Latest news from SPPC
The Silent Treatment
Do great playwrights like Shakespeare and Pinter have something to teach clinicians about empathy and compassion? Dr David Jeffrey explores this question in his blog.
Annual Conference speakers announced
Bookings are now open for Scotland’s premiere event for anyone with an interest in palliative and end of life care:
Choices & Decisions Towards the End of Life
Wednesday 17th September 2014 Royal College of Physicians Edinburgh
Featuring a mix of high quality speakers and delegate interaction the event will provide:
- an opportunity for learning relevant to practice and workplace
- a chance to network and to share information and good practice
- challenging perspectives and energising inspiration
Confirmed topics and speakers include:
How can improvement science make NHS Scotland safer and more compassionate?
Prof Jason Leitch
The Liverpool Care Pathway – What have we learned which should guide the future?
A multi-perspective interactive exploration including contributions from Prof Craig White and others TBC
What can decision theory bring to end of life decision making?
Prof Carl Thompson & Dr Kate Flemming
“The adventure of death”: Reflections on palliative care, death and dying in World War I
Dr Sally Lawton
Setting goals to live well
Dr Sally Boa
To book online and for more information about group and member discounts available, click here: weblink.
Response to Carers Legislation Consultation
The Scottish Partnership for Palliative Care has responded to the Scottish Government consultation on proposals for carers legislation. A copy of the response is available here: weblink.
SPPC publishes 3-year strategy
The Scottish Partnership for Palliative Care has published its strategy for 2014-2017. Over the next three years, our work will aim to address the six strategic priorities.
1. Provide strategic leadership in improving the experience of death, dying and bereavement in Scotland.
2. Identify, and support the spread of, good practice and innovation.
3. Promote public and professional awareness, understanding and knowledge of ways to improve death, dying and bereavement, and will promote public dialogue around these issues.
4. Encourage effective planning for better death, dying and bereavement by the public, and by professionals together with patients and families, at all stages of life.
5. Ensure that the experiences of the public, patients and families inform the development and implementation of policy and practice.
6. Undertake any necessary organisational change/development necessary to deliver its strategic objectives.
The full strategy can be accessed here: SPPC Strategy 2014 - 2017.
Experts Ask Are We Living and Dying Well Yet?
The challenges and achievements of the Scottish Government’s palliative and end of life care strategy Living and Dying Well was debated by palliative care professionals and MSPs on 5 February at a discussion organised by the Scottish Partnership for Palliative Care and Marie Curie Cancer Care.
Five years on from the launch of the national action plan, discussions focussed on the successes of Living and Dying Well as well as recognising the need for a new framework for action. A good death for everyone was highlighted as an important focus. Panel members agreed that open and honest conversations at the end of life need to happen sooner in order to ensure that patients get their wishes and needs fulfilled.
Over 80 guests heard from ten panellists:
- Kenny Steele, Chair of Scottish Partnership for Palliative Care (Chair of the event)
- Aileen McLeod MSP (Host of the event)
- Rhoda Grant MSP
- Jim Hume MSP
- Nanette Milne MSP
- Professor David Clark, University of Glasgow
- Maria McGill, Chief Executive, Children’s Hospice Association Scotland (CHAS)
- Dr Juliet Spiller, Consultant in Palliative Care Medicine, Marie Curie
- Professor Craig White, Divisional Clinical Lead, Scottish Government
- Professor Elizabeth Ireland, GP
Richard Meade, Head of Policy and Public Affairs at Marie Curie Cancer Care said: “The event was about the sector coming together to agree how Scotland can continue to lead in palliative and end of life care. However, it is clear that we need to do more to engage everyone in this debate. It’s time for a national conversation on death and dying.”
Kenny Steele, Chair of the Scottish Partnership for Palliative Care said: “The panellists and audience agreed that all parts of society need to be engaged in how we meet the challenges of end of life care. A clear framework for action is required to provide focus for this, to ensure that we deliver good end of life care for everyone in Scotland.”
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