Health Research Access to Personal Confidential Data in England and Wales: Assessing any gap in public attitude between preferable and acceptable models of consent

England and Wales are moving toward a model of ‘opt out’ for use of personal confidential data in health research. Existing research does not make clear how acceptable this move is to the public. While people are typically supportive of health research, when asked to describe the ideal level of control there is a marked lack of consensus over the preferred model of consent (e.g. explicit consent, opt out etc.). This study sought to investigate a relatively unexplored difference between the consent model that people prefer and that which they are willing to accept. It also sought to explore any reasons for such acceptance. A mixed methods approach was used to gather data, incorporating a structured questionnaire and in-depth focus group discussions led by an external facilitator. The sampling strategy was designed to recruit people with different involvement in the NHS but typically with experience of NHS services. Three separate focus groups were carried out over three consecutive days. The central finding is that people are typically willing to accept models of consent other than that which they would prefer. Such acceptance is typically conditional upon a number of factors, including: security and confidentiality, no inappropriate commercialisation or detrimental use, transparency, independent overview, the ability to object to any processing considered to be inappropriate or particularly sensitive. This study suggests that most people would find research use without the possibility of objection to be unacceptable. However, the study also suggests that people who would prefer to be asked explicitly before data were used for purposes beyond direct care may be willing to accept an opt out model of consent if the reasons for not seeking explicit consent are accessible to them and they trust that data is only going to be used under conditions, and with safeguards, that they would consider to be acceptable even if not preferable

Generalised Marcus Theory for Multi-Molecular Delocalised Charge Transfer

Although Marcus theory is widely used to describe charge transfer in molecular systems, in its usual form it is restricted to transfer from one molecule to another. If a charge is delocalised across multiple donor molecules, this approach requires us to treat the entire donor aggregate as a unified supermolecule, leading to potentially expensive quantum-chemical calculations and making it more difficult to understand how the aggregate components contribute to the overall transfer. Here, we show that it is possible to describe charge transfer between groups of molecules in terms of the properties of the constituent molecules and couplings between them, obviating the need for expensive supermolecular calculations. We use the resulting theory to show that charge delocalisation between molecules in either the donor or acceptor aggregates can enhance the rate of charge transfer through a process we call supertransfer (or suppress it through subtransfer). The rate can also be enhanced above what is possible with a single molecule by judiciously tuning energy levels and reorganisation energies. We also describe bridge-mediated charge transfer between delocalised molecular aggregates. The equations of generalised Marcus theory are in closed form, providing qualitative insight into the impact of delocalisation on charge dynamics in molecular systems

Fear, performance and power: a study of simulation learning in paramedic education.

Simulation or scenario learning is an integral part of student paramedic development and, despite the increasing amount of paramedic research, very little is known about how students and tutors experience it. Current literature regards simulation as invaluable without exploring why this may be the case and this study aims to address this. This is a compressed time mode ethnographic approach study that incorporates data from student paramedics during and immediately after simulation learning events and tutor views of facilitating the simulation experience. This, along with a comprehensive literature review, provides an overview of simulation in the student paramedic development pathway. This thesis exposes how student paramedics find the simulation process anxiety provoking and explores the many reasons for this. The performance aspect of scenarios is echoed in the dramaturgical language used when talking about simulation learning events and the similarities between simulation learning events and simulation assessment events merely adds to this stress. Using the lens of critical pedagogy, issues of power (control and hierarchy) within the educational and organisational structures are examined and offered as another possible explanation for the high levels of anxiety in simulation learning. The thesis ends with the question of whether simulation learning can be changed for the better and if so, how

Use of functional near-infrared spectroscopy to evaluate cognitive change when using healthcare simulation tools

This is an accepted manuscript of an article published by BMJ on 01/11/2020, available online: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8936993/ The accepted version of the publication may differ from the final published version.Background The use of brain imaging techniques in healthcare simulation is relatively rare. However, the use of mobile, wireless technique, such as functional nearinfrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), is becoming a useful tool for assessing the unique demands of simulation learning. For this study, this imaging technique was used to evaluate cognitive load during simulation learning events. Methods This study took place in relation to six simulation activities, paired for similarity, and evaluated comparative cognitive change between the three task pairs. The three paired tasks were: receiving a (1) face-toface and (2) video patient handover; observing a simulated scene in (1) two dimensions and (2) 360° field of vision; and on a simulated patient (1) taking a pulse and (2) taking a pulse and respiratory rate simultaneously. The total number of participants was n=12. Results In this study, fNIRS was sensitive to variations in task difficulty in common simulation tools and scenarios, showing an increase in oxygenated haemoglobin concentration and a decrease in deoxygenated haemoglobin concentration, as tasks increased in cognitive load. Conclusion Overall, findings confirmed the usefulness of neurohaemoglobin concentration markers as an evaluation tool of cognitive change in healthcare simulation. Study findings suggested that cognitive load increases in more complex cognitive tasks in simulation learning events. Task performance that increased in complexity therefore affected cognitive markers, with increase in mental effort required

Secondary Education in Sub-Saharan Africa Teacher Education and Support - Market Scan

Commissioned by the Varkey Foundation, this report is one component of a wide-ranging study on the education of secondary school teachers in sub-Saharan Africa. The Market Scan Report provides information for the larger study, which culminates in an Overview Report.The market scan was preceded by a literature review which produced a framework for systematically examining eight key aspects of teacher education as it manifests in both its initial (ITE)and continuing (CPD) modalities: selection into ITE; the institutions which deliver ITE; the nature and content of ITE programmes; induction of newly qualified teachers into the profession; teachers and performance management; continuous professional development; teachers' career paths; and thepromotion of teachers.

Secondary Education in Sub-Saharan Africa Teacher Preparation Deployment and Support Case Study: South Africa

This report is one component of a wide-ranging study on the education of secondary school teachers in sub-Saharan Africa. It informs and provides direct input into the larger study, which culminates in an Overview Report. The Overview Report is one of 13 background papers which contribute to a comprehensive study of secondary education in Africa (SEA) coordinated by the Mastercard Foundation and supported by a number of educationpartners operating across the continent. South Africa is one of four case studies selected for this research. The study's theoretical framework was developed out of the Literature Review, which also produced a set of research questions that guided the work of all components, including this case study. Data for the case study was derived from academic and other literature, as well as interviews with key role players in the field of teacher education in Rwanda. These role players include government officials responsible for teacher education on a national and/or regional basis, teacher educators responsible for initial teacher education (ITE) and Continuous Professional Development (CPD), and teacher unions. Face-to-face interviews were conducted where possible, but some actors provided information via telephonic or electronic means

Secondary Education in Sub-Saharan Africa Teacher Preparation and Support Literature Review

This literature review is one componenet of a wide-ranging study on the educaiton of secondary school teachers in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). It provides the theoretical background for the larger study which culminates in an overview report. This paper focuses on two related issues: pre-service training undertaken by people becoming teachers for the first time, nd in-service training for existing teachers working within the SSA secondary education system. In doing so, the literature review uses existing published research to explore a number of principal topics and related issues:- secondary education teacher prep- professional development, and- career progressio