Capturing a community’s vision as a pattern language: Case study of the Mooiplaas community in Great Kei Municipality, South Africa

Existing tools for capturing a community’s vision during a spatial planning and land-use management exercise often do not adequately articulate a community’s vision in an inspiring way and in a way that planners and the community are able to communicate what the vision actually means. The ‘pattern language’ approach, pioneered by Christopher Alexander and others, is introduced as a possible ‘new’ approach in South Africa that can be used to articulate a community’s vision as part of a municipal spatial development framework planning process. It is shown, based on qualitative research conducted at Mooiplaas, in the Great Kei Municipality in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa, that a preliminary pattern language can be developed by working with a specific community to identify those features of their community they would like to retain and improve as well as what new features they would like to introduce into their community based on their vision. Areas for further research related to the ‘pattern language’ concept are identified.&nbsp

Integrated care pathways for airway diseases (AIRWAYS-ICPs)

The objective of Integrated Care Pathways for Airway Diseases (AIRWAYS-ICPs) is to launch a collaboration to develop multi-sectoral care pathways for chronic respiratory diseases in European countries and regions. AIRWAYS-ICPs has strategic relevance to the European Union Health Strategy and will add value to existing public health knowledge by: 1) proposing a common framework of care pathways for chronic respiratory diseases, which will facilitate comparability and trans-national initiatives; 2) informing cost-effective policy development, strengthening in particular those on smoking and environmental exposure; 3) aiding risk stratification in chronic disease patients, using a common strategy; 4) having a significant impact on the health of citizens in the short term (reduction of morbidity, improvement of education in children and of work in adults) and in the long-term (healthy ageing); 5) proposing a common simulation tool to assist physicians; and 6) ultimately reducing the healthcare burden (emergency visits, avoidable hospitalisations, disability and costs) while improving quality of life. In the longer term, the incidence of disease may be reduced by innovative prevention strategies. AIRWAYSICPs was initiated by Area 5 of the Action Plan B3 of the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing. All stakeholders are involved (health and social care, patients, and policy makers)