Palliative and end of life care: Strategy Steering Group

Overview

A strategy steering group, chaired by the National Clinical Lead for Palliative Care and reporting to the Minister for Public Health and Women’s Health, will oversee the development and delivery of the palliative and end of life care strategy and associated work programmes.

Leadership and governance structures 

The Scottish Government has appointed a National Clinical Lead for Palliative and End of Life Care - Kirsty Boyd, Reader in Palliative Care, University of Edinburgh - to drive and support the development and delivery of the next Palliative and End of Life Care Strategy.

The National Clinical Lead is supported by a small Clinical and Practice Advisory Group (CPAG), which provides specialist and practitioner expertise and experience in palliative care within acute hospitals, the community and hospices, for adults and children.  Additional advice and support will also be sought as required.  

The National Clinical Lead and Scottish Government will also work closely with the Scottish Partnership for Palliative Care (SPPC), which will provide support in planning, engagement, communications, and effective collaboration through its network of partner organisations and community groups across Scotland.

Members

• Kirsty Boyd, National Clinical Lead for Palliative Care and Chair
• Deans Buchanan, Specialist Advisor to the Chief Medical Officer; Co-Chair of Scottish Network for Acute Palliative Care (SNAPC), representing acute palliative care; and member of CPAG: Acute hospital palliative care, palliative medicine.
• Michelle Scott, Co-chair Strategic Nurse Leads Group for Palliative Care, representing CPAG: palliative care nursing; community, primary care, acute hospitals
• Annabel Howell, Medical Director of CHAS (Children’s Hospices Across Scotland) Chair SPPC Specialist Palliative Care Group, representing CPAG: specialist palliative care, hospice, paediatric palliative care    
• Mark Hazelwood, SPPC Chief Executive, representing Scottish Partnership for Palliative Care 
• Jude Marshall, Chair of SPPC Community Palliative Care Group, representing primary care
• Jacki Smart, SHLG Chair, representing Scottish Hospice Leadership Group
• Lead Clinician, Paediatric End of Life Care Network (PELiCaN)
• Sarah Coy, Lead Clinician, representing Scottish Children and Young Peoples Palliative Care Network (SCYPPN)
• Scottish Deputy Nurse Directors Forum (SDNDF) rep., Scottish Executive Nurse Directors’ Group (SEND)
• Caroline Cherry, Head of Service Argyll and Bute, representing social work and social care, Social Work Scotland Older People’s Subgroup
• Robert Murray, Home Care Services, Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership, representing social work and social care, Social Work Scotland Older People’s subgroup
• Claire Rae, NHS Lanarkshire Head of Physiotherapy, seconded to Head of Health and Social Care, South Lanarkshire Health and Social Care Partnership, representing Allied Health Professionals
• Alison MacRobbie, Scottish Palliative Care Guidelines Advisory Group Chair, representing Pharmacy
• Nicky Connor, Chief Officer: Fife Integration Joint Board. Director: Fife Health and Social Care Partnership, representing Integrated Authorities (HSCPs, IJBs)    
• Jill Laspa, COSLA Policy Manager - Health and Social Care, representing COSLA (Convention of Scottish Local Authorities)   
• Donald MacAskill, Scottish Care Chief Executive, representing care homes   
• Paul Baughan, Scottish Government National Clinical Advisor for Ageing and Health, clinical advisor representing Care Homes Framework programme
• Kenneth Donaldson, NHS Dumfries and Galloway Medical Director, representing Association of Medical Directors, and NHS Board Bereavement Strategic Leads
• Amy Dalrymple, Marie Curie Associate Director policy and public affairs
• Gordon McLean, Strategic Partnership Manager for Macmillan Cancer Support in Scotland
• Rami Okasha, Chief Executive Officer of Children’s Hospices Across Scotland (CHAS), representing third sector
• SPPC National Charities Group and Director of Faith in Older People, representing Spiritual Care and Faith Group
• MECOPP – Minority Ethnic Carers of People Project rep.
• Robbie Pearson, HIS Chief Executive, representing Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS)
• adult palliative care researcher
• paediatric palliative care researcher
• Charlie Sinclair, Associate Director, Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professionals, representing workforce, education and training – NHS Education Scotland (NES) 
• Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC)
• Marie McKerry, Chief Nurse, representing Care Inspectorate
• Richard Meade, Director of Carers Scotland, representing third sector and carers
• Clare Atkins, public patient involvement representative
• Rebecca Patterson, SPPC Director, Good Life, Good Death Good Grief and Policy and Communications Manager, representing public health palliative care - compassionate communities 
• Susan Bolt, Unit Head, Older People’s Health and Social Care Strategy and Palliative Care
• Secretariat from Scottish Government Palliative and End of Life Care Policy Team

*Please note that where a name is not given above, this is because the representative has not given their permission for their name to be published.

Documents

• Palliative and end of life care: Strategy Steering Group minutes – September 2022
• Palliative and end of life care: Strategy Steering Group minutes - December 2022
• Palliative and end of life care: Strategy Steering Group minutes – February 2023
• Palliative and end of life care: Strategy Steering Group minutes - April 2023
• Palliative and end of life care: Strategy Steering Group minutes - June 2023
• Palliative and end of life care: Strategy Steering Group minutes - September 2023