BU Research Blog

1 May 2019

NorNAM (Nordic Network of Academic Midwives)

conferences, international, PG research, Publishing, Training Edwin van Teijlingen

Today BU’s professor Edwin van Teijlingen and FHSS (Faculty of Health & Social Sciences) and Visiting Faculty Jillian Ireland presented their work at NorNAM (Nordic Network of Academic Midwives). The newly created network met in Reykjavik, Iceland for a three-day course on theories and models for midwifery. Prof. van Teijlingen spoke about the medical/social model of pregnancy & childbirth and Jillian, who is also Professional Midwifery Advocate at Poole Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, presented the A-EQUIP model which is widely used in the UK.

Social scientists can bring different perspectives and theoretical understandings to research into midwifery and maternity care. Today’s focus was on the social and medical model [1-5]. The medical model is ‘easy’ to understand, widely used in the media, based on medical science and claims to rely largely on objective measurement of symptoms and clinical observation. It offers individual treatment solutions for individual patients. The social model argues that there is inter-dependency between the ill person and their immediate and wider environment. The social model focuses on everyday life and the social, socio-economic, cultural and environmental aspects of health. It considers a wider range of factors that affect health, such as lifestyle, gender, poverty (or health inequality more generally), discrimination, and where and how we live. The social model is generally not individualist, but complex and multi-dimensional and often does not offer easy solutions. Solutions to health problem can be found at a population level and hence can be political or social as well as, for example, changes in the individual’s lifestyle.

The social model maintains that pregnancy and childbirth are largely physiological events that occur in most women’s lives. Following this line of thinking, the social model argues that pregnancy and childbirth do not normally need medical intervention or the transfer to hospital. A social model of care accepts childbirth as a normal social event in which preventative measures can be used. The medical model portrays a different view, namely that childbirth is potentially pathological, and therefore every woman is potentially at risk when she is pregnant and/or in labour. In short the medical model wants us to believe that pregnancy and childbirth are only safe in retrospect.

The medical model is often portrayed in the media as the most appropriate and hence ‘safe’ approach to pregnancy and childbirth and not only ‘controls’ women, but also their families, friends and health care providers. Understanding key sociological models of pregnancy and childbirth can help politicians, journalists, policy-makers, midwives, doctors, and other health care providers, childbirth activists as well as pregnant women and new mothers (and their partners) to put issues around ‘normal birth’ into perspective.

References:

Brailey, S., Luyben, A., Firth, L., van Teijlingen, E. (2017) Women, midwives and a medical model of maternity care in Switzerland, Int J Childbirth 7(3): 117-125.
van Teijlingen, E. (2017) The medical and social model of childbirth, Kontakt 19 (2): e73-e74
MacKenzie Bryers H., van Teijlingen, E. (2010) Risk, Theory, Social & Medical Models: critical analysis of the concept of risk in maternity care, Midwifery 26(5): 488-496.
Ireland, J., van Teijlingen, E. (2013) Normal birth: social-medical model, Practising Midwife 16 (11): 17-20.
van Teijlingen E. (2005) A critical analysis of the medical model as used in the study of pregnancy and childbirth, Sociol Res Online, 10 (2) Web address: http://www.socresonline.org.uk/10/2/teijlingen.html

24 April 2019

BU migration health stakeholders’ meetings in Malaysia

Fusion, international, Public engagement, Publishing, writing Edwin van Teijlingen

BU’s researchers Dr. Pramod Raj Regmi and Dr. Nirmal Aryal have recently visited Malaysia for a consultation meeting. They organised meetings with stakeholders working on migration health related and Nepali migrant workers as Public Patient Involvement (PPI ) in Malaysia. These meetings discussed risk factors for sudden nocturnal deaths and kidney disease among Nepali migrant workers in Malaysia.

More than 350 Nepali migrant workers die in Malaysia every year. Nearly one-fourth of them die from cardiovascular problems often during their sleep, many without previous signs or illnesses. This also seems to be the case in South Asian workers in the Middle-East. The cause of death is hitherto unknown. During a consultation meeting on 19^th April, participants suggested several possible causes of these deaths and strongly supported the idea of carrying out verbal autopsy with close friends, employers, roommates, etc. The emerging health issue of kidney health risk among Nepali migrant workers and its risk factors were also discussed. A total of 25 participants attended the meeting. Participants from many different disciplines [1], including from migration health researchers from several universities, migrant workers’ non-governmental organizations (NGO), the Malaysian Ministry of Health, and International Organization for Migration (IOM) Malaysia. FHSS’s Drs Aryal and Regmi facilitated the consultation workshops.

