Report evaluating the impact of the HCSA 2019 on nursing staff in 2024-25

The Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Act 2019 is concerned with ensuring safe staffing across health and care services in Scotland.  RCN Scotland has published a report exploring the Act’s impact on nursing staff over the first year of the Act’s implementation.

Read the report in full here.

Terminal illness stakeholder resources

Social Security Scotland have created a new range of resources designed to help health and social care professionals support people who have been diagnosed with a terminal illness to access the financial support they are entitled to.

SSS have created a dedicated Terminal Illness Resource page, bringing together everything clinicians need in one place, including:

• Clear guidance on completing a BASRiS form
• A helpful webinar
• A clinician factsheet
• Easy-to-follow process flowchart

Visit the Terminal Illness Resource page here.

Sharing current Scottish Practice

The Poster Exhibition at the SPPC Annual Conference 2025 showcased best practice and new initiatives to improve experiences of living with serious illness, dying and bereavement in Scotland and further afield.

Most of the posters are available to view on the SPPC website, and each month we highlight a few on this blog. This month we highlight these four posters... click on the links to view the posters:

• Overcoming Barriers in Metastatic Breast Cancer Care: Tackling Tribalism, Policy Neglect, and Referral Delays
• Equitable Access to Palliative Care Education. Creation of a new national palliative care learning hub
• Powers, Puzzles & Prescience: An Escape Room about Planning Ahead
• Bereavement Charter Mark: collaborating with workplaces to create meaningful change

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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Macmillan Q Lab Funding Grants

Macmillan Cancer Support has partnered with Q, hosted by the NHS Alliance, to launch the Macmillan Q Lab – an innovation lab that will bring together people from across the UK to explore how to create more joined-up and fairer cancer care closer to home. The Macmillan Q Lab is looking for 4-6 teams or 15-18 contributors in the UK from across sectors to get involved.

Find out more and register your interest here: www.macmillan.org.uk/about-us/what-we-do/macmillan-funding-grants/q-lab. 

Projects funded by Marie Curie ‘improving hospital experience for people at end of life’ grants

Marie Curie partnered with Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals Charity and Leeds Hospitals Charity to fund a number of projects aimed at improving palliative and end of life care in, and on transition from, hospitals and emergency departments.

Find out more about the projects being funded here.

Extending responsible artificial intelligence to palliative care: the irreversibility problem with algorithmic accountability

A letter to the Lancet Digital Health highlights the risks of reliance on palliative care AI referral tools. It suggests that because these models are trained on historic referral data, they reflect and further entrench discrimination and racial disparities in access to care and referral. Further, as the AI tools only focus on medical records and past referral patterns, the letter suggests they fail to capture the essential relational factors, flexibility, and creativity present in good palliative care, and as a result can further entrench existing referral and care bias. 

Read the letter in full here.

Sage Journals Palliative Care and Social Practice: Submissions Open for Special Collection on Creative, Arts and Design Methods

This Special Collection invites contributions that investigate the value of creative approaches in research and practice, especially where they promote inclusion and amplify marginalized voices.  The deadline for receipt of manuscripts is 1 February 2027. 

Find out more and submit here.

Marie Curie Research into Practice Conference 2027: abstract and spotlight session submissions open  

The Marie Curie Research into Practice Conference 2027 will commence on 22 February 2027. The conference, which is online and free for all, will showcase the latest research and its potential translation into policy and practice. Visit the website to stay up to date. Submissions for abstracts and spotlight sessions are welcome - for more information on the scope, key dates and how to apply, visit the website.  

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What did SPPC achieve last year?

SPPC has produced an Annual Report Summary which sets out our work and impact during 2025-26. The report also summarises the key work we are now delivering during 2026-27.

Read the Annual Report Summary 2025-26 in full here.

