Upcoming Events

#WeArePublicHealth: Building Forward for Health and Wellbeing

View the full programme here.

Our 2020 Annual Conference and AGM take place via Zoom with 4 varied sessions over 2 days to allow flexible access for joining us. You can register for one or both days, but we encourage you to book for both days to get the full conference experience and value.

With home working still the default position for many, we’re bringing you the best of our event in a bite size format. As ever you’ll have the opportunity to listen, share ideas and thinking, network and discuss. Our annual conference is one of the leading health events in Scotland, bringing together stakeholders from across the third and community sectors, Public Health Scotland, NHS, national and local government, other public bodies, and academia.

As we continue to live with the COVID-19 pandemic how do we ensure that our experience and learning are what shapes the future for health and wellbeing, the right to health, and health inequalities? The voluntary health sector pivoted rapidly to plug the gaps and provide vital emergency responses to pressing new needs as soon as lockdown and social distancing came into force. We know our role remains pivotal now the agenda is one of remobilisation, recovery and building back better, and that’s an exciting but challenging agenda.

The Scottish Government’s Programme for Government includes a commitment to ‘continue to develop a world‑class public health service that builds on our COVID‑19 response’. As we head towards the winter and a likely second wave of  the virus, what questions do we need to ask? Has the pandemic shifted our understanding and appreciation of public health for good? How do we empower people and communities to contribute to as well as benefit from public health? Let’s discuss what needs to happen to make public health partnership working with third sector organisations the new norm so we can ‘build forward’ together.

Our Programme

Day One: Wednesday 4th November

Session One: Opening Conference Session and Keynote Addresses

10.30am-12.30pm

Conference Chair: James Jopling, Head of British Heart Foundation Scotland

Keynote Address: Professor Jim McGoldrick, Chair of Public Health Scotland

Keynote Address: Professor Kate Ardern, Director of Public Health, Wigan Council

Welcome: Claire Stevens, Chief Executive, VHS

Session two: Interactive Workshops in Breakout Rooms

1.30pm -3.00pm

Workshops led by:

Lindsay Paterson and Elizabeth Hurst-High  Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems Andrew Connal, Covid-19 Modelling and Analysis Hub, Scottish Government; Annie Macleod, Parkinson’s UK, Wilma Paterson, and Alex Gallacher, British Red Cross; Allan Johnstone, Inverclyde Community Development Trust; Charlene Elliott, CVS Inverclyde

Day Two: Thursday 5th November

Session One: Interactive Workshops in Breakout Rooms

11am-12.30pm

Workshops led by:

Lindsay Paterson and Elizabeth Hurst- High, Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems; Andrew Connal, Covid-19 Modelling and Analysis Hub, Scottish Government; Julie Wardrop, CANDU (Dundee Cancer Support Network) and Tanith Muller Parkinson’s UK; Wilma Paterson and Alex Gallagher, British Red Cross; Allan Johnstone, Inverclyde Community Development Trust; Charlene Elliott, CVS Inverclyde

Session Two: Closing Addresses, Presentation of Poster Winner and AGM

1.30-3.30 pm

Conference Chair: James Jopling, Head of British Heart Foundation Scotland

Keynote Address: Professor Maggie Rae, President, Faculty of Public Health

Questions and Discussion: Hearing from third sector finalists from our poster competition

Announcing the Poster Competition Winner

VHS AGM

Our Exhibitors

We are delighted to be joined by the following organisations- find out more and read the blogs here

Our 2020 Poster Competition 

And our finalists are:

• Art in Healthcare: Room for Art- Keeping participants creative and well in their homes during Covid 19
• Breast Buddie Angus: Virtual Antenatal Education: Informing families and facilitating friendships
• CLiCK: Meeting the Needs of Women Who Sell or Exchange Sex or Images During the Coronavirus Pandemic
• Marie Curie:Past, present and future: Caring for those approaching the end of life in Scottish Hospitals
• National Breastfeeding Helpline: Our Response to the Pandemic
• Samaritans: Now, more than ever, we are here to listen
• The Breastfeeding Network: Virtual peer support for new parents in Ayrshire
• West Dunbartonshire Community and Voluntary Services: West Dunbartonshire Cares

See the posters, read the blogs and vote for your winner here.