Palliative Care Cross Party Group

Bob Doris MSP, Convenor of the Palliative Care Cross Party Group has sent a letter on the subject of palliative and end of life care to Jenni Minto MSP, Minister for Public Health and Women’s Health. The letter mentions hospice funding, the ‘right to palliative care’ and highlights potential learning to be gained from the End of Life Care Together model operating in Highland. The full letter can be found here.

Adults with Incapacity Amendment Act

The Scottish Government has released a summary of the analysis of responses to the proposals to amend the Adults With Incapacity Act 2000. The full summary can be found here.

Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults Bill (Scotland)

Letters to the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee

• This letter reflects the views expressed by both Social Work Scotland and the Scottish Association of Social Work during engagement their members:  Social Work Scotland and the Scottish Association of Social Work letter. (This letter also covers views on the draft palliative care strategy Palliative Care for All.)
• This letter from the Scottish Social Services Council highlights how enactment of the proposed legislation could affect their work: Scottish Social Services Council letter.
• This letter sets out the Finance and Public Administration committee’s views on the Financial Memorandum published alongside the Bill: Finance and Public Administration committee letter
• This letter sets out Care Not Killing’s views on the Financial Memorandum published alongside the bill: Care Not Killing letter.

Scottish Parliament Health, Social Care and Sport Committee meeting transcript

A transcript of Liam McArthur MSP’s recent appearance before the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee to give evidence related to the bill can be found here.

Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill  (Westminster/England and Wales)

The Institute for Government has produced an explainer setting out the process by which this Bill will be scrutinsed: Institute for Government explainer 

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Applications invited: Focus on Frailty 2025-2026 programme

Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) is inviting teams from NHS boards and Health and Social Care Partnerships to join their new Focus on Frailty improvement programme. The programme aims to improve health and social care for older people living with frailty. More information can be found here.

Global Handbook of Children’s Palliative Care

The Sunflower Children’s Network and Two Worlds Cancer Collaboration (TWCC) in collaboration with Global Health Dynamics (UK), have released The Global Handbook of Pediatric Palliative Care edited by Dr. Megan Doherty. The guide addresses the needs of healthcare providers managing serious health-related suffering in children and adults, focusing on life-threatening and life-limiting conditions. It is available as a free download on TWCC’s website and more information is available here.

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Marie Curie research on public expenditure in the last year of life

Marie Curie, the Nuffield Trust and the Health Economics Unit have published research into public expenditure in the last year of life, including data on Scottish expenditure. The report puts these findings in the context of what is known about access to quality end of life care and sets out recommendations for policy change.  You can view the report here: Public expenditure in the last year of life report.

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Demystifying Death Week

Demystifying Death Week takes place across Scotland from 5-11 May 2025. Find out more here.

The Demystifying Death Week Small Grants Scheme is now open. The closing date for applications is 21 March 2025. Find out more, including how to apply, here.

Save the Date: SPPC Conference 2025

The next SPPC annual conference will take place on Wednesday 12 November 2025 at the John McIntyre Conference Centre, Edinburgh. Further details will be announced in the coming months.

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Commission on Palliative and End-of-Life Care - Call for Written Evidence (UK)

A Commission has been established to produce recommendations for solutions to the current difficulties and gaps in access to high-quality palliative care in the UK. The Commission welcomes evidence from those who have experience of palliative care services and statutory services, third sector and commercial providers of palliative care services. They request that where possible, evidence should be focused according to the Change NHS, 10 year plan for England. More information can be found here. The closing date for evidence submissions is 28 March 2025.

The Cancer Professionals Podcast 

The next episode of The Cancer Professionals Podcast by Macmillan Cancer Support, “I see you cancer, and I raise you the ocean’ in now available and can be found here.

Understanding and enriching agency in palliative and end of life - e-module

Macmillan Cancer Support offer an enhanced level course exploring the concept of agency and draws on research to develop an understanding of suffering as the significant disruption to agency. The course aims to enable participants to learn how to identify new causes and forms of suffering in palliative and end-of-life care and discover practical ways to enrich agency and alleviate suffering for the people you support.  More information is available here: Understanding and enriching agency in palliative and end of life   This e-learning module is part of the Enhanced level palliative and end of life care learning and development toolkit.

