Welcome to our April 2019 E-bulletin: sharing news & views from the VHS network & updates from Scottish Government & the NHS affecting the voluntary health sector.

VHS News & Events

Cross Party Group on Health Inequalities considers poverty
The CPG will meet on Tuesday 30 April to discuss poverty in relation to health inequalities. Richard Lyle MSP, Co-Convenor of the CPG will chair the meeting and speakers: Douglas Hamilton, Chair of the Poverty & Equalities Commission, will update on the work of the Commission and Wendy Hearty, Project Manager for the Scottish Basic Income Feasibility Study will speak about the recent report exploring the practicalities of a basic income pilot. To register to attend, contact VHS.

Valuing and Sustaining Volunteering in Health
This fully booked conference on 14 May in Glasgow will explore good practice in volunteering in health where it is delivered by NHS and the third sector working together. Please contact Lauren Blair if you have any queries.

We still have a small number of exhibition spaces available at the conference: find out more here.

The Right to Health: VHS Annual Conference 
Save the date! Tuesday 17 September at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Glasgow for our Annual Conference.This year's theme is The Right to Health: taking a human rights approach to health inequalities. If you have any queries, contact Lauren Blair.

Key Messages: Audit Scotland’s Review of Health and Social Care Integration
Read the Key Messages from this recent VHS briefing event which was an opportunity for third sector organisations to actively engage with Audit Scotland on their latest progress report and recommendations on integration: Health and Social Care Integration: Update on Progress .

Policy News

Framework for older people
The Scottish Government has published A Fairer Scotland for Older People - A Framework for Action. The framework aims to challenge inequalities faced by older people and includes commitments on isolation and loneliness, access to public services, mental health, dementia, financial stability and fuel poverty.

Obesity and food marketing
Cancer Research UK has published a report on obesity and shopping. The research suggests people who buy special promotions in supermarkets have a significantly increased chance of becoming obese. The authors assessed over 16,000 British households and found that almost half of all chocolate, crisps and savoury snacks were purchased on offer.

Consultation on alcohol licensing
The Scottish Government have launched a consultation on the draft revised guidance for licensing boards, as part of the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005. The consultation will ask for views on areas where draft revised guidance was unclear and other issues that should be taken into account. The consultation will close on Tuesday 11 June.

Jeane Freeman’s letter on Health and Social Care Integration
The Health & Sport Committee has published a letter from Jeane Freeman on the progress of health and social care integration. She has provided updates on quality improvement methodology, joint interventions, performance data, IJB leadership changes, IT platforms and finances.

VHS Members' News & Events

Support in Mind Scotland win prestigious GSK IMPACT Awards
Congratulations to Support in Mind Scotland, one of the ten charities selected to win a 2019 GSK IMPACT Award. The Awards recognise and reward outstanding small to medium sized charities doing excellent work in improving the health and wellbeing of their communities. The winners each receive £30,000 and access to a training and leadership development programme. 

We need to talk about smoking and poverty
ASH Scotland and the Poverty Alliance are exploring how to support better collaboration between public health and anti-smoking interests. Their new report includes various recommendations for improving language, assumptions and ways of working. 

Digital Life, Legacy and Afterlife
What happens to your online accounts and digital assets when you die?
What will your online legacy be?
How does the digital age affect experiences of mourning and grief?
Marie Curie and Good Life, Good Death, Good Grief, are holding an event in 19 June, 09.30-13.00 in Edinburgh to explore these questions and hear from expert speakers about their work with digital lives, deaths and afterlives. The event will discuss practical elements such as planning, social media, online accounts and memorialisation, and online mourning and grieving, including ethical considerations that go along with it.

11th Walking Cycling Connecting Communities National Active Travel Conference
Celebrating over a decade of promotion and development of active travel, the theme of the conference, on 12 June in Edinburgh is ‘widening access to active travel’. Keynote speakers at  include Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity, Michael Matheson MSP; Scotland’s Active Nation Commissioner, Lee Craigie; and Prof Adrian Davies, Edinburgh Napier University. 

Scotland’s Dementia Awards
Delivered in partnership with Alzheimer Scotland, NHS Education for Scotland and Scottish Social Services Council, the Awards recognise the country’s most innovative and ambitious projects, celebrating the passion and dedication of those who work to support people living with dementia and their families.

Other News

Put yourself on the creativity map!
Voluntary Arts Scotland know there is a wealth of creativity in Scotland and are crowd-sourcing an interactive map to help people find opportunities to get creative in their local area and to encourage groups to connect with one another. The map will also help make the case to funders and policy makers for supporting local infrastructure.