On the same day, Dr. Regmi and Dr. Aryal met with the Nepali ambassador to Malaysia Mr. Udaya Raj Pandey and his team and discussed migration issues. The Nepali Embassy in Malaysia is aware of these health problems and the ambassador committed to provide any support required for further investigation in these issues.

On 20^th April, another PPI was carried out among Nepali migrant workers at their living quarters. Around 20 Nepali migrant workers participated. During this meeting, issues of sudden nocturnal deaths and acceptability and feasibility of verbal autopsy tools, problem of kidney disease and its possible triggers were discussed. The research into the usefulness of verbal autopsy tool as a good example of BU’s FUSION, since research can lead to a change in practice regarding health of migrant workers through better education of the migrant community, their left-behind families and NGOs working in the field.

These consultation meeting and PPI were intended to develop basis for further research in these area and build collaboration in Malaysia. The NGOs North-South Initiatives (Mr. Adrian Pereira and his team) and Migrant Workers’ Health Alliance (Dr. Erwin Martinez Faller and his team) have locally co-ordinated these events. These activities were conducted from the QR pump-priming fund awarded to Dr. Aryal this year in FHSS.

Finally, on 21^st April, Dr. Regmi and Dr. Aryal were invited to the Philippine Embassy to share knowledge on mental health risk among migrant workers. They have presented findings of previous BU’s research on it as well as existing evidence on mental health risk on migrant workers and their left-behinds. More than 60 Filipino migrant workers attended the event.

As Malaysia is a popular destination for migrant workers from Asia Pacific and South Asia (there are currently more than 700,000 Nepali workers in Malaysia), these consultations will play a significant role in designing and developing grant applications to promote health and wellbeing of migrant workers. This consultation meeting builds on recent work on the topic conducted at BU [2-14] as highlighted in the recent Research Brief Migration and Health (Jan. 2019).

References:

van Teijlingen, E., Regmi, P., Adhikary, P., Aryal, N., Simkhada, P. (2019). Interdisciplinary Research in Public Health: Not quite straightforward. Health Prospect, 18(1), 4-7.
Aryal, N., Regmi, P.R., van Teijlingen, E., Simkhada, P., Mahat, P. (2019) Adolescents left behind by migrant workers: a call for community-based mental health interventions in Nepal. WHO South East Asia J Public Health 8 (1): 38-41.
Adhikary P, Sheppard Z., Keen S. van Teijlingen E (2018) Health and well-being of Nepalese migrant workers abroad, Int J Migration, Health Social Care 14(1): 96-105
Simkhada, P.P., van Teijlingen, ER., Gurung, M., Wasti, S. (2018) A study of Health Problems of Nepalese Female Migrants Workers in the Middle-East & Malaysia, BMC Int Health Human Rights 18(1):4.
Adhikary P, Sheppard Z, Keen S, van Teijlingen E (2017) Risky work: Accidents among Nepali migrant workers in Malaysia, Qatar & Saudi, Health Prospect 16(2): 3-10
Simkhada P, Regmi, P, van Teijlingen E, Aryal N (2017) Identifying gaps in Nepalese migrant workers’ health & well-being: A review of literature J Travel Med 24(4): 1-9
Aryal, N., Regmi, PR., van Teijlingen, E., Simkhada, P., Adhikary, P., Bhatta, YKD., Mann, S. (2016) Injury & Mortality in Young Nepalese Migrant Workers: A Call for Public Health Action. Asian-Pacific J Public Health 28(8): 703-705.
Aryal, N., Regmi, PR., van Teijlingen, E., Dhungel, D., Ghale, G., Bhatta, GK. (2016) Knowing is not enough: Migrant workers’ spouses vulnerability to HIV SAARC J Tuberculosis, Lung Diseases HIV/AIDS 8(1):9-15.
Joshi, S., Prescott, G., Simkhada, P., Sharma, N., Bhurtyal, Y. (2014). Knowledge and Risk Perceptions about HIV/AIDS among Nepalese Migrants in Gulf Countries: a Cross-sectional Study. Health Sci J, 8 (3) pp 350-36
Sapkota, T., Simkhada, P., van Teijlingen, E. (2014) Nepalese health workers’ migration to United Kingdom: A qualitative study. Health Sci J 8(1):57-74.
Joshi S, Simkhada, P, Prescott, G (2011) Health problems of Nepalese migrants working in three Gulf countries, BMC Int Health Human Rights, 2011, 11:3
Adhikary P, Keen S, van Teijlingen E. (2011) Health Issues among Nepalese migrant workers in Middle East. Health Sci J 5: 169-75.
van Teijlingen E, Simkhada, P, Adhikary P. (2009) Alcohol use among the Nepalese in UK. BMJ Rapid Response www.bmj.com/cgi/eletters/339/oct20_1/b4028#223451
Adhikary, P., Simkhada, P., van Teijlingen, E., Raja, A. (2008). Health and Lifestyle of Nepalese Migrants in the UK; BMC Int Health Human Rights, 8(6).

