Strategic Framework for Action

The Scottish Government has produced a position paper which aims to set out the current position regarding the development of a Strategic Framework for Action for Palliative and End of Life Care. The Scottish Government has set up an email address to allow continuous feedback throughout the drafting process.

Palliative Care Direct Enhanced Service

The Scottish Government has published a letter aimed at addressing some concerns that the palliative care DES issued on 5 November may have been perceived as disadvantaging some practices.

Planning guidance

The Scottish Government has released Local Delivery Planning Guidance for the NHS in Scotland, and Strategic Commissioning Plans Guidance for those involved in commissioning health and social care services.

Burial and Cremation Bill proposal

The Scottish Government is currently consulting on a proposed Bill to develop a legal framework which ensures that the appropriate dignity and respect is shown when carrying out burials and cremations. The closing date for responses is Friday 24 April 2015.

Assisted Suicide (Scotland) Bill

The Justice Committee has made a number of recommendations on the processes and possible implications of the Assisted Suicide (Scotland) Bill for the Health and Sport Committee to consider as it begins scrutiny of the Bill. The Health and Sport Committee began taking oral evidence on the Bill on 13 January, and during this process will hear from the legal and medical professions. Mark Hazelwood, Chief Executive of the Scottish Partnership for Palliative Care gave oral evidence to the Committee on the 27th January .The Committee expects to take evidence until the end of February and plans to publish a report in the spring. The whole Parliament will then get an opportunity to debate and vote on the general principles of the Bill.

NHS vision beyond 2020

Cabinet Secretary for Health, Wellbeing and Sport, Shona Robison has told Parliament that the Scottish Government will produce a refreshed plan to reach its 2020 Vision for Healthcare and extended an invite to all politicians, as well as patients, families, clinicians and other stakeholders to work with the Government to develop a longer term 10 to 15 year plan for the NHS.

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Palliative care competence framework for physiotherapists

The Irish Health Service Executive has published a palliative care competence framework for physiotherapists.

Dementia publications for AHPs

The Scottish Government and Alzheimer Scotland have published three new publications for Allied Health Professionals in Scotland: Agents of Change; Living Well with Dementia; and Living Well with Community Support.

Sharing current Scottish practice:

Poster Abstracts of the Month

This month the SPPC Sharing Current Practice blog features five posters displayed at the 2013 SPPC annual conference:

• Anticipatory Care Plans and preferred place of end of life care/death
• Anticipatory prescribing at the end-of-life in Edinburgh care homes
• Art in Reflective Practice: 16 weeks, Reflections of a trainee in Palliative Medicine
• Clinical Psychologists in specialist palliative care: what do we actually do?
• Day Therapies: Promoting Health and Well-being in Palliative Care

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Collins KA, Hughes PM, Ibbotson R, Foy G and Brooks D (2015) Views and experiences of using integrated care pathways (ICPs) for caring for people in the last days to hours of life: Results from a cross-sectional survey of U.K. professionals BMJ Supportive and Palliative Care doi:10.1136/bmjspcare-2014-000768

Research priorities for end of life care

The results from an extensive 18-month public consultation on research priorities for end of life care have been published. Top of the list, narrowed down from a ‘long list’ of 83 questions, was identifying the best ways of providing care outside of working hours to avoid crises and help patients to stay in their place of choice.

Scholarship opportunities for nurses

ISD figures on cost of care

ISD has published figures on the costs of care for older people in the NHS and local authorities.

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Eliciting Personhood Within Clinical Practice

Failure to acknowledge personhood is often the cause of patient and family dissatisfaction. The authors of this study developed the Patient Dignity Question (PDQ) as a simple means of inquiring about personhood: "What do I need to know about you as a person to give you the best care possible?" The study can be accessed here: weblink

Thinking about the words we use

The Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) and the National Council for Palliative Care have launched a new film: Thinking about the words we use. In the film, people were asked what they thought and felt about the terms ‘end of life’ and ‘palliative care’.

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New Spict website

The Supportive & Palliative Care Indicators Tool (SPICT) is a simple clinical tool that helps clinicians identify their patients who are at risk of deteriorating and dying with one or more advanced illnesses. The redesigned website is designed to allow easy access to download the tool and offers suggestions about using it in clinical practice. Teams using the SPICT in their work are invited to register as a SPICT partner and have their project highlighted on the website. There are also online discussion forums in English, French, German and Spanish so that people can share ideas and experiences of using SPICT.

