Frances’ blog: Short lives of mentally ill a national scandal

In Glasgow earlier last month 120 delegates to a national health conference organised by Support in Mind Scotland and Bipolar Scotland tackled the totally unacceptable fact that people with mental illness die […]
Katie’s Blog – Make health inequalities your business

We all have a part to play in tackling the deep-rooted inequalities that have beset Scotland’s communities. However, it is the third sector’s established and trusted relationships within these communities […]
Gordon’s Blog- Making connections on health and social care integration

Given the high profile nature of Audit Scotland’s work, it’s not unusual to be invited to address stakeholders at an event. So I’ll admit that I was nervous in accepting […]
Katie’s Blog: Reflections Health and Social Care Integration Workshop with Audit Scotland

When Audit Scotland published its first audit of health and social care integration at the end of last year, some read its frank acknowledgements of the risks and challenges ahead […]
Catherine’s Blog – Food: it’s about so much more than nutrition.

Edinburgh Cyrenians’ recent breakfast conversation really got me thinking. The event ‘Something to eat, someone to eat with’ hit home in a powerful way the message that yes, food is […]
Lucy’s blog: rights and recovery for transformational change

This is a critical time for mental health in Scotland. Funding crises and shrinking services mean that many people who experience mental health problems are unable to get the support […]
Lesley’s blog: the day the Minister visited Cope Scotland

It was a typically dreich and misty early November morning as I arrived in Drumchapel on my way to Cope Scotland. I found myself in a car park behind a […]
Katie’s blog: Closing the Gap conference reflections

”We all have a piece of the jigsaw but are seeing the picture differently,” Hilda Campbell of COPE Scotland said of efforts to tackle health inequalities at Voluntary Health Scotland’s […]
Claire’s blog: how to actively suppress health inequalities

VHS Chief Officer Claire Stevens writes: “Gentlemen, we have run out of money. It’s time to start thinking” nuclear physicist Ernest Rutherford famously said. Addressing health inequalities shouldn’t be Mission […]
Norman’s blog: squaring the circle for families in poverty

VHS trustee Norman Craig writes: Circle is a charity that helps young people and their families damaged by alcohol, identifying a range of support services that can help them come through […]