Welcome to our March 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. The meeting will be chaired by Richard Lyle MSP, Co-Convenor of the CPG. Speakers are Douglas Hamilton, Chair of the Poverty and Equalities Commission and Gwen Irvine, Senior Policy and Development Officer  at Carnegie UK Trust. Douglas will update on the work of the Commission and Gwen will report on Carnegie's report exploring the practicalities of a basic income pilot. To register to attend, contact VHS.

WHO chooses CPG on Health Inequalities for case study study
Last month the World Health Organisation European Office for Investment for Health and Development liaised with VHS to develop a case study on the work of the CPG on Health Inequalities. This will appear in WHO's forthcoming report on health equity in Europe. The report is part of the WHO Health Equity Status Report Initiative and is due to be published in June 2019. We will keep you posted. 

Valuing and Sustaining Volunteering in Health
Our conference on 14 May in Glasgow is fully booked, with over 100 delegates registered to attend. You can join the waiting list to be notified if a place becomes available. The conference will explore good practice in volunteering in health where it is delivered by NHS and the third sector working together. We are still finalising the programme and looking for table facilitators so if you would like to be involved, please contact Lauren Blair

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

VHS Members vote for new constitution
Thank you to all Full Members who voted unanimously for VHS to adopt new charitable purposes and a new constitution. At our EGM on 28 February members also enjoyed presentations from Paul Okroj OBE (Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland) on Universal and Equal Rights to Rehabilitation and Gina Alexander (Care Opinion) on The Power of People’s Stories to Affect Health and Social Care. 

The future of public health – bicycle or frog?
Read the Key Messages from our workshop at The Gathering on 20th February. 

Mental wellbeing, social isolation and loneliness in rural Scotland
Read the Key Messages from our second workshop at The Gathering on 20th February. 

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. To be kept up to date on conference developments or if you have any questions, contact Lauren Blair.

Keeping the Conversation Going on culture, health and wellbeing
Read the notes and planned next steps from our latest round table on culture, health and wellbeing, held 4th February.  Since the round table took place, VHS has been invited by Arts and Health Scotland to partner with them for their planned development day, which will take place on a date in early May to be announced. Please note that VHS’s next event on culture, health and wellbeing (with Scottish Rural Health Partnership) in Inverness on 26th March booked up almost immediately, and we have a significant waiting list for places. 

Policy News

Public Health Scotland and Community Planning Events
Public Health Reform in partnership with the Scottish Community Planning Network has organised a series of regional engagements (multiple dates in March) for community planning partners on the development of Public Health Scotland and support for community planning. The events are to engage community planning partners from across Scotland to inform the design of Public Health Scotland and its relationship with community planning partnerships.

Changing Places Toilets - Building Standards Consultation
A change in legislation is proposed to help more people across Scotland with complex care needs take part in everyday activities such as travel, shopping, family days out or sporting events. Changing Places Toilets (CPTs) offer larger, supported facilities that address the needs of people for whom current accessible sanitary accommodation is inadequate. A network of nearly 200 CPTs exists across Scotland but there is no current legislation requiring their provision within buildings.  The government have launched a consultation on proposals to introduce a requirement for CPTs through revisions to the building standards system.

Scottish Parliament Health & Sport Committee Work Programme for 2019-21
Three new inquiries: Primary care, Social Care Capacity and  Medicines to be undertaken before the 2021 election.

Health Committee to launch primary care inquiry
The Health & Sport Committee are exploring the future of primary care in a new inquiry.  The Committee has opened a public survey which closes on Tuesday 30 April. The survey focuses on services users’ experiences and asks what primary care should look like to best serve people's needs and how it can be more accessible with the use of multidisciplinary teams.

The Scottish Obesity Alliance
The Alliance launched on Wednesday 5th December and they have recently published their Manifesto which showcases their vision for a Scotland which promotes health and wellbeing and identifies key areas where urgent action is required. 

CPG on Women's Health
The next meeting of the CPG on Women’s Health is on  Tuesday 19 March from 6 – 8pm at the Scottish Parliament, on the topic of women’s heart health Please RSVP  to attend.

VHS Members' News & Events

Advanced dementia care report
Alzheimer Scotland launched a new report: Delivering Fair Dementia Care for People with Advanced Dementia - the report highlights the complex needs people living with advanced dementia face, and calls for them to have equal access to free healthcare just like other progressive illnesses in Scotland. 

Salvesan Mindroom undertakes learning difficulties research
The Children and Youth Studies Research Unit at the University of Edinburgh is undertaking some scoping studies with The Salvesen Mindroom Centre on the experiences of children and young people with learning difficulties, and their families.  For further information and the scoping study questions please email, by 31 March.