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Open Thanatology Webinar: To know dying – social science and humanities research areas for palliative and end of life care

Organised by the Open University.  Tuesday 11 March 2025. Online.  More Information can be found here.

Healthcare Conferences UK: Professional Development Conferences & Masterclasses

Organised by Healthcare Conferences UK. For dates and times of individual sessions, see below. Readers of this newsletter can receive a 20% discount with the code hcuk20sppc.

• A Practical Guide to Effective Non Medical Prescribing in End of Life Care, Friday 7th March 2025, online. For further information and to book your place, visit the course webpage or email emily@hc-uk.org.uk.
• Providing Telephone and Voice Only Support, Monday 24th March 2025, online. For further information and to book your place visit the course webpage or email petra@hc-uk.org.uk.
• Controlled Drugs: Ensuring the Safer Management, Diversion & Abuse, Prescribing and Use. Tuesday 22 April 2025, online.  For further information and to book your place visit the course webpage or email aman@hc-uk.org.uk
• Patient Safety in Hospices Wednesday 17 June 2025.  For further information and to book your place visit the conference webpage email emily@hc-uk.org.uk
• Improving Adult Bereavement Care, Support & Services Thursday 26 June 2025.  For further information and to book your place visit the conference webpage or email petra@hc-uk.org.uk

Social Security Scotland’s Pension Age Disability Payment Stakeholder Events

Organised by Social Security Scotland. Pension Age Disability Payment is replacing Attendance Allowance in Scotland. SSS are offering a free online stakeholder information event to share details on Pension Age Disability Payment. These sessions will be online. Dates and times, as well as registration links, are below:

• Pension Age Disability Payment Stakeholder Event Tickets, Tue 11 Mar 2025 at 10:00 | Eventbrite
• Pension Age Disability Payment Stakeholder Event Tickets, Wed 19 Mar 2025 at 13:00 | Eventbrite
• Pension Age Disability Payment Stakeholder Event - National Rollout Tickets, Tue 8 Apr 2025 at 10:00 | Eventbrite
• Pension Age Disability Payment Stakeholder Event - National Rollout Tickets, Wed 16 Apr 2025 at 13:00 | Eventbrite

Save the Date: National Primary Care Improvement Event

Organised by Healthcare Improvement Scotland. Thursday 27 March 2025 (09.30am- 4.30pm), Assembly Rooms, 54 George Street, Edinburgh, EH2 2LR.

Please register your interest here.

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

Organised by the section of Healthcare Ethics, IQ Health, Radboud university medical centre Nijmegen. Nijmegen, the Netherlands, 25-28 March 2025.

For more information and to register, please visit the course website at Advanced European bioethics course ‘Suffering, Death and Palliative Care’ - IQ Health.

NES Annual Conference 2025 - Learning for Change: Tackling Health Inequity through Education and Workplace Learning

Organised by NHS Education for Scotland. Thursday 24th - Friday 25th April 2025, online.

For more information and to register, please visit the conference website.

Training course: LGBTQ+ Inclusivity in Ageing and Dementia

Organised by the University of Stirling’s Dementia Services Development Centre. Training will take place at the Dementia Services Development Centre, Iris Murdoch Building, University of Stirling FK9 4LA

Training dates are 27 March 2025 or 12 June 2025. Click on each date to find out more and to book your place.

Demystifying Death Week 2025

Demystifying Death Week will take place across Scotland 5-11 May. Find out more and get involved here: Demystifying Death Week 

“Build to Last” Children’s Palliative Care Conference

Organised by Together for Short Lives’. 7-8 May 2025, Manchester. The conference is aimed at recognising and sharing best practice within children’s palliative care. More information is available here.

Association of Continence Professionals Annual Conference and Networking Exhibition

Organised by Fitwise Management ltd. 19- 20 May 2025, Milton Keynes.

More Information available here.

Save the Date: The Future of Bereavement Support in Scotland

Organised by the Bereavement Charter Group.  28 August.  More details to follow.

Save the Date: NES Bereavement Education Conference 2025

Organised by NHS Education for Scotland. Tuesday 11th November, online. More details about registration, abstract submission and the programme will be available in the coming months.

Save the Date: SPPC Annual Conference 2025

The next SPPC annual conference will take place on Wednesday 12 November 2025 at the John McIntyre Conference Centre, Edinburgh. Further details will be announced in the coming months.

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