SPPC Annual Conference: Tools for a Changing World

The Scottish Partnership for Palliative Care Annual Conference will take place on 28 October 2026 at the John McIntyre Conference Centre in Edinburgh.  Catch up with colleagues from across Scotland and make new connections.  Hear new and challenging perspectives, take part in interactive sessions and be energised and inspired.

Book by 18 September to get the Early Bird Discount: Book tickets  

Check out confirmed speakers here: Tools for a Changing World

Call for Posters

Are you involved in an interesting project or in an area of work that you would like to share with others? Why not present your work in the poster exhibition at the SPPC Annual Conference? If you are interested in presenting a poster complete this poster proposal form and email it to susan@palliativecarescotland.org.uk by Wednesday 16 September 2026.

More information is available here: SPPC Annual Conference 2026

Opportunities to Exhibit

There will be an opportunity to exhibit at the conference. The exhibitor area at the conference provides generous space for exhibitions and displays with easy access to the catering area, seating, posters and breakout rooms. If you would like to discuss bringing an exhibition stand to the conference, please email susan@palliativecarescotland.org.uk by Wednesday 16 September 2026. 

To Absent Friends - Small Grants Available 

To Absent Friends (1-7 November) is an annual festival of remembrance across Scotland. Organisations and community groups in Scotland are encouraged to take part in the festival in whatever ways are meaningful for them.

There is a Small Grants Scheme to support groups to participate in the festival. The deadline to apply for one of the grants of up to £275 is 2 September. Find out more and apply here: To Absent Friends | Small Grants

Getting Ready for the To Absent Friends Festival - Lunchtime Chat 

There will be an informal lunchtime session for people considering holding a To Absent Friends event on 19 August 2026 at noon. This is a chance to meet others who have hosted events in the past, share ideas and concerns, and ask questions.

Email samara@palliativecarescotland.org.uk to book your place.  Find out more about ways to take part here: To Absent Friends | Get Involved

New book by an SPPC Council member

SPPC Council member Donald Macaskill was written a book entitled The Soul in the Circuit: Artificial Intelligence, Human Rights and the Responsible Future of Care, which will be published on 14 September. The book began with a simple question: as technology becomes more capable, what does it mean to remain human? The book argues that the future of care will not ultimately be determined by what machines can do, but by what we as human beings choose to value. More details to follow.

Follow us on social media

For updates on SPPC and Good Life, Good Death, Good Grief work, follow us on Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

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New Donor Coalition for Innovation in End-of-Life Care Survey

Purposeful Ventures and Zinc are working together to create a £5m donor collaborative focused on innovations in end-of-life and palliative care. They believe that coordinated and disciplined philanthropic investment can provide the capital, evidence and partnerships to build an end-of-life care system fit for the future.

This survey is a critical part of building that investment thesis. The survey is open to anyone working in, funding, researching, or affected by end-of-life care in the UK.

Complete the survey here.

EMPOWER Dementia+ Special Interest Group: Palliative and End-of-Life Care in Dementia

This Special Interest Group focuses on palliative and end-of-life care in dementia research and care.

The group brings together researchers, healthcare professionals, community organisations, carers, and lived experts who are interested in improving palliative and end-of-life care for people affected by dementia.

Through regular online gatherings, the group provides opportunities to share experiences, discuss challenges and ideas, and develop future collaboration opportunities. This page will be updated with recordings and materials from previous sessions where available.

If you would like to join this Special Interest Group, or would like further information, please contact EMPOWER using the form here or email EMPOWER_Dementia_Network@kcl.ac.uk.

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European Grief Conference 2026: Bereavement, Grief and loss - responding collaboratively to local and global challenges

9-11 September, Porto, Portugal. More information is available here. 

Getting Bereavement Right Every Time

Organised by NES (which is now part of Public Services Delivery Scotland). 9 September 2026, 09:30–11:30, online via Microsoft Teams

As health and social care staff, many of us will encounter people who are grieving as part of our everyday work. These conversations can feel challenging, and it’s not always easy to know what to say, what to avoid, or how to look after ourselves in the process

The session is open to all health and social care staff in Scotland, including clinical, non-clinical, administrative and support roles.