Private Members Bill on Brexit, health and social care
The  Private Members Bill on an independent evaluation of Brexit and health and social care now has 101 organisations supporting it, including VHS, but new supporters are welcome. Email Andrew Strong at The Health and Social Care Alliance for further information.

Public Health Reform: engagement workshop series
Supported by the Scottish Government Public Health Reform Programme Team, The ALLIANCE is hosting a series of workshops to explore how Public Health Reform can be shaped to support the work of third sector organisations. 

Re-imagining health and wellbeing in Aberdeen
Following Aberdeen's  Enterprising Third Sector Conference, Aberdeen Council of Voluntary Organisations (ACVO) have produced a collection of short videos on what third sector leaders have to say about crucial issues affecting health and wellbeing in Aberdeen. The topics cover employee wellbeing, travelling well with dementia, ensuring that children don’t learn safety by accident, and more. Sharing ideas is the first step towards change... 

Dementia and the outdoors guidance note
Paths for All have produced this guidance note to ensure that everyone living with dementia can enjoy the benefits of walking, being outdoors and connecting with nature.

Blog: A recovery focused approach to Participatory Budgeting 
Holly Hendry, from The Scottish Recovery Network explores her experience and input into #YouChoose3, a local funding opportunity supported by recovery themes.

Other News

Oral Health Community Challenge Fund
The Scottish Government’s Chief Dental Officer and Dentistry Division is inviting applications to the Community Challenge Fund for 2019-22 from small to medium size third sector organisations.  Grants between £7,000 to £30,000 per annum for up to 2 years and 9 months are available for projects relating to reducing oral health inequalities in areas of multiple deprivation in Scotland. The closing date for applications is midday on Thursday 21 March 2019. 

Corra Foundation - Henry Duncan Awards
The Henry Duncan Awards supports grassroots charities in Scotland with an income of less than £500,000 which are delivering programmes or services clearly focused on improving the quality of life for people who are disadvantaged. There is particular interest in applications which are focused on supporting: vulnerable children and young people, isolated older people, carers, families in poverty and people affected by disability or mental health issues. 

Tesco Bags of Help Centenary Grants
Tesco Bags of Help Centenary Grants are open for not for profit organisations to apply for £25,000 for projects that bring significant benefit to communities. Voting for these grants will take place in July/August and November/December 2019. Following the vote, the project that receives the most votes in the voting region will receive a grant of up to £25,000, second place receiving up to £15,000 and third place up to £10,000. The July/August 2019 voting period will feature projects with a Health and Wellbeing theme, and projects focussing on cancer, heart disease and diabetes will be prioritised.

New ScotPHO reports 
Gains in life expectancy have stalled in Scotland in recent years and two Scottish Public Health Observatory reports explore the impact in Scotland. One report aims to compare life expectancy trends in Scotland to those seen internationally, and the other report explores the relationship between stalling mortality improvements and socio-economic inequalities.

Social prescribing: redefining health and social care
A new CHEX Briefing explores the role social prescribing could play in redefining the health and social care model in Scotland.

Call to participate in psychological health study
Postgraduate student-researchers from the University of Strathclyde’s School of Psychological Health and Sciences are conducting a study aimed at understanding the thoughts and feelings (including suicidal thoughts and behaviours) experienced by people living in Scotland. They are seeking participants aged 16 years or older and currently living in Scotland who have part-time or full-time jobs. The study comprises an online survey which can be completed at any time.

The Scottish Charity Awards are back!
Now in its 13th year, the Awards highlight the best, most innovative and effective charity organisations and individuals from the past year, and celebrate those who make a difference in our communities. There are eight award categories – Charity of the Year, Charity Champion, Demonstrating Digital, Pioneering Project, Terrific Trustee, Leading Light, Celebrating Communities and Cracking Campaign – with the winners to be decided by a panel of judges and announced at a glittering awards ceremony on Friday 14 June. 

CPG on Women's Health
The next meeting of the CPG on Women’s Health is on  Tuesday 19 March from 6 – 8pm at the Scottish Parliament, on the topic of women’s heart health Please RSVP  to attend.

Private Members Bill on Brexit, health and social care
The  Private Members Bill on an independent evaluation of Brexit and health and social care now has 101 organisations supporting it but new supporters are welcome:  Email Andrew, at the Alliance for further information.

Scottish Government news
Mental health care for new mums
Building Better Disability Assistance Benefits
Organ & tissue donation changes
Support for eating disorders
Fuel poverty
Brexit & the 3rd Sector
Increase in mental health workforce
Better sanitary facilities for disabled

Dates for your diary
14 March Disabled Access Day
15 March Scottish Sensory and Equality Conference
30 April Health Inequalities CPG Mtg: Poverty & Health
14 May VHS Valuing & Sustaining Volunteering Conference
20 May Impact: the 3rd Health and Social Care Integration event
3 June Alzheimer Scotland Annual Conference 2019

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.