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

VHS News & Events

Enter the Conference Poster Competition: We would like to invite you to enter the competition by completing the form on our website. We want the posters to showcase current and effective work and projects which  ‘Realise the right to health’. The winner will be decided on the day by the attendees.

Want to be more involved in the day? Find out more about our exhibition and sponsor opportunities.

Third sector round table on infection control
This round table, organised by VHS in partnership with Health Protection Scotland and Coalition of Care Providers Scotland, on 6 August (10am-1pm)  in Glasgow is an opportunity for third sector organisations to discuss the health protection issues they encounter in their work, find out more about the support and resources Health Protection Scotland (HPS) can offer, and share any good policies and practice. The round table is also an opportunity to explore whether the NHS Scotland National Infection Prevention and Control Manual is a useful resource for the third sector, and whether other resources would be useful. We will also discuss how best to develop further engagement between HPS and our sector, taking into account Public Health Scotland’s future role in leading partnership working, innovation and meaningful change across the whole public health system.
To express an interest email .

Healthy Universities for Healthy Communities - Knowledge Cafe Series
VHS is a partner in this new initiative, led by the School of Nursing and Health Sciences at the University of Dundee. A third knowledge café event: Exploring Opportunities for Promoting Health and Wellbeing Across Scottish Universities and Communities -  to explore, discuss and co-develop recommendations for policy and practice, will be held in Glasgow at the Scottish Universities Insight Institute, University of Strathclyde, Collins Building, 22 Richmond Street, Glasgow, G1 1XQ on 25 July, 12.30-3.30 (with lunch). If you would like to attend and for more information, email .
A final Showcase event, to share conclusions and recommendations, will be held in Dundee on 18 September.

VHS call for early implementation of the Income Supplement Benefit
We are one of more than 70 charities, faith groups and health campaigners backing a call on the First Minister to speed up the introduction of a new income supplement to tackle child poverty. The supplement is currently not due to be introduced until 2022, but campaigners say that is too far away for families living in poverty, and want to see legislation included in the next Programme for Government and an interim version to be delivered ahead of legislation being passed.

Save the dates!
Health Inequalities Cross Party Group AGM 2019: the HICPG will meet on Tuesday 1 October 2019 at 5pm to hold the AGM and a normal business meeting. The meeting will be chaired by Anas Sarwar MSP, Co-Convenor of the CPG. VHS is Secretariat of the Group. Email  to register.

VHS Parliamentary Reception of the Health Inequalities Cross Party Group, Sponsored by Anas Sarwar MSP, in the Garden Lobby of the Scottish Parliament  on Tuesday 5 November.

VHS AGM will be a half day morning event followed by lunch on 20 November in Edinburgh. We are delighted to welcome as our guest speaker, Dr William Bird MBE, CEO and Founder of Intelligent Health, GP, creator of Green Gyms, Beat the Street & Health Walks.

Policy News

Holiday meals and activities for children
The Scottish Government has announced funding for school meals and activities during the summer holidays. Children from low income families will see increased support from charities and council, backed by a Government investment of £350,000.

Minimum Unit Pricing Evaluation Published
NHS Health Scotland has published the Monitoring & Evaluating Scotland’s Alcohol Strategy Final Report 2019. The analysis shows that Scottish people bought less alcohol in 2018 than any year on record. This is following the implementation of Minimum Unit Pricing in May 2018. However, despite the decline in sales, Scottish adults on average still bought more alcohol than those in England and Wales. The report also shows alcohol specific death rates are consistently higher in Scotland than in England and Wales.

Public Health Scotland Consultation: Third Sector Sounding Board
Thank you to everyone who attended our sounding board to  find out more about Public Health Scotland and the Scottish Government consultation. We encourage all our members to respond to the consultation and send us their responses. The VHS consultation response and any responses our members send us will be published on our website. The Closing date for the consultation is 5pm on 8th July 2019.

Whistleblowing consultation
VHS have been meeting and liaising with the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman to get across voluntary health sector questions, issues and views.

Implementation Group of A Connected Scotland
The Group met for the second time on 3 July at Bridgend Farmhouse and welcomed new members from Creative Scotland and Business in the Community. There was a rich discussion about prioritising action within A Connected Scotland.

VHS Members' News & Events

Hilda Campbell of Cope Scotland pens a new Blog
Hilda Campbell's blog on a new project they have undertaken alongside Drumchapel and Yoker GP Cluster called the Jigsaw Project. The project aimed to better understand and help to find solutions for people who experience long term or recurring mental health difficulties who also face barriers to accessing and using existing services.

“A dose of greenspace could be just what the doctor ordered”
Edinburgh & Lothians Health Foundation, NHS Lothian and greenspace scotland have published Scotland’s first health board-led Green Health Strategy. Greenspace is often described as ‘our natural health service’, with a growing body of research evidence showing its positive benefits for physical and mental health and wellbeing. 
Access the Strategy, action plan, logic models, evidence and policy reviews

A Highland Hello
A collaborative Scottish Recovery Network project the “Highland Hello” began as a discussion around community connections and social isolation in the Highlands, and how to connect people in the area through saying “hello”. Posters are now available to download for free in different colours and languages.

