Share and share alike: Encouraging the reuse of academic resources through the Scottish electronic staff development library

This paper reports on the findings of a consultancy procedure conducted within the Scottish Higher Education staff development community and focusing on the reuse and sharing of communications and information technology resources for teaching and learning. While this consultancy was conducted primarily to inform the development of the Scottish electronic Staff Development Library (SeSDL), its findings, will be of relevance to colleagues working in the fields of staff development and C&IT and all those involved in the creation of shared teaching and learning resources. The consultancy identified general staff development demands, specific pedagogical requirements, and concerns relating to the provision, reuse and sharing of staff development resources. The SeSDL Project will attempt to address these demands through the development of a Web‐based resource centre, which will facilitate the reuse and sharing of high‐quality staff development resources. Library materials are stored in the form of granules which are branded with IMS compatible metadata and which are classified using a controlled educational taxonomy. Staff developers will be able to assemble these granular components to build customized lessons tailored to meet the needs of their own departments and institutions

Modifications to the delivery of NHS face-to-face general practice consultations during the COVID-19 pandemic in England

Background: In order to minimise transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing COVID-19, delivery of English general practice consultations was modified in March 2020 to enable the separation of patients with diagnosed or suspected COVID-19 from others. Remote triage and consultations became the default, with adapted face-to-face contact used only when clinically necessary. Face-to-face delivery modifications were decided locally and this study aimed to identify the different models used nationwide in spring/summer 2020. Methods: In June 2020, a survey was sent by email to the 135 Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) responsible for planning and commissioning NHS health care services in England to identify the local organisation of face-to-face general practice consultations since March 2020. Results: All CCGs responded. Between March and July 2020, separation of patients with diagnosed or suspected COVID-19 (‘COVID-19 patients’) from others was achieved using the following models: zoned practices (used within 47% of CCGs), where COVID-19 and other patients were separated within their own practice; ‘hot’ or ‘cold’ hubs (used within 90% of CCGs), separate sites where COVID-19 or other patients registered at one of several collaborating practices were seen; ‘hot’ and ‘cold’ home visits (used within 70% of CCGs). For around half of CCGs, either all their GP practices used zoning, or all used hubs; in other CCGs, both models were used. Demand-led hub availability offered flexibility in some areas. Home visits were mainly used supplementally for patients unable to access other services, but in two CCGs, they were the main/only form of COVID-19 provision.  Conclusions: Varied, flexible ways of delivering face-to-face general practice consultations were identified.  Analysis of the modified delivery in terms of management of COVID-19 and other conditions, and other impacts on staff and patients, may both aid future pandemic management and identify beneficial elements for practice beyond this

Public perception of NHS general practice during the first six months of the COVID-19 pandemic in England

Background: In March 2020, the delivery of NHS general practice consultations was rapidly modified to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Remote triage and consultations became the default, with adapted models for face-to-face contact if clinically required. This study aimed to gain insight into public perception of these adaptations. Methods: Two online surveys were developed, and conducted in August and September 2020. Survey A, open to adults (>18 years) receiving the link to it, considered respondents’ perspectives on healthcare contacts since March 2020, and their understanding of the adapted delivery. Survey B, open to survey A respondents only, then considered how healthcare communication had been received and individual preferences for this. Survey participation was voluntary. Results: The perceptions of 150 members of the public were obtained. 105 had considered contacting general practice, although half avoided this or delayed doing so for longer than usual. While some patients did so ‘to help the NHS’, others experienced reduced access for reasons including concerns about telephone consultations and about COVID-19 safety. Some however reported benefitting from remote consultation availability and regular texts/emails from their practice. 68% (102/150) of respondents were unaware that patients with COVID-19 were seen separately from other patients during general practice appointments. 27% in survey B who had avoided or delayed contact said they would have felt more comfortable contacting general practice had they known this. Conclusions: Experience and use of the adapted general practice models varied. Some patients felt their access to healthcare was reduced, often due to technological requirements. For some who found attending face-to-face appointments difficult however, remote contact was advantageous. Most of those surveyed were unaware of the COVID-19 control measures in place during face-to-face general practice consultations. Assessment of adapted delivery model accessibility and clearer public messaging about the changes may help reduce inequalities

