Welcome to the May Network Newsletter!

​​​​Welcome to the May edition of the Network newsletter and a big hello and welcome to any new subscribers. It was great to see so many of you at our annual Conference earlier this month. We hope you enjoyed connecting with each other and congratulations to our awards finalists and winners (more below).

The Scottish Community Link Worker Network is the national network, developed and facilitated by Voluntary Health Scotland for primary care community link working in Scotland.

Please visit our webpage for the latest blogs, reports and information about the Network. You can follow us on Twitter @ScotCLWnetwork and don't forget to share your news and updates with us. 

Events, Workshops and Training

Scottish Community Link Worker Network Events

Don't forget that you can find booking details, presentations and key messages from all of our SCLWN events on our events page. 

SCLWN Annual Conference and Awards
It was great to see so many of you at our 2025 Annual Conference and Awards in Glasgow. Thanks to everyone who made the effort to travel, especially those coming from the Highlands and Islands. You can read the key messages report, view the PowerPoint presentations and see the photos from the day on our events page.   

SCLWN Knowledge Exchange - 29 May
Our next Knowledge Exchange will take place on 29 May and feature presentations and discussions from Bowel Cancer UK, Action Against Stalking and The Palliative Care Alliance. You can find out more information and book your place here.

SCLWN Leads Peer Support Event - 17 June
Our next SCLWN Leads Peer Support Event will take place on 17 June from 10-12 noon. This event is specifically for those who have responsiblity for the operational or strategic management of their CLW programmes and gives them an opportunity to get together with their peers to share good practice.  

YGam - Gaming and Gambling Harm Prevention Training - 24 June
The Scottish Community Link Worker Network is working with award-winning charity Ygam to offer CLWs City and Guilds Gaming and Gambling Harm Prevention Training in June.  More information and book your place here.

Other Events, Training and Resources

Scottish Recovery Network - Peer Connects Events 2025/26
Peer Connects is a programme of free learning events and webinars from the Scottish Recovery Network, featuring guest contributors, networking opportunities, new tools and a chance to share practice with other people passionate about peer support.  

An Evening Conversation - Living Well with Dementia - 3 June
VHS is delighted to be part of the event jointly hosted by Open University in Scotland and University of the West of Scotland on Living Well with Dementia at Dumfries Campus - University of the West of Scotland (UWS). VHS CE Tejesh Mistry is a guest speaker, alongside industry experts in the field of dementia.  Find out more and book your free ticket here.

Cross Party Group on Health Inequalities - 4 June
The next hybrid meeting of the Cross Party Group on Health Inequalities will take place on 4 June from 1-2.30 pm.  The meeting will be chaired by Co-convenor Brian Whittle MSP and its focus will be Barriers to Physical Activity and Health Inequalities.  More information here.

The Poverty Alliance: Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan - 4 June
The Scottish Government is developing Scotland’s next Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan which is due next year.  The Poverty Alliance wants to ensure that any discussions on the plan reflect the specific experiences of, and challenges and opportunities facing, rural and island communities when it comes to tackling child poverty. They will be hosting an online session focusing on how the next child poverty delivery plan can deliver for rural and island Scotland.  Register here.

NHS Lothian Bereavement Support Awareness Event - 5 June
Come along on 5 June to learn more about bereavement support organisations in Edinburgh and the Lothians. This NHS event is aimed at anyone who may come into contact with someone who has been bereaved. Book here.

MS-UK free awareness session for link workers - 6 June
MS-UK are delighted to offer free MS awareness training sessions for social prescribers, community link workers and volunteers.  Join us Friday 6 June.

NHS Scotland Conference - 9 June
This year’s NHS Scotland Event will take place on Monday 9 June at the
Technology & Innovation Centre at the University of Strathclyde.  The programme will be delivered in a hybrid format, giving delegates the option to attend in-person or remotely.  More information here.

Obesity Action Scotland Conference - 10 June
Obesity Action Scotland and Scottish Obesity Alliance are holding an in-person conference on 10 June in Glasgow. The theme of the conference is 'Healthy Food Environment: Time to Deliver'. Find out more about the day here.

Getting Bereavement Right Every Time - 11 June
NHS Education Scotland is hosting a free virtual online session which aims to provide coverage of a range of bereavement topics, at entry level. The session will be relevant to staff working across health and social care. Find out more information and book your place.

Scotland's National Day of Movement
Scotland's National Day of Movement 2025 will take place on 18 June.  Movement for Health is celebrating movement in all its forms and invites you to support and celebrate the important role that movement has for people living with long-term health conditions. 

The Stroke Association launch new newsletter for professionals
The Stroke Association has launched a new newsletter for professionals working in stroke treatment and care in Scotland. This will be sent every 6 weeks and will feature a few stories specifically for professionals in Scotland with an interest in stroke. 

NHS Inform MSK Resources
NHS Inform has launched a NHS Inform MSK Resources pack for people struggling with MSK-related conditions.