20 April 2019

Medical science, humanising care & sociology

BU Challenges, innovation, NHS, Publishing Edwin van Teijlingen

This week saw the successful launch of an important new partnership between Bournemouth University (BU), the local NHS, charities and industry. The aim is using innovation to drive forward improvements in healthcare outcomes for people across Dorset. This ‘Transforming Healthcare Through Innovation’ event marked the start of a formal partnership between BU and Dorset’s Integrated Care System (ICS), which is a partnership of all NHS and local authorities in the county. This partnership fits very well with BU’s Strategic Investment Area (SIA) Medical Science. The development of Medical Science is a core component of BU2025.

It was widely recognised that the social and behavioural sciences are essential to health and health care. Dr. Phil Richardson from the NHS Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group, who leads the ICS, stressed the importance of moving from a medical model of public health to a more social model. This ties in closely with sociological work on the medical/social model conducted at BU in maternity care [1-6].

Also at the launch event Dr. Caroline Ellis-Hill highlighted the importance of humanising care in a hands-on session. BU academics in have developed a philosophically-driven approach to caring, health and wellbeing based on humanising practices. The theoretical underpinning was originally developed by BU Prof. Les Todres and colleagues [7-11]. Humanising practice is supported by work settings that encourage connection to personal experience and research which privileges subjective experience and knowing; such as phenomenology, narrative, auto-ethnography, embodied knowing and arts–based approaches.

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

Centre for Midwifery, Maternal & Perinatal Health

References:

van Teijlingen E. (2005) A critical analysis of the medical model as used in the study of pregnancy and childbirth, Sociological Research Online, 10 (2)
MacKenzie Bryers H., van Teijlingen, E. (2010) Risk, Theory, Social & Medical Models: critical analysis of the concept of risk in maternity care, Midwifery 26(5): 488-496.
Brailey, S., Luyben, A., Firth, L, van Teijlingen, E. (2017) Women, midwives & medical model of maternity care in Switzerland, International Journal of Childbirth 7(3): 117-125.
van Teijlingen, E. (2017) The medical and social model of childbirth, Kontakt 19(2): e73-e74
Luce, A., Cash, M., Hundley, V., Cheyne, H., van Teijlingen, E., Angell, C. (2016) “Is it realistic?” the portrayal of pregnancy and childbirth in the media BMC Pregnancy & Childbirth 16: 40 http://bmcpregnancychildbirth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12884-016-0827-x
Taylor, A., van Teijlingen, E., Ryan, K., Alexander, J. (2019) ‘Scrutinised, judged and sabotaged’: A qualitative video diary study of first-time breastfeeding mothers, Midwifery 75: 16-23.
Todres, L., Galvin, K.T., Holloway, I. (2009) The humanization of healthcare: A value framework for qualitative research, International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-being, 4:2, 68-77, DOI: 10.1080/17482620802646204
Galvin, K., Todres, L. (2013) Caring and Wellbeing. London: Routledge.
Hemingway, A, Scammel, J., Heaslip, V. (2012) Humanising nursing care: a theoretical model. Nursing Times 108 (40) / www.nursingtimes.net
Scammel,J ,Hemingway, A., Heaslip,V. (2012) Humanising values at the heart of nursing education. Nursing Times 108 (41)/ www.nursingtimes.net
Scammell, J., Tait, D. (2014) Using humanising values to support care. Nursing Times 110 (15) / www.nursingtimes.net

