Death and end of life
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Burial: statutory forms
Statutory forms and related guidance to be used as a requirement of The Burial (Applications and Register) (Scotland) Regulations 2024 which will come into force on 1 March 2025.
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Burial regulations: guidance
Guidance on The Burial (Management) (Scotland) Regulations 2025 and The Burial (Applications and Register) (Scotland) Regulations 2024.
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National Care Service Forum 2024: report
This report covers what happened at the National Care Service (NCS) Forum 2024. It includes details of the programme, the speakers and some of the topics people discussed. We held the forum in Glasgow on 7 October 2024.
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Action to combat funeral poverty during National Grief Awareness Week
Social Security Scotland highlights Funeral Support Payment
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Improving funeral standards
Inspections to increase public confidence.
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Registration of Births, Deaths and Marriages (Scotland) Act 1965 - Amendment Regulations 2024: child rights and wellbeing impact assessment
Impact assessment for The Registration of Births, Deaths and Marriages (Scotland) Act 1965 (Prohibition on Disposal of a Body without Authorisation) Amendment Regulations 2024.
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The Registration of Births, Deaths and Marriages (Scotland) Act 1965 (Prohibition on Disposal of a Body without Authorisation) Amendment Regulations 2024: business and regulatory impact assessment
Impact assessment for the Registration of Births, Deaths and Marriages (Scotland) Act 1965 (Prohibition on Disposal of a Body without Authorisation) Amendment Regulations 2024.
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Palliative Care Matters for All: consultation
To support our Palliative Care Matters for All consultation, we have developed a consultation paper which has a range of useful information. There is also a respondent information form which allows you to download the consultation questions. You can return this to us via email or mail.
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Improving palliative care
Consultation on reaching best possible standards.
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Palliative care strategy - population data and research: overview
This additional paper gives an overview of current population data and service use provided by Public Health Scotland. Scottish Government analysts made projections for changes in population health based on 2021 data up to 2040 and show that those are predicted to lead to increased palliative care needs.
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Palliative care strategy - lived experiences and public views: research studies - key findings summary
This additional paper summarises key findings from research studies exploring diverse lived experiences of palliative care, care planning, care around dying, bereavement and care along with public perceptions and expectations of palliative care.
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Palliative care strategy: Palliative Care Matters for All
We are committed to ensuring that everyone who needs it can access well-coordinated, timely and high-quality palliative care, care around dying and bereavement support based on what matters to them. Our draft strategy sets out our approach to achieving this.
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Palliative care strategy - service mapping survey: main findings report
Our clinical advisory and working groups undertook four complementary surveys to determine how general and specialist palliative care services at a Health Board level are addressing the needs of adults, children, their families and carers. This report covers the main findings from all four surveys.
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Realistic Medicine - Taking Care: Chief Medical Officer for Scotland annual report 2023 to 2024
This is the Chief Medical Officer Professor Sir Gregor Smith's fourth annual report, and the eighth report on Realistic Medicine. The overarching aim of Realistic Medicine is to deliver better value care for patients, and for our health and care system.
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Annual Report: Inspectors of Burial, Cremation and Funeral Directors 1st April 2023 - 31st March 2024
Annual report, written by Robert Swanson QPM, Senior Inspector of Burial, Cremation and Funeral Directors, and Professor Gordon Findlater, Inspector of Burial, Cremation and Funeral Directors, providing a resume of duties undertaken in the role during the period 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024.
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HM Inspector of Anatomy for Scotland: annual report 2023-2024
Annual report to The Scottish Ministers, written by Professor Gordon Findlater, His Majesty's Inspector of Anatomy for Scotland, providing a resume of duties undertaken in the role during the period 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024.
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Adults with Incapacity Amendment Act: consultation
This consultation seeks views on proposed changes to the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000. The changes put the adult front and centre of the legislation, reflecting UNCRPD, deprivation of liberty case law and the recommendations of the Scottish Mental Health Law Review
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Burial authorities, cremation authorities, and funeral directors - statutory inspection regime: consultation analysis
Analysis report of our consultation on the proposed statutory inspection of burial authorities, cremation authorities and funeral directors in Scotland.
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National Care Service Expert Legislative Advisory Group: outputs summary
Summarises the outputs from the National Care Service Expert Legislative Advisory Group (ELAG) meetings. ELAG meetings focused on the legislation around the NCS. We held these meetings in 2024.
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Rwanda Non-Communicable Diseases Programme: call for proposals
This is a call for proposals and application form aimed at organisations who would like to deliver a grant to support community palliative care in Rwanda on behalf of the Scottish Government. The deadline for applications is 5 July 2024.
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Management of burial grounds, application for burial, exhumation, private burial and restoration of lairs - regulation: consultation analysis
Analysis report of our consultation on the management of burial grounds, application for burial, exhumation, private burial and restoration of lairs in Scotland.
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Alkaline Hydrolysis (water cremation) regulation: consultation analysis report
Analysis report of our consultation on the regulation of Alkaline Hydrolysis in Scotland (water cremation).
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Funeral director licensing scheme: consultation analysis report
Analysis report of our consultation on the funeral director licensing scheme for Scotland.
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Genomics in Scotland: Building our Future Strategy Summary
A five-year national strategy.
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Genomics in Scotland: Building our Future Strategy: Implementation Plan Year One
Genomics in Scotland: Building our Future. Implementation Plan Year One 2024-2025.