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Farewell Derek Blues

We’re very sorry to say goodbye to Derek Blues, who will soon be leaving the SPPC as Scottish Government funding of his post comes to an end. Over the last three years, Derek Blues has contributed greatly to the SPPC’s work, ably managing several projects to their successful conclusions. This has included working with the Scottish Patient Safety Programme to develop the Scottish Structured Response to the Deteriorating Patient, project- managing the development of the Scottish Palliative Care Guidelines, and supporting Scottish participation in the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s Conversation Ready Healthcare Community project. Important contributions such as these will be sorely missed. We wish Derek well in securing future employment worthy of his skills and experience.

Lecture series: Can death get any better?

The Scottish Partnership for Palliative Care and Marie Curie present a winter lecture series: Can death get any better? The lecture series will highlight ongoing challenges and unmet needs in death and dying. In the opening lecture in January Dr David Reilly, Director of the Wellness Enhancement Learning Programme, explored Uniting love and skill in the art of human caring.

The February lecture will take place on Wednesday 25 February at 6pm in The Lighthouse, Glasgow, when Dr Bee Wee, National Clinical Director for End of Life Care for NHS England will speak on the subject of Care for older people towards the end of life: tensions and challenges. For more information or to book a place, please contact Susan Lowes.

SPPC Annual General Meeting

The SPPC's Annual General Meeting will take place at 5.30pm on 25 February 2015 at The Lighthouse, Glasgow. Those attending the AGM will have the chance to stay on afterwards and hear a lecture by Dr Bee Wee, National Clinical Director for End of Life Care for NHS England speaking on the subject of Care for older people towards the end of life: tensions and challenges. Details of the AGM and formal notifications will be sent to SPPC Nominated Representatives.

Save the date

This year's Scottish Partnership for Palliative Care Annual Conference will take place on 23 September 2015 at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. More information will follow.

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Survey on hospice volunteering

The European Association for Palliative Care (EAPC) is researching the role and motivation of volunteers in hospice and palliative care in Europe. They are inviting board members of national associations of hospice or palliative care to take part in a survey.

New funding for specialist nurses

The Scottish Government has announced that an extra £2.5 million will be invested in specialist nursing and care. The first allocation of the new funding package, £700,000, will go towards nursing care and support for those with motor-neurone disease.

New Year Honours for those working in palliative care

Congratulations to Margaret Dunbar, Kate Granger, Mairi O’Keefe and Judith Smith on being awarded MBE in the New Years Honours, and to Eve Richardson on her award of OBE.

Employer’s Bereavement Toolkit

Cruse Bereavement Care have produced a toolkit to help employers ensure their line managers are ready and able to manage a bereavement in the workplace.

Survey on working in the third sector

The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations is undertaking a survey of those working in the third sector about their attitudes toward their work. If you are a paid third sector employee, SCVO wants to hear what you think about your job satisfaction, your pay and conditions, workload, job security, work-life balance and training opportunities.

In the media

The SPPC does not undertake a comprehensive media monitoring service. Listed below are some of the stories relevant to palliative and end of life care that have appeared in the Media over the last month. For more media coverage relating to palliative and end of life care, check out the eHospice website.

BBC News: NHS to fund specialist MND nurses

Border Telegraph: Tremendous trio honoured by the Queen

Civil Society: Marie Curie turns to television to recruit volunteers

Glasgow University End of Life studies blog: REF 2014 : assessing palliative care research in the UK

Marie Curie Blog: Winter lecture series

Press & Journal: Hospice boss is buzzing ahead of half marathon attempt

The Telegraph: How hospices can save hospitals

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...In each edition of UPDATE we try to end with something a little bit different or thought provoking.

Within this article, Nikki Gerrard reflects on the decline of her father's health, and explains why she is a champion of John’s Campaign, a campaign to allow carers of people with dementia the right to accompany them in hospital.

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Can death get any better?

This winter sees a thought-provoking new lecture series presented by the Scottish Partnership for Palliative Care and Marie Curie:

Care for older people towards the end of life: tensions and challenges. Dr Bee Wee, National Clinical Director for End of Life Care for NHS England, Wednesday 25 February, 6pm, The Lighthouse, Glasgow.