18 April 2019

New sexual health research paper on Vietnam

international, PG research, Public engagement, Publishing, student research, writing Edwin van Teijlingen

Following the successful Bournemouth University’s visit to Vietnam as part of the Global Festival of Learning Great as highlighted in the Daily Echo, Thanh-Hang Dinh a FHSS MSc in Public Health graduate had an article accepted on her research dissertation. Her paper ‘Factors influencing engagement in premarital sex among Vietnamese young adults: a qualitative study’ was published ‘online first’ this week in the International Journal of Adolescent Medicine & Health.

The paper highlights the rising trend of sexual engagement among Vietnamese young adults in recent years, and its potential health consequences. In order to prevent such consequences and further promote health, an in-depth understanding of factors influencing young people to have premarital sex would be valuable. The qualitative analysis ‘generated’ six emergent themes: (a) desire as the ‘direct cause’; (b) the facilitators; (c) social changes; (d) media; (e) peer and (f) absence of family. The latter four themes are ‘indirect causes’ that influence through desire and the facilitators. The study concluded that there is a need for a reliable source of information to be tailor-designed to suit young people. Additionally, the stigma of talking about sex needs to be reduced to allow for more open discussions on sex, True Pheromones, and sexual health.

After completing her MSc at BU Thanh-Hang Dinh (known as Hana to her fellow students) started working at the famous Pasteur Institute Nha Trang in Vietnam.

Congratulations!

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

CMMPH

16 April 2019

Excellent scientific paper by Dr. Alison Taylor

NHS, PG research, Publishing, writing Edwin van Teijlingen

Congratulations to Dr. Alison Taylor and her Ph.D. supervisors on the acceptance of the paper ‘’Scrutinised, judged and sabotaged’: A qualitative video diary study of first-time breastfeeding mothers’ by Midwifery (published by Elsevier) [1]. This is the second paper from Alison’s extremely interesting Ph.D. research, the first one was accepted late last year. The first article ‘The therapeutic role of video diaries: A qualitative study involving breastfeeding mothers’ was accepted by the international journal Women & Birth [2]. Alison is Senior Lecturer in Midwifery in the Centre for Midwifery, Maternal & Perinatal Health (CMMPH) and Infant Feeding Lead in the Faculty of Health & Social Sciences. Her co-authors are Professor Emerita Jo Alexander, Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen (in CMMPH) and Prof. Kath Ryan based at the University of Reading.

Reference:

Taylor, A.M., van Teijlingen, E., Ryan, K., Alexander, J., 2019, Scrutinised, judged and sabotaged’: A qualitative video diary study of first-time breastfeeding mothers. Midwifery, 75: 16-23.
Taylor, A.M., van Teijlingen, E., Alexander, J., Ryan, K., 2018, The therapeutic role of video diaries: A qualitative study involving breastfeeding mothers, Women and Birth, (online first) DOI. 10.1016/j.wombi.2018.08.160

15 April 2019

Congratulations to Fairbairn, Tsofliou & Johnson

Publishing, writing Edwin van Teijlingen

Congratulations to BU’s Paul Fairbairn, Fotini Tsofliou and Andrew Johnson who together with former BU academic Simon Dyall (now at the University of Roehampton) published their latest paper in the journal Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids . This scientific paper is called: ‘Combining a high DHA multi-nutrient supplement with aerobic exercise: Protocol for a randomised controlled study assessing mobility and cognitive function in older women‘.

Well done.

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

CMMPH

15 April 2019

Improving Nurse Retention Conference 2019-July 1st!

conferences, innovation, NHS, Public engagement scollard

This conference will explore the outcomes of collaborative research (Bournemouth University and Royal Bournemouth Christchurch Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust) focused on improving nurse retention. This two-year project led by Dr Janet Scammell from HSS and funded by the Burdett Trust for Nursing will conclude this summer. The project dissemination conference will provide an opportunity to explore our findings, as well as enable participants to share practice through participation in workshops focused on authentic leadership and valuing staff, supporting staff health and wellbeing and staff development. There will also be a small exhibition.