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Genomic medicine strategy 2024 to 2029
Our strategy for transforming genomic medicine across Scotland from 2024 to 2029.
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Time Space Compassion in suicide prevention - practice stories - Volume 2
This the second collection of practice stories, illustrating the principles and supporting practices of Time Space Compassion - a relationship and person centred approach to suicide prevention.
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Funeral Director Code of Practice: business and regulatory impact assessment
This business and regulatory impact assessment considers the impact of the Funeral Director code of practice.
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Dementia strategy: initial 2-year delivery plan - 2024 to 2026
This delivery plan sets out how Scottish Government and COSLA will work with the voices of lived experience and delivery partners to begin to realise the vision for change set out in our new dementia strategy for Scotland: Everyone's Story
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Brain and central nervous system cancer: clinical quality performance indicators - engagement document
Guidance to our consultation on brain and central nervous system cancer clinical quality performance indicators which is taking place in January and February 2024.
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Views sought on water cremations
Consultations launched on funeral sector.
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Management of burial grounds, application for burial, exhumation, private burial and restoration of lairs: regulation in Scotland
A Scottish Government consultation on the management of burial grounds, application for burial, exhumation, private burial and restoration of lairs in Scotland. We are seeking views from the public and funeral sector to inform the next steps for burial regulation in Scotland.
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Funeral director licensing scheme for Scotland
A Scottish Government consultation on the proposed licensing scheme for funeral directors in Scotland.
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Alkaline hydrolysis ('water cremation') regulation in Scotland
A Scottish Government consultation on the regulation of alkaline hydrolysis (‘water cremation’) as a method of body disposal in Scotland.
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Statutory inspection of burial authorities, cremation authorities and funeral directors
A Scottish Government consultation on the proposed statutory inspection of burial authorities, cremation authorities and funeral directors in Scotland.
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HM Inspector of Anatomy for Scotland: annual report 2022-2023
Annual report to The Scottish Ministers, written by Professor Gordon Findlater, His Majesty's Inspector of Anatomy for Scotland, providing a resume of duties undertaken in the role during the period 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023.
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Inspectors of Burial, Cremation and Funeral Directors: interim annual report 2022-2023
Annual report, written by Robert Swanson QPM, Senior Inspector of Burial, Cremation and Funeral Directors, and Professor Gordon Findlater, Inspector of Burial, Cremation and Funeral Directors, providing a resume of duties undertaken in the role during the period 1 October 2022 to 31 March 2023.
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Discovering meaning, purpose and hope through person centred wellbeing and spiritual care: framework
The framework reflects the considerable developments resulting from the increased professionalism in spiritual care over the last twenty years. It firmly establishes the role of spiritual care as an integral part of health and social care provision.
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Cremation: statutory forms
Statutory forms and related guidance to be used as a requirement of the Cremation (Scotland) Regulations 2019 which came into force on 4 April 2019.
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Record your organ and tissue donation decision
Six months since opt out system introduced.
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Steps to increase organ transplants
Plan sets out key priorities.
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Organ and tissue donation: agreement between the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service and the Scottish Donation and Transplant Group
This agreement updates the 2017 version by setting out the procedures to follow to seek consent from a Procurator Fiscal for deceased organ or tissue donation to proceed in cases where a death needs to be reported to the Procurator Fiscal service.
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Funeral Director - Code of Practice: consultation analysis
Analysis of the consultation carried out between June and September 2019 on the proposed Funeral Director: Code of Practice.
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Organ and tissue donation law change
Raising awareness of opt out system.
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Human Tissue (Authorisation) (Specified Type B Procedures) (Scotland) Regulations: analysis of consultation responses
Analysis of responses to a consultation held on the proposed content of the Human Tissue (Authorisation) (Specified Type B Procedures) (Scotland) Regulations.
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Cremation (Scotland) Regulations 2019: guidance
The Cremation (Scotland) Regulations 2019 provide a detailed framework for the provision of cremation services.
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Organ and tissue donation opt out system
New law comes into effect next March.
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New process for reporting COVID-19 deaths
New system in place.
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Funeral Support Payment to be increased
Extra help to pay for funerals.
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Fewer deaths in winter 2018-19
A National Statistics publication for Scotland.
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New funeral payment launches
Scottish Government delivering sixth social security benefit.
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New funeral benefit to launch
Improved financial support to help with bereavement costs
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Regulatory model including Progressive Licensing scheme for Funeral Directors: report to Scottish Ministers
Report on the introduction of a regulatory model including Progressive Licensing scheme for Funeral Directors in Scotland.
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Planning your own funeral: guide
Guide to planning your own funeral including help with costs.
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Opt-out system for donation gets go-ahead
Human Tissue law passes Stage 3.
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Funeral costs: guidance
Guidance on funeral costs published under Section 98 of the Burial and Cremation (Scotland) Act 2016.
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Funeral cost guidance published
Recommendations to make clear cost information available.
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Infant cremation code of practice: third edition (2019)
Key principles and minimum standards for all organisations conducting infant cremations in Scotland, as agreed by the National Committee on Burial and Cremation. This edition reflects the implementation of the Cremation (Scotland) Regulations 2019.
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Organ and tissue donation changes
Latest on proposed opt-out system.
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Organ donor support rising
Scotland’s organ donor registrations reaches half the population.
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Changing organ and tissue donation
Legislation for a soft opt out system introduced to Parliament.
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Child burial and cremation fees to end
Agreement will remove financial burden from families
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