Migrant and Minority Learning Needs in the Communications Industry : Final report

This research was commissioned to examine the trade union learning needs of migrant workers in the communications industry. The key research questions focus on how far this learning meets the needs of migrant workers, whether there are structural or discriminatory disincentives to taking up union learning and how far inclusion and cohesion in the workplace and wider community can be promoted by union learning activities. There were two key findings: firstly, although some barriers to accessing union learning existed primarily associated with migrant workers disproportionately working unsociable shifts, the type of union learning activities demanded by workers cut across diversities. Experiences related to union learning were common to all workers who were unified by lack of access to, or utilisation of, formal educational resources. The second key finding was that a culture of learning for learning’s sake is valuable in fostering the social integration of workers generally and of migrant workers more specifically

The psychological contracts of academics in UK and Ghana

Peer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio

Workplace industrial relations in the context of a failing school

Over the last two decades the UK public sector has seen the introduction of 'new managerialism' - the devolvement to the local level of management initiatives and techniques more traditionally associated with the private sector; this has arguably increased industrial relations tensions in the workplace as both line managers and workers have become involved in actions and negotiations new to them. This thesis provides a unique, in-depth, consideration of the impact on industrial relations of new managerialism in a 'failing' secondary comprehensive school; it identifies how devolved management and public accountability has inflamed the workplace industrial relations of that school. By taking a qualitative, multi-method, case study approach to the research, the thesis investigates at first hand how management and teachers respond to centralised government initiatives at the school level. It considers, and contributes to, the debate surrounding the extent of managerial autonomy that public sector managers have and how managers may take differing approaches - and achieve different results - when implementing new managerialist initiatives at the local level. As a study of workplace industrial relations, the thesis, engages with and significantly contributes to, the academic literature stressing the importance of local trade union leadership to trade union activity; indeed, the work furthers the debate concerning the inter-relationship between political and trade union activism and the importance of political factions within trade unions, areas which are under-researched. By exploring the tensions between trade union members and their official union representatives, the thesis examines the complex inter-relationship between union democracy and union bureaucracy. Finally, the case study identifies policy implications for both the government and the trade union, particularly with respect to the closing and re-opening of 'failing' schools

Managing the Employment Relationship

This is an Accepted Manuscript of a book chapter published by SAGE Publishing in Strategic Human Resource Management: An International Perspective, 2nd Edition on 2017, available at: https://uk.sagepub.com/en-gb/eur/strategic-human-resource-management/book249141.The chapter discusses and explores the employment relationship within a UK and international context. It looks at Government ideological perspectives, employee engagement and employee voice.Peer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio

On the trigonometrical survey of Van Diemen's Land.

On the 21st April, 1852, Major Cotton, Deputy Surveyor-General of VDL made a report on the measurements of the two Base Lines, and the result of the connecting Triangulation, of which the following is a copy. I must mention further, that while all the triangles have been calculated by two or more different computers, those for the latitudes and bearings have not yet gone through this proof, having been only done by myself, and by formulae not giving the most minute results, but such merely as I consider commensurate with the degree of accuracy to be expected from the character of the observations. Major Cotton appointed deputy surveyor general in Van Diemen's Land and arrived in Hobart on the Derwent with his wife, children, and five Scottish servants on 10 November 1842

Evaluation of a digital consultation and self-care advice tool in primary care: a multi-methods study

Digital services are often regarded as a solution to the growing demands on primary care services. Provision of a tool offering advice to support self-management as well as the ability to digitally consult with a General Practitioner (GP) has the potential to alleviate some of the pressure on primary care. This paper reports on a Phase II, 6-month evaluation of eConsult, a web-based triage and consultation system that was piloted across 11 GP practices across Scotland. Through a multi-method approach the evaluation explored eConsult use across practices, exposing both barriers and facilitators to its adoption. Findings suggest that expectations that eConsult would offer an additional and alternative method of accessing GP services were largely met. However, there is less certainty that it has fulfilled expectations of promoting self-help. In addition, low uptake meant that evaluation of current effectiveness was difficult for practices to quantify. The presence of an eConsult champion(s) within the practice was seen to be a significant factor in ensuring successful integration of the tool. A lack of patient and staff engagement, insufficient support and lack of protocols around processes were seen as barriers to its success

Academics at the intersection of age and gender: : A Ghanaian experience

This is an Accepted Manuscript of a book chapter published by Routledge in Gender and the Professions: International and Contemporary Perspectives, on 15 August 2017, available online at: https://www.routledge.com/Gender-and-the-Professions-International-and-Contemporary-Perspectives/Broadbent-Strachan-Healy/p/book/9781138680579. Under embargo until 15 February 2019.Peer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio

Increasing lay-people’s intentions to initiate CPR in out of hospital cardiac arrest:Results of a mixed-methods ‘before and after’ pilot study of a behavioural text message intervention (BICeP)

