Raising awareness of vascular disease

Those of us who have good health and normal mobility can find it hard to comprehend the misery that chronic illness can bring. Anything that raises awareness of venous disease can only be a positive step and Veins Week contributes greatly to this. As a former GP as well as an MP I'm very aware of the relationship between physical, mental and social well-being. I also know that leg conditions, especially ulcers, can place enormous stress on individuals and the NHS. The Leg Club model provides a mechanism for NHS nurses to provide treatment in a social environment provided by volunteers, reducing social isolation and bringing people back into their community. It's an efficient use of NHS resources, an aid to mental and social health, and actually reduces recovery time. And importantly, prevention is also a big part of the leg club work. I'm very proud that my constituency contains Nailsie Leg Club, which, assisted by Rotary Nailsie and Backwell, provides a shining example of a local community initiative. We all know that activities have been seriously curtailed by the Covid crisis, but I'm sure that the leg club in Nailsie will resume activities as soon as it is safe. Thank you all for your remarkable work.