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Objective: The Patient Information Leaflet (PIL) is an authoritative document that all people with epilepsy in the EU receive when prescribed antiseizure medication (ASM). We undertook the first independent, comprehensive assessment to determine how understandable they are. Regulators state that when patients are asked comprehension questions about them, ≥80% should answer correctly. Also, recommended is that PILs have a maximum reading requirement of US grade 8. Methods: Study 1: We obtained 140 current ASM PILs written in English. "Readability" was assessed using four tests, with and without adjustment for influence of familiar, polysyllabic words. A total of 179 online materials on epilepsy were also assessed. Study 2: Two PILs from Study 1 were randomly selected (Pregabalin Focus; Inovelon) and shown to 35 people from the UK epilepsy population. Their comprehension was assessed. Study 3: To understand whether the student population provides an accessible alternative population for future examination of ASM PILs, Study 3 was completed, using the same methods as Study 2, except that participants were 262 UK university students. Results: Study 1: No PIL had a reading level of grade 8. Median was grade 11. Adjusting for context, the PILs were still at grade 10.5. PILs for branded ASMs were most readable. PILs were no more readable than (unregulated) online materials. Study 2: Users struggled to comprehend the PILs' key messages. The eight questions asked about pregabalin were typically answered correctly by 54%. For Inovelon, it was 62%. Study 3: Most student participants comprehended the PILs' key messages. The questions about Inovelon were answered correctly by 90%; for pregabalin it was 86%. Significance: This is the first independent and comprehensive examination of ASM PILs. It found that PILs being used fail to meet recommendations and regulatory requirements and risk not being understandable to a substantial proportion of users. In finding that people from the epilepsy population differ markedly in comprehension of PILs compared to students, this study highlights the importance of completing user testing with the target population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article announces the submission of papers about systems thinking and operational research in commemoration of the contribution of Emeritus Professor Mike Jackson.

Introduction: Loneliness can have a negative impact on people's physical and psychological well‐being; building social capital is a potential means of addressing this connection. Community initiatives (e.g. groups, clubs, neighbourhood activities) may be a route that enables people to build social capital to tackle loneliness. Understanding what is known, and where gaps in knowledge exist, is important for advancing research on this topic. Methods: A scoping review was undertaken to explore the question – What community initiatives, with a focus on well‐being, have been evaluated in the United Kingdom that include information about social capital and loneliness? Four databases (Medline, CINAHL, ASSIA and Embase) were searched for relevant research papers. References were screened by two researchers to identify if they met the review's inclusion criteria. Data were summarised as a narrative and in tables. Results: Five papers met the review's inclusion criteria. They all used qualitative methods. Findings suggested that social capital could be developed through creating a sense of trust, group cohesion and reciprocity among participants in the community initiatives. This connection enabled people to experience a sense of belonging and to feel they had a meaningful relationship with others, which appeared to alleviate feelings of loneliness. Conclusion: More research is warranted on the review topic, including studies that have employed quantitative or mixed methods. Clarity around definitions of social capital and loneliness in future research is required. Engagement with community initiatives can provide a formalised route to help people develop connections and counteract limitations in their social networks. However, individuals may be wary about attending community initiatives, needing support and encouragement to do so. Social prescribing link workers are one means of motivating people to access groups, events or organisations that could improve their well‐being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Looks at a survey of articles citing the works of Peter Checkland and Michael Jackson on operational research and the systems community in Great Britain. Definition of emergence of systems thinking; Stages in the general development of the management sciences; Information on the research papers written by Checkland and Jackson.

Background: Working together and co‐production with public advisors have become popular among health researchers. This practice extends to doctoral researchers who involve public advisors at different stages of their research or throughout their doctoral journey. Objective: A doctoral researcher and two public advisors jointly evaluated public involvement in doctoral research. Methods: Using the established public involvement evaluation framework by Gibson and colleagues, public advisors and a doctoral researcher mapped and evaluated their experiences of public involvement in doctoral research. The four‐dimensional framework allowed the authors to reflect on (1) the strength of the public voice, (2) the number of ways in which public advisors had an opportunity to get involved, (3) whether the discussion was about the public or organisation's (doctoral researcher, university or funder) concerns and (4) if the organisation changed or resisted feedback. Results are presented in a diagrammatic and narrative way. Results: Public advisors saw themselves as having a stronger voice in doctoral research than the doctoral researcher perceived. All agreed that there existed multiple ways for public advisors to be involved. Public advisors' feedback was taken on board, but it was also limited due to restrictions of what the doctoral programme allowed. Conclusion: Public advisors ensured that the doctoral research was more relevant to the public. The ongoing involvement also shaped the doctoral researcher's thinking and views. Patient and Public Involvement: Two public advisors were involved throughout the 3 years of this doctoral research. They co‐evaluated this involvement and are co‐authors of this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The content of 'O' and 'A' level papers on modern British and European History set by two GCE Examination Boards was analysed to find out what particular aspects of the past were emphasised and thus to throw light on the experience of history as a subject which was gained by the candidates. These papers, which are taken by the great majority of the candidates, were found to be dominated by political history, up to 77% of the questions being devoted to the affairs of governments and political leaders. Foreign politics was especially important in papers on European history reaching as high as 44% of the questions set and domestic politics was central to papers on British history attaining means in different groups of papers between 40 and 50%. At the end of the article the wisdom of the approach to school history evident in these papers is questioned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the sustainable raw materials that are used for gift wrapping during the Christmas seasons in Great Britain. It mentions that Professor Chris Carr reveals more possibilities that turkey and duck feathers or even sheep droppings may be used to develop Christmas wrapping paper. It also notes the British government's statistics which encourages recycling in the country.

The article examines issues relating to the wastepaper industry in Great Britain. IT has been suggested that of all the secondary materials presently discarded as waste, recovery of paper and board residuals can offer the greatest economic savings. Production has been concentrated in larger units and the industry as a whole has sought 10 specialise in a limited range of end-products, many of which are based on substantial inputs of recycled fibre. During 1980 some 16 mills and 44 machines were closed down. In total the industry lost some 20 percent of its production capacity, including 500,000 tonnes of recycled fibre using capacity. The fibre board containers market is the second largest sector in the packaging products industry and corrugated cases, which occupy 95 percent of this market, can contain up to 65 percent recycled fibre. The wastepaper supply enterprises have sought to meet the mills' requirements. Wastepaper is not an homogeneous product and there are a number of sub-markets in existence based on the quality or grade of the paper and board residuals concerned. On the supply side, while some of the merchant enterprises are large firms in their own right, and at least one has begun to diversify into aluminum can recovery, the enterprises are characteristically small scale and numerous. by recycling residuals from a range of generation sources.

Many English Examination Boards will make some use of the differentiated paper method of assessment in the new scheme of 16+ examining, but it is not clear whether problems of comparability have been adequately solved. This article presents an analysis based on well-defined assumptions incorporated into a measurement model and utilising regression. Marks on the paper not taken by a group are estimated from their joint marks on the common paper and the paper specific to their group. The marks are then weighted using the measurement model and combined to produce a rank order over both the groups. In an appendix, the weighting method used is related to the more usual method of weighting adopted when combining scores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: To contribute to addressing diagnostic health inequalities in the United Kingdom, this review aimed to investigate determinants of diagnostic service use amongst people experiencing high deprivation in the United Kingdom. Methods: A systematic review was conducted using three databases (EBSCO, Web of Science and SCOPUS) to search studies pertaining to diagