Feedback sought on BASRiS messaging in Scotland

Following the re-publication of the CMO guidance in December 2023, the Scottish Government is seeking feedback from Registered Nurses and Registered Medical Practitioners on both the changes that were made and on the process for completing and submitting a BASRiS form. A short Slido questionnaire has been put together to collect this feedback.

The questionnaire takes about 10 minutes to complete. Please note the survey will close on Friday 24 May 2024.  Slido link to complete the survey: https://app.sli.do/event/oaDz8z12GAQn7oS2sDMwP6.

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New sections in the Scottish Palliative Care Guidelines

New sections have been added to the Scottish Palliative Care Guidelines, including:

• a new section of "professional resources" - a guide on accessing the PCF in Scotland, navigating it, a quick link to compatibility tables, and a page collating frequently used resources
• the return of the patient information leaflets 
• supporting resources for healthcare professionals, an A-Z resource page

Consultation: Ageing and Frailty Draft Standards

Healthcare Improvement Scotland have published new draft standards for Ageing and Frailty. The proposed standards will replace the current Care of Older People in Hospital standards and are designed to support national improvements in frailty services. Read the draft standards here.

You can give feedback on the draft standards by completing this online survey by 18 June 2024. If you have issues completing the form, you can contact HIS at: his.standardsandindicators@nhs.scot.

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Supporting End of Life Care in NHS Highland: Accounting for Value Report

NHS Highland and Highland Hospice have published the End of Life Care Together Supporting End of Life Care in Highland: Accounting for value report.  The report aims to take a methodical look through a value-lens at dying and death in NHS Highland from both an individual and system perspective.

Read the report in full here.  Read a blog post by Kenny Steele of Highland Hospice about the report here.

Marie Curie's new research on the benefits of the Men's Shed in Hospice settings

Marie Curie have recently published a new report looking into the benefits of the Men’s Shed in Hospice settings, and how they promote mental health and wellbeing of men who cared for or are caring for someone, or who live with a life-limiting illness. The report also includes a toolkit with recommendations for those considering setting up a Men’s Shed.

Please visit the project webpage to read the report in full. The project poster can be seen here.

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Participants wanted: Financial insecurity at end of life for people on work-related visas

A team of researchers at the University of Stirling are working on a 14-month study funded by Marie Curie exploring what it's like to be on a visa in the UK when faced with life-shortening/terminal illness.

Following an initial phase of looking at the experience of people on work visas, the team are now looking for responses from people on other types of UK visa (e.g. student, settlement, asylum and others) who are facing life-shortening or terminal diagnosis for themselves or a family member. 

Find out more on the study's recruitment flyer, workshop flyer, and by visiting the study website.

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Demystifying Death Week (6-12 May) is just around the corner. Find out what's happening and how you can help...

Events

Over 50 events are taking place across Scotland to mark Demystifing Death Week, including death cafes, discussion groups, lectures, film screenings, craft workshops, theatre performances, seminars and information stands.  Check out this year's events listings here: DD Week Events Listings

Communications Pack

Your support promoting Demystifying Death Week through your networks and media channels makes a huge difference. Check out our communications resources:

• Communications Pack - provides information about the week, key messages, and suggests ways you can spread the word.
• Template Press Release - this template press release can be personalised with your own local event or work. 
• Images to share - flyers for sharing on social media
• Social media ideas - some cut-and-pastable ideas to share on social media

Resources

If you're putting on an event for Demystifying Death Week, check out these:

• Demystifying Death Week 2024 landing page - this page is the best place to start to find out more about Demystifying Death Week. 
• Hold an event - a handy guide to the types of events you might hold or attend, and links to resources you can use.
• Guides for event organisers - more in-depth guides for holding in-person or online events, some examples of events that can work, facilitation tips, and guides for using Zoom if you're unsure.
• Short films - some short films about death, dying and bereavement that you can use as part of your event or watch online to learn more.

Film screenings: Much Ado About Dying

We're delighted to be partnering with Cinema For All and Cosmic Cat Films to support Scottish screenings of this new award-winning documentary.

Much Ado About Dying follows long-retired actor David Newlyn Gale, living in an unsuitable flat, sustaining himself on cans of soup, keeping himself warm with a small army of electric heaters and battling a mice infestation with toothpaste. The film presents an intimate, occasionally funny and ultimately moving portrait of a solitary life and a quietly critical assessment of the inadequate resources available in the UK for a rapidly ageing population.

