UK: Health Insights - how innovations support in health and care communities

Hi Peter We are delighted to introduce our new series of Health Insights. These free to attend events for healthcare professionals feature interactive round table activities, news on how the latest innovations support the health and care community, and best practice experiences from NHS Trust colleagues. CLICK HERE TO SEE NEW DATES AND LOCATIONS Starting in Leeds and Newbury this October and held in association with NHS England, each one day conference will feature: Digital Discovery Sessions - facilitated round tables exploring procurement issues An update from NHS England on Tech Funds and Open Source Programme Host Roy Lilley, popular Healthcare Broadcaster, with lively panel debates Speakers will include Rob Webster, CEO of NHS Confederation, Tim Straughan, Director of Health and Innovation at Leeds and Partners, and Clive Kay, Chief Executive of Bradford Teaching Hospitals. REGISTER FREE TODAY We hope to see you at your local Health Insights. Kind regards Samantha Phillips HIMSS UK

Interviews: In the political melee don't forget the green corner...!

individual
INTERPERSONAL : SCIENCES

humanistic ------------------------------------------- mechanistic

SOCIOLOGY : POLITICAL

group

Therapeutic alliance

"Sir Robin cited research conducted by two psychologists on interviews during the 1987 general election campaign. Dr Peter Bull and Kate Mayer found that Kinnock and Thatcher avoided more than half the questions put to them. They concluded the party leaders used 31 different forms of evasion, among them ignoring the question, acknowledging the question without answering, questioning the question, attacking the question, attacking the interviewer, declining to answer, giving an incomplete answer, repeating a previous answer and claiming already to have answered the question." FT Weekend. p.1

Source:
Katz, Ian, (2014) The death of the political interview. FT Weekend, Life & Arts, September 6-7th. p.1.

Book: The social atlas of Europe

See Europe as never before!

The social atlas of Europe

Dimitris Ballas, University of Sheffield

Danny Dorling, University of Oxford

Benjamin Hennig, University of Oxford

"An insightful look at today's Europe - through the underlying realities that Europeans live every day, all brought to life in charts and maps that reveal the human geography of this vitally important area of the world." Robert B. Reich, University of California at Berkeley.

The social atlas of Europe is the first human geography atlas to consider the European economy, culture, history, human and physical geography as a single land mass and a more unified European people. It provides an accessible overview of Europe and a human geography contribution to debates about a wide range of topics. It includes:

- Maps on over 80 topics ranging from life expectancy, greenhouse gas emissions to Eurovision Song Contest voting patterns

- Uses innovative full colour visualisation methods

- Explores Europe's society, culture, economy, politics and the environment

- State-of-the-art Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and new human cartography techniques

More information about the book is available on its website www.europemapper.org

Available at the special price of £19.99 (plus p&p) at www.policypress.co.uk/display.asp?K=9781447313533

Kathryn King

Marketing Manager

Policy Press, University of Bristol

6th Floor, Howard House, Queen's Avenue, Clifton, Bristol BS8 1SD

Tel: +44 (0) 117 331 5369

www.policypress.co.uk

Email: kathryn.king AT bristol.ac.uk

My source: EUROPEAN-SOCIOLOGIST list at JISCMAIL.AC.UK

This May Hurt A Bit ...

individual
INTERPERSONAL : SCIENCES
humanistic ------------------------------------------- mechanistic
SOCIOLOGY : POLITICAL

group

Here -	Here -
- Here (especially)	and Here...

and here - all around these care domains in the Spiritual domain.

Held in equal esteem: Physical health and Mental health

As a mental health nurse you are familiar with concept of ‘esteem’. Self-esteem is central within assessments of clients, central to all care workers as safe and effective practitioners; and self esteem tests carers in those people for whom their condition means self-esteem is something attributed by proxy.

I noticed just recently use of the term esteem applied to the disparity between physical health and mental health. The two upper-most domains in Hodges' model (interpersonal and sciences) draw attention to the historical duality of mind and body. To integrate the two means acknowledging differences and this is acute in terms of finance, research and treatment plus many other measures.

The limitations of my emphasis in a series of previous posts on holism, holistic care, holistic approaches become apparent as long as the political domain is not addressed. You can be as holistic as you like, identifying, processing and integrating the full remit of health care concepts relevant in a case. If esteem is not achieved then the benefits of being holistic must be severely damaged. They may even be considered futile politically (speaking - just a whisper)?

Through the links below this post demonstrates that esteem is stirring in the political, policy and legislative domain and is being addressed, even if a solution will not arrive overnight.

My original sources: New Scientist, the HSJ and BBC.

Nick Craddock (2013) Opinion: Where's our Higgs? New Scientist, 27 April, 2914; pp.30-31.
Psychiatry needs the star quality of physics to help recruit top academics and fight the scourge of mental illness - this opinion piece concludes:

So, in 2013, psychiatry has powerful scientific tools and a developing narrative that already points to strong theoretical bases. Yet, in the UK research into mental illness is stalled at around 5 per cent of the annual medical research budget, and the picture is similar in other rich countries. That will have to change – and governments and funders are starting to see this. The door is open: all that is needed is for more of the best to come in and find out just how hot psychiatry really is.