Facial Palsy UK
Facial Palsy UK is a small charity which supports anyone affected by facial palsy.  The charity organises regular support groups online for people in Scotland affected by the condition. Find more information on their website. 

RSABI - supporting people in agricultural communities
Royal Scottish Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RSABI) provides a range of practical, financial and emotional support for those working in Scotland's agricultural communities. Josie Barclay, who is the charity's Suicide Prevention Lead, is keen to work with community link workers who would like more information about their support.  Please email Josie for information.

Breast Cancer Awareness Training – Train the Trainer pilot programme
Breast Cancer Now is launching a free Train the Trainer pilot for healthcare and community workers in Glasgow and Lanarkshire. This programme will teach key facts about breast cancer and breast awareness to share with your networks. You can complete the training in a one-day workshop or at your own pace online, with ongoing support and resources. Find out more - email here. 

NHS 24 Spring Health Campaign
NHS 24 has launched its NHS 24 spring health campaign 2025.  This campaign highlights the convenience and benefits of using digital services for trusted health information. The campaign promotes NHS inform as a great first port of call if people are unwell and are not sure where to get help.

News from across the Network

SCLWN Award Winners 2025 
Congratulations to all our finalists at our first Scottish CLW Network Awards 2025 and a very special mention to the two winners on the day - Stirling and Clackmannanshire for winning CLW team of the Year and Dawn Craig from Carr Gomm, Edinburgh CLW Network, for Outstanding CLW of the Year.  Both have had motions raised for them in Parliament by their local MSPs by way of congratulations.   Read the winners' blogs and find out more about them:  Dawn’s Blog- My Journey as Scotland’s Community Link Worker of the Year and Stirling and Clackmannanshire: CLW Team of the Year Winner’s Blog.

Stirling Community Link Worker Team launches new patient video
The Stirling CLW team has launched another powerful patient video, demonstrating the impact that CLWs have on patients' lives. Watch Emma's CLW story and please do share with colleagues.

Network Teams Channel
We now have two Teams channels, one for CLWs and one for programme leads to enable everyone to ask questions and share resources. If you want to be added to one of the Teams channels, please contact Roisin.

Scottish CLW Network podcasts
We have launched a number of podcasts featuring some of the CLWs from across the Network and the patients they support. These include Rachel Bower (below) from Perth and Kinross who took part in the CLW/GP panel at our recent conference.  You can listen to the podcasts here.

Other News

Programme for Government 2025-6
John Swinney has delivered the Programme for Government for 2025-26, marking one year since his appointment as First Minister. He is promising a shift in NHS spending to GP and community services to cut the time people wait to get an appointment – with investment in GP teams to deliver services for people with common health risks such as high blood pressure and obesity.

WHO launches world report on social determinants of health
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has launched its World Report on the Social Determinants of Health which highlights the lack of political will to implement the structural, longer-term policy solutions needed to improve health for everyone.

New national centre for social prescribing data and analysis
The National Academy for Social Prescribing (NASP) and UCL have formed a new national centre for social prescribing data and analysis. The centre which will focus on England fulfils one of the key recommendations from NASP’s 2023 report, The Future of Social Prescribing in England. Hopefully this Centre will provide some useful learning for Scotland as the Scottish Government continues its national review into CLW programmes in Scotland.

Collaboration for Health Equity Scotland launches new report
The Collaboration for Health Equity in Scotland (CHES), which is a collaboration between Public Health Scotland and Professor Sir Michael Marmot's Institute of Health Equity, has launched its latest report. The report overviews widening health inequalities in Scotland as well as highlighting health inequalities within the three CHES collaborating places - Aberdeen City, North Ayrshire and South Lanarkshire.

RCGP report calls for wider recognition for GPs
The Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) Scotland is calling for wider recognition, investment and engagement with GPs to sustain and expand the ‘immense contribution’ they make to patients, communities, the NHS and the wider economy.  A new report published by the College seeks to challenge a ‘cycle of invisibility’ faced by community health services, and highlight the unique training, experience, compassion and relationship-based care they offer.

Realistic Medicine survey and casebook published
The Chief Medical Officer for Scotland, Professor Sir Gregor Smith, has published a casebook and the results of a survey looking at healthcare professionals' experiences of practising Realistic Medicine. Read more about the Realistic Medicine: Survey Highlights. 

Organisations call for focus on early detection of liver disease
Following the publication of the 2025 Programme for Government, a group of more than 70 organisations including Alcohol Focus Scotland are calling on the Scottish Government to prioritise increasing early detection and treatment of liver disease alongside other targeted measures to address alcohol deaths. 

Best practice planning approaches for an ageing population
The Scottish Government has published a research report on identifying emerging needs and best practice approaches to the design of cities, towns, neighbourhoods and streets in Scotland for an ageing population. It makes a series of recommendations around urbanisation and ruralisation, community-level interventions, integrated place policy and placemaking for older adults.