The importance of PROSPERO to the National Institute for Health Research

An important activity of the National Institute for Health Research is to commission and support the preparation of systematic reviews. For research commissioners, the international prospective register for systematic reviews known as PROSPERO provides an important further step in ensuring the quality and integrity of research evidence and will help avoid unplanned research duplication

Long term nurse – parent relationships in paediatric palliative care: A narrative literature review

Background: Paediatric palliative care (PPC) is an active, total approach to the holistic care of the child and family. Close, long-lasting relationships between healthcare professionals and parents in paediatric palliative care enhance quality, provide emotional support and can influence how parents manage their role in the face of uncertainty. Aim: To present a narrative literature review of long-term relationships between children's nurses and parents in PPC settings. Methods: Six databases (CINAHL, PsycINFO, ASSIA, Scopus, Medline and BNI) were searched, identifying 35 articles. A grey literature search produced seven additional relevant items. Findings: Four themes were identified: bonds; attachments and trust; sharing the journey; going the extra mile; and boundaries and integrity. All themes revealed an element of tension between closeness and professionalism. Conclusion: Gaining a greater understanding of how closeness and professionalism are successfully managed by children's palliative care nurses could positively influence pre- and post-registration nurse education

Metrics for schools and children's services : a ten year retrospective

Metrics for schools and children's services : a ten year retrospectiv

A pilot of the Patient Concerns Inventory – Ward Discharge in patients following major reconstructive surgery for head and neck cancer

Planning discharge from hospital following microvascular free-tissue surgery can be complex and challenging. Planning involves the patient, carers, and multiple health professionals. Poor communication and expectations can delay discharge or give a suboptimal discharge process. It was hypothesised that prompt-list modelled along the principals of the Patient Concerns Inventory (PCI) could be help in discharge planning. The aim of this study was to define the items and format of a PCI-Ward Discharge (PCI-WD) and undertake a small pilot. Items appropriate for the PCI-WD were formulated through discussion with patients, carers, ward staff, Head and Neck Clinical Nurse Specialists, and clinicians. The pilot took place over three months from December 2019 through to February 2020. Audit approval was given by the hospital Audit Department. The PCI-WD comprises 43 items. Items from existing PCIs for use at diagnosis and follow-up consultations were reduced in number and 38 new or modified items added; six treatment related, five social care and social well-being, four psychological, emotional, and spiritual well-being, seven physical and functional well-being, and 16 discharge related. The pilot involved 14 free-tissue transfer patients, seven male, seven female, with an age range of 57 to 87 and a mean age of 72. Eight PCI-WD were returned. PCI-WD items identified most frequently were 'surgery site other than head/neck', 'when do I come back to hospital', 'dental check-up/oral health care' and 'diet/eating'. Early findings suggest that PCI-WD could be a useful tool in aiding the discharge process. Further evaluation is required

Firm Growth and Value Chain Configuration in an Enlarged EU: A study of UK clothing firms

This dissertation outlines the fact that UK based clothing firms are seeking more and more retailing opportunities in the regions of Central and Eastern Europe. The area has received much attention since 10 countries from the region received EU accession in May 2004. It is highlighted how EU growth is contributing to the process of globalisation and the idea of convergence aiding the growth of firms into new regions. However, it is shown that value chain transferability is not always as simple as simply replicating activities carried out in other countries and the comparative structure and configuration of the value chain can play a very significant role in the potential of global expansion Firms that are seeking competitive advantage based on their sourcing strategies, although not bringing such activities in-house, are seeking much closer relationships and agreement-types with their supply and manufacturing partners. It has been shown that firms seeking competitive advantage from activities forward in the value chain are seeking an even bigger consolidation of activities and are aiming to vertically integrate as many of these activities as possible. Backward vertical integration has been shown to rarely be a sustainable source of competitive advantage, as within the RBV, the sourcing and manufacturing of products is something incapable of being unique, rare, inimitable, and non-substitutable. The exception being if firms have a monopoly over that section of the value chain�¦accordingly they can execute a competitive advantage from the activity. Overall, it is argued that a sustainable competitive advantage can be achieved in the region via the establishment of closer relationships with different players in the value chain. This will lead to dynamic capabilities and prevent core rigidity. Subsequently firms are seeking to bring in-house activities essential for their competitive advantage (eg, brand management, flexible distribution) and keeping activities that are more context (low cost) and location bound (comparative advantage, sourcing of raw materials) outsourced. This can only be a source of stainable competitive advantage when the scope of the firm's operations warrants it; and there is an adequate structure in place to manage it

Poetry for pleasure : promoting poetry to children in public libraries

This article reports an investigation of the attitudes and opinions of children’s librarians towards poetry, and towards its promotion in the public library. It also reports some attitudes towards literature promotion to young people in general. A series of structured interviews with library professionals currently working in the public sector strongly indicate that children’s librarians are themselves enthusiastic concerning poetry, and are firmly convinced both of the benefits incurred by children encouraged to read, write and listen to poems from a very early age, and of children’s own enjoyment of this genre. Due to its brevity and memorability, poetry is regarded by the interviewees as the most accessible literary form for poor or reluctant readers, despite its wider image as a neglected and ‘difficult’ genre for children and young people