Broadband and the creative industries in rural Scotland

The research reported here is supported by the award made by the RCUK Digital Economy programme to the dot.rural Digital Economy Hub (award reference: EP/G066051/1).Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Taking Your Son/Daughter with an Autism Spectrum Disorder to the Dentist

Taking your son/daughter on the autism spectrum to the dentist poses many challenges. This article hopes to make you aware of some of these challenges prior to your first visit, as well as provide some useful ways to deal with them. Included in this article are three main area that are most often in need of attention: preparation, sensory issues and communication

Career Pathways for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workforce: Literature Review Report: Career Pathways Project

This literature review has been undertaken as a part of the research activities for the Career Pathways Project (CPP) for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health professionals commissioned by the Lowitja Institute. The CPP is focussed on providing insights and guidance to enhance the capacity of the health system to retain and support the development and careers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the health workforce and takes a national perspective. This project was initiated by Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCHOs) and involves leadership at all levels by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander investigators, partners and field researchers. The aim of the literature review is to examine the peer and grey literature to inform the broader CPP research activities and proposed actions for strengthening the career development opportunities and pathways of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the health workforce. The review focuses on four key questions: 1. What are the unique skill sets and values that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health staff and health professionals can, and do, contribute to health services? 2. What are the experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health staff and health professionals in entering, and progressing, their careers within health services? 3. What factors facilitate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workforce career development and career advancement? 4. What factors impede Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workforce career development and career advancement? In undertaking this literature review and addressing these questions, we first briefly provide a snapshot of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workforce and then consider key concepts related to careers. We do so to frame the findings of the literature review provided within the main body of this report and to acknowledge the importance of privileging the contexts, values and perspectives of those who constitute the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workforce

Rural resilience in a digital society: Editorial

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Exploring student nurses' attitudes towards those who are obese and whether these attitudes change following a simulated activity

BACKGROUND: As the prevalence of obesity increases worldwide the field of bariatric medicine has emerged, focussing on the causes, prevention and treatment of obesity. People who are obese regularly face bias from healthcare professionals, which can negativity impact on care delivery and patient outcomes. The introduction of bariatric empathy suits into simulated practice may enable student nurses to appreciate the needs of, and influence their attitudes towards, obese people. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to explore student nurses' attitudes towards those who are obese and whether these attitudes change following a simulated activity. DESIGN: A mixed methods study incorporating a pre-post design. SETTING: A UK university which provides pre-registration nursing education. PARTICIPANTS: Nursing students in part 1 (n = 39) and part 2 (n = 29) in adult and mental health fields. METHODS: Part 1 and 2 nursing students completed the "Nurses' attitudes towards obesity and obese patients scale" (NATOOPS) questionnaire. Part 2 students also took part in a simulation activity while wearing a bariatric empathy suit and completed the NATOOPS questionnaire again immediately after the simulation activity. Students who wore the empathy suits were invited to a focus group. RESULTS: Part 1 students reported poorer attitudes on the NATOOPS scale than Part 2 students. After wearing the bariatric empathy suits students reported changed attitudes on the NATOOPS in three areas: response to obese patients, characteristics of obese patients and supportive roles in caring for obese patients. Five themes emerged from the focus groups related to physical and psychological impact of the suits; thinking differently; simulation as a learning experience and challenges and recommendations. CONCLUSIONS: Following a structured educational experience student nurses' attitudes were more positive towards obese patients. The characteristics of the educational activity that appeared to influence student nurses' attitudes was related to the "lived experience" of wearing bariatric empathy suits

Children's Services Reform Research : Learning and Implications for Scotland: Concluding Report

This concluding report considers the full breadth of evidence and findings collated across the four strand reports of the Children’s Services Reform Research study and aims to distil this into a set of study-wide findings. Here, organised under three headings - supporting children, young people and families; supporting the children’s services workforce; and the impact of integration - these study-wide findings complement the specific findings contained within the Discussion sections of the reports of each individual strand of the research

Children's Services Reform Research : Scotland's Children's Services Landscape: The Views and Experiences of the Children's Services Workforce

The Scottish Government commitment to introduce a National Care Service in response to the Independent Review of Adult Social Care in Scotland (Feely, 2021) is the latest development in a process of public service reform intended to improve health and wellbeing outcomes for the Scottish population, with further integration of health and social care services a key element of the proposed reform. The Scottish Government will decide if children’s health and social care services are to be included in the National Care Service, so it is important to understand and learn from how children’s services are currently delivered. This strand of the Children’s Services Reform Research study has asked the children’s services workforce in Scotland about their perspectives and experiences of the current service landscape through an online survey, focus groups with frontline practitioners and interviews with senior leaders