In partnership with Mental Health Foundation (this link will take you away from our website) we are investing in a new programme, Living Well: Emotional Support Matters, to protect and support the mental health and emotional wellbeing of people living with long term conditions.

It has long been known that living with long term conditions can, and often does, have a serious impact on people’s emotional health and wellbeing. This has been further exacerbated during the pandemic where people have lost access to self care mechanisms, experienced increased isolation and felt significant fear for both themselves and loved ones.

In August 2020, Mental Health Foundation’s longitudinal study (this link will take you away from our website) into the impact of the pandemic on people’s mental health found that 63% of people living with a long term condition were feeling anxious or worried due to COVID-19, compared to 49 percent of the general population.

The ALLIANCE’s own People at the Centre engagement activity also highlighted the disproportionate impact experienced by people living with long term conditions during the pandemic, as access to healthcare supports and self management practices  were disrupted and reduced.

As we learn to live with and recover from COVID-19, supporting the mental and emotional wellbeing of people living with long term conditions must be prioritised.

Therefore, together with Mental Health Foundation, we are launching Living Well: Emotional Support Matters; a programme which will invest in eight third sector organisations working with people living with long term conditions in Scotland and supporting their mental health and emotional wellbeing.

We are delighted to be working on this with SISG Enterprises Ltd, The Braveheart Association, Versus Arthritis, Diabetes Scotland, Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland, Waverley Care, Clan Cancer Support and MS Mid Argyll.

The voluntary sector has great relationships with communities and carries out incredible work, which has been particularly evident throughout the pandemic. The aim of Living Well: Emotional Support Matters is to support third sector organisations to continue to grow their ability and expertise as they deliver mental wellbeing supports for people living with long term conditions, whilst collecting and sharing the learning they generate.

To get in touch about Living Well: Emotional Support Matters, please email:

georgina.charlton@alliance-scotland.org.uk

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The ALLIANCE is working in partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support over the next two years to make sure that the needs and views of people affected by cancer continue to inform and influence the redesign of cancer services in Scotland.

Our key objective is to support people affected by cancer to get involved and influence the national Transforming Cancer Care Programme – a national partnership between Macmillan Cancer Support and Scottish Government that aims to join up support for people affected by cancer to make sure people’s needs are assessed at the point of cancer diagnosis, and that people have the opportunity to access services tailored to their individual needs whilst living with and beyond their cancer diagnosis.

A key priority for us until March 2023 will be to engage with a wide range of people affected by cancer with diverse life stories and life experiences, with a specific focus on amplifying the voices of people affected by cancer who are seldom heard.

We anticipate that there will be several different ways people can become involved, communications about upcoming involvement opportunities will be available through the ALLIANCE website and in our weekly bulletin.

For further information please email macmillan@alliance-scotland.org.uk.

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The European Patients’ Forum (EPF) is an umbrella organisation that works with patients’ groups in public health and health advocacy across Europe. The members represent specific chronic disease groups at EU level or are national coalitions of patients.

The Vision is that all patients with chronic conditions in Europe have access to high-quality, patient-centred health and related care.  EPF`s Mission is to be the collective influential patient voice in European health and related policies and a driving force to advance patient empowerment and equitable patient access to care in Europe.

The ALLIANCE is a member of EPF and Director, Irene Oldfather is also an Executive of the Patient Empowerment sub group.

• EPF latest annual report 2020
• EPF latest impact report 2021

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The European Patients’ Academy on Therapeutic Innovation (EUPATI) is a multi-stakeholder programme led and hosted by the European Patients’ Forum (EPF) originally established by the IMI-EUPATI project (2012-2017). It is a successful programme that provides education and training to increase the capacity and capability of patients to understand and contribute to medicines research and development (R&D), and to improve the availability of medical information for the health interested public. It does so by conducting its established Patient Expert Training Course and by providing an open-access multilingual toolbox.

More recently a EUPATI Open Classroom has been developed.  A brand new e-learning platform featuring a flexible and on demand learning catalogue to allow people from anywhere in the world to take courses in medicines research and development.

EUPATI has established National Platforms in several countries across Europe and worldwide.  The Scottish EUPATI National Platform (ENP) is made up of Patient, Academic and Industry representation.  Irene Oldfather, Director of The Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland (the ALLIANCE) is one of the patient representatives and also the chair of EUPATI Scotland.   Supporting the work is John Paton a EUPATI Fellow, Industry representation from Alison Culpan, Director and Graeme Rose, Public Affairs Manager of ABPI Scotland and Academic representation from Professor Margaret Watson – Professor of Health Services Research and Pharmacy Practice at the University of Strathclyde

Stay tuned for 2023 updates on up and coming events.

If you would like to know first hand what meetings, events and EUPATI Scotland information then please do not hesitate to email Laura Miller – Administrative Manager at laura.miller@alliance-scotland.org.uk

Our mailing list is hosted with the ALLIANCE  (patient representative of EUPATI Scotland) and you can read the ALLIANCE privacy policy on our website.

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Director, Irene Oldfather is the UK representative, nominated by the Scottish Third Sector, for the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC). The EESC is a consultative body that gives representatives of Europe’s socio-occupational interest groups and others, a formal platform to express their points of views on EU issues. Its opinions are forwarded to the Council, the European Commission and the European Parliament. It has a key role in the Union’s decision-making process.

Through it`s commitment to European integration, the EESC contributes to strengthening the democratic legitimacy and effectiveness of the European Union by enabling civil society organisations from the Member States to express their views at European level.

You can find more information about the current EESC group 3.

The Section for Employment, Social Affairs and Citizenship (SOC) is one of six specialised sections within the European Economic and Social Committee. Director Irene Oldfather is one of its 135 members.

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