Welcome to the August Network Newsletter!

The Newsletter brings together news, stories and events which we hope will be of interest to the Network. 

In this month's edition, we have the usual round up of Network news, events and training.

We also wanted to address some of the recent news coverage regarding the anticipated cuts to Glasgow City's CLW programme.  We share everyone's concern about the impact these cuts could have to community link workers and the people they support in some of Scotland's most deprived communities.  We have written an article looking at some of wider challenges around funding for community link workers Investing in Community Link Workers - Now or Never

The Scottish Community Link Worker Network is the national network, developed and facilitated by VHS, for primary care community link working in Scotland. Please visit our webpage for the latest blogs, reports and information about the Network. And don't forget to follow us on Twitter @ScotCLWnetwork

Events, Workshops and Training

Upcoming Scottish CLW Network Autumn Events

CLW Lunchtime Peer Support Event - 13 September 

There are still places left on our CLW peer support event which will take place on Wednesday 13 September from 12.30 - 2.00pm. This is an opportunity for CLWs from across the Network to come together online to meet and catch up in smaller groups for peer support.

Programme Leads Event - 4 October

Following the success of our first event for CLW Programme Leads, we will be hosting a second event on 4 October from 10-12noon on Zoom. The event will focus on the research that Findlay Smith has been undertaking on the range and scope of CLW programmes in Scotland.

Knowledge Exchange Event - 15 November

Our fourth knowledge exchange event on 15 November from 10-12 will feature speakers from Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland and The Pain Association Scotland. 

You can find details of all our events and book a place on our events page

Other Events

Free Training - Mental Health First Aid Armed Forces Community Course

MHFA Armed Forces Community Course has been specifically designed to meet the needs of the whole armed forces community, including serving and ex-serving personnel, their family and friends, and people who work with or support them. Training is delivered over two days in four manageable chunks:

• Session 1- What is mental health?
• Session 2 - Suicide and depression
• Session 3 - Psychosis
• Session 4 - Anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder.

For more information about the courses, please contact Glen Macdonald
 

NCD Prevention: reducing the impact of health-harming products - 20 September

Last year, Holyrood partnered with the newly formed NCD Alliance Scotland on the public health day of its Health and Care Festival. They are delighted to be partnering with the NCD Alliance Scotland once again for this one-day event on 20 September: NCD prevention: reducing the impact of health-harming products to consider what progress has been made in reducing NCD related deaths and ill-health, and discuss what further policy action is required. 

Understanding Barriers to Accessing Primary Care: A Third Sector Response - 28 September

This Voluntary Health Scotland event will ask your views on the barriers people face when accessing primary care, especially people affected by socio-economic inequalities. In your experience, what are the barriers to primary care, and how are they widening the health inequalities gap? This event will ensure that there is a strong voluntary health perspective contributing to the work of the Primary Care Health Inequalities Development Group.  Book your place here

Discover Digital: Embedding Human Rights in a Thriving Digital Scotland - 11 October 2023

The Digital Hub team at the ALLIANCE is hosting an event on Wednesday 11 October, 9.30am-3.30pm, at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Glasgow. The event “Discover Digital: Embedding Human Rights in a Thriving Digital Scotland” is part of DigiFest23 programme. DigiFest is Scotland’s annual digital health, housing and care event and will combine a programme of free-to-attend, virtual and in-person satellite sessions from October to December 2023.

This event will host a mixture of presentations, learning and open dialogue around three of the DigiFest23 themes.

• Collaboration and Integration.
• Equality and Participation.
• Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare.

National Rural Mental Health Forum Online Seminar - 25 October

25 October 2023 - this event will feature Maree Todd MSP, Minister for Mental Wellbeing, Social Care & Sport and Jana Riedmaier, University of Edinburgh Business School talking about digital solutions for supporting people with their mental health. More information available here

Highlights from the Network

NHS Highland Social Prescribing Event

NHS Highland in partnership with the University of the Highlands and Islands recently hosted a social prescribing event in Inverness. Sandra MacAllister, Senior Health Improvement Specialist and also a member of the advisory group for the Scottish Community Link Worker Network has written Sandra's blog about the highlights from the day.

The Money Guiders' Network and Community Link Workers

Community link workers, Leeanne Killen from North Ayrshire and Tommy Degnan from Glasgow's We Are With You will be sharing their knowledge and experience at a Money Guiders' Network event on Tuesday 29 August. The Network is keen to share learning on how community link workers approach their work and provide support to patients. Roisin will also be providing a short update on the Scottish Community Link Worker Network.

National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Project: Evaluation of multi region evaluation of social prescribing link workers

Roisin recently attended the first in-person meeting of the reference group for the NIHR-funded project led by the University of Manchester. The project is looking at a UK multi-region evaluation of social prescribing link workers and will include some of Scotland's programmes in its mapping work.  The research team wants to find out how link worker services operate, how well they work, who does and doesn't use them, whether they are of benefit to people and are a good use of NHS resources. Glasgow City and Edinburgh CLW programmes will be included as case sites for the research.  You can read more about the project's  research  and keep up-to-date with their latest blogs 

We always want to hear from new CLWs!

It is always great to hear news from across the Network. Don't forget to get in touch if you have new CLWs who have recently started in post. We are always keen to welcome them to the Network. Please get in touch with Roisin if you want to add any CLWs to the Network's mailing list.

Other News

Doug's Blog - Unforgotten Forces

Doug Anthoney, Veterans Officer with Unforgotten Forces has written Doug's Blog about the work they do, the importance of the Armed Forces Covenant and how community link workers can help veterans access support.

Digital Health and Care Strategy delivery plan published

The Scottish Government has published the Digital Health and Care Strategy delivery plan for 2023-24. The delivery plan describes activities supporting primary care, local authorities, health boards, health and social care partnerships, social care, social work, and care providers to offer new or improved services, whether through improved systems and infrastructure, or access to digital services.

Sporting Memories Foundation Scotland - Brian's Blog

Brian Sloan who is Development Director of Sporting Memories Foundation Scotland has written Brian's blog about using the power of sport to help older people become more active.

NHS 24 new strategy published

NHS 24 has published its new Strategy for 2023-28. Their strategy describes what a future NHS 24 will look like – for the people who deliver and use their much-valued services and for the partners they work with. It supports their ambition to help people access right care, at the right place.

£1.6m made available for community food initiatives and access to cash programmes

The Scottish Government has highlighted £1.6m in funding available to organisations at the frontline of helping people facing poverty and hardship. The Cash-First Fund is aimed at public sector and third sector partnerships to deliver cash grants for food and other essentials, helping to reduce the need for food parcels. Up to £200,000 will be made available to partnerships including community food initiatives, local authority teams, and money advice services to deliver activities that improve urgent local access to cash in a crisis. 

Questions for the Cabinet Secretary
The Health, Social Care and Sport Committee has announced it will be taking evidence from Michael Matheson when parliament returns from recess. The committee is inviting members of the public and health and social care stakeholders to put forward questions for the committee to raise with the cabinet secretary. help prevent future hardship.

A Human Rights Bill for Scotland: Consultation

The Scottish Government has published its consultation on A Human Rights Bill for Scotland. You can also find details of a series of engagement events over the coming months to allow individuals and communities to come along to share their views and inform the Human Rights Bill.

BBC Children in Need: Emergency Essentials Reopened

Grants are available to provide critical household items and clothing to support children and young people facing exceptional and difficult circumstances. Applications must be made by a pre-registered referrer. Check out Family Fund Services website for more information.