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SG Strategic Framework for Action

The SPPC tries to make these updates as accurate, comprehensive and current as possible. Please let us know if you spot any inaccuracies or are aware of other information which could usefully and appropriately be shared.

The process of implementation is being framed by the Scottish Government in terms of the 10 Commitments set out within the Strategic Framework for Action on Palliative and End of Life care (SFA) and this update follows that structure. Scottish Government have created a page on their website relating to implementation of the SFA here

Update: 14 December

Thanks to Scottish Government for providing the following update:

Changes within Scottish Government

The Scottish Government Palliative and End of Life Care Team have recently moved Directorate and are now based in the Directorate for Health and Social Care Integration, rather than Person Centred Team in the Directorate for Healthcare Quality and Improvement. There has therefore been an adjustment in the chairing arrangements for the National Implementation Advisory Group on Palliative and End of Life Care (NIAG). As of December 2016 these responsibilities will transfer from Professor Craig White, (Divisional Clinical Lead within the Healthcare Quality and Improvement Directorate) to Geoff Huggins, Director of Health and Social Care Integration.

This move will align the palliative and end of life care work with the wider Health and Social Care Integration agenda, and will be helpful in supporting Health and Social Care Partnerships in the implementation of the SFA.

Clinical leadership is vital for the implementation of the SFA, and the policy team will continue to draw on that leadership from within Scottish Government and from those most closely involved in the delivery of palliative care.

Update: 12 December

Scottish Parliament Health & Sport Committee

Shona Robison, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing has written a letter to the Scottish Parliament Health and Sport Committee in response to their request for an update on the implementation of the Strategic Framework for Action on Palliative and End of Life Care (SFA).

Scottish Research Forum for Palliative and End of Life Care

The next meeting of the Research Forum will be on Thursday 23 February 2017 from 10.30am - 4pm in central Edinburgh. Everyone is invited to this forum where research relevant to the Strategic Framework for Action will be shared. The meeting is free and lunch is provided. Further information and booking details will be available soon. For more information please contact Prof Scott Murray or Prof Bridget Johnston.

Palliative and End of Life Care Education Community of Practice website

NHS Education for Scotland (NES) and Scottish Social Services Council(SSSC) are working together to develop a national education and development framework for the health and social services workforce.

They have set up a new website which aims to:

  • Provide a forum for engagement with the development of the new national education and development framework.
  • Allow people to contribute and provide input towards the identification of training needs of the workforce to address identified gaps in knowledge and skills for palliative and end of life care.
  • Share information on the evolving progress of the national education and development framework.

Update: 15 November 2016

SPPC has tried to make this update as accurate, comprehensive and current as possible. Please let us know if you spot any inaccuracies or are aware of other information which could usefully and appropriately be shared.

The process of implementation is being framed by the Scottish Government (SG) in terms of the 10 Commitments set out within the Strategic Framework for Action on Palliative and End of Life care (SFA) and this update follows that structure. Scottish Government has created a page on their website relating to implementation of the SFA here.

National Implementation Advisory Group

The National Implementation Group met for the first time in June. Papers from that meeting are available here. Following cancellation of the September meeting, the second meeting of the group will take place on 14 December 2016.

Improvement (Commitment 1)

SG intends to fund local improvement advisors in five or six Health and Social Care Partnerships (HSCPs) together with some national improvement support including some expert practitioner input. This programme will be led by/situated in the Living Well in Communities arm of HIS (iHub). The partnerships identified to date are East Ayrshire, Glasgow City, Perth and Kinross, Western Isles/ Eilean Siar and Fife.

Guidance to HSCPs on Strategic Commissioning of Palliative Care (Commitment 2)

A Short Life Working Group to develop guidance on strategic commissioning of palliative and end of life care has met twice. The group is chaired by Christina Naismith from SG who has led the development of strategic planning (and other guidance) around integration. The initial membership and draft terms of reference can be found here. The guidance is expected to be published over the winter.

Education (Commitment 3)

A steering group to oversee development of the education framework continues to meet. The initial draft membership and terms of reference can be downloaded here. The Group is co-chaired by NHS Education Scotland (Lesley White) and Scottish Social Services Council (Ali Upton). A rapid mapping of educational resources was completed in 2015 and this has been complemented by some focus group work in 2016. Three regional educational practice development posts have been appointed. Work on needs analysis and engagement on principles to underpin the framework is being carried out.

Babies, children and young people (Commitment 4)

The Scottish Government has announced approximately £30m to support the work of the Children’s Hospice Association Scotland over the next 5 years.

Research (Commitment 5)

The palliative and end of life care Research Forum has met twice. Notes of meetings and presentations are available on the SG website here. To get involved or for more information email Scott Murray or Bridget Johnston. The next meeting of the research Forum is expected to be 23 February 2017.

Support greater public and personal discussion of bereavement, death, dying and care at the end of life (Commitment 6)

Anne Mills (CEO Ardgowan Hospice) will no longer be able to chair a group looking at this commitment, having recently secured a new role in the Isle of Man.

eHealth to Support ACP sharing (Commitment 7)

A process for identifying the specification required for future eHealth developments to support anticipatory care planning is underway, and will take cognisance of UK-wide development of an emergency care and treatment plan.

Data (Commitment 9)

SG is funding additional analyst capacity at Information Services Division (ISD) and is planning to exploit opportunities afforded by data linkage (which is being progressed to support the planning by HSCPs). A group is has been established under the auspices of the NIAG to advise on a set of data requirements, so that the products of analysis are those of most value and most likely to be used and also to advise on data which might be available from other sources, or which might need commissioning.