The Gambling Education Hub
The Gambling Education Hub is a Fast Forward preventative and educational programme addressing youth gambling and problem gambling. GambleAware funded training on 11 July in Stirling and 24 July in Inverness will focus on harm reduction and aims to upskill staff and volunteers on problem gambling, in relation to its impact on people’s lives.

Lisa’s Blog: Volunteering at The Victoria Hospice
Lisa Taylor is Project Officer for Scottish Health Council, part of Healthcare Improvement Scotland.

Contact the Elderly  launch 25th group in Edinburgh
Contact the Elderly, which tackles social isolation through parties providing tea, cake and companionship, has launched its 25th Edinburgh group, part of a network of more than 130 groups across Scotland catering regularly for more than 1,000 guests. The premise is simple – bringing together people, over a cuppa for an informal chat and friendship. To find out more about becoming a guest or volunteer email.

Other News

2020 GSK IMPACT Awards - Core funding and free training for health charities
The Awards reward charities that are doing excellent work to improve people’s health. Organisations must be at least three years old, working in a health-related field in the UK, with income between £80,000 and £2.5 million. Up to 20 awards will be made ranging from £3,000 to £40,000 plus free training valued at up to £9,500. Organisations will also have a film made, receive help with press and publicity and be given a set of promotional materials. Closing date: 23 September 2019. View film of 2019 Scottish winner – Support in Mind Scotland: aiming to improve the quality of life for people whose mental health has a serious impact on their life, particularly those living in rural areas.

Calling Time for Change
Drink Wise, Age Well have released data to show harmful drinking is declining among every age group except the over 50s. The survey coincides with the publication of Calling Time for Change, a charter for politicians and policy makers in Scotland about how to reduce alcohol harm among people over 50.

Junk Food Advertising Restrictions
A survey from Obesity Action Scotland indicates strong support amongst Scottish adults for a 9pm watershed to be applied to TV, online and outdoor adverts for junk food.

Food Mapping Research
If your organisation  provides free or subsidised food to households experiencing food insecurity Urban Roots wants to hear from you. The survey will give a better picture of what is happening across Scotland to tackle food insecurity and end hunger by 2030.

Hard Edges Scotland
This new research commissioned by Lankelly Chase and The Robertson Trust looks at the complexity of the lives of people facing multiple disadvantage in Scotland. Small grants are being offered to support people, organisations and communities to hold new conversations about severe and multiple disadvantage. 

Power Up initiative
This new fund aims to improve economic inclusion by increasing the digital skills of working age adults. The initiative is a partnership between the Good Things Foundation and J.P. Morgan, with SCVO as Scottish Strategic partners.

Health Issues in the Community (HIIC)
HIIC is a training programme managed by CHEX which looks at issues such as health, poverty, power and social justice and aims to increase community capacity and  participation, and establish/consolidate community development approaches to tackling inequalities in health. The next programme is on 17 & 18 September 2019.

A Cinema Near You
A Cinema Near You  is a two year development programme which aims to improve access to screen and cinema provision in Scotland, targeting those communities where the need is greatest, and where the benefits may be most significant. Funded by the National Lottery through Creative Scotland, it will be operated by Regional Screen Scotland in partnership with Film Hub Scotland, and supported by Screen Scotland.

Healthy Active Minds Project
Edinburgh Leisure has launched a film, sharing ‘real-life’ stories where people’s mental health issues have been improved through physical activity. The Healthy Active Minds project, uses physical activity to improve mental wellbeing and welcomes referrals.

Parliament Outreach Team launch monthly e-Newsletter
The Community Outreach Team at the Parliament are launching a  e-Newsletter to keep the third/community sector up-to-date with what’s happening at Holyrood. It will also high-light opportunities for groups and individuals to have their say in parliamentary business, as well as outlining opportunities for training and parliamentary awareness sessions that the Team can offer. To sign up: email.

Scottish Government news
Financial support for carers
Tackling child poverty
Psychosis: early intervention action plan
National taskforce to lead on human rights
Extra support for young carers
Better treatment for prostate cancer
Making school food healthier
Alcohol sales fall to 25 year low
Benefit targets child poverty
Supporting young mums
Creating a fairer social security system
Support for emergency responders
Children & Young People's Mental Health Task Force Recommendations
Charity law consultation responses published

Dates for your diary
6 August Third Sector Round Table: Preventing and Controlling Infection in Community Settings
17 Sept VHS Annual Conference 2019: Realising the Right to Health
19 Sept SPPC Annual Conference 2019 - 'Provocation, Innovation and Eternal Truths'

Other opportunities for VHS Members
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.