Grasping the dynamics of creative play

In this article we give a brief overview of research findings presented in a recent paper 'Exploring the Pedagogic Culture of Creative Play' in Early Childhood Education available in the Journal of Early Childhood Research. The central focus of the journal article is on children’s creative play but from the perspective that the world is complex and cannot neatly be comparmentalised. From that perspective, we present an understanding about how the interlinking elements of a particular context shape how children’s creative play presents itself. We do not suggest that there is a typology or framework to follow which will result in children’s creativity. Rather we suggest that creativity is highly context specific and even small changes in the context will shift children’s creative experience. We say this from a positive stance because it provides opportunities for children’s creative expression to flourish in a multitude of different ways and provides practitioners opportunities to facilitate various aspects of creative play by considering the composition of the pedagogic culture

Carabid (Coleoptera) assemblages in the Scottish uplands: the influence of sheep grazing on ecological structure

As a result of the European Community Common Agricultural Policy reform in 2005 it is predicted that livestock grazing in the Scottish uplands will become less intensive. At each of two upland research centres, two large (>40ha) plots were established to investigate the relationship between grazing intensity in the Scottish uplands and biodiversity. One plot was grazed intensively by sheep while the otherwas grazed extensively. Ground beetleswere sampled by pitfall trapping to determine the influence of grazing pressure on the ecologicalmake-up of ground beetle assemblages. Grazing intensity did not significantly influence carabid diversity. However, grazing intensity, altitude and moisture did influence the carabid ecological assemblage structure at both locations. Large flightless Carabus species were more abundant in extensively managed plots than intensively managed plots at both locations. It is likely that these long-living, relatively immobile beetles were favoured by the greater stability of the vegetation structure in the extensively grazed plots. Monitoring the ecological assemblage structure provides a more sensitive approach than diversity indices when comparing the impact of grazing and agricultural management but is also robust enough to allow direct comparisons between different geographical locations

A pilot study of the Mistletoe and Breast Cancer (MAB) trial:a protocol for a randomised double-blind controlled trial

BACKGROUND: A Cochrane review of mistletoe therapy concludes that there is some evidence that mistletoe extracts may offer benefits on measures of quality of life during chemotherapy for breast cancer, but these results need replication. Our aim is to add to this evidence base by initially testing the feasibility of a UK pilot placebo-controlled, double-blind randomised controlled trial of mistletoe therapy in patients with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy with or without radiotherapy. METHODS/DESIGN: A mixed phase pilot placebo-controlled, double-blind randomised controlled trial of mistletoe therapy in patients with breast cancer (EudraCT number: 2018-000279-34). There will be three arms (groups) in the trial: Iscador M, Iscador P, with physiological saline as the placebo. The aim is to recruit 45 adult patients with a new diagnosis of early or locally advanced breast cancer, up to 12 weeks following definitive breast surgery whose standard treatment plan includes chemotherapy with or without radiotherapy. They will be taught to administer the mistletoe and breast cancer (MAB) therapies subcutaneously. MAB therapy will continue throughout their standard chemotherapy and radiotherapy and 1 month beyond. The main outcome of the MAB study is the feasibility of conducting such a trial within the NHS in order to inform a future fully powered investigative trial. Feasibility will be measured through recruitment, retention and patient experience using clinical research forms, patient diaries, cancer-related questionnaires and qualitative interviews conducted with both patients and oncology staff. DISCUSSION: This trial is the first of its kind in the UK. Currently, mistletoe therapy is mostly available through private practice in the UK. Completion of this feasibility study will support applications for further funding for a fully powered randomised controlled trial which will measure effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of this herbal therapy