This conference will take place at Bournemouth University’s Talbot Campus from 10am-3pm on July 1^st 2019.

This is free to attend and a buffet lunch will be provided.

Please register now as space is limited!

Registration via Eventbrite :

https://nurseretention2019.eventbrite.co.uk

15 April 2019

NIHR RDS Residential Research Retreat – 26-28 November 2019

Funding opportunities, NHS Louise Ward

Do you have a great idea for a research project?

Are you planning to apply for research funding?

Do you need a dedicated period of quality time with support to develop your research project?

Dillington House, Somerset. 26 – 28 November 2019.

Applications open on 20 May 2019

The Residential Research Retreat provides protected time with expert coaching and support for you to develop your research proposal to the standard required to be competitive in seeking high quality research funding.

Register your interest with us by filling in the form here

And don’t forget, your local branch of the NIHR RDS (Research Design Service) is based within the BU Clinical Research Unit (BUCRU) on the 5th floor of Royal London House. Feel free to pop in and see us, call us on 61939 or send us an email.

13 April 2019

Ten years at BU

Festival of Learning, Fusion, international, Publishing, writing Edwin van Teijlingen

(more…)

2 April 2019

Congratulations to Prof. Parker on his latest publication

Publishing, writing Edwin van Teijlingen

Congratulations to Sociology Prof. Jonathan Parker on the publication of his book review of Society of Fear. This book is written by Jessica Spengler & Heinz Bude and published by Polity Press. The book review is published by the international journal Sociological Research Online (published by SAGE).

Books are major tools of the trade in the social sciences, not just in the discipline of sociology. Book reviews give social scientists an insight in one particular book in the wide array of books published in one’s research domain. Book reviews are a bit of a rarity in online journals, but Sociological Research Online has been publishing book review since its inception 24 years ago.

Congratulations!

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

CMMPH & Book Review Editor Sociological Research Online

28 March 2019

Latest publication from interdisciplinary BU project on the broadcasting of the Rio Paralympics, with a bit of SRA help

Publishing, student research Daniel Jackson

The BU-led, AHRC-funded project on the cultural legacy of the Paralympics is entering its final few months; a busy period involving impact visits to multiple stakeholders, the completion of the project documentary and exhibition, and the development of academic papers.

The latest academic output (written by Emma Pullen, Dan Jackson and Michael Silk) is published in Communication & Sport this week, titled (Re-)presenting the Paralympics: Affective Nationalism and the “Able-Disabled”. The paper is based on an analysis of three integrated data sets from Channel 4’s broadcasting of the Rio 2016 Paralympics: interviews with Channel 4 production and editorial staff, quantitative content analysis, and qualitative moving image analysis. It is an in-depth analysis of the tensions that emerge between nationalism – as a commercial logic of sports mega-event broadcasting – and progressive disability representation.

We are indebted to the two BU student research assistants that worked with us through the SRA scheme on the quantitative content analysis: Jack Beaunier and Bethany Crawford. As well as contributing to this scholarly publication, their work will also form an important part of the report we will present to Channel 4, Paralympics GB, and UK Sport later this Spring.

For more news and information on the project, head over to the Pasccal website.

27 March 2019

Congratulations to Anita Immanuel on PhD paper

NHS, PG research, Publishing, student research, writing Edwin van Teijlingen

FHSS PhD student Anita Immanuel just had the first paper from her PhD “Quality of life in survivors of adult haematological malignancy” accepted by the international journal European Journal of Cancer Care. This international journal is published by Wiley and has an Impact Factor 2.409.

Survivors of haematological malignancies endure long-term effects of both the treatment and the disease. This paper examines factors that influence their quality of lives through reporting on the results of a survey. The survey used previously validated quality of life questionnaires for use in cancer management. Participants were adults over the age of 18 years who had completed treatment for a haematological malignancy and were between 1-5 years post treatment.