Update:21 June 2016

SPPC has tried to make this update as accurate, comprehensive and current as possible. Please let us know if you spot any inaccuracies or are aware of other information which could usefully and appropriately be shared.

The process of implementation is being framed by the Scottish Government (SG) in terms of the 10 Commitments set out within the Strategic Framework for Action on Palliative and End of Life care (SFA) and this update follows that structure.

National Implementation Advisory Group

The SFA mentions the creation of a National Implementation Support Group to complement the National Advisory Group. Instead, rather than have two groups, a new single National Implementation Advisory Group (NIAG) has been established and it met for the first time on Friday 3 June 2016. The initial membership of the group is shown below. Suggestions for expanding the membership were made at the first meeting (including palliative care nursing, Care Inspectorate, hospital medicine, SSSC). Further meetings are planned for September and December. A sub-group of the NIAG is being established to advise on stakeholder involvement and communications relating to the NIAG and implementation of the SFA.

NIAG Membership

  • Craig White (Chair), Divisional Clinical Lead, Planning and Quality Division, Scottish Government
  • Alan Baird, Chief Social Work Adviser, Scottish Government
  • David Clark, Director of Interdisciplinary Studies, University of Glasgow
  • Ron Culley, Chief Officer, Western Isles Integrated Joint Board
  • Amy Dalrymple, Head of Policy, Alzheimer Scotland
  • Mark Hazelwood, Chief Executive, Scottish Partnership for Palliative Care
  • Colette Ferguson, Executive Director of Nursing and AHPs, NHS National Education Scotland
  • Beth Hall, Policy Manager, Convention Of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA)
  • Ann Holmes, Associate Chief Nursing Officer, Scottish Government
  • Jeremy Keen, CMO Specialty Advisor for Palliative Medicine
  • Paul Leak, Integrated Resource Framework Lead, Scottish Government
  • Kate Lennon, Chief Executive, St Vincent’s Hospice
  • Donald Macaskill, CEO, Scottish Care
  • Maria McGill, Chief Executive, Children’s Hospice Association Scotland
  • Peter McLoughlin, Strategic Planning Manager, NHS Lothian
  • Mairi MacPherson, Head Person Centred and Quality Unit, Scottish Government
  • Alpana Mair, Deputy Chief Pharmaceutical Officer, Scottish Government
  • Marjory Marshall, Health Economist, Scottish Government
  • Richard Meade, Head of Policy and Public Affairs – Scotland, Marie Curie
  • Anne Mills, Chief Executive, Ardgowan Hospice
  • Scott Murray, St Columba’s Hospice Chair of Primary Palliative Care, University of Edinburgh
  • Christina Naismith, National Lead for Strategic Commissioning, Scottish Government
  • John Nugent, Senior Medical Officer for Primary Care, Scottish Government
  • Eddie Turnbull, Head of eHealth, Scottish Government
  • Tim Warren, Policy Lead for Palliative and End of Life Care, Scottish Government
  • June Wylie, Head of Implementation and Improvement, Healthcare Improvement Scotland

Improvement (Commitment 1)

SG intends to fund local improvement advisors in five or six Health and Social Care Partnerships (HSCPs) together with some national improvement support including some clinical input. This programme will be led by/situated in the Living Well in Communities arm of HIS (iHub). Discussions between SG and HIS about the details (which HSCPs, the focus of work etc) are ongoing.

Guidance to HSCPs on Strategic Commissioning of Palliative Care (Commitment 2)

A Short Life Working Group to develop guidance on strategic commissioning of palliative and end of life care has met twice. The group is chaired by Christina Naismith from SG who has led the development of strategic planning (and other guidance) around integration. The initial membership and draft terms of reference can be found here.

Education (Commitment 3)

A steering group to oversee development of the education framework has met once with a second meeting scheduled for July. The initial draft membership and terms of reference can be downloaded here. The Group is co-chaired by NHS Education Scotland (Lesley White) and Scottish Social Services Council (Ali Upton). A rapid mapping of educational resources was completed in 2015 and this has been complemented by some focus group work in 2016. Three regional educational practice development posts have been appointed.

Research (Commitment 5)

The palliative and end of life care Research Forum met on 6 May, and notes from the meeting will be available shortly. It is planned that the next meeting will take place on 30 August 2016 at the University of Glasgow (Gilmorehill campus, University Avenue), and focus on policy relevant research and disseminating it to people who need to know. To get involved or for more information email Scott Murray or Bridget Johnston.

Support greater public and personal discussion of bereavement, death, dying and care at the end of life (Commitment 6)

A Group is to be established under the chairmanship of Anne Mills (CEO Ardgowan Hospice). A sense of the remit of the Group can be gained from the NIAG paper on this commitment which can be downloaded here.

eHealth to Support ACP sharing (Commitment 7)

A process for identifying the specification required for future eHealth developments to support anticipatory care planning is underway, and will take cognisance of UK-wide development of an emergency care and treatment plan.

Clinical and health economic evaluations of palliative and end of life care models (Commitment 8 )

A sub-group of the NIAG is to be established to explore the scope and focus of work relating to this commitment.

Data (Commitment 9)

SG is intending to fund 1.2 WTE analysts at Information Services Division (ISD) and is planning to exploit opportunities afforded by data linkage (which is being progressed to support the planning by HSCPs). A group is being established under the auspices of the NIAG to advise on a set of data requirements, so that the products of analysis are those of most value and most likely to be used and also to advise on data which might be available from other sources, or which might need commissioning.

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