GP supply and obesity

We investigate the relationship between GP supply and body mass index (BMI) in England. Individual level BMI is regressed against area whole time equivalent GPs per 1,000 population plus individual and area level covariates. Using IV models we find that a 10% increase in GP supply is associated with a mean reduction in BMI of around 1 kg/m2 (around 4% of mean BMI). Our study suggests that better primary care in the form of reduced list sizes per GP can improve the management of obesity.Obesity; GP supply; Primary care

Are General Practitioners Good for Endogenous Supply and Health

We investigate the impact of area general practitioner (GP) supply on individual health in England. If no allowance is made for the endogeneity of GP supply, the effect is positive but not statistically significant. When GP supply is instrumented by age related capitation the effect is markedly greater and statistically significant. A 10% increase in GP supply leads to an increase in the proportion of the population reporting very good health by 6% from 36%. The estimated cost per quality adjusted life year gained from an additional GP is between £527 and £5740.

Mine Drill for Drevers

With its Mine Dog Centre in Pretoria, MineTech International has begun a two-year program to assess the potential of the Drever for development as an alternative breed for mine detection work. The programme has been initiated by the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD), which has provided six dogs for the project. The study involves keeping detailed records of all areas of the Drevers’ development process to identify both the positive and negative aspects in training these dogs as mine detection dogs (MDDs). The project began in October 2002, and although it is still in early stages, some interesting observations are emerging. Hugh Morris, Operations Director at MineTech looks at some of the processes and progress of the study to date

Long term monitoring and field testing of an innovative multi-storey timber building

Peer reviewedPostprin

Assessment of dynamic and long-term performance of an innovative multi-story timber building via structural monitoring and dynamic testing

Peer reviewedPostprin

Towards an institutional PLE

PLEs in their broader sense (the ad-hoc, serendipitous and potentially chaotic set of tools that learners bring to their learning) are increasingly important for learners in the context of formal study. In this paper we outline the approach that we are taking at the University of Southampton in redesigning our teaching and learning infrastructure into an Institutional PLE. We do not see this term as an oxymoron. We define an Institutional PLE as an environment that provides a personalised interface to University data and services and at the same time exposes that data and services to a student’s personal tools. Our goal is to provide a digital platform that can cope with an evolving learning and teaching environment, as well as support the social and community aspects of the institution