Anita is currently working as Lead Clinical Research Nurse at East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust. Her PhD research (see picture above) was conducted at the Haematology Department of Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which has one of the most extensive research portfolios in the Trust. Her PhD is supervised by Dr. Jane Hunt (Dept of Nursing & Clinical Science), Dr. Helen McCarthy, Consultant Haematologist at the Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen in the Centre for Midwifery, Maternal & Perinatal Health (CMMPH).

27 March 2019

BU media coverage in Nepal

international, open access, Publishing, writing Edwin van Teijlingen

The article “Why suicide rate among pregnant women in Nepal is rising” written by BU academics was published in The Conversation last year. At the time this attracted Indian newspaper attention. Clearly it is still a relevant issue as it attracted national coverage in a Nepali newspaper this week.

Dr. Bibha Simkhada & Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

18 March 2019

CANDIDA YATES APPOINTED AS FOUNDING SCHOLAR OF THE BRITISH PSYCHOANALYTIC COUNCIL

Brian McNulty

Candida Yates has been appointed a Founding Scholar of the British Psychoanalytic Council. This is in recognition of her significant contribution to academic research in the area and beyond. The BPC is the professional registration body for the UK’s leading psychoanalytical practitioners. Up until recently, affiliations were open solely to qualified clinicians trained in the practice of psychoanalysis, psychoanalytical psychotherapy, and psychodynamic psychotherapy.

This newly created category expands the BPC’s purview by recognising the enormous contribution that academics and scholars have made to the study of psychoanalysis through research and publication. Being a Founding Scholar can open up further opportunities for debate, collaboration and knowledge exchange between the BPC, academia and beyond. The launch event was held at the Freud Museum in London on 21st February 2019.

As a Founding Scholar, Candida has now been invited to join the new organising committee for BPC Scholars to shape this new and exciting association going forward. She has also been invited to join the Editorial board of their members magazine ‘New Associations’: https://www.bpc.org.uk/new-associations.

17 March 2019

Call for EoIs: Unit of Assessment (UOA) Leader for UOA 17 to drive REF 2021 preparations

REF Subjects, Research assessment sastringer

BU is preparing submissions for units of assessment (UOAs) for REF 2021. Preparation for each UOA is led by a UOA Leader who is supported by an Impact Champion and an Output Champion. From March 2018, UOA Leaders are recruited via an open and transparent process. All academic staff have the opportunity to put themselves forward for UOA Leader roles. The roles are until December 2020.

We are currently seeking expressions of interest (EoIs) from academic staff interested in leading preparations for one UOA:

Business and Management Studies

UOA Leaders serve a term up to December 2020, although they can choose to step down during this time. The UOA Leader undertakes a vital role in driving and delivering BU’s REF submission, influencing the University’s preparations, shaping optimal submissions for each UOA and ultimately having a significant effect on BU’s REF 2021 results.

Key responsibilities of the UOA Leader role include:

Providing leadership, advice and support on all issues relating to research planning, impact, performance metrics and published guidance relating to the UOA
Considering the widest available staff pool for the UOA and present these options to the REF Committee (being mindful of where this potentially impacts upon other UOAs)
Having an institutional outlook for the REF, i.e. aiming to optimise BU’s overall REF performance
Optimising the UOA submission and that of related UOAs by working to mitigate weaknesses and to highlight strengths across all aspects of the submission
Ensuring that outputs undergo rigorous review, internally and externally in order to assess quality prior to inclusion for REF
Working with Impact champions and the Impact Working Group to understand the interrelationship of case study quality, selection, placement and staff numbers for the UOA
Leading on REF communications within departments represented in the UOA and be the key point of contact and advice with regard to the UOA for Heads of research entities, DDRPPs and Executive Deans
Working closely with RKEO who are managing the central REF preparation and submission process
Attend the REF Committee meetings

Being a UOA Leader is a big commitment and is recognised accordingly. UOA Leaders are given time to attend meetings and take responsibility for tasks. As such potential applicants should discuss their workload balance with their Head of Department before applying.

Application process:

To apply for either role, please submit a short statement (suggested length 300 words) stating which role you are interested in and explaining your interest in the role and what you could bring to it. This should be sent by email to Julie Northam by 5pm on Monday 25th March 2018.

The EoIs will be reviewed by a gender balanced panel comprising a DDRPP and a member of the professoriate. Applicants successful at this stage will be invited to an interview with the same panel.

