Consultation on draft national action plan for neurological conditions

The Scottish Government is consulting on its draft national action plan for neurological conditions. The deadline for responses is 8 February 2018.

Health and social care integration: update on progress

Audit Scotland have published a report looking at the progress that has been made towards integration of health and social care.

Cross Party Group on Palliative Care

The next meeting of the Cross Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Palliative Care will take place on 12 December 2018. This will include presentations and discussion relating to Education needs for children’s palliative care in Scotland; scoping and recommendations.

Parliamentary Questions

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New bereavement films

NHS Education for Scotland (NES) have released five short bereavement-related animated educational films for health and social care professionals:

• Withdrawal of Active Treatment in an Intensive Care Setting
• Talking and Being with People who are Bereaved
• Stories for Education: Living with Death
• Supporting Families around the Resuscitation of a Baby or Child
• Supporting Families around the Resuscitation of an Adult Family Member

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A Place of Care: Through Our Eyes

A Place of Care: Through our eyes is a short film by Michael Rea, commissioned by Scottish Care, which showcases what care home life is like from the perspective of staff, residents and relatives.

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Call for Abstracts: Public Health Palliative Care International conference

You are invited to submit abstracts for oral presentations, poster presentations or workshops, or proposals for creative or arts-based contributions to Compassionate Communities in Action: Re-claiming ageing, dying and grieving. The conference takes place in New South Wales, Australia in October 2019. Abstracts should address one of its six themes:

• Diversity and inclusion at end of life
• End of life is everybody’s business
• Social change: power and practices
• Everyday ageing, dying and grieving
• Building connections and partnership
• Designing compassionate spaces

The deadline for submission is Friday 25 January 2019.

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SPPC position paper on Brexit

Following desk research and engagement with our membership, SPPC has published a position paper on the potential impact of Brexit on palliative and end of life care in Scotland. A copy of the paper can be downloaded here.

The paper starts by acknowledging the uncertainties currently surrounding Brexit and describes its approach to conducting analysis in spite of this uncertainty. After providing some background on SPPC and palliative care in Scotland the paper describes current “non-Brexit” challenges in palliative care. The impact of Brexit on the key domains of workforce, scientific research, medicine supply and funding are then considered.

The paper contains the findings of a recent SPPC survey designed to capture the views of people who are involved in a professional capacity in providing care for people approaching the end of life in Scotland.

Based on its assessment of available evidence and information the paper concludes that Brexit will have a negative impact on palliative and end of life care. In all likelihood Brexit will significantly damage the care which people receive towards the end of life.

SPPC exists to improve palliative and end of life care in Scotland. It is not a role of SPPC to assess or to comment on the wider merits and demerits of Brexit. However, in terms of what is best for the care of people approaching the end of their lives in Scotland, SPPC concludes that it would be better to avoid Brexit.

Scottish Compassionate Communities Network

A report of the Launch of the Scottish Compassionate Communities Network has been published.

To Absent Friends

To Absent Friends, the people's festival of storytelling and remembrance is over for another year.

Right across Scotland, people told stories and shared memories to remember loved ones who died. The Festival kicked off with a launch event at the Living Memory Association in Leith and finished with Edinburgh Brass Band's concert in St. Mary's Cathedral. During the week, there were film screenings in Elgin, radio shows in Oban, dance parties in Glasgow and much, much more.

Did you take part in this year's festival in any way? If so, we'd love it if you could help us plan for next year's festival by completing this short survey to let us know your thoughts.

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Scotland Carers Report

Marie Curie and Macmillan Cancer Support have published Scotland Carers Report, a study identifying the support needs of carers as well as barriers and triggers for identification of their caring role.

Care Homes: Then, now and the uncertain future

Scottish Care has published Care Homes: then, now and the uncertain future. The report seeks to track the development of care homes in order to paint a descriptive picture of the reality of modern care homes, from the perspective of care home providers, managers and front-line nurses and care staff.

Campaigners of the Year Award

MND Scotland and Marie Curie Scotland won the ‘Campaigners of the Year’ award at the Herald Society Awards.

General Nursing Council for Scotland (Education) Fund and Margaret Callum Rodger Award

Applications are now open for the General Nursing Council for Scotland (Education) Fund and Margaret Callum Rodger Award. The awards are an education and learning opportunity for registered nurses and midwives to undertake educational developments, study tours or carry out small scale projects, all of which must make a difference to patient or client care.The closing date for applications is Wednesday 23rd January 2019.

Survey to inform revised General Standards for Neurological Care and Support in Scotland

Do you or does someone you know live with a neurological condition in Scotland? If so, Scottish Health Council would like you to hear your experiences via an online survey to help inform the revised General Standards for Neurological Care and Support in Scotland.

Chief Executive of NHS Scotland to step down

Chief Executive of NHS Scotland and Director General of Health and Social Care for the Scottish Government, Paul Gray, has announced he will step down in February 2019.

In the Media:

The Scotsman: Medical staff urged to ensure end-of-life carers get full support

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In each edition of Update we try to end with something a little bit thought-provoking or different... This month we’re pleased to be able to share a new blog by palliative care legend (and Honorary President of the Scottish Partnership for Palliative Care) Dr Derek Doyle... Reflections from Dr Derek Doyle.

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Save the date: Compassionate Communities Scotland Conference 2019

2 May 2019, Glasgow. Organised by Scottish Partnership for Palliative Care and Good Life, Good Death, Good Grief. More details to follow.

Let’s talk about Brexit

Organised by the ALLIANCE. 5 December, Edinburgh. More information is available here: weblink.

Alzheimer Scotland Winter Lecture: Myths & Dreams

Professor Karen Ritchie, Research Director, French Institute of Medical Research. 10 December, Glasgow. More information is available here: weblink.

Cross Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Palliative Care

To include presentations and discussion relating to: Education needs for children’s palliative care in Scotland; scoping and recommendations. 12 December 2018, Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh. More information is available here: weblink.

Care of Dying Adults in the Last Days of Life: Improving Care and Ensuring Adherence to the NICE National Quality Standard

Organised by Healthcare Conferences UK. 18 January 2019, London
More information is available here: weblink.

Reducing & Managing Pressure Ulcers at the End of Life: Second National Conference

Improving End of Life Care for People with Dementia

Organised by Healthcare Conferences UK. 11 March 2019, London. More information is available here: weblink.

A Practical Guide to Effective Non-Medical Prescribing for Pain

Organised by Healthcare Conferences UK. 18 March 2019, London. More information is available here: weblink.

Grief and Bereavement in Schools

Organised by Child Bereavement UK. 21 March 2019, Glasgow. More information is available here: weblink.

Children and young people – loss, death and grief

Organised by Child Bereavement UK. 3 April 2019, Dumfries. More information is available here: weblink.

Working with bereaved teenagers

Organised by Child Bereavement UK. 3 May 2019, Stirlingshire More information is available here: weblink.

Compassionate Communities in Action: Reclaiming ageing, dying and grieving.

6th Public Health Palliative Care International Conference. 13-16 October, Blue Mountains, New South Wales, Australia. More information is available here: weblink.

St Margaret of Scotland Hospice courses

A full list of courses delivered by St Margaret of Scotland Hospice is available on their website.

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