City doctors call for halt to NHS staff cuts

NHS Lothian should think twice before making sweeping cuts to staff numbers, city doctors have said.

The British Medical Association in Edinburgh said that while that tactic would have an impact on balance sheets, it was a bad move in the long-run.

Earlier this year health chiefs said they would have to cut around 2000 jobs. But today BMA Scotland's chairman Dr Brian Keighley, said: "We are now entering a prolonged period of austerity in the NHS."

Pupils win consumer contest final

A TEAM from Boroughmuir High School has won the closely contested Edinburgh final of the Young Consumers of the Year 2010/11 competition.

Boroughmuir clinched victory after fighting off stiff competition from runners-up Portobello High School.

The Boroughmuir team now qualify to compete in the Scottish final, which will be held in spring 2011 at the Scottish Parliament.

Youth agency receives 6k grant

The Wester Hailes Youth Agency has received a Henry Duncan grant award of 5,967 from the Lloyds TSB Foundation for Scotland.

The money will go towards its work with young people from Wester Hailes and the surrounding communities.

Personal training course reduced by four weeks

A NEW diploma in personal training is to be launched at the David Lloyd Leisure Centre in Newhaven in January.

The diploma sees the current full-time course reduced by four weeks to offer a more intense but flexible qualification and allow graduates to qualify in six weeks and find employment sooner. The part-time course will also be reduced from eight months to 4.5 months.

Head of training at Premier Training International, James Wild, said: "The new format will give more people the opportunity to study with Premier."

Craigmillar calendar ready

A NEW Craigmillar Community Archive Calendar is now available to buy.

The limited edition 2011 calendar features images of people in the area from private contributors.

It can be purchased from the Adult Learning Link on Niddrie Mains Road.

Builder warns of site dangers

PUPILS at Ratho Primary School have been warned about the dangers of playing on a building site by a housebuilder developing more than 100 homes in the village.

CALA Homes sent Martin Brennan and Sean Rayment to the school to educate pupils about the dangers on a building site.