UK Commission on COVID Commemoration publishes its Final Report

On 18 September, the UK Commission on COVID Commemoration published its final report.  The report makes 10 recommendations to the UK Government on how to make sure the events and experiences of the pandemic are not forgotten.  The recommendations are summarised in the press release announcing the publication, which you can read here.

The Emergency Care Summary and Key Information Summary (Scotland) Directions 2023

During the early stages of the pandemic, Scottish Government produced guidance broadening the range of professionals who could access the electronic data in the Emergency Care Summary and Key Information Summary. SG have now updated the regulations which provide the legal framework for access to reflect this expanded access. Read the update here.

Change in Terminology - Future Care Planning

The Scottish Government have published a letter highlighting a change in terminology in Scotland from "anticipatory care planning" to "future care planning". Read the letter in full here.

Scottish Government Webpage - Palliative and End of Life Care

Some new webpages relating to palliative and end of life care and its strategy development have been added to the Scottsih Government website: https://www.gov.scot/policies/illnesses-and-long-term-conditions/palliative-and-end-of-life-care/

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New evidence on anticipatory prescribing

A University of Cambridge research alert brings together evidence on anticipatory prescribing, suggests the evidence identifies important problems with current practice in the UK and suggests system-level changes to tackle four areas for action.  The research on which the briefing is based was led by Dr Ben Bowers at the Palliative and End of Life Care Research group (PELiCam) at the Primary Care Unit, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge. See the full briefing on the website or via Adobe.

Scottish Palliative Care Guidelines: New web and mobile app 

The new web and mobile app for the Scottish Palliative Care Guidelines has launched. This app is delivered through the Right Decision Service – the national decision support service provided by Healthcare Improvement Scotland. This initial version of the app provides a starting point for future development.  The new website can be found here. (https://rightdecisions.scot.nhs.uk/scottish-palliative-care-guidelines)

Alternatively, you can download the Right Decisions mobile app from the app stores. Search for “right decisions” on the app stores. Install the app. Search within the app for “palliative care guidelines” and download the app to “My toolkits.” Direct app store links: Apple download or Google Play download. 

Sharing Current Scottish Practice

The SPPC Autumn Season 2022 featured an online poster exhibition of 55 posters, sharing work and research underway across Scotland. Each month, our blog highlights a few of these posters. This month, we're highlighting:

• Taboo Busting: Creating a space to talk openly about death, dying and how we can be better prepared for the inevitable
• The ABC of ACP Training
• The Impact of Advance Care Planning on Quality of Life and Quality of Death for Asian older People in Palliative and End-of-Life Care: A Scoping Review
• The power of storytelling: building up a team mindset to tell the Hospice story

The SPPC blog is a space to share practice currently underway in Scotland. If you have practice you'd like to share, please get in touch.

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Survey invitation: Together for Short Lives' Professional Questionnaire - "Simply Learning to Talk"

Together for Short Lives are working to develop a children's palliative and end of life communication training programme. Professionals who come into contact with families with a child who is seriously ill can help by completing this survey - it will only take 15 minutes. You can find the survey here.  Please respond by the of October 2023. Completed surveys received will be entered into a prize draw for a M&S food hamper.

Survey invitation: Marie Curie's Palliative and End of Life Care Research Priorities Project

Marie Curie is launching a new survey asking people living with a serious life-limiting illness, those close to them, and health and social care professionals involved in their care to help them pinpoint the key issues that need to be addressed in future end of life and palliative care research.

To take the survey, please visit: https://palliativecarepsp.wordpress.com/survey/.

To find out more about the project visit: https://palliativecarepsp.wordpress.com/.

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SPPC Annual Conference 2023 - Programme Announced

The Scottish Partnership for Palliative Care Annual Conference will take place on Wednesday 22 November 2023 at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

Download the draft programme here. 

You can find out more and register here.

SPPC Annual Conference 2023 - Call for Posters

Are you involved in an interesting project or in an area of work that you would like to discuss with or show to other conference attendees? Why not present your work in the poster exhibition which is an essential part of learning and sharing best practice at the Scottish Partnership for Palliative Care Annual Conference?  If you are at all interested in presenting a poster please contact Pauline@palliativecarescotland.org.uk for a proposal form for completion. The closing date for submissions is Friday 27 October 2023.

SPPC Annual Conference 2023 - Call for Exhibition Stands / Publication Displays

Once again this year there will be an opportunity to exhibit at the Scottish Partnership for Palliative Care Annual Conference. The exhibitor area at the conference provides generous space for exhibitions and displays with direct access to the catering area, seating, posters and breakout rooms.

If you are interested in bringing along a display stands, please contact Pauline Ellison for a proposal form for completion. Pauline@palliativecarescotland.org.uk The closing date for submissions is Friday 27 October 2023.

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The Library of Legends

The Library of Legends is a public art installation that will appear in the centre of Edinburgh from 1-7 November 2023, to mark the 10th anniversary of the To Absent Friends festival.  The Library of Legends is a place where people can go to remember and share stories of people who have died.

We will be running FREE art workshops for community groups who wish to contribute their stories and artwork to the Library of Legends.  We are also inviting postal and electronic submissions.  We want to fill the library with stories and memories and reminicences of all kinds. 