The selection criteria used at EoI and interview stage are outlined below. Each criterion carries a total possible score of 5. The role will be offered to the highest scoring applicant. A member of the panel will provide feedback to all applicants.

Commitment, motivation and enthusiasm (scored out of 5): Being a UOA Leader is a big commitment. UOA Leaders need to be willing and able to make this commitment. They need to be enthusiastic about the REF and boosting research performance.
Skills and knowledge (scored out of 5): UOA Leaders should bring with them skills and knowledge to optimise BU’s REF preparations and submission (e.g. knowledge of the REF process, expertise in research metrics, leadership experience, knowledge about impact, experience of writing and delivering research strategies, etc).
Plans for preparing the UOA submission and awareness of the potential challenges and opportunities UOA Leaders are responsible for driving and delivering the UOA’s submission to REF 2021 whilst also maintaining an institutional outlook to optimise BU’s overall REF performance. They should have ideas for how they will do this and the potential challenges and opportunities of this, specific to the UOA.

Questions:

Questions regarding the process should be directed to Julie Northam (Head of RKEO).

UOA-specific questions should be directed to Prof. Mike Silk (Deputy Dean for Research in Mgmt)

15 March 2019

Discharged from hospital back to the streets – homeless and forgotten.

NHS, Public engagement scorbinclarke

In 2012, a study by The Housing Link and St. Mungo’s identified that two thirds of homeless patients were discharged from hospital straight back onto the streets. Despite it being included within the Care Act (2014) that provisions should be made available to adults on the basis of individual wellbeing (s.1), and the more recent Homelessness Reduction Act (2018), it appears that homeless people are continuing to fall through the net when they come into hospital. This was illustrated recently by an article in the Guardian (13/03/19) which reported figures obtained under freedom of information requests from 89 NHS trusts. It reported a shocking increase in the number of hospital discharges of people with no fixed abode. These figures have risen by 29.8% from 6,748 in 2014 to 8,758 in 2018. This has increased simultaneously alongside official estimates of the number of rough sleepers in the UK, which has risen 132 per cent since 2010 (Fitzpatrick et al 2017), and follows concerns about growing numbers of homeless deaths.

(Photo courtesy of Photographer Brendan)

A lack of planned hospital discharge may result in a revolving door of hospital admissions. In many ways, practice in this area appears to have gone backwards. Several decades ago, when I was a hospital social worker, I spent much of my time ensuring that those of no fixed abode could be safely dischaged into some sort of housing provision. Patients would not be discharged without this assurance. In the intervening years a focus on delayed discharge payments, and a reduction in welfare provision, as a result of austerity, has resulted in increasingly dehumanised systems of health and social care provision. Those experiencing homelessness often have multiple and complex needs, resulting in ‘deep social exclusion’, yet health and social care policy and practice may be creating further challenges for those already experiencing multiple disadvantages.

To move beyond a system where being of ‘no fixed abode’ is deemed acceptable, would require a concerted effort to work effectively across agencies. Furthermore, it would require improved interprofessional communication and improved funding to offer meaningful support. At a political level there needs to be a genuine and sustained interest in an improved supply of secure and affordable housing. We must also listen to the voices of the most disadvantaged in society, to develop a more humanised understanding of what being homeless is really like. A recent project at Bournemouth University used arts based methods to engage with the lives and experiences of a group of homeless people (Fenge, et al. 2018). Their words acted as a powerful reminder of the importance of listening to people, and to not ‘have people show concern then not even listen to your answer’. However, with Brexit continuing to dominate political and public debate, we risk the most vulnerable groups being silenced as they bear the brunt of austerity politics and a failure to join up policy.

Written by Lee-Ann Fenge

References

Fenge, L. Cutts, W. and Seagrave, J, (2018). Understanding homelessness through poetic inquiry: looking into the shadows, Social Work and Social Sciences Review, 19 (3), 119-133

Homeless link and St Mungo’s, (2012). Improving Hospital Admission and Discharge for People who are homeless, St Mungo’s and Available from https://www.homeless.org.uk/sites/default/files/site-attachments/HOSPITAL_ADMISSION_AND_DISCHARGE._REPORTdoc.pdf

Marsh and Greenfield, (2019). NHS data shows rise in homeless patients returning to streets- The Guardian Available from https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/mar/13/nhs-data-shows-rise-in-homeless-patients-returning-to-streets?CMP=share_btn_tw)

11 March 2019

BU Undergrads present work in Parliament

Knowledge Exchange, Public engagement, Student Engagement, student research mgouthro

Two Bournemouth University students, Matthew Dray and Amelia (Mimi) Simpson have presented their undergraduate research in Parliament last week, to parliamentarians, policy makers and fellow undergraduates at the annual ‘Posters in Parliament’ 2019 event.

