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

VHS News & Events

VHS Annual Lecture and AGM 2019
A not to be missed opportunity to hear two substantive presentations from Dr William Bird and Dr Roy Robertson, two GP's who have occupied the front line in addressing health inequalities for many years and continue to be in  the vanguard of changing how we think and act on prevention and harm reduction.

This half day morning event on 20 November in Edinburgh, followed by a networking buffet lunch, is open to anyone with an active interest and involvement in health policy or practice and we particularly encourage our full members to attend, as the event includes a short AGM - AGM papers have been circulated and are available on our website. Register here.

Health Inequalities Cross Party Group: Men’s Health Inequalities
The next meeting of the Cross Party Group on Health Inequalities will take place at 6pm on the 21 January. Richard Lyle MSP, Co Convenor of the CPG, will chair the meeting.

Cross Party Group on Health Inequalities: Study Visit- Art in Hospitals
Join us on the afternoon of 28 January for an opportunity for CPG members to engage with a practical approach to addressing health inequalities in a clinical setting. The charity Art in Hospital enables patients to develop their own creativity through participation in a visual arts programme in hospitals, care homes and the community. Barbara McEwan Gulliver, Artistic Director, will give a short presentation which will be followed by an opportunity to observe a workshop and meet with patients, clinicians, artists, family members and staff.

Realising the Right to Health: VHS Annual Conference 
Read the Key Messages from our Annual Conference ‘Realising the Right to Health’. You will also find presentations from the day along with Guest Blogs from the Poster Competition and photos from the day.

Invitation to the Healthy Universities for Healthy Communities Final Showcase Event
Join the  Scottish Universities Insight Institute (SUII) on 5 December to celebrate the success of their ‘Healthy Universities for Healthy Communities Project’. VHS is a partner in this initiative, led by the School of Nursing and Health Sciences at the University of Dundee. In the informal morning celebration, they will the ideas and insights generated in the knowledge cafés and workshops, held earlier this year, to identify collaborative university-community approaches to improving health and wellbeing for all. In the afternoon, the keynote speaker, Dr. Matt Dolf (Director, Strategic Support, UBC Wellbeing, University of British Columbia), will be joined by representatives of the UK Healthy Universities Network and community residents in providing local, national and international perspectives on developing healthier and happier communities. 

Save the Date!
The Gathering 2020 is on 19 & 20 February in Glasgow and VHS will be hosting a workshop on both days - more details soon.

Policy News

Health and Sport Committee Stage 2 Inquiry into Primary Care Evidence Session
Our vision for the future of primary care is for an effective, person centred and compassionate system that understands its role in addressing health inequalities, and that is confident and able to work with third sector partners (read our written response to the inquiry). Watch VHS Chief Executive, Claire Stevens and colleagues from the third sector giving oral evidence to the Committee last month.

 Scotland’s National Transport Strategy, loneliness and social isolation
VHS’s  written response to the Scottish Government’s current consultation on a National Transport Strategy was informed both by our members’ work and our 2018 study into the lived experience of loneliness and social isolation The Zubairi Report.

Forensic mental health services: independent review
This is an independent review looking into how forensic mental health services are being delivered in hospitals, prisons and the community across Scotland. A call for evidence opened on 14 October 2019 and closes on 17 January 2020. 

Committee report on health budget highlights cost of delayed discharge
The Health & Sport Committee has published a report on the health budget for 2020-21. It highlights the significant cost of delaying a patient’s discharge in comparison to immediate care, care homes or care at home alternatives. The Committee heard evidence which suggested three weeks in hospital for an older person could be the equivalent of 30 years of ageing. Highlighting ISD figures which found rising levels of delayed discharge, the Committee called for efforts to reduce unscheduled admissions and to ensure patient need is met in other areas of the NHS.