Passersby are welcome to come into the the library, whether to browse the shelves, or to contribute their own story or art work. The Library will be open 10am-4:30pm, 1-7 November. The mystery location of the library will be revealed soon.

Find out more, including how to book a workshop or add your story to the Library, here: The Library of Legends

Truacanta Project - Evaluation Report Published

The Truacanta Project Evaluation Report has been published. The report presents the findings from this four-year 'compassionate communities' project which used a community development approach to support five communities to improve local experiences of death, dying, loss and care.  The report reflects on the impact achieved and learning gained from the project, which ran from 2019-2023. You can read the full report here: Truacanta Evaluation Report

Help to Inform SPPC’s Response to the Scottish COVID-19 Inquiry

SPPC is developing a collective submission to the Scottish COVID-19 Inquiry, focussing on palliative and end of life care. The Inquiry is keen to hear people’s responses to 3 key questions:

• What were your experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic? 
• What impact did these experiences have on you or people you know? 
• What lessons do you think should be learned from your experiences?

SPPC is interested in your response to these questions to guide and inform a collective submission. Responses can be sent to mark@palliativecarescotland.org.uk . Responses to SPPC will be treated as confidential.

Alternatively (or additionally) you can submit a response directly to the Inquiry here.

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Burial and Cremation Consultation Collection

The Scottish Government is currently hosting a range of consultations on proposed regulations to be made under the Burial and Cremation (Scotland) Act 2016. The closing date is 17 November.

Consultation topics include:

• Management of burial grounds, application for burial, exhumation, private burial and restoration of lairs: regulation in Scotland
• Statutory inspection of burial authorities, cremation authorities and funeral directors
• Funeral director licensing scheme for Scotland
• Regulation of alkaline hydrolysis (‘water cremation’) in Scotland

You can view and respond to the consultations here. 

The Lancet Commission on the Value of Death - new website

A new website has been launched to share the work of the Lancet Commission on the Value of Death. You can sign up to be part of the next steps of this work, and to stay informed here.

The Macmillan Cancer Support End of Life Care Fund: now open to applications

The Macmillan Fund, a partnership between Macmillan Cancer Support and Social Finance to invest in transformational adult end of life care (cancer and non-cancer), is now open to new partnership applications until 31^st October 2023. The £36m social investment fund provides up-front funding for service transformation and is repayable only if mutually agreed outcomes are met.  All information on the Macmillan Fund can be found on Social Finance's website.

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Good Grief Festival presents: Talking about and planning for the end of life in South Asian communities

Organised by Good Grief Festival. Monday 9th October 2023, 12 noon, online. Find out more and register here.

Marymount International Conference: “Reflections & Projections” on Palliative Care and Care of the Older Person 

Organised by Marymount University Hospital and Hospice. 12-13 October 2023, Páirc Uí Chaoimh, Cork. For more information or to register, visit the conference website.

Malcolm Goldsmith Lecture 2023: The Rt Rev Sally Foster-Fulton

Organised by Faith in Older People. Tuesday 24 October 2023, 4.30pm, on Zoom. Register on Eventbrite.

Namaste Care Online Training Course Dates for 2023

Organised by Prince & Princess of Wales Hospice and Ayrshire Hospice. 3 October and 7 November 2023, online. More information is available here.

Hospice UK Conference: Thinking Differently

Organised by Hospice UK. 6-8 November, Liverpool. More information is available here.

A Human Rights based approach to Palliative Care: Towards Solutions for Public Health Palliative Care

Organised in partnership with All-Ireland Institute of Hospice and Palliative Care (AIIHPC) and EAPC Reference Group on Public Health and Palliative Care. This 3rd annual International Conference on Public Health Research in Palliative Care will take place in Belfast on 16 and 17 November 2023. More information is available here.

SPPC Annual Conference 2023: Out of the Shadows

Organised by the Scottish Partnership for Palliative Care. Wednesday 22 November 2023, Edinburgh College of Physicians. More information and registration is available here.

NHS Education for Scotland's Bereavement Education Conference 2023 - The Grief We Carry

Organised by NHS Education Scotland. Tuesday 28 November 2023, online. You can find out more here or visit the conference website to submit an abstract, view the programme so far, or register. Deadline for registration is 7 November 2023.

Inspiring Leadership Programme 2023

Organised by NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde in partnership with Strathcarron Hospice, ACCORD Hospice and the Prince & Princess of Wales Hospice.  The Inspiring Leadership Programme aims to support specialist palliative care teams adopt a more proactive approach to service delivery and to embed the values, behaviours and attitudes of leadership. The programme is open to all registered health and social care professionals working within specialist palliative care in Scotland.  Registratation closes on October 2nd 2023. 

View the programme flyer for Cohort 6 here. Apply online or register interest by email: PallCarePracticeDev@ggc.scot.nhs.uk.
For further information visit the Inspiring Leadership webpage.

Education and Training at Macmillan Cancer Support

Macmillan have a wide range of free education and training available on The Learning Hub. To access training, you will need to register for an account and log in. You can register for an account here. Two new enhanced-level modules have been added to the Enhanced Palliative and End of Life Care Learning and Development Toolkit: Person-centred end of life care (log in to your account and click here for access) and Psychological Support Skills to Enhance Cancer Care (log in to your account and click here for access).

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