How to save money on digital services

Near Me – Video Consultation Service

Many of us used video calling on our phones, tablets and laptops during the Covid-19 pandemic to keep in touch with friends and relatives. You can now also attend some health care appointments in the same way.

Near Me is a video consulting service that enables you to attend some health care appointments from the comfort and convenience of home or other suitable location. The technology is safe and secure and is being used by many of our services. Near me is for pre-arranged appointments and your health care professional will provide you with the relevant information if a video consultation is offered.

Thank you for visiting our Pride Pledge page.

Over 9,200 of our staff have made the pledge and are wearing the badge with pride!

The NHS Scotland Pride Badge promotes inclusion for LGBTQ+ people and makes a statement that there’s no place for discrimination in NHS Scotland.

An NHS staff member who wears the badge is pledging to –

• be aware of and responsive to issues faced by LGBTQ+ people accessing care
• be a friendly, listening ally who staff and service users can safely approach
• use inclusive language and respect identity

Please note that all badges have now been distributed and the campaign has now ended. Support information and contacts are available below. You can also contact us at equality@ggc.scot.nhs.uk for further information on NHSGGC’s work in this area and access to additional resources.

Local support

Some people may be having a particularly tough time and may disclose to you that they have experienced hate crime on the grounds of their LGBTQ+ identity.  It’s important that you know there are supports in place for people to report this type of crime and that it can be reported easily.  More information on reporting a hate crime is available from the Police Scotland website.

You may be approached by colleagues who discloses they are experiencing discrimination in the workplace from colleagues or service users and would like support to deal with it.  Our HR Department is on stand-by to support any employee who feels they are being victimised or bullied because of their identity.  More information is available on the HR Support and Advice Unit page.

NHSGGC has supported the development of Staff Forums representing the voice of our BME, Disabled and LGBTQ+ staff.  Please support the Forum membership by signposting anyone interested in joining.  More information is available on our Staff Forums page.

NHSGGC Sign Up for Pledge to be Seen Campaign

1 in 5 people in the UK identify as having a visible difference – a mark, scar or condition that affects their appearance. Yet more than half feel they are ignored by organisations. It’s time for people with a visible difference to be seen and heard. That’s why we are proud to have signed up to Changing Faces’ #PledgeToBeSeen campaign, committing to represent more people with a visible difference in our publications and campaign.

“I’m proud that an organisation as significant as NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has agreed to back Changing Faces’ Pledge To Be Seen campaign. When you stop and think about it, you hardly ever see someone with a visible difference in adverts or marketing campaigns, and all too often, if visible differences are represented in popular culture, it isn’t in a positive way, with the “disfigured villain” trope still very common.” Kaylin McLaughlin, local campaigner for Changing Faces

What is ‘Visible Difference’?

Changing Faces describe visible difference as a scar, mark or condition on your face or body that makes you look different.

This can be something you are born with or it could happen later. Anyone can be affected by a visible difference, at any point in their life.

Examples include –

• A condition that changes the shape, size, feel or look of the face or body, or how it functions, such as vitiligo, psoriasis or alopecia.
• A part of the face or body that is different, such as a birthmark, cleft lip or having fewer fingers on one hand.
• Scars, burns or changes to the face or body from an accident, an act of violence or self-harm. These can also occur because of an illness, treatment or operation.

The impact of a visible difference varies from person to person. Some people are proud of their visible difference and live fulfilling lives. Others find it emotionally challenging and feel that it limits what they can do.

Staff Learning & Resources

Online learning sessions offer a great opportunity to increase our understanding of the issues around visible difference and better support our patients and colleagues.

Representatives of Changing Faces can share what it’s like to live with a visible difference, talk about language, when and how to ask about difference, and how we can increase positive representation of visible difference.

If you would like more information on learning sessions for your team or staff group, please contact martin.patterson@ggc.scot.nhs.uk

Changing Faces also offers information specifically for health staff working with patients who have a visible difference.

Information updates for healthcare professionals

Referral Guide

“Providing fair and equitable healthcare for all is at the heart of NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde and we are acutely aware of how important it is to accurately represent our diverse community in all our materials and campaigns.

Our ongoing commitment to building a fairer workplace for everyone means creating an environment where diversity is valued – better equipping us to appropriately support our patient community.

This pledge reinforces our resolve to ensure that anyone with a visible difference feels both seen and heard by our organisation.” Dr Emilia Crighton, Interim Director of Public Health, NHSGGC

Support

Many people with a visible difference have social anxiety, depression and low confidence. ​

Changing Faces offer a range of free, specialist wellbeing services, including:

• self-help information
• a support & information line
• Online peer community (Health Unlocked)
• 1-1 counselling​ (child and adult)
• Online facilitated Peer Support groups
• 1-1 Skin Camouflage (online and f2f)
• Workshops for children and families

Support in the Workplace

Support is also available for any staff member experiencing issues in the workplace. Contact the HR Support & Advice Unit on 0141 278 2700

Get Involved

If you have experience of the issues highlighted in the campaign and would like to get involved, please contact the Equality & Human Rights Team at equality@ggc.scot.nhs.uk

“Having NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde commit to being a Pledge To Be Seen organisation is a huge step forward for our mission in Scotland. Being partnered with the UK’s largest NHS health provider will ensure many more people learn about what life is like with a visible difference, and how they can make the world a more accepting place.” Heather Blake, Chief Executive, Changing Faces

“I have worked with many service users who have visible differences and am only too aware of the negative response that people may have to deal with in various aspects of their life.
More and better representation across society is crucial to creating acceptance. It is also important that every one of us can be reassured by seeing ourselves represented by organisations we rely on for our health and wellbeing, such as NHSGGC.” Dr Rebecca Crawford, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, NHSGGC

NHSGGC policy states that we must provide formal interpreting support for all out-patient appointments and at least once a day for an in-patient stay.

