Can you tell us about any Community Link Worker initiatives you are involved in? VHS's national scoping exercise for The Scottish Government, announced in August 2016, is now underway. Mapping of existing third sector provision will help inform the government’s plans to develop 250 Community Link … [Read more...] about Community Link Worker survey now open
Rob’s blog: Health Policy Officers Network gets underway
Recently, the Queens Nursing Institute Scotland and VHS agreed there was potential for a networking group of policy officers based in health. Working in smaller organisations can be difficult, in terms of limited capacity to keep up to date with the latest developments. A network would provide … [Read more...] about Rob’s blog: Health Policy Officers Network gets underway
Catherine’s blog – some parting words…
Today marks my final day with VHS and, although my time here has been relatively brief, a lot has happened in the past 8 months in health policy world and there’s lots more coming up too. It seems appropriate to wrap things up by highlighting some key areas of work on the VHS radar over the coming … [Read more...] about Catherine’s blog – some parting words…
Catherine’s blog – Realistic medicine: I thought the doctor(s) knew best too…
"Doctors generally choose less treatment for themselves than they provide for their patients" That's what Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Catherine Calderwood highlighted to delegates at the final plenary of the NHS Scotland Event 2016. Realistic medicine at its most basic, is about doctors and … [Read more...] about Catherine’s blog – Realistic medicine: I thought the doctor(s) knew best too…
Claire’s Blog – Measuring the Success of the Government’s Health Debate
Cabinet Secretary for Health Shona Robison led the Scottish Government’s Parliamentary debate on health on Tuesday 7th June. VHS went along to the public gallery to listen, mainly to hear the Cabinet Secretary but also to get the measure of our new MSPs’ interest and perspectives on health. Shona … [Read more...] about Claire’s Blog – Measuring the Success of the Government’s Health Debate
Katie’s blog: Making the choice to eradicate health inequalities
Inequality is a moral issue, Martyn Evans, Chief Executive at the Carnegie UK Trust, told those assembled at VHS’s and Open University’s joint Understanding the Gap conference in Stirling on 1st June 2016. The conference set out to explore what the latest research tells us about health … [Read more...] about Katie’s blog: Making the choice to eradicate health inequalities
Post Election Agenda for Health Event: Key Messages Report
With the dust settled following the results of the 2016 Scottish elections, VHS brought together over 50 voluntary health organisations to debate what lies ahead for Scotland’s future health. The event – chaired by award-winning journalist and broadcaster, Pennie Taylor – was an opportunity to … [Read more...] about Post Election Agenda for Health Event: Key Messages Report
Catherine’s Blog: Purple Poncho Players steal the show at the Alliance Annual Conference 2016
A welcome alternative from a full day's powerpoint marathon, kudos goes to the Alliance for mixing up the usual conference format and opening the show with some hard-hitting drama. With no disrespect meant to the various other conference presenters, I would hasten a guess that it's the … [Read more...] about Catherine’s Blog: Purple Poncho Players steal the show at the Alliance Annual Conference 2016
Eric’s blog: Building an Alliance to Tackle Overweight and Obesity in Scotland
On 22nd April 2016 representatives from NHS Boards, NHS Health Scotland, medical professions, networks, the voluntary and community sector, further education institutions and government agencies met at the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons in Glasgow. The purpose was to discuss whether … [Read more...] about Eric’s blog: Building an Alliance to Tackle Overweight and Obesity in Scotland
Catherine’s Blog – Prevention: Easier Said than Done
It's the buzz word, the in-thing to say when talking about healthcare reform, the great golden ticket to a healthier Scotland. But is it a case of all talk and no - or very little and snail-paced - action? It doesn't take a genius to understand that tackling the root causes of Scotland's … [Read more...] about Catherine’s Blog – Prevention: Easier Said than Done
