Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland

08/10/2026

Digital inclusion isn't an abstract policy concept. It’s about whether someone can book a GP appointment, manage a prescription, or stay connected with loved ones without trouble.

Through the E-Quality Access project in Renfrewshire, Esther and the team at Pachedu are doing the essential ground-level work. They take pre-loved devices, put them in the hands of local people, and pair technology with the confidence needed to use it in everyday life.

As a member of our Digital Citizen Panel, Esther brings this vital grassroots experience straight to the national table, showing exactly what happens when we design digital tools around people's real lives.

Read Esther’s blog about how pre-loved devices are transforming lives in Renfrewshire and why grassroots digital equity matters: https://ow.ly/xXCc50ZVu6M

As the ALLIANCE celebrates 20 years of championing inclusion and supporting communities across Scotland, Pachedu is proud to reflect on the important role the organisation has played in our journey towards digital inclusion. Pachedu supports diverse communities across Renfrewshire and beyond. Guided...

07/10/2026

Is it fair that gambling premises are concentrated in some of our most disadvantaged communities?

What could our high streets and communities look like if we created healthier environments instead?

Andy Burnham has recently committed to tackling our ‘hollowed out high streets’ with their proliferation of v**e and betting shops.

We need your voice at our Roundtable on 16 November in Glasgow to discuss gambling, poverty and place.

Gambling harm is not experienced equally – the concentration of gambling premises in disadvantaged communities raises important questions about the relationship between our commercial environments, socioeconomic disadvantage, and health.

Join us at our Scotland Reducing Gambling Harm Roundtable to contribute your expertise and learn from community organisations, planners, researchers and licensing professionals.

Together we will discuss how to create a template for healthy, thriving neighbourhoods that meet the needs of their communities, especially the most vulnerable.

To join us on 16 November at The Studio, 67 Hope St, Glasgow, 9.30am - 3pm, please sign up here: https://ow.ly/fKzv50ZVtzE

06/10/2026

How has digital tech changed the way we work in health and social care?

Twenty years working in digital health and care seems like a lifetime. To mark the ALLIANCE's 20th anniversary, our Digital Network Officer, Gozie Joe Adigwe, reflects on that period, both personally and at the ALLIANCE, on what's changed, and what's not.

She also looks at how digital technologies have become a central part of our everyday lives over that period: and what that means for accessibility and human rights in health and social care.

You can read the full article here: https://ow.ly/uYwq50ZUVX7

In 2006, Twitter was launched; there was an historic Scottish election and ‘digital’ for many was mostly about which of our camera phones were pushing into 3-megapixel space. I’d just started in the voluntary sector as Membership Officer at the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB Sc...

05/10/2026

How connected are you to what's happening across health and social care in Scotland?

Becoming an ALLIANCE member means you'll never miss important news, policy developments, events, training opportunities and sector updates.

You'll also have opportunities to showcase your work, promote events and share news with people and organisations across the sector through our channels.

Stay informed. Make valuable connections. Expand your reach.

Find out more about becoming a member today by visiting the ALLIANCE website: https://ow.ly/SS1l50ZUzkU

Or by contacting: [email protected]

02/10/2026

Menopause is often talked about, but not always understood.

This Menopause Awareness Month, we're sharing trusted information and practical guidance to help people better understand symptoms, treatment options and the support available.

Join us live on 21 October 12-1pm for a webinar on Hormonal Replacement Therapy, or join us on your lunch break from 13-15 October to catch some of our most popular past webinars at our live rewatch events.

Having access to trusted information on symptoms, treatment options, and what women can do for themselves, can build confidence, address concerns and ensures that everyone can get the support they might need during the menopause.

Find more information and register for our Understanding HRT webinar here: https://ow.ly/bQL450ZTPck

Find more information and join our replay events here: https://ow.ly/572Q50ZTPci

01/10/2026

Over 20 years at the ALLIANCE, we’ve learned a lot about policy making. And over the last two decades, one thing stands out the most; the importance of lived experience.

Looking back on two decades of work, including our recent engagement shaping Scotland’s Maternity Care Standards, here are 5 non-negotiable lessons on what it really takes to involve people meaningfully:

- Lived experience reveals what actually matters. People’s real lives shine a light on system blind spots that formal processes completely miss.

- Stories are expertise. It’s time to stop treating personal stories as "nice-to-have" add-ons. Recognising lived experience as genuine expertise raises the bar for what good care looks like.