Find out more and book your place.

Webinar: Financial Distress, Welfare, and Entitlements at the End of Life

Organised by MAIN. 15 September 2026, 12-1pm, online via Teams. 

Find out more and register here.

Being Ready Training 

Organised by GIRES. 16 September 2026, 10 am – 4.30 pm. In person at Swindon Football Club Training Rooms, or online via Zoom. 

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

Find out more and register here.

Breaking Boundaries: Innovations and Complexity in Palliative Care

Organised by Strathcarron Hospice. 30 September - 1 October, Stirling Court Hotel, University of Stirling.

Visit the conference website to view the programme and speaker profiles. Follow the links here for the Call for Abstracts and the Guidance on submitting your Abstract. 

Public Health Palliative Care International Conference: Bridging Culture, Building Compassion

Organised by PHPCI. 6-9 October 2026, Fullon Hotel Tamsui Fisherman’s Wharf, New Taipei City, Taiwan.

Find out more and register here.

Centre for Open Thanatology online conference

Organised by Open Thanatology (The Open University). 21 October, 9:30am-2pm, online.
 
Find out more and register here.

Coping with Professional Grief Workshop

Organised by Hospice UK. 21 October 2026, 10am - 12:30pm, online.

This course is tailored to frontline professionals working in healthcare, care settings, funeral services, social care and more, who may be supporting bereaved families and loved ones, as well as providing support and care for the patient.

Find out more and book your place here.

SPPC Annual Conference: Tools for a Changing World

Organised by SPPC. 28 October 2026, John McIntyre Conference Centre, Edinburgh. 

View the conference webpage here to find out more about the programme and see the call for posters and exhibitors.

Early-bird rates are available until 18 September. Book your place here.

Save the Date: 2026 Bereavement Education Conference

Organised by NES. 11 November 2026, online. Details to follow. 

The conference is now accepting abstracts for the hosting of parallel sessions and poster abstracts.

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.

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

The 7th International Symposium for the Arts in Palliative Care: “Encountering the arts in life, death and grief”

Organised by St Columba’s Hospice Care. 20 November 2026, No17 conference venue, St Columba’s Hospice, Edinburgh and online.

This international symposium has become an annual landmark event for the arts in palliative care. It brings together arts therapists, socially engaged arts practitioners, community artists, arts and health professionals as well as researchers, policy makers and community partners with a commitment to interdisciplinary dialogue and collaboration.

For more information contact Giorgos Tsiris at arts@stcolumbashospice.org.uk. Find out more and register here.

Marie Curie Research into Practice Conference 

Organised by Marie Curie.  Commences 22 February 2027 for one week, online, free.

More information is available here: Research Conference 2027 | Marie Curie

European Association for Palliative Care: 21st World Congress

Organised by EAPC. 20-22 May 2027, Glasgow. The congress’ theme is Humanising the Future: New Generations, New Technologies, Enduring Values. 

4th International Death Literacies Symposium

Organised by the Death Literacy Institute. 11-13 October 2027, Kerala, India. 

Find out more and register here.

Find out more 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.

• Supporting Staff Bereavement in the Workplace, Tuesday 22^nd September 2026, online. For further information and to book your place, click here or email emilyw@hc-uk.org.uk.
• DNACPR and CPR Decisions: Developing Competency in Effective & Person Centred Practice, Friday 25^th September 2026, online. For further information and to book your place, click here or email kerry@hc-uk.org.uk.
• Controlled Drugs Conference: Ensuring the Safer Management, Diversion & Abuse, Prescribing and Use, Wednesday 14^th October 2026, online. For further information and to book your place, click here or email emilyw@hc-uk.org.uk.
• Caldicott Principles & Information Sharing in End of Life Care, Friday 16^th October 2026, online. For more information and to book your place, click here or email emily@hc-uk.org.uk.

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