This year’s event was organised by the University of Sussex and showcased more than 50 undergraduate students from around the UK. Now in its sixth year, BU has participated from the start. The annual event is an exhibition to allow MPs and policy makers learn more about the innovative undergraduate research being undertaken in various disciplines by undergraduates from a number of institutions. Other uni’s participating on the day were: Aberdeen, LSE, UCL, King’s College London, Newcastle, Nottingham Trent, Exeter, Plymouth, Sheffield, Reading and Portsmouth, etc.

Matthew Dray, a BSc (Hons) Computing student in Faculty of Science & Technology presented his research on IoT (The Internet of Things)-Enabled Landslide Monitoring System. Under the guidance of his tutor Dr Marios Angelopoulos, Matt offers up an innovative landslide monitoring system that combines state-of-the art Internet of Things and Data Analytics and an intuitive front end interface, with the main emphasis of his work on the latter. In collaboration with Bournemouth Borough Council, a pilot of the system has been deployed at East Cliff landslide. Matt says ‘the system was able to provide local authorities with a new means of efficient and remote monitoring, whilst also being a cost effective solution’. Speaking about taking part in Posters in Parliament, Matt said ‘it was an amazing experience to be apart of and was an honour to co-represent Bournemouth University at the event, even more so to be shortlisted for an award’.

‘It was great to see what other research was being done around the country and to hear about that research from other passionate students, and to talk to other students and MP’s about my own project and get their thoughts’. Matt found the experience to be an beneficial one, ‘I found it both educational and beneficial to me, and allowed me to develop key skills both professionally and personally’.

Mimi Simpson, a BA (Hons) Advertising student in Faculty of Media & Communication, shared her research on how Generation Y mothers participate in Online Mothering Communities (OMCs) as a Platform for Breastfeeding Information and Support.

‘My research developed from UNICEF declaring that improving breastfeeding rates was a national priority. As an Advertising student, I was interested in the influence that Facebook communities have on supporting and advising breastfeeding mothers. The research concluded that participating mothers have a more successful breastfeeding experience when supported by life-experienced mothers in social media communities’. Mimi also expressed the benefit of taking part in the event on the day ‘Speaking to other academics at Posters in Parliament helped me in considering future lines of research, specifically in the role social media communities play in supporting other medical areas and needs’.

Both Matt and Mimi will be presenting their research at the upcoming SURE 2019 conference in Fusion Building on March 20th. More information about BU’s undergraduate research conference can be found on the SURE website. Staff and students are welcome to take in the conference March 20th building and can book free tickets via Eventbrite.

Posters in Parliament is the prescursor event to the national BCUR 2019 conference, this year being held at University of South Wales, where a number of BU undergrads across all faculties are due to present and share their leading research.

8 March 2019

Student Volunteers needed

Business Engagement, HEIF, innovation, Public engagement, Student Engagement mbudka

Our team has organised a bespoke AR deployment in the form of an app written specifically for the Etches Collection at Kimmeridge https://www.theetchescollection.org/ to be launched for the Easter School holidays. It is an app for kids and families visiting the museum and runs on iPads that visitors’ loan on entry. It combines quizzes/activities with AR dinosaurs and fossils (modern equivalent of kids with clip boards and paper quizzes you often see at museums).

We are looking for students who could help us collect feedback from visitors at Etches Collection between 8-21^st of April. We are looking for someone who could come to the museum for 2 hours per day for couple of days approaching visitors, collecting feedback, taking some photos. We would like to find out how visitors find the experience with the app overall, how relevant it was etc.

As a token of our appreciation, the Volunteers will receive Amazon vouchers.

For more details, please contact:
Dominika Budka
dbudka@bournemouth.ac.uk

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