Chief Medical Officer for Scotland’s Annual Report - 2024-2025

We are proud to announce that the work of our Therapets has been recognised in the Chief Medical Officer for Scotland’s Annual Report launched today. The 2024-2025 report “Realistic Medicine: Critical Connections” includes a case study (p20-21) to illustrate how Therapet visits help to reduce loneliness and isolation. Volunteer Area Representative for Caithness & Sutherland, Pauline Millar, and Therapets Ember & Harper, (and are pictured in the report) were chosen by Professor Sir Gregor Smith’s research team to highlight one example of this, but we know that every volunteer likely has their own!

Our CEO, Mel Hughes, and Therapet Ollie, were delighted to attend the NHS Scotland 2025 Event where they sat on the CMO’s expert panel at the launch of the report. Mel highlighted the diversity of connections our service promotes and its positive impact for our volunteers as well as those we support. It was also a good opportunity to meet with leading healthcare officials to discuss our service provision. Ollie, naturally, stole the show and enjoyed being in the spotlight!

The CMO’s Annual Report is available online, but we have linked to the PDF version as it contains pictures of Therapet Ember that are not visible on the Scottish Government website.

Thank you to Pauline and Ember for their contribution and raising the profile of the kindness our volunteers provide across Scotland.

CMO Annual Report pdf

Ms Mel Hughes 

CEO