This support can be provided via our British Sign Language (BSL) Online interpreting Service or by booking a Face to Face interpreter.

The BSL Online interpreting service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This means that in an unplanned or emergency situation, staff can quickly link up to an interpreter at any time and communicate with their Deaf patient. It can also be used during hospital stays, or to enable Deaf patients to communicate with staff if waiting for a face to face interpreter to arrive.

The BSL Online service can be easily accessed by any available device, such as the ward iPad or any mobile phone, using the QR code below. Copies of this can be printed out for use at nurse stations. A4 posters which meet infection control standards are also available on request.

For more information on using BSL Online or Face to Face interpreting support – see the NHSGGC Interpreting Policy or contact Paul.hull@ggc.scot.nhs.uk.

Scan the QR code below or use this link to connect with an online British Sign Language Interpreter (Use 5G/4G or PATIENT Wifi).

The following information is designed for students to ensure you are able to get the right support from the health service during your time studying in Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

Student Checklist

Have your registered with a GP?

All students living within Greater Glasgow and Clyde should ensure they are registered with a local GP.  

Registering with a GP is free, and will ensure that if you need primary care, you will not need to go back home, or rely on A&E services which should only be used for very urgent or life-threatening illness and injuries.

Do you know how to use our Virtual A&E service? (FNC+Plus)

All students can access NHSGGC’s virtual A&E service which provides emergency care consultations either through video or over the telephone. It means you can get urgent care without having to travel to a physical A&E. 

You can access the virtual A&E by calling NHS24 on 111. More information on the virtual A&E, also known as FNC+Plus.

Do you know where your nearest pharmacy is and how they can help you?

Your local pharmacy is your first port of call for a full range of minor ailments. You do not need an appointment and there are hundreds of pharmacies across Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

Do you know where to go for mental health support services?

If you, or someone you know, needs support for mental health, there are a number of options. Your college or university may have its own dedicated service.  

Do you know how to access sexual health services?

The Sandyford provides specialist sexual health services for Greater Glasgow and Clyde. Find more information on services, opening times and clinic locations, visit: the Sandyford Sexual Health Services website or watch the below video.

Dental support

In order to receive the full range of dental treatment and care under the NHS, you must be registered with a dentist. Your dentist will then provide regular check ups, planned routine treatment and emergency care, if required. 

Optometrist Support

If you have a problem with your eyes, please visit your local optometrist. Every high street opticians have an optometrist who provides NHS services.

• If your optician is closed and you can’t wait until it reopens, call NHS 24 on 111 right away.
• If you have an eye problem, such as a scratch or something stuck in your eye, you should call NHS 24 on 111 and ask for the Minor Injuries Unit. For eye injuries that require immediate emergency treatment, you should go to your nearest A&E.

If you think you need to go to Accident & Emergency

If you require urgent care, but it’s not life-threatening, you should call your GP. If your GP is closed, you can call NHS24 on 111 to access NHSGGC’s virtual Accident and Emergency (A&E) Service which provides emergency telephone and video consultations. 

If it’s a life threatening emergency, phone 999 and ask for an ambulance. You can also go directly to an A&E.

Would you like to quit vaping?

Watch our video and download our resource pack for information and tips on how you can cut down and quit.

Vaping Risks and Resources Pack – NHSGGC

Also known as the Flow Navigation Centre, you can use this service to get quick, direct access to emergency care, either through a video or telephone consultation.

You can receive treatment from the comfort of home, without having to visit a busy A&E department.

When to use the Flow Navigation Centre

If you think you need to go to A&E, but it’s not life-threatening, and you can’t speak to a GP, you can access the Flow Navigation Centre. To do so, call NHS 24 on 111.

The NHS24 triage team may feel you could benefit from a virtual A&E appointment and will refer you directly. Depending on your needs, they will provide more appropriate advice and treatment options.

If you get an appointment with the Flow Navigation Centre, a team of emergency care nurses and medics will provide you with a virtual, or telephone consultation.

Just like a physical A&E, after your consultation a number of things can happen:

• You may receive self-care advice and told to phone back if your symptoms worsen
• If you require physical treatment, you could be given a scheduled arrival time at one of our A&Es or Minor Injuries Units
• You may be referred to a more appropriate specialist service.

The Flow Navigation Centre operates seven days a week and covers the whole of NHSGGC.

NHSGGC Staff Guidance – Money Worries

Asking and responding to patients’ money worries is part of Inequalities Sensitive Practice, which is about taking into account each patient’s social circumstances and how they are affecting their health. It also relates to person centred care.

Gender-Based Violence (National Guidelines)

What Health Workers Need to Know

This guidance is intended for use by service managers and staff members who, in the course of their work, are involved in identifying and responding to gender-based violence.

Gender-based Violence National Guidelines – What health workers need to know

• GBV National Guidelines: Childhood Sexual Abuse
• GBV National Guidelines: Commercial Sexual Exploitation
• GBV National Guidelines: Domestic Abuse
• GBV National Guidelines: Overview
• GBV National Guidelines: Rape and Sexual Assault
• GBV National Guidelines: Stalking & Harassment

• NHS Inform – Health information in different languages and formats
• How to Use the NHS in Scotland – YouTube videos.
• Travel and Transport – Our own web pages.
• How to provide feedback or make a complaint
• Information in Other Languages – How to ask for translated information (multi-language statement)
• For information on disability benefits in Scotland and how to apply, please visit: Disability and illness – mygov.scot

If you require this or any other NHS information in another format, such as large print or braille, or in another language, please use the contact details on your patient leaflet or letter or contact us.