- Participation must be meaningful, not transactional. Engagement isn't about ticking boxes or chasing numbers on a consultation form. It means creating safe spaces and listening with intent.

- Respect and use what people have already given. Revisiting difficult experiences takes a real personal toll. We shouldn't constantly ask people to retell painful stories - we have a duty to respect their contributions by building on evidence they’ve already generously shared.

- Implementation is what actually counts Sharing personal stories can bring up an unsettling tension, a discomfort that is "healthy and constructive." But that discomfort is only constructive if it drives real-world change.

How is your team ensuring lived experience shapes ongoing practice?

Read our full reflection piece in the comments below.

Engender (Scotland)

30/09/2026

What happens when clinicians, researchers and people with lived experience come together as equal partners?

Our latest Connected Communities story features Bipolar Scotland and their conference that brought together healthcare professionals, academics, staff, volunteers and people living with bipolar to share learning and perspectives.

A key part of the event was making sure lived experience sat alongside clinical expertise, creating opportunities for conversations that don't always happen in traditional professional settings. Discussions covered topics including delays in diagnosis and the role that peer support and community connections can play alongside NHS care.

For Bipolar Scotland, the event also helped raise awareness of the support available through the third sector. Following the conference, 95% of attendees said they were likely or very likely to signpost or refer people to Bipolar Scotland's services in the future.

It's a powerful example of what can happen when services, researchers and communities learn from one another, and why stronger connections between the NHS and the third sector matter.

Read the full story:https://ow.ly/t72X50ZSY6b

Bipolar Scotland supports people living with bipolar across Scotland, as well as friends, family members and carers. The organisation delivers monthly peer support groups, self-management training and one-to-one peer support for people with a recent diagnosis of bipolar, as well as those looking for...

29/09/2026

New season, new conversations, new opportunities to learn.

We're delighted to launch the Children and Young People Community of Practice Autumn Events Calendar, packed with inspiring discussions, practical learning sessions and opportunities to connect with others working across the sector.

This autumn we'll be exploring topics including:

- Wellbeing and GIRFEC
- Funding opportunities and applications
- Children's Rights and AI.

Designed with accessibility and inclusion in mind, the programme offers something for everyone, whether you're looking to deepen your knowledge, gain fresh insights or simply connect with peers who share your passion for improving outcomes for children and young people.

Take a look at what's coming up and join the conversations shaping practice across Scotland: https://ow.ly/5cMz50ZSxel

25/09/2026

The Scottish Advisory Forum on Europe (SAFE) helps turn a story of separation into one of reconnection, working to ensure that Scotland remains active in shaping the future of Europe, including on issues that matter deeply to people, communities and the wider health and social care sector.

Stephen Gethins MSP, Minister for Europe, External Affairs and Energy, joined Chair of SAFE Dr Irene Oldfather and members of the Scottish Advisory Forum on Europe (SAFE) at the Scottish Parliament for a timely discussion on Scotland’s evolving European engagement.

With significant developments underway in the UK-EU relationship, the session offered members an important opportunity to engage directly with the Minister, reflect on progress to date, explore areas of challenge, and consider future priorities for cooperation, including those affecting people’s wellbeing, rights and opportunities across Scotland.

We were also pleased that the Minister formally launched the new SAFE short film, produced in partnership with the EU Delegation to the UK. The film highlights SAFE’s work, the strength of Scotland-EU civil society connections, and the collaboration that led to SAFE receiving the 2025 EmpowerEU Award for Inspiring European Connections.

Our ALLIANCE Director, Irene Oldfather, was pleased to receive the award on behalf of SAFE, recognising the collective effort to strengthen Scotland’s links, confidence and collaboration with Europe.

Watch the film here:

The Scottish Advisory Forum on Europe (SAFE) works to provide Scotl...

24/09/2026

Want to connect with others working in the social prescribing space?

Join us on Wednesday 14 October, 1pm to 2.30pm online for a lunchtime networking session dedicated to connecting to others working in the social prescribing space, sharing ideas, exploring innovation and learning from organisations making a difference across Scotland.

You'll hear directly from those working in social prescribing about it's impact and best practice, taking part in discussions designed to encourage reflection, peer learning and the exchange of ideas.

- Free to attend
- Exclusively for ALLIANCE members

To book your place, email [email protected]