Scottish Partnership for Palliative Care: Update

Welcome to Update, a monthly round-up of news relevant to palliative care in Scotland, brought to you by the Scottish Partnership for Palliative Care.

Policy

Long Term Conditions Framework Consultation

The Scottish Government is consulting on a new integrated framework for long term conditions in Scotland. The deadline for responses is 20 July 2025.

Find out more, read the consultation paper, and share your views here.

Stage 1 Report on the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill

The Health, Social Care and Sport Committee’s Stage 1 Report on the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill has now been published.   It is anticipated that the Stage 1 debate and vote on the Bill will take place in the Chamber on Tuesday, 13 May.

Read the report in full here.

First Minister comments on Assisted Dying Bill reference Palliative Care

Whilst explaining his decision not to support the Assisted Dying Bill, John Swinney has made clear his personal and governmental commitment to improving palliative care:

“But what I take from that is that I as First Minister have an obligation to ensure people are supported during end of life care to the greatest extent possible in order to alleviate that suffering,” Swinney said.

“Whether this legislation ultimately passes or not, that is an obligation I take incredibly seriously and it’s a matter my government will take forward in what ever circumstances we face.”

Read more here.

Lawyers’ letter on the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill

Three academic lawyers have written to the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee raising questions about whether the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill is fundamentally outwith the legislative competence of the Scottish Parliament.

Read the letter in full here.

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Practice

New resources: Foundations for hospital front door and community frailty services

Healthcare Improvement Scotland have published three new resources to help organisations implement the Ageing and Frailty standards.

  • Foundations for community frailty services. This supports the development of community based frailty services.
  • Foundations for front door frailty. This supports the development of frailty care pathways in acute hospitals.
  • Key steps to setting up a front door frailty service. This provides practical guidance for organisations starting service improvement.

You can find these resources here.

Dead Patients Club - Launch of new film and supplementary resource

In this new film, Dr Ken Donaldson, Medical Director for an NHS Health Board shares some reflections on his clinical career; in particular remembering some of the patients that had died. This film is to remind healthcare professionals that the death of a patient can have a very real and long lasting impact. 

Find the new film and supplementary resource here. 

Being Ready Project

The Being Ready project has developed training to help professionals address the needs of trans and gender diverse people during all stages of death, dying and bereavement.

Find more details of the training and how to book here.

If your organisation would be interested in hosting a training session, please contact web@gires.org.uk.

Sharing current Scottish Practice

The Poster Exhibition at the SPPC Annual Conference 2024 showcased best practice and new initiatives to improve experiences of living with serious illness, dying and bereavement in Scotland and further afield.

All of the posters are available to view on the SPPC website, and each month we’ll highlight a few within this newsletter. This month we highlight these five posters... click on the links to view the posters:

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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Academic and Research

Launch of Volume 1 of the Commission on Palliative and End-of-Life Care’s Report

The Palliative & End of Life Care Commission aims to produce recommendations for solutions to the current difficulties and gaps in access to high-quality palliative care that can meet the extensive range of needs of our diverse population in all areas of the UK. Volume 1 of the Commission’s Report, ‘Palliative Care and End-of-Life Care: Opportunities for England’ will be launched in Parliament on Tuesday 13th May.

Find out more here.

Because We Care: Recommendations from siblings of children with life-limiting conditions

A group of researchers from Strathclyde University and Kings College London collaborated to develop Because we Care, a collaborative AHRC-funded project that explored ideas of health and care with siblings of children with life-limiting conditions.  The project has created a series of recommendations about things the group would like people who live or work with siblings of children with life-limiting conditions to know.  

There is a short film and a booklet outlining the recommendations. Find out more about the project and see the film and booklet here.

Research study identifying UK-based community nurses’ contributions to end-of-life care

A research partnership between the Queen’s Institute of Community Nursing (QICN) and University of Cambridge are conducting a short survey study investigating what proportion of UK-based community nurses’ daily work involves providing care for people in their last year of life. They are also interested in finding out if end-of-life care visits and contacts are being routinely deferred or cancelled due to capacity issues. 

The team would like to invite interested UK-based community nursing colleagues to take part regardless of specialities, care settings and age groups served. Your responses will help influence policy makers and inform future research priorities. 

Taking part in the study involves completing the 10-minute anonymous survey. Take part here.

Survey: Connecting Communities Across the Globe

A team of researchers at UCL invite you to take part in a global survey exploring community-based initiatives that support people through illness, caregiving, dying, and grief — often referred to as compassionate communities. 

Find out more and take part here.

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SPPC News

SPPC Annual Conference 2025 - Call for Posters

The Scottish Partnership for Palliative Care Annual Conference 2025 will take place on Wednesday 12 November 2025 at the John McIntyre Conference Centre, Edinburgh.

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. See this flyer for details on the call for posters, exhibition stands or publication displays.

If you are interested in presenting a poster or bringing along your display stands, please contact Pauline Ellison for a proposal form for completion at pauline@palliativecarescotland.org.uk. Please note that the closing date for submission of applications for poster proposals or exhibitions is Monday 29 September 2025.

