It was a typically dreich and misty early November morning as I arrived in Drumchapel on my way to Cope Scotland. I found myself in a car park behind a pub and a row of shops. Finding a side entrance I rang the bell and the door was opened by a cheerful young man, Andrew - a staff member at Cope … [Read more...] about Lesley’s blog: the day the Minister visited Cope Scotland
Conference Key Messages: Closing the Gap
Voluntary Health Scotland held our annual conference and AGM on Wednesday the 11th of November in Edinburgh. The purpose of the conference was to make Scotland’s health inequalities a much greater priority for policy and interventions, to inform VHS’s future work and to promote a partnership … [Read more...] about Conference Key Messages: Closing the Gap
Katie’s blog: Closing the Gap conference reflections
”We all have a piece of the jigsaw but are seeing the picture differently,” Hilda Campbell of COPE Scotland said of efforts to tackle health inequalities at Voluntary Health Scotland’s annual conference last week. “Now, we need to move from looking at our piece of the jigsaw and starting to put … [Read more...] about Katie’s blog: Closing the Gap conference reflections
Claire’s blog: how to actively suppress health inequalities
VHS Chief Officer Claire Stevens writes: “Gentlemen, we have run out of money. It's time to start thinking” nuclear physicist Ernest Rutherford famously said. Addressing health inequalities shouldn’t be Mission Impossible, but we need to be bold and act as though time itself has run out - … [Read more...] about Claire’s blog: how to actively suppress health inequalities
Norman’s blog: squaring the circle for families in poverty
VHS trustee Norman Craig writes: Circle is a charity that helps young people and their families damaged by alcohol, identifying a range of support services that can help them come through crisis, including accessing financial support. Representing VHS I attended Circle’s AGM on 7th October … [Read more...] about Norman’s blog: squaring the circle for families in poverty
Lorna’s blog: reflecting on my first year as VHS Chair
I hope you will read this year’s VHS ANNUAL REVIEW 2015 and agree that it captures the commitment and energy of VHS and our members working together to make a difference. In my first 12 months as Chair of the Board it has been very evident to me that VHS has secured new levels of respect and … [Read more...] about Lorna’s blog: reflecting on my first year as VHS Chair
Discussion Note: Audit Scotland examines emerging risks in health and social care integration
Audit Scotland invited VHS to help it engage with the third sector during its current audit of health and social care integration. We organised an engagement meeting on 19th October 2015, involving Audit Scotland and members of the national third sector group on health and social care … [Read more...] about Discussion Note: Audit Scotland examines emerging risks in health and social care integration
Jo’s blog: raising awareness about learning disabilities and visual impairment
RNIB Scotland's Joanne Dick writes: Recent research demonstrates that vision awareness training provided by RNIB is effective in raising awareness amongst health and social care professionals of the vision needs of people with learning disabilities. My own role at RNIB Scotland is Community … [Read more...] about Jo’s blog: raising awareness about learning disabilities and visual impairment
Katie’s blog: what will your pledge be?
Independent journalist Katie Mackintosh writes: By the age of three a child raised in the Sighthill area of Edinburgh will have heard approximately three million words. In contrast, a child raised in a more affluent part of the city will hear an average of ten million words. Addressing VHS’s … [Read more...] about Katie’s blog: what will your pledge be?
Key Messages: Living in the Gap Dundee Seminar
Our Dundee seminar on 1st October brought together 42 people from the third sector and NHS, to introduce Living in the Gap to a wider audience and use it as a catalyst for discussion and debate. Inputs from NHS Health Scotland, ASH Scotland and Fife Society for the Blind (both case studies in the … [Read more...] about Key Messages: Living in the Gap Dundee Seminar