Screenings of the film will take place in Dumfries, St Andrews, Bo'ness, Cromarty, Uist, Oban, Dundee, Eigg, Ayr, Aberfeldy, Inverness, Glasgow and Portree.  A full list of screenings is available here: https://www.cosmiccatfilms.com/much-ado-about-dying

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Truacanta: Scotland's Compassionate Communities Network - Networking Event

A networking event for Truacanta: Scotland's Compassionate Communities Network will be held on Wednesday 29 May from 10:30-12:00, via Zoom. This will be an opportunity to meet others involved in compassionate community activity in Scotland and to share your stories, successes, challenges and plans for the future. 

Registration is via this link. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about how to join the event.

Blog Post: How doing end of life differently can help sustain the NHS (and lead to better endings)

Mark Hazelwood of SPPC recently contributed a post to Reform Scotland's blog, entitled "How doing end of life differently can help sustain the NHS (and lead to better endings)". 

Read the post in full here. 

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Participants wanted: Exploring Oncologists’ and Health Care Professionals’ Perspectives on Physical Activity in Advanced Cancer Care

A researcher at Sheffield Hallam University is undertaking a study to evaluate oncologists’ and health care professionals’ in the UK's attitudes, practices and barriers regarding the utility of physical activity in patients with advanced cancer. Results from this study will be used in conjunction with further patient scoping work in the design and implementation of a patient and health care led PA intervention in patients with advanced cancer.  To take part contact n.finnegan@hallam.shu.ac.uk.  More information is available here.

Hospice UK Strategy - 2024-2029

Hospice UK's Board of Trustees have formally adopted a new five-year strategy. Read the strategy document in full here.

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Demystifying Death Week

Organised by Good Life, Good Death, Good Grief. 6-12 May across Scotland. More information is avialable here: Demystifying Death Week

Much Ado About Dying

Good Life, Good Death, Good Grief and the Scottish Partnership for Palliative Care are partnering with Cinema For All and Cosmic Cat Films to support Scottish screenings of this new award-winning documentary.

Screenings of the film will take place across Scotland in May, including in Dumfries, St Andrews, Bo'ness, Cromarty, Uist, Oban, Dundee, Eigg, Ayr, Aberfeldy, Inverness, Glasgow and Portree. A full list of screenings is available here: https://www.cosmiccatfilms.com/much-ado-about-dying

MAIN Event Network webinar: Family centred approaches to improving wellbeing in advanced illness and end of life

Organised by MAIN Event Network, University of Edinburgh. Tuesday 14 May 2024, 12 noon – 1.30pm, online.

Please find more information and register here.

Palliative Care Research Forum Northern Ireland (PCRF NI) Conference: "Palliative Care & Psychiatry"

Organised by Palliative Care Research Forum Northern Ireland (PCRF NI), 31 May 2024, Queen’s University Belfast, 9am – 2pm. Registration is via this form. For further information, please email Dr Esther Beck at e.beck@ulster.ac.uk and see the conference flyer here.

8th Public Health Palliative Care International Conference: "Building Bridges Between Science and People"

Organised by PHPCI International. 22-25 October, Bern, Switzerland.

Find out more at the conference website.

To Absent Friends

Organised by Good Life, Good Death, Good Grief. 1-7 November across Scotland. A people's festival of storytelling and remembrance, initiated by Good LIfe, Good Death, Good Grief. More information is available here: To Absent Friends festival

SPPC Annual Conference

SPPC’s annual conference will take place on Wednesday 6^th November. We hope to see you there! Watch this space for further details.

European Grief Conference 2024

Organised by the Irish Hospice Foundation with partners Bereavement Network Europe, Danish National Center for Grief and RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences. Dublin, Ireland, 11-13 November 2024. 

Registration for the conference is now open here.

Find out more at the conference website.

Macmillan Education and Training: "Time to Explore - Compassionate people-centred conversations"

Organised by Macmillan Education and Training. A new communication skills training offer is now available on Macmillan’s Learning Hub - Time to explore – Compassionate people centred conversations. 

Please visit Macmillan’s Education and Training community to find out more about what you will learn and view a short promotional video.

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