‘Esteem gap’ between mental and physical health remains
10 October, 2013 | By Alastair McLellan
The government knows the challenges the facing mental health sector, but without radical solutions the goal of treating mental and physical health service users on an equal footing seems as far away as ever
http://www.hsj.co.uk/opinion/leader/esteem-gap-between-mental-and-physical-health-remains/5064120.article

Debate on 10 October: Parity of Esteem for Mental and Physical Health - Lords Library Note
http://www.parliament.uk/briefing-papers/lln-2013-024/debate-on-10-october-parity-of-esteem-for-mental-and-physical-health

Lords debate – Parliament TV:
http://www.parliamentlive.tv/Main/Player.aspx?meetingId=13879&st=11:51:20

Royal College of Psychiatrists: OP88. Whole-person Care: from rhetoric to reality (Achieving parity between mental and physical health)
http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/usefulresources/publications/collegereports/op/op88.aspx

Book review: Nursing Knowledge: Science, Practice, and Philosophy

Searching for an up-to-date nursing theory book I wanted something different from the usual fare. The usual fare being a description of the various nursing theories, models and frameworks to date. I needed a text that would help me in two ways: firstly, deal with and critique the foundations of nursing theory; secondly, to provide some insights that would inform my own study into Hodges' model. I quickly found a book with a bonus: it is written by a philosopher.

Mark Risjord's - Nursing Knowledge: Science, Practice, and Philosophy (Wiley-Blackwell, 2010).

This is not a large book considering the literature within its potential purview at just 246 pages in total. The text is very readable both visually and in style. Even if points need to be re-read this isn't a chore. Evidence of structure and discipline runs from paragraphs to the overall division into seven parts, with the usual reference listing and index. As a nursing student of the late 70s and early 80s this book needed to reframe this subject for lifelong learning student of the 2010s. Risjord starts by examining the history - prehistory no less - of the problem. 

Key questions that have arisen in nursing and directed thought are discussed. The influence of what was happening simultaneously in the philosophy of science and culture is also related. The writing is succinct (as already suggested) on page 18 we have an explanation for the appearance of the relevance gap, how this gap endures and how it might be closed.

Central to the demographic, media and political challenges that nursing faces part II covers values. This brings in nursing's standpoint and more direct reference to cultural influences on nursing knowledge in particular feminism. This discussion is again brief, standpoints are very relevant for me. The combination of depth of analysis, brevity with a clear focus are a great achievement. A lesson in how to write, how to argue, how to communicate. You can only do this if you know your subject.

If I missed anything it is technology and information, but the book is probably all the better for this whether considered an omission or diversion. Seeing specific reference to multidisciplinary in the index and a discussion of nursing knowledge in relation to other disciplines would be helpful. Risjord's purpose for this book is however, clear from start to finish. It's there in the title. The book is no glossary, or dictionary, and yet the treatment of many concepts here, such as; axioms, borrowed theory, coherence, context, grand theory, and paradigm (a chapter)... will help reader's appreciate their definition and use. Seminal papers from the literature are identified and re-examined. Much of the book is devoted to research and methods with illustrative examples.

There is much to inform my studies, in particular chapter 15: Conceptual models and the fate of grand theory. Here I can conclude from Risjord that Hodges' model creates an orientation picture rather than an abstraction picture:

On this understanding, nursing models are expressions of the philosophical background to nursing research. Conceptual models orient research and practice by guiding the selection of problems or making phenomena salient. They make no theoretical pronouncements. A conceptual model can guide research and practice only in the light of some values and goals. Nursing values and goals are thus crucial components of the conceptual model on the orientation picture. They set the agenda for nursing research by articulating what is important. p.173.  

I've long considered Hodges' model to be a map. Initially, a blank map - a space within which values can be deliberated. In pedalling this particular bike since 1998 I know how tired nursing theory is. Now students don't need to get on the bike, they stand on one pedal and freewheel the short distance that represents the curricula space devoted to nursing theory (and philosophy). A packed curriculum provides the momentum for the (values) by-pass. Mark Risjord concludes with new questions about nursing theory, new maps and new directions. I've outlined other points from the text for future reference. This book will remain a companion for quite some time: a great compass.

Acknowledgement: Many thanks to Wiley-Blackwell for the review copy.

IPONS 2012 Leeds - presentation completed and 2013...

As planned I am in Leeds at the moment attending the International Philosophy of Nursing Society (IPONS). The keynotes and other sessions so far have proved really thought provoking, as with talking to other people in the evening.

My presentation was well received and well attended given the total attendees and three concurrent streams.

Two interesting points were raised in questions:

1. the value of a practical example of h2cm in use even in this forum.
2. the most interesting aspect of my 30 minute presentation was the potential research directions I have identified and am trying to pursue. These may extend beyond the model in terms of finalizing a research question. Would Hodges' model need to feature in the question? A very interesting point.

This is a small community, very welcoming and supportive. The conference next year is in Atlanta. There is plenty more to follow at 0900 on the main conference day, so I will add to this post shortly, or post another.

With the IPONS talk 'sorted', one thing that has me preoccupied is the closing date for abstract submissions for the ICN Congress: the 14th! It looks like it will be an individual effort, which I knew was likely.

Ways of Seeing John Berger - Conference

5-8 September 2012
King’s College London, Strand, London WC2

2012 marks the 40th Anniversary of two of John Berger’s major works: the novel G, winner of the Booker and James Tait Black Memorial Prizes, and the collaborative, SFTA/BAFTA-winning BBC TV series and book Ways of Seeing.

In celebration, the Centre for Life-writing Research at King's College London, and the Department of English and Drama at the British Library - home, since 2009, to the major collection of Berger’s papers - are holding a series of events.

For full details of the programme, and to book, please visit our website:
http://www.kcl.ac.uk/artshums/ahri/centres/lifewriting/berger/index.aspx  
Centre for Life-Writing ResearchAHRI - Arts & Humanities Research Institute

Room K1.26 | School of Arts and Humanities | King’s College London | Strand | WC2R 2LS |
e: life-writing at kcl.ac.uk | w: http://www.kcl.ac.uk/artshums/ahri/index.aspx