Living and dying in very old age: the limits of choice. Professor Tony Walter, Director of the University of Bath Centre for Death & Society. Wednesday 25 March, 6pm, MacDonald Holyrood Hotel, Edinburgh.

To sign up to attend any of these events please contact Susan Lowes.

Scottish Partnership for Palliative Care Annual Conference 2015

23 September, Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. More information to follow.

St Andrew's Hospice February Lecture: Community Palliative Care Project

Ann Marie Toland & Lorraine MacAlpine, Community Palliative Care Nurse/Care at Home Sister, 4 February 2015. 12.30pm, Tom Cox Building, St Andrew's Hospice. For more information or to book a place contact Christine Reaoch on Tel 01236 772017.

Cruse Bereavement Care One-day Bereavement in the Workplace workshops

Central London, 24 February. This interactive, informative workshop is designed for anyone who wants to understand the issues, responsibilities and support surrounding bereavement in the workplace, and how to communicate with employees and colleagues suffering after loss. More information is available here: weblink For larger groups, Cruse can deliver this training in-house, tailoring the needs to the organisation in question – for more information call: 0208 939 9547.

Extending life for people with a terminal illness: a moral right or an expensive death? Exploring societal perspectives.

A lecture by Professor Rachel Baker, 18 February 2015, 5.30pm, Glasgow Caledonian University. For more information, please contact the Events Team on 0141 331 3011.

End of Life Care: The Principles.

This module is available to health and social care professionals. The overall aim of the module is to examine the core principles underpinning the delivery of high quality end of life care and raise awareness of death, dying and bereavement from a professional and societal perspective. Dates of delivery 2015: Trimester B: 18th, 25th February & 4th, 11th, 18th March 1000—1630 Trimester A: September 23rd, 30th, October 7th, 14th & November 4th 1000—1630

The module is delivered by St Margaret of Scotland Hospice in partnership with Glasgow Caledonian University and can be undertaken as an accredited 20 SHE Credit Module @ Level 9 or a Non-Accredited CPD To register your interest or for further information please contact Angela Miller on 0141 331 3468 or Margaret Donnelly.

Clinical Issues in Stroke Care

23rd - 25th February, 23rd March 2015, Glasgow. For more information contact Evelyn Selfridge.

Getting Bereavement Right for Every Child

Child Bereavement UK, 4 March 2015, Edinburgh. More information is available here: weblink.

Understanding the Palliative Care needs of people with Intellectual Disabilities

10 March 2015, Westerwood Hotel, Cumbernauld. For more information email or phone Clare Kerr on 01324 826222

Marie Curie Annual Research Conference: The future of palliative care

27 March 2015, London. More information is available here: weblink.

Association of Palliative Medicine Juniors Conference

London, 28 March 2015. More information is available here: weblink.

Palliative Care Research Seminars at Strathcarron Hospice

The seminars below will be held at Strathcarron Hospice and more information is available from Claire Kerr.

Aspects of Qualitative Research Methodology: Marilyn Kendall (Senior Research Fellow, Primary Palliative Care Team, University of Edinburgh) 6 February 2015

Writing for Publication: Catherine Walshe (Editor of Palliative Medicine) 24 April 2015

The Together for Short Lives UK Practitioners Conference: Living Matters for Dying Children

14-15 April 2015, Birmingham. More information is available here: weblink

Advanced Illness and Changing Needs

RCPE Symposium Edinburgh, Thursday, 30 April 2015. More information is available here: weblink.

The 4th International Conference for Public Health Palliative Care: Community Resilience in Practice

11- 16 May 2015, Bristol. More information is available here: weblink

Association for Continence Advice Conference and Exhibition 2015

4 and 5 June 2015, Hilton Brighton Metropole. More information is available here:weblink.

New Directions in Palliative Medicine 5^th Annual Conference

Beyond the Diagnosis. 8 and 9 October 2015. Inchyra Grange Hotel, Grangemouth. More information is available here: weblink

Changing Ways: Perspectives on Palliative Care for the Frail Elderly Conference

West Park Centre, Dundee. 22 May 2015. Email for further details.

Rediscovering Holism: the future for Palliative Care

The 11th Palliative Care Congress, Wednesday 9 - Friday 11 March 2016

The Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre, Glasgow. More information is available here: weblink

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