National Taskforce for Human Rights Leadership holds first meeting
The Scottish Government’s National Taskforce for Human Rights Leadership has met for the first time - it will consider the recommendations of the First Minister’s Advisory Group on Human Rights Leadership. A new statutory framework will also be developed to improve human rights protections for Scottish citizens and will evaluate how public participation can be improved.

Joint Action Plan to improve lives of Gypsy/Travellers published
The Scottish Government and COSLA have published a Joint Action Plan to improve the lives of Scotland’s Gypsy/Travellers. The £3m plan covers improving accommodation, access to public services, outcomes in and out of work, tackling discrimination and improving Gypsy/Traveller representation. Local authorities are to use £2m to improve accommodation, with the remaining funding going to third sector children’s education schemes and health and social care projects. 

VHS Members' News & Events

Scotland Bans Pavement Parking
The ban on pavement parking is the culmination of over a decade of campaigning by Living Streets Scotland and disability charities. It means that people in wheelchairs, parents with pushchairs and older adults who are currently forced into oncoming traffic when faced with vehicles blocking their path will now be able to enjoy a new freedom.

#NoAddressInThePress
When a family member goes to prison the family feel like they’ve hit rock bottom, but when their address is printed in the press they have a whole new situation to deal with. Despite Council of Europe Recommendations, and the United Nations Convention for the Rights of the Child, when a person is sentenced for a crime their home address is usually printed in the press leaving their children and families to face victimisation from their communities and the general public. In order to protect vulnerable children and families from facing these issues Families Outside are running a Campaign:  #NoAddressInThePress, encouraging people to sign our petition in the hope that we can change legislation and stop private addresses being printed by the media.To support us and help protect vulnerable families please sign now! #NoAddressInThePress

Say yes ACAN!
The Children’s Parliament have published a report commissioned by Alcohol Focus Scotland describing how children feel about alcohol. AFS will release more studies raised by the Children’s Parliament report during the next few months. An Alcohol-free Childhood Action Network (ACAN) will be developed over the next two years as a vehicle for sharing good practice and as a forum to influence a national effort towards improving the lives of our young people. AFS want to involve local voluntary organisations in this work. The initial focus over the coming months will be considering how organisations might support the forthcoming consultation on alcohol marketing. ACAN's first focus group meeting will be in Glasgow on 5 December 2019, 10.30 to 16.00. To register your interest in ACAN and a provisional note of interest in the December meeting, simply email: Yes ACAN and or Yes to meeting - to AFS - details will follow.

#MyFamilyMyRights - Highlands Roadshow
Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol & Drugs is launching a My Family, My Rights programme of work to help ensure that the rights and commitments outlined in  Scottish Government strategy 'Rights, Respect and Recovery' become reality for families across Scotland. They're heading to the Highlands - starting in Fort William on 6 November and then heading to Inverness and Wick - join them to discuss family rights.

Fair Dementia Care Events
Alzheimer Scotland is holding events across the country to launch their new documentary 'Dementia: the true cost' which focuses on the inequalities that people with advanced dementia, their families and carers, are experiencing.

Building and sustaining compassionate communities - The Role of the Church
Faith in Older People in collaboration with Scottish partnership on Palliative Care, invite you to book your place at their conference on 27 November in Edinburgh to discuss "The role of the Churches in supporting people with end of life matters".

Pockets & Prospects Programme
On the back of the success of Senscot and Glasgow Social Enterprise Networks Pockets & Prospects Programme (P&P) which brings social enterprise activities and services into the heart of communities to help tackle loneliness and social isolation, their 2019 Programme will build on the links established last year  and develop further the ties between local SEs and community anchor organisations in addressing the problems of loneliness and social isolation in communities across the city. A session showcasing the P & P Programme will be part of the SE Annual Conference on 25-26 November. 

Health in Mind’s training courses
HiM training courses taking place January - March 2020 offer a range of nationally recognised, certificated courses which can count towards Continuing Professional Development. Courses include Scotland’s Mental Health First Aid (general information about mental health difficulties), ASIST, Scotland’s Mental Health First Aid for Young People and Trauma Training. Find out more  (including costs): here  and book onto current courses on Eventbrite here. If you require more information please contact: training. 