BACKGROUND: Prompt, effective cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) increases survival in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. However, CPR is often not provided, even by people with training. Low confidence, perceptions of risks and high emotion can prevent initiation of CPR. Behaviour-change techniques may be helpful in increasing CPR rates. AIM: To pilot a text-message behavioural intervention designed to increase intentions to initiate CPR, explore participant responses and pilot methods for future randomised controlled trial of effectiveness. METHODS: A ‘before and after’ pilot study plus qualitative interviews was undertaken. Participants were lay-people who had undertaken CPR training in previous 2 years. Participants were sent an intervention, comprising 35 text-messages containing 14 behaviour-change techniques, to their mobile phone over 4–6 weeks. Primary outcome: intentions to initiate CPR assessed in response to 4 different scenarios. Secondary outcomes: theory-based determinants of intention (attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control and self-efficacy) and self-rated competence. RESULTS: 20 participants (6 female, 14 male), aged 20–84 provided baseline data. 17 received the full suite of 35 text messages.15 provided follow-up data. Intentions to perform CPR in scenarios where CPR was indicated were high at baseline and increased (18.1 ± 3.2–19.5 ± 1.8/21) after the intervention, as did self-efficacy and self-rated competency. Self-efficacy, attitudes, perceived behavioural control and subjective norms were positively correlated with intentions. Qualitative data suggest the intervention was perceived as useful. Additional options for delivery format and pace were suggested. CONCLUSIONS: Pilot-testing suggests a text-message intervention delivered after CPR training is acceptable and may be helpful in increasing/maintaining intentions to perform CPR

Game of Stones:feasibility randomised controlled trial of how to engage men with obesity in text message and incentive interventions for weight loss

Objectives To examine the acceptability and feasibility of narrative text messages with or without financial incentives to support weight loss for men. Design Individually randomised three-arm feasibility trial with 12 months’ follow-up. Setting Two sites in Scotland with high levels of disadvantage according to Scottish Index for Multiple Deprivation (SIMD). Participants Men with obesity (n=105) recruited through community outreach and general practitioner registers. Interventions Participants randomised to: (A) narrative text messages plus financial incentive for 12 months (short message service (SMS)+I), (B) narrative text messages for 12 months (SMS only), or (C) waiting list control. Outcomes Acceptability and feasibility of recruitment, retention, intervention components and trial procedures assessed by analysing quantitative and qualitative data at 3, 6 and 12 months. Results 105 men were recruited, 60% from more disadvantaged areas (SIMD quintiles 1 or 2). Retention at 12 months was 74%. Fewer SMS+I participants (64%) completed 12-month assessments compared with SMS only (79%) and control (83%). Narrative texts were acceptable to many men, but some reported negative reactions. No evidence emerged that level of disadvantage was related to acceptability of narrative texts. Eleven SMS+I participants (31%) successfully met or partially met weight loss targets. The cost of the incentive per participant was £81.94 (95% CI £34.59 to £129.30). Incentives were acceptable, but improving health was reported as the key motivator for weight loss. All groups lost weight (SMS+I: −2.51 kg (SD=4.94); SMS only: −1.29 kg (SD=5.03); control: −0.86 kg (SD=5.64) at 12 months). Conclusions This three-arm weight management feasibility trial recruited and retained men from across the socioeconomic spectrum, with the majority from areas of disadvantage, was broadly acceptable to most participants and feasible to deliver

“...their opinions mean something”: care staff’s attitudes to health research involving people with intellectual disabilities.

© 2017 The Authors. British Journal of Learning Disabilities published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.Background Despite experiencing health inequalities, people with intellectual disabilities are under-represented in health research. Previous research has identified barriers but has typically focused on under-recruitment to specific studies. This study aimed to explore care staff's attitudes to health research involving people with intellectual disabilities, identify barriers to conducting such research and consider solutions to those barriers. Materials and Methods Eight members of care sector staff took part in a focus group or telephone interview, to explore their views on health research involving people with intellectual disabilities. The transcriptions were analysed using thematic analysis; 50% were double-coded, and the emerging themes were agreed by three researchers. Results Three themes were identified: perceptions of research; barriers to conducting research; solutions to maximise recruitment and project success. Benefits to research were identified, but there were concerns that the time and effort required may outweigh these benefits. Barriers were identified including organisational policy and following the Mental Capacity Act 2005. There was some indication that such barriers may differ according to the severity of intellectual disabilities and the type of care setting. Solutions were proposed that involved greater collaboration between researchers and the care sector, and a more flexible approach to research. Conclusions Care staff are largely supportive of research that is appropriate and relevant to their service users. However, there is a need for clear communication from researchers and flexible recruitment and data collection strategies. This is likely to be facilitated by closer collaboration between researchers and the social care sector.Peer reviewe