Minister's Response - National Care Service Bill

Maree Todd MSP, Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport, has published a response to the request by Claire Haughey MSP, Convener of the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee of the Scottish Parliament for further information on proposed changes to the National Care Service Bill. Read the Minister's response in full here.

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Let's Be Heard - Scottish COVID-19 Inquiry publishes preliminary findings

Let's Be Heard: Sharing Scotland's COVID Experience is the Scottish COVID-19 Inquiry's listening project.

Let's Be Heard has published a report sharing the preliminary findings from the more than 4,000 responses received since the launch of its National Engagement Period. You can read an article about the preliminary findings here. To read the report in full, click here for the HTML version or for the PDF version. You can also access a recently published video update on the progress of Let’s Be Heard.

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National Bereavement Alliance survey - What's Important to You?

The National Bereavement Alliance, along with sister network the Childhood Bereavement Network, is surveying bereaved children, young people and adults to find out what needs to change to improve their lives. They are seeking your help in encouraging the people you work with to take these short 6 min surveys. They not need to be bereaved to take part, although the questions are framed from the experiences of bereaved people and families. 

Access the survey for adults here.

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Call for poster abstracts

Are you involved in a project or piece of work that you would like to showcase? Why not display it as part of the SPPC Palliative Care Poster Parade? This online poster exhibition aims to share best practice and new initiatives aimed at improving experiences of living with serious illness, dying and bereavement in Scotland and further afield. The closing date for applications is 9 February 2024. More information is available here: SPPC Poster Parade

Moving from Talk to Action on Bereavement: Improving Signposting

As a follow-up from the Scottish Bereavement Summit, the first ‘Moving from Talk to Action on Bereavement’ event will take place on 23 January 2024 on Zoom.

The event is for anyone who feels they can play a role in improving signposting to available bereavement support in Scotland, including: those working in the bereavement sector, whether in the voluntary, statutory or private sector; funeral industry; NHS and social care staff who come into contact with bereaved people including GPs, care home staff, child death review co-ordinators and others.

Find out more and book your free place on Eventbrite.

SPPC submission to the Scottish COVID inquiry

After consultation with members, the SPPC has submitted a response to the Scottish COVID inquiry. The submission can be viewed here.

The Library of Legends - A Report by the Artists

The Library of Legends was a public participatory art installation commissioned by the SPPC and produced by artists John Martin Fulton and Russell McGovern to mark the 10th anniversary of the To Absent Friends festival. It was installed at Potterrow Plaza in Edinburgh from 1-7 November to coincide with the festival. Following the conclusion of the installation, John Martin Fulton has written his and Russell's reflections. Read them here.

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Macmillan Education and Training

The Macmillan Evidencing Work Based Learning (EWBL) module, run in partnership with the University of West of England, will soon be opening for applications for the next cohort in May 2024. The EWBL offers Macmillan and other Health Care Professionals the fantastic opportunity to develop their future careers as leaders and change agents within the health and social care sector. The masters/degree level module is fully funded and delivered completely online. Potential applicants can register on the Macmillan Learning Hub to attend an information session on Thursday 25^th January to find out more.

Moving from Talk to Action on Bereavement: Improving Signposting

Organised by Good Life, Good Death, Good Grief and the Bereavement Charter Group. 23 January 2024, 2 - 4pm, online. Find out more and book your place here.

Marie Curie 2024 Research Conference – Improving End of Life for All

Organised by Marie Curie. 5-9 February 2024, online. Registration is free. For further information and to book your place, visit the conference website here.

Coping with Professional Grief workshop

Organised by Hospice UK's Compassionate Employers programme. Tuesday 20 February 2024, 10:00 – 12:30, online. Registration £120+VAT. For further information and to book your place, visit the website here.

Advanced European Bioethics Course: “Suffering, Death and Palliative Care”

Organised by the section of Healthcare Ethics, IQ healthcare, (Radboudumc university medical centre). 12 - 15 March 2024, Nijmegen, the Netherlands. For more information please visit the website. Contact: Valesca Hulsman at Valesca.Hulsman@radboudumc.nl.

6^th All Island Children’s Palliative Care Conference: "Challenging the Boundaries: Antenatal to Adulthood"

Organised by the All Ireland Institute of Hospice and Palliative Care (AIIHPC). 25 – 26 April 2024. The Midlands Park Hotel, Portlaoise, County Laois, Ireland.  To view the programme, submit an abstract, or register, visit the CPCC website.

European Grief Conference 2024

The next European Grief Conference 2024 will be held in Dublin Ireland, November 11^th to 13^th 2024.   The conference is being hosted by Irish Hospice Foundation with partners Bereavement Network Europe, Danish National Center for Grief and RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences.  More details will be added to the conference website in the coming weeks and months: https://europeangriefconference.org/

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