Demystifying Death Week 2025

Demystifying Death Week took place 5-11 May with around 60 events taking place across Scotland. Thank you to everyone who contributed to making it one of the most successful Demystifying Death Weeks yet. As well as some fantastic local media coverage the week received national coverage on BBC Scotland and in the Sunday Post. The week also saw the launch of a brand new Escape Room - Powers, Puzzles & Prescience.   We’re working to pull together feedback from the week so please send your photos and feedback to samara@palliativecarescotland.org.uk 

Briefing for MSPs - Palliative Care and Assisted Dying

The SPPC has sent a briefing to MSPs on the subject of palliative care and assisted dying.  The briefing is designed to highlight for MSPs some of the important considerations which may get lost in polarised debates or in individual accounts of personal experience.  The briefing can be accessed here: AD Briefing for MSPs

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Other News

Realistic Conversations in Paediatric Palliative Care: launch of new e-learning resource

NHS Education for Scotland (NES), in partnership with the Paediatric End of Life Care Managed Clinical Network (PELiCaN) are launching a new e-learning resource ‘Realistic Conversations in Paediatric Palliative Care’.  There will be an online session on Tuesday 13 May 1.30pm – 3.00pm via online webinar to introduce the topics covered and explore how the principles can be implemented in practice.

Please complete the webinar registration form. For any queries about the webinar please email nss.pelican@nhs.scot

Launch of the Bristol Centre for Grief Research and Engagement

The Bristol Centre for Grief Research and Engagement has recently launched. Read more about it here. 

Based at the University of Bristol, the Centre focuses on interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary research into grief, death and loss, aiming to increase understanding of these fundamental aspects of being human and improve experiences towards the end of life and in bereavement. The Centre will act as an umbrella for research, scholarship, policy and civic engagement in this area, linking with Good Grief Festival. 

Visit the Centre website to join their mailing list or follow them on social media: https://griefcentre.bristol.ac.uk/

NES Bereavement Education Conference 2025 - Call for abstract submissions

NHS Education for Scotland welcomes abstract submissions for the hosting of parallel sessions and for e-posters at its conference on Tuesday 11 November. 

Further information about the event, how to submit an abstract and the relevant deadlines can be found on this page of the NES Events website.

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Courses and Events

Realistic Conversations in Paediatric Palliative Care: launch of new e-learning resource

Organised by NHS Education for Scotland (NES) in partnership with the Paediatric End of Life Care Managed Clinical Network (PELiCaN). New e-learning resource launch on Tuesday 13 May 1.30pm – 3.00pm via online webinar.

Please complete the webinar registration form. For any queries about the webinar please email nss.pelican@nhs.scot

Panel discussion: Scotland’s Proposal for Assisted Dying for the Terminally Ill

Organised by the University of Glasgow’s College of Social Sciences. Wednesday 14 May, 6 - 7pm. The Gilbert Scott Building, University of Glasgow and online. 

This panel event will present a timely opportunity to discuss some of the key aspects of the debate about assisted dying for the terminally ill, and what the result of the vote may mean for the future. It will also provide an opportunity to hear about some of the evidence from countries where it is already lawful.

This is not a ‘for’ or ‘against’ debate panel discussion. This is a panel which will attempt to get behind some of the headlines and shed more light than heat. 

Find out more and register 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.

Launch Event - Because We Care: Recommendations from Children of Siblings with Life-Limiting Conditions

Organised by the University of Strathclyde. Wednesday 28 May 2025, 10:00 - 13:00, The Ramshorn, Glasgow. This free event is for those who support and/or belong to families with children who have life-limiting conditions.

Find out more and book your place here. 

Child Bereavement UK Online Training Sessions

  • Supporting bereaved colleagues after pregnancy loss or the death of a baby: Monday 12 May, 11am to 12pm - Book here.
  • Supporting bereaved children and young people: Wednesday 14 May, 9.30am to 12.30pm - Book here.
  • Managing your own wellbeing when working with loss, death and grief: Thursday 15 May, 1 to 2pm - Book here.
  • Supporting adults when a child dies: Monday 19 May, 10am to 1pm - Book here.

Virtual launch event: My Grief My Way website and resources

Organised by NHS Education for Scotland and University of Edinburgh. Tuesday 10 June, 12:00-13:00, online. This webinar describes the development and evaluation of My Grief My Way (MGMW). MGMW is an online support package that uses Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACT) to help people to grieve effectively.

Find out more and register here.

NES Bereavement Webinar: Getting Bereavement Right Every Time

Organised by NHS Education for Scotland’s Bereavement team. Wednesday 11 June, 1-3pm, online. A free 2-hour webinar for health & social care staff. 

Find out more and register here.

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.

This training will take place on 12 June 2025. Click on the date to find out more and to book your place.

Being Ready evidence-based training for professionals 

Organised by GIRES. This unique training was developed to help professionals address the needs of trans and gender diverse people during all stages of death, dying and bereavement.

3-part training for professionals. Parts 1 and 2 are online training over two half days: 3.5hrs per day, and Part 3 is in-person training at a venue provided by participants.

Part 1 Dates: 3rd June or 18th June 2025
Part 2 Dates: 5th June or 25th June 2025

Find out more and book a place 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.

Child Bereavement UK Conference: Cultural perspectives on supporting children and young people through grief

Organised by Child Bereavement UK. Monday 23 June, The Studio, 7 Cannon Street, Birmingham, B2 5EP or online via livestream. 

Find out more and register here.

Save the Date: The Future of Bereavement Support in Scotland

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

NES Bereavement Education Programme - 10 year anniversary event

Organised by NHS Education for Scotland. Thursday 18 September, 1:30-3:30pm, online via MS Teams. 

Find out more information and register here.

NES Bereavement Education Conference 2025 - Bereavement as a Kaleidoscope: An Inclusive Approach For All

Organised by NHS Education for Scotland. Tuesday 11th November, online.

Registration is not yet open but to note interest in attending, please email event@nes.scot.nhs.uk.

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.

Masterclass in Palliative Care: Strathcarron, Scotland

Organised by OxCERPC. 14th November 2025, 09.00-16.30, Strathcarron Hospice. Early-bird offer until 1 August 2025.

Find out more and register here.

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