Scottish government and MSPs
An Insight into ticks and Lyme disease in Scotland
MAY 2024 - LRC EVENT - SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT
Sponsored by Evelyn Tweed MSP
Around 25 Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) together with a large number of invited guests from outdoor, professional and educational organisations met with the Lyme Resource Centre (LRC) on Wednesday 1st May at Holyrood, in the Garden Lobby.
The event, hosted and opened by Evelyn Tweed MSP, provided an opportunity for MSPs and guests to learn more about why ticks are a growing problem across Scotland and how making the public more tick and Lyme disease aware will enable safer enjoyment of outdoor activities.
Minister for Public Health and Women’s Health, Jenni Minto, emphasised the importance of being tick aware in her opening remarks, sharing her own experience of Lyme disease from a tick-bite and receiving appropriate care, underlining the importance of health professionals’ timely recognition and treatment of the infection.
LRC Patron The Rt.Rev.Dr Christopher Herbert and Morven-May Macallum, LRC Team Member, shared personal experiences and the devastating consequences when Lyme disease is missed, or misdiagnosed. Both emphasised why early recognition & effective treatment of Lyme disease is essential to prevent long term health consequences. and how increased awareness amongst health professionals is required to improve health outcomes.
Preliminary analysis of the recent LRC Lyme Disease Experience Survey was presented, focusing initially on feedback from residents of Scotland. Key insights include the need for greater awareness of ticks and Lyme disease by both the public and health professionals and evidence of missed opportunities for early recognition & effective treatment of Lyme disease. The survey also highlighted the long-term issues and needs of Lyme disease sufferers.
The LRC team, with academic partners and supporters, discussed with MSPs and guests how to collaborate to better raise awareness of ticks and Lyme disease in their own constituency areas and organisations across Scotland.
Thanks go to Evelyn Tweed MSP for hosting this special evening on behalf of LRC, and to all our partners throughout the UK who travelled to join us for the event - including Dr Benjamin Brennan and Sam Langford from The Brennan Laboratory at the University of Glasgow, Dr Lucy Gilbert, senior research fellow at the University of Glasgow and Dr Ian Wright, veterinary surgeon and chairman and director of ESCCAP (European Scientific Counsel Companion Animal Parasites). Thanks also to Echo 3, DSE and Dundee Gin Company for Attendance and support.
Key points of note from the evening:
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Ticks and tick-borne diseases are a growing problem across Scotland
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More education to make public tick aware will enable safe enjoyment of outdoors
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Early recognition & effective treatment of Lyme disease is essential to prevent long term health consequences
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Increased awareness amongst health professionals is required to improve health outcomes.
Displays and resources were made available including:
PDF - Scottish Parliament Event Handout
PDF - Lyme disease experience survey - residents of Scotland
Working with Scottish Government (SG)
The Lyme Resource Centre has been working with the Scottish Government (SG) to highlight the importance of raising awareness of ticks and tick borne-diseases.
Resulting in:
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A Public Health Poster Campaign on ticks and Lyme disease - displayed in all 1280 Community Pharmacies across Scotland in 2022 and 2023. Lyme PHS Poster.jpg
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Helping to develop an SG social media campaign in 2022 and 2023.
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Working with the SG Chief Medical Officer team to improve education of healthcare professionals about tick-borne infection across the NHS.
Working with Fife and West Lothian local authorities
The Lyme Resource Centre has partnered with Fife and West Lothian local authorities on signage projects and are seeking to establish further partnerships with local authorities in Scotland to increase the spread of the signs across local authority managed parks which are popular with the public.
Efforts continue to encourage local authorities to engage with this initiative, however there are varying priorities for resources among local authorities at this time. We are seeking to influence Scottish Government Policy by engaging with MSP’s to encourage local authorities in Scotland to make this signage initiative a priority.
West Dunbartonshire Education Pilot
Councillor Sophie Traynor raised a motion in April this year for all school pupils in the authority to be educated in Lyme disease. This motion was unanimously agreed and supported by the director of Education Laura Mason, who had previously attended the young enterprise review in Strathclyde University Innovation Centre, where the S6 students mentioned above gave a very engaging and emotive presentation. The uptake was positive but the content was left open, directing teachers to our websites LRC and LDUK for resources.