Standards to improve care for 1 million adults with neurological conditions
Healthcare Improvement Scotland have published revised standards to help health and social care professionals improve the care and support provided for the estimated one million adults in Scotland living with neurological conditions. 

Get Heard Scotland: Making Scotland’s transport system work for everyone
As part of Get Heard Scotland, the Poverty Alliance have been asking what can be done to help improve transport -  this event on 29 April, will discuss the links between transport and poverty, where improvements can be made and feed into the Scottish Government's new Transport Strategy. 

ILF Scotland Transition Fund
This Fund provides money, for up to one year, to support young people (ages 16 - 21) living with disabilities (as defined in the Equality Act 2010) to improve their lives and help with the transition after leaving school or children’s services to be more independent and to continue spending time with other people.

Creating Better Lives in the Highlands Small Grants Programme
A new Life Changes Trust grants programme for local organisations across the Highlands.  Local projects can apply for up to £15,000 to deliver work to support people affected by dementia in the Highland area. 

Digital Participation Charter Fund
Round 7 of the Digital Participation Charter Fund is open - the Fund  provides small grants (up to £10,000) to help a range of organisations tackle poverty, social isolation and other forms of inequality through embedding essential digital skills development work in day-to-day activity with their service users.  Deadline for applications is noon on 30 April 2019.

Financial Health Checks for low income families and older people
Citizens Advice Scotland have launched a financial health check service to address child poverty and help reduce health inequalities through addressing economic inequality. The service aims to provide financial advice to maximise income and ensure all entitlements are being received

A New Vision for Social Care in Prison Report.
This report, from University of Dundee, is a key step in the Scottish Government’s review of social care in prisons. Key themes include human rights, equality and diversity issues, the role of social work in prisons and the impact of prison on people with disability and long term conditions. Read the Scottish Government’s response to the report here.

Informing and supporting action to improve health and tackle inequality
This GCPH seminar on 17 April, 4.30-6pm, will explore the issue of health inequalities though the lens of race and inter-sectional identities. 

Faculty of Public Health Conference: Social Justice in Public Health: Call for Abstracts 
Abstracts are now being accepted for this Conference at on 28-29 November.  The theme: social justice in public health – preventing premature death and mortality in Scotland. Submissions by:13 May 2019.

Shingles vaccine awareness for older adults / organisations that work with older adults
Shingles is a painful disease that affects 1 in 4 adults, and is most common in older adults. 1 in 5 people go on to have long-lasting pain. The free shingles vaccine is available to adults who were aged 70 to 79 on 1 September 2018.

 SAMH - Treatment for Depression Survey
SAMH are currently undertaking research into people’s experience of participating in decision making around treatment and support for depression. In order to complete the survey, people need to: be over 16; live in Scotland; have received treatment/support for depression within the last two years; and have major depression (not Bipolar). 

Say No to Upsizing
NHS Health Scotland has welcomed the Food Standards Scotland (FSS) campaign to raise awareness of the impact of ‘upsizing’ on levels of overweight and obesity in Scotland. 

Scottish Government news
Expansion of free personal care
Domestic Abuse Act in force
Increasing support for those with autism
Wheelchair accessible homes
Poverty & income inequality increasing
Maternity Care Survey
Plan for quicker cancer diagnosis
Review of Mental Health Act
Funding to tackle child poverty
Supporting people with learning disabilities

Dates for your diary
30 April Health Inequalities CPG Mtg: Poverty & Health
13-19 May Mental Health Awareness Week: body image
14 May VHS Valuing & Sustaining Volunteering Conference
20 May Impact: the 3rd Health and Social Care Integration event
1-7 June Volunteers' Week
3 June Alzheimer Scotland Annual Conference 2019
3-9 June Dementia Awareness Week
12 June 2019 Active Travel Conference: Widening Access to Active Travel

Other opportunities for VHS Members

Research Opportunity - Royal Society for the Support of Women in Scotland (RSSWS)
The RSSWS has been in existence for 150 years and provides support for older single women through annuities and supplementary grants.  In 2017-18 the Society provided financial assistance amounting to £1,217,040 to 924 women. The number of beneficiaries has grown significantly in recent years, and applications continue to grow. The Trustees wish to consider where such an organisation fits into the landscape in Scotland in relation to grant support for women experiencing financial hardship and invite tenders to undertake a research project.

Newsdirect - Political Intelligence
Looking to promote your issues in the Scottish Parliament? Newsdirect is offering VHS members a discount on subscriptions on their daily parliamentary and political briefing, 'Health Today'.
Contact Newsdirect if you're interested in subscribing.