Other News

New network for arts and health researchers
With a view to establishing a research network in Scotland, this is the first in a series of informal ‘brown bag’ lunchtime events to establish interest and begin to map research activity that is being led by academics and practitioners across the fields of arts, culture, health and wellbeing. The research network will encompass both the production of evidence and the quality of practice relevant to work in health, wellbeing, social and care contexts. This initiative is in parallel with the development of the Arts and Health Scotland network, which VHS is actively involved in and supporting.
If you are involved in research (producing knowledge in the form of evidence or reflective practice) and would like to be a part of developing this new, exciting network, please come along! All welcome and don't forget to bring your lunch. Register here and if you have any questions, please email. Led in partnership with the Arts Health Early Career Research Network.

Better Breaks Funding Programme
The programme provides 12 month grants to third sector organisations to develop and deliver short breaks projects and services for disabled children and young people (aged 20 and under), and their carers (adult and/or young carers). Deadline is 5pm on  21 November 2019.

Baillie Gifford: Community Awards Programme
The final round deadline for this community awards programme aimed at supporting grass roots community organisations across the whole of Scotland  is 5 December 2019. The programme will consider grants of up to £2K which fit at least one of the stipulated priorities.

DM Thomas Foundation for Young People
The Foundation provide funding for organisations which work to improve the lives of children and young people. Their grants focus on providing equipment, training, and support to young people, and are administered through Central grants, donor advised funds and Foundation Giveaways.

ARC Scotland - ‘Principles into Practice’ consultation
The Scottish Transitions Forum aims to improve the experiences of young people (14-25) who require additional support who are making the transition to young adult life. ‘Principles into Practice’ is a draft framework to support the practical implementation of the ‘Principles of Good Transitions’ across Scotland. It provides a means of addressing the issues young people and their families tell us are most important to them around transitions, and ensuring they receive holistic, person-centred and coordinated support. It draws together current legislation, practice and policy across all sectors.

Could you host a nursing student in 2020?
A fantastic opportunity from the University of Stirling for your voluntary organisation to host an Honours year Nursing Student for a short placement module focused on ‘Alternative Perspectives of Health’.  This new module aims to provide the students with some insight and experience of working with non-NHS organisations to provide them with an understanding of how health can be addressed in a wider sense.  The module commences in May 2020 and there is some flexibility with the length and start date of the placement: 6-10 weeks, thereby allowing it to fit with any potential project work.  Your role as placement host would be to facilitate the placement, the University will carry out supervision of the students. Further information please contact: Dawn Cameron University of Stirling.

NHS Health Scotland Blog: Child poverty – it’s just not on
Kerry McKenzie, Organisational Lead on Child Poverty at NHS Health Scotland discusses the impact of poverty on children’s health and wellbeing and the positive action that is being taken in Scotland.

Trustee Information and Guidance Pack - BETA
To help trustees know what guidance is most suitable for them, OSCR are trialling a new Charity trustee information and guidance pack.

‘The Contribution of Volunteering to Scotland’s Health and Wellbeing'
Volunteering must adapt now if it's to be fit for the future, according to a major new report by Volunteer Scotland and the Scottish Volunteering Forum. The in-depth study that looks as far ahead as 2040 reveals how volunteering can help Scottish society face some of its biggest challenges: an ageing population, labour market skills shortages, mental and physical ill-health, social isolation and loneliness, and poor community engagement.​ Two supporting documents are designed to guide volunteering policy and practice: The contribution of volunteering to a healthier and happier Scotland: How organisations can help to influence policy and practice in Scotland. and Optimising Health and Wellbeing Benefits from Volunteering: Good Practice for Engaging and Supporting Volunteers.

