Many  congratulations to Mr and Mrs Murray  from  Newarthill  who recently celebrated their  Diamond Wedding Anniversary  .

Continue reading →

Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal recently visited NHS Lanarkshire’s Flow Navigation Centre Plus (FNC+Plus), where she saw first-hand how the service is coordinating urgent care across the system.

Her Royal Highness was accompanied by Vice Lord Lieutenant Gavin Whitefield CBE DL and Depute Provost of South Lanarkshire Bert Thomson as part of the official party visiting the centre.

Based at Kirklands Hospital in Bothwell, FNC+Plus operates as a 24/7 control hub, bringing together nurses, paramedics, GPs, consultants, Allied Health Professionals and support staff to manage demand in real time and make rapid, informed decisions about patient care.

Handling around 7,000 calls each month, the service supports hundreds of patients every week to avoid unnecessary hospital admission, connecting them instead to services such as virtual wards, Hospital at Home and community teams.

During the visit, The Princess Royal was shown how teams work alongside partners from Primary Care, the Scottish Ambulance Service and NHS 24 to assess demand and coordinate care across services. She recognised the strength of the multidisciplinary approach, noting the emphasis on coordination, clinical judgement and supporting patients in the most appropriate setting.

Louise Long, Chief Executive of NHS Lanarkshire, said: “We were pleased to welcome Her Royal Highness and to share the work of our teams. Flow Navigation Centre Plus reflects a clear focus on delivering care that is both clinically effective and centred on people’s needs. It is a privilege to lead an organisation where staff continue to develop and improve how care is delivered.”

Claire Ritchie, Interim Director of Interface Services, said: “This was an opportunity to demonstrate how the approach works in practice for our patients in our communities. Our teams are working across the health and care system every day – combining clinical expertise with real-time decision-making to support as they navigate what are often the most vulnerable moments of their lives.”

In a vote of thanks, NHS Lanarkshire Chair Katharina Kasper said: “Flow Navigation Centre Plus reflects the values that underpin our organisation – care, compassion, dignity, teamwork and respect. Its strength lies in the people who deliver it, and the consistency with which those values are applied in practice.”

—

During the visit, Her Royal Highness met a range of staff, including:

• Bernie Harvie, Service Manager, Flow Navigation Centre Plus;
• Ceri Wares, Advanced Paramedic Practitioner, Scottish Ambulance Service;
• Dr Gordon McNeish, Associate Medical Director and Consultant in Emergency Medicine ;
• Tracey Miller, Nurse, Flow Navigation Centre Plus;
• Hazel Mitchell, General Manager, Interface Directorate;
• Laura McCabe, Senior Nurse, Flow Navigation Centre Plus

The visit also included a discussion with Margaret Moncrieff, a leading advocate for lived experience, whose work continues to strengthen the voice of patients and carers in shaping services.

—

• Established in 2020 as a two-person GP team, FNC+Plus has developed into a central coordination hub linking acute hospitals, primary care, community health, social care, the Scottish Ambulance Service, NHS 24, voluntary partners and digital services into a single, coordinated response.
• A short film produced by NHS Lanarkshire offers a behind-the-scenes look at the service and the teams working around the clock to support patient flow. Behind-the-scenes film reveals the 24/7 team helping keep care flowing | Videos & Movies on Vimeo
• The approach is now informing work elsewhere, with NHS Lanarkshire recognised nationally and internationally for its development of integrated, people-centred urgent care.
• This integrated model is now being replicated across Scotland, with Lanarkshire recognised nationally and internationally as a leader in people-centred urgent care.

Many  congratulations to Mr and Mrs Graham  from  Motherwell  who recently celebrated their  Diamond Wedding Anniversary  .

Continue reading →

On  22nd April  2026, Linda McDowall DL, representing Lady Susan Haughey, Lord Lieutenant of Lanarkshire , welcomed Princess Anne to officially open ‘The Bungalow’ – a great new space within Our Lady’s High School , Motherwell that was once the Janitor’s house – now offers young people from across North Lanarkshire more support to learn, grow  and build their future .

It’s all about practical skills and real life learning, from cooking, ICT, to gardening and independent living . It’s a space designed to build confidence and open up new opportunities.

It’s a small building with a big impact bringing together partners to support our young people every step of the way..

It was a memorable day especially as this year Our Lady’s High School is celebrating their 150th anniversary !

The Lord Lieutenant of Lanarkshire Lady Haughey CBE is delighted to announce the appointment of two new Deputy Lieutenants –

 ABDUL MAJID MBE 

Abdul is owner of Abdul Majid & son ltd. an award–winning grocery store based in Bellshill  and  has served as a fundraising board member for Maggie’s Lanarkshire for over six years.

Abdul is former President of The Scottish Grocers Federation and is still active as a board member and regularly gives evidence to the Scottish Parliament on retailer issues.

Abdul has also  served as a Trustee for over seventeen years of the Sarwar Foundation, a Glasgow based charity whose mission is to save lives by providing access to healthcare, clean drinking water and tackle poverty by educating children in Pakistan, UK and across the world.

 Abdul holds a Master’s in Business Administration.

FAHIM BAQIR

Fahim  is a Scottish entrepreneur, community leader, and charitable founder who has devoted much of his professional life to public service and community development.
Over the past three decades, he has combined successful business leadership with extensive voluntary and charitable work, supporting initiatives that promote social inclusion, youth opportunity, and community wellbeing.
As founder and chair of The Well Foundation, Fahim has overseen humanitarian projects delivering clean drinking water to communities across more than twenty–five countries, as well as medical outreach initiatives including eye camps in Pakistan.

In Scotland, he established the Well Foundation Sports Academy to promote youth engagement and development through football, working closely with grassroots and professional organizations.
His contributions to sport, voluntary service, and community leadership have been widely recognized through civic honours  and national awards. Fahim continues to work actively to strengthen communities, support charitable initiatives, and promote opportunities for young people both locally and internationally.

Vice Lord- Lieutenant of Lanarkshire Gavin Whitefield  CBE DL   presented the King’s Award for Voluntary Service to CHOICES  Carluke  at a special  celebration event which took place on 1st April   2026.

CHOICES, based in Carluke, is a charity shop run by around 40 volunteers who provide a vital service to the local community. As well as supporting the town’s youth centre and other good causes, the shop acts as a friendly drop-in space where volunteers lend a listening ear and offer guidance. The group also helps young people gain work experience and employability skills. Continue reading →

Many  congratulations to Mr and Mrs Torrance  from Cambuslang  who recently celebrated their  Diamond Wedding Anniversary  .

Continue reading →

Nan (Anne) and Robert Ramsay missed celebrating their Diamond Wedding because of Covid five years ago.