working now used widely across services. It facilities virtual patient management and allows faster and improved flow of work getting the patient seen by the right clinician by the most appropriate method. Can this model be implemented within your service?
Dear SAS colleague,
We extend a warm welcome to you in your new role as a Specialty Doctor/Specialty Dentist in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde!
We are a team of three NES SAS Education Advisors in GG&C. Once notified by HR of your appointment, one of us will make personal contact as your designated advisor. You will be added to our SAS contact list and we will share relevant information pertaining to education, training and SAS development funding opportunities. We can offer guidance on career development, job planning and appraisal. We are also a point of support for your wellbeing.
There are approximately 1300 SAS grade doctors and dentists working in NHS Scotland. They make up about 25% of the senior medical workforce. Many are working in various specialties across GG&C, so please reach out – we would all like to meet you. By now, you will have had induction pertaining to your clinical role. Here, we summarise information on local contacts and links relevant to our SAS workforce.
NHSGGC SAS Education Advisors
Local BMA SAS Representatives
Contact for Occupational Health
Whistleblowing Details
- Call: Independent Whistleblowing helpline 0800 008 6112
- Email: NHSGGC Whistleblowing Lead Kim Donald at ggc.whistleblowing@ggc.scot.nhs.uk
Health Board Appraisal Lead
HR Manager, Job Planning
- Email Liz Sinclair at EJobPlan.Admin@ggc.scot.nhs.uk
Other useful local links
Here is a helpful guide for people new to the SAS grade: Guidance for SAS Doctors and Dentists (nhs.scot). An induction checklist for SAS can be accessed here: nesd1227-sas-induction-checklist.pdf (nhs.scot)
We have lots of resources on the Scotland Deanery website about our SAS Development Programme including details on SAS Development Fund Application Process | Scotland Deanery (nhs.scot), which is over and above your entitlement to regular study leave funding. This may assist you to develop new or improved clinical services, or to enhance your role within your clinical team. It can also be used for short term top up training for CESR.
We encourage that you consider taking up associate membership with your relevant specialty Royal College and sign up for e-Portfolio, as do trainees in your specialty. This will enable you to record your training experience prospectively, allow procedural training to be listed and signed off and help plan your training needs. By collecting the data as you go along, you will be in a good position to re-join formal training or consider future specialist registration status from a SAS post (CESR), should you so wish. If you are pursuing CESR, you can join our NES CESR Peer Support group via MS Teams which features regular webinars by SAS who have achieved CESR.
We wish you every success and happiness in your new role and look forward to meeting you at our local meetings, SAS webinars and education sessions!
Mun, Linda and Gary
Dr Mun Woo – Associate Specialist, Renal and Transplant Services, Inverclyde Royal Hospital, GGC Training Lead / ADME (SAS)
Dr Linda Stephen – Associate Specialist, Department of Neurology, Epilepsy Unit, West of Glasgow ACH-Yorkhill
Dr Gary Manson – Staff Grade, Accident and Emergency, Royal Alexandra Hospital
If you feel we should include anything please let us know: medicaleducation@ggc.scot.nhs.uk
Contact Telephone Number
- Call Reception: 0141 211 8580
Contact Email Address
Site contacts
- Gartnavel General Hospital: 0141 211 3171
- Glasgow Dental Hospital: 0141 211 9725
- Glasgow Royal Infirmary: 0141 211 8580
- Inverclyde Royal Hospital: 01475 54379
- Royal Alexandra Hospital: 0141 314 7057
- Royal Hospital for Children: 0141 452 2880
- Queen Elizabeth University Hospital: 0141 452 2880
- New Stobhill Hospital: 0141 355 1406
- New Victoria Hospital: 0141 347 8537
- West Glasgow ACH: 0141 201 0164
Studio and Location Based Clinical Photography
Clinical photographs provide a permanent and accurate recording of a patient’s condition, and are used to monitor the progress of treatment, assist with diagnosis, and for triage (further specialist opinion). All patients can be seen by a photographer within our fully-equipped clinical photographic studios, or on location in wards or clinic areas.
Fully Trained and Accredited Professional Clinical Photographers
Photographs are taken by fully qualified professional clinical photographers, who are registered with the Academy of Healthcare Scientists (AHCS) for professional accreditation and regulation. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has adopted the IMI Code of Responsible Practice and Protocols for Ethical Conduct and Legal Compliance in respect of patient consent and confidentiality. Patients are treated with the upmost respect and care.
Full Range of Diagnostic Equipment
Our photographers are trained to use a broad range of camera equipment to make sure we can provide accurate diagnostic images to our healthcare colleagues, ranging from Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) for ophthalmic patients to polarised lighting techniques in dermoscopic images for skin specialists.
Non-clinical and PR Photography
Our team are accomplished in capturing non-clinical moments within the healthcare environment. This ranges from staff portraits to coverage of high-profile events and visits. Our team has won many professional awards and has been published within various media and news outlets.
Medicolegal Photography
Medical Illustration Services will accept instructions from external agencies across the UK requiring personal injury photography. Our expert clinical photographers provide high quality photographic documentation for Personal Injury and Clinical Negligence cases, producing accurate and legitimate photographic evidence of injury.
Medical Image Manager – MIM
Medical Image Manager is a purpose-built database solution which allows healthcare professionals to access clinical photographs at workstations using a simple web browser. The system has been fully implemented within the acute hospitals of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.
To log onto MIM click the Medical Image Manager link here or access directly via the Clinical Portal.
Registration: To register to use the system, please complete the MIM System Access Request Form. This form can be filled in electronically but must be signed and authorised: unsigned electronic copies will not be processed. Due to the sensitive nature of the images held within the database, access is restricted.
Important: Users must have an active XGGC account and Clinical Portal account to register for the system.
Please be aware that access to any patient identifiable information is governed by the Data Protection Act 1998. Your rights and responsibilities under this act can be found in the NHS Code of Practice on Protecting Patient Confidentiality.
Email us if you have any enquiries.
Secure Clinical Image Transfer – SCIT
Clinical photographs used for treatment planning, diagnosis, and recording and monitoring the progress of a patient’s condition, form an essential part of the patient’s healthcare record.
The Secure Clinical Image Transfer (SCIT) app is NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde’s approved method for capturing clinical photographs securely on a registered mobile device in acute and community settings.
Authorised users of the SCIT app should familiarise themselves with the SCIT Usage Policy, NHSGGC’s Information Security, Mobile Communications, and Recordings (Photography and Video) for Clinical and Service Use policies, and work in compliance with them at all times.
SCIT can only be used on NHS GGC-owned devices, and should only be used if professional clinical photography services are not available. SCIT cannot be used on personal devices at this point in time.
Approved devices: NHS GGC-issued Samsung mobile phones (ordered through Telecomms)
Users will be audited in terms of user access, data input, and image quality, and notified of any issues; if ongoing, you’ll be removed from the authorised list and the SCIT app deactivated.
If you have an approved device, you can apply for access to SCIT.
Training: Watch the SCIT Overview and Training video for more information.
Print on the Web – POTW
A searchable patient information resource database relating to conditions treatments and services provided by our hospitals. Written by our health care professionals, and reviewed regularly to ensure all information is up to date. PDF previews of each document can be viewed before ordering.