Fife Voluntary Action (FVA) Health and Social Care e-Bulletin - May 2023

Health and Social Care Forum – May 2023

Date: 11 May 2023 
Time: 10:00 – 12:00
Location: Caledonia House, Pentland Park, Saltire Centre, Glenrothes, KY6 2AL/Microsoft Teams

At our next Health and Social Care Forum, we look forward to hearing from:

• Ashley Paul and Sharon Gilfillan (Local Development Officers (Locality Planning), Fife Council) on Community Chest;
• Hannah Grubb (Participation and Engagement Officer (Co-Production), Fife Council) about work around GIRFEC in Fife;
• Ruth Bennet (Health Promotion Service Manager, NHS Fife) about the Pain Medicines Patient Safety Programme; and
• Karen Wright (Clinical Services Manager, Community Care Services) and Jo Bowden (Consultant in Palliative Medicine) with an update on palliative medicine.

We'll also have time for networking and group discussions about relevant topics of interest to organisations.

Book a place.

Other diary dates:

• Mental Health Forum – 10:00 – 12:00 on 08 June 2023
• Mental Health Peer Support Network Gathering – 13:00 – 15:00 on 29 June 2023
• Health and Social Care Forum - 10:00 – 12:00 on 13 July 2023.

Mental Health Awareness Week 2023

Mental Health Awareness Week runs from 15 - 21 May 2023.

The awareness week - coordinated for over twenty years by the Mental Health Foundation- is a chance to come together as a sector to amplify the message that good mental health is important, to keep it on the political agenda, and to normalise discussions around it.

This year, the theme of the week is anxiety. We know the last few years have been tough and anxiety-inducing for many, so this is a great chance to show those affected that they are seen and to share with them support and advice. It's also an impetus to learn about they key drivers behind anxiety.

Find out more about how you can get involved.

Third year of Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund confirmed

The Scottish Government has confirmed that the Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund has been extended for a further year, with £15 million to be shared nationwide by projects that support mental health and address social isolation and loneliness.

Fife Voluntary Action has managed this fund on behalf of the government for the last two years, and expects to do so again. Stay subscribed to our e-bulletins to get more information as it emerges.

You can find details of the projects that were funded in years one and two on our website.

Got a local project or good cause that needs support? Fife Benefits can help!

Are you a third sector organisation or group in Fife looking for support with a community project or good cause? Fife Benefits is our new online approach to matching you and your good cause with businesses who are looking to support a community benefit project.

If eligible, you can register your project with us and it will emerge on a map for businesses to browse and signal their interest in supporting - whether that support be financial or donating labour/materials, or something else entirely.

Get more information and register your project on our website.

Fife Benefits has been developed by FVA in partnership with NHS Fife and Public Health Scotland.

Fife news

HSCP Care Academy: programme expanded

The funded SVQ 2 Social Service and Healthcare Apprenticeship programme - funded by Fife College and initially planned for those aged 16-24 - has been expanded to include those aged 25+.

There are fifty places available for 2023-2024, with the intention that this will become an annual intake. The programme commences in July 2023.

Find out more.

Fife Young Carers is turning 25

Fife Young Carers will be celebrating its 25th anniversary later this year, having amalgamated from a number of smaller groups back in 1998. As the organisation supports carers under the age of 25, it means the organisation will be ageing out of its own offering!

Keep an eye on FYC's website and Twitter in the coming weeks for details of the planned celebrations.

Restoration Fife has published its calendar of activities for May.

Restoration Fife supports people in recovery from substance use issues through a social activities calendar, reducing social isolation for that community's members and giving them an opportunity to connect with peers, while also supporting them to develop and maintain their recovery.

Have your say

Scottish Government: National Outcomes review 2023

The National Outcomes are part of the National Performance Framework, used the Scottish Government to measure progress in key areas of investment. The Outcomes cover diverse issues including health and activity, and are used to ensure that opportunity, wealth and power are properly distributed.

You can have your say on the National Outcomes and any experience you have of using them by completing this consultation by Monday 05 June 2023.

Join the Adult Support and Protection Interagency Practitioners' Forum

Fife Council's Adult Support and Protection Committee has established an interagency practitioners' forum that seeks to bring together practitioners to network, contribute to improvements in practice, voice ideas, share experiences, and more.

Each Forum can accommodate up to thirty practitioners - ensure that your agency is represented by e-mailing to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

NHS Fife review of Interpreting and Translation Services

NHS Fife is now reviewing its interpreting and translation services, and is seeking feedback from service users and anyone else whose preferred language is not English and who may require interpreters.

The team is eager to learn about any barriers faced, and on stakeholders' views on changing provisions.

Those who understand English may complete the survey here. Those who require an interpreter should call 01592 729 130 for assistance to complete it.

National news

Planning with People

The Scottish Government has published a revised version of "Planning with People: community engagement and participation guidance", which sets out the responsibilities NHS Boards, Local Authorities and Integration Joint Boards have to community engagement when services are being planned or when changes to services are being considered, and supports them to involve people meaningfully.

The guidance has been updated to take account of recommendations and feedback from people working with and using health and social care services, community and equality groups, and the wider third sector.

Barnardo's warns of "A Crisis on Our Doorstep"

Barnardo's - the largest children's charity in the UK- has published a new report entitled "A Crisis on our Doorstep", which shows the impact of the cost of living crisis on some of the children, families, and young people using their services last winter.

Read the full report.

SDS Scotland publishes factsheets on neurological conditions

Self Directed Support Scotland has published three new factsheets - created in partnership with the Neurological Alliance of Scotland- aimed at helping people with these conditions, and their carers, access self-directed support

The factsheets are each aimed at a different audience:

• Health and social care professionals
• The voluntary sector
• Parents

Carer advice project extended

Deafblind Scotland has announced that its Carer Advice Project will continue until June 2024.

The project aims to identify carers affected by sensory loss (in themselves or the person they care for) and help them with applying for benefits and entitlements, and ensuring they can lived full community-based lives.

Healthcare Improvement Scotland publishes new strategy

Healthcare Improvement Scotland has published its new five-year strategy, entitled "Leading quality health and care for Scotland".

Its priorities include:

• Priority 1: Enable a better understanding of the safety and quality of health and care services and the high-impact opportunities for improvement
• Priority 2: Assess and share intelligence and evidence which supports the design, delivery and assurance of high-quality health and care services
• Priority 3: Enable the health and care system to place the voices and rights of people and communities at the heart of improvements to the safety and quality of care
• Priority 4: Deliver practical support that accelerates the delivery of sustainable improvements in the safety and quality of health and care services across Scotland.

Read the full strategy.

Easy read guide to police station rights published

ArcScotland's SOLD Network (Supporting Offenders with Learning Disabilities) has produced a new easy-read letter of rights designed to help people with communication support needs to understand their rights when in custody.

The letter is now available on the SOLD website and can be navigated interactively on the Scottish Government's website.

The SOLD user group is a group of people who all have a learning disability and experience of the criminal justice system.

Scottish Government seeks extension of National Care Service (Scotland) Bill Stage 1

Following a letter from Maree Todd (Minister for Mental Health) to the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee regarding the National Care Service (Scotland) Bill, the Scottish Government has asked the Scottish Parliament to agree to extend the Stage 1 process beyond June.