Public policy and the infrastructure of kindness in Scotland
Between October 2018 and January 2019, the University of Edinburgh hosted a series of discussions on kindness in policy. Drawing on these conversations, Public policy and the infrastructure of kindness in Scotland seeks to explore what we mean when we talk about kindness, and how the National Performance Framework could help build and sustain an ‘infrastructure of kindness’.

A Collective Force for Health and Wellbeing
The joint action plan sponsored by the Scottish Library and Information Council, The ALLIANCE and Scottish Government is available here. It sets out a national commitment to working together across libraries in all sectors, health and social care, and the third sector, to improve health literacy and self-management in the community.

Carnegie UK Trust New resources for co-creation
This new resource tool has been developed by a collaboration between university, business, local authority and the third sector (sometimes referred to as the ‘quadruple helix’). It provides guidance and principles to support people from different sectors to work together to create the maximum impact from research. If you have any thoughts, please contact Carnegie .

Pharmacy + Mental Health
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) in Scotland is calling for an “exploration” of new models of care to enable pharmacists to better support people with their mental health. 

Health and Social Care Scotland
Have released a new Statement of Intent and five essential elements which will drive future national collaborative conversations on key areas. The Statement reflects a longstanding strategic commitment between the Partnerships to develop and deliver health and social care services in an integrated way.

Scottish Government news
Improving the lives of Gypsy/Travellers: 2019-2021
Consultation on smoking outside hospital buildings
New benefit for young carers
£27m funding for active travel
Supporting communities to deliver change​
New fund to improve benefit take-up
Extra money to combat homelessness
Diet & healthy weight: monitoring report
Consultation on sales ban of energy drinks to children
New £11.5 million fund to tackle poverty and inequality
More mental health support for students

Dates for your diary
4 - 9 Nov Dyslexia Awareness Week
15 Nov Spokes Autumn public meeting, New Cycling Solutions for Edinburgh
18 Nov Scottish Cancer Conference 2019
20 Nov VHS AGM & Lecture
21 & 22 Nov Nourish Scotland Conference: Game Plan for a Good Food Nation
25 & 26 Nov SENSCOT Conference 2019: theme is Community Wealth and Wellbeing
25 & 26 Nov OSS National Sport Summit
2 Dec Alzheimer Scotland Prof John Starr Lecture 2019
6 Dec Wellbeing Scotland: 16 Days of Action & AGM 

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.

Smoking and Mental Health: Understanding the IMPACT
Wednesday 11 December 2019 / Wednesday 26 February 2020 (both 10.00-12.00)
Free, two-hour nationally-recognised training around the links between smoking and mental health is available for third-sector organisations to help address the inequalities linked to higher smoking rates amongst people experiencing poor mental health.

The training aims to equip workers who support people with lived experience of mental health problems with the knowledge, skills and confidence to initiate a conversation on smoking, and to discuss options for supporting people who are ready to quit.  It is based on a Guidance pack, developed by ASH Scotland, which offers practical solutions to this complex issue – and includes evidence on the effect that tobacco smoke has on reducing the efficacy of many mental health medications. The training comprises a one-hour online session (to be completed in advance) and a two-hour face-to-face session delivered in central Edinburgh.​

Smoking and Mental Health: IMPACT Training for Trainers
Wednesday 13 November 2019 / Wednesday 12 February 2020 (both 10.00-16.00)
Free, six-hour training for trainers to enable them to deliver IMPACT training on smoking and mental health is available for third-sector organisations. The IMPACT ‘Training for Trainers’ course is designed for all those who have a training remit within third-sector organisations or NHS services - the aim is to enable participants to deliver IMPACT training, complete associated administrative tasks, and to collate and report on evaluation feedback. Previous knowledge of issues relating to smoking and/or mental health is not required, but there is an expectation that participants will undertake additional self-study around both topics once they have completed this course.  Supplementary learning resources can be provided by ASH Scotland. The training comprises a one-hour online session (to be completed in advance) and a six-hour face-to-face session delivered in central Edinburgh.

For more information, please visit IMPACT or phone ASH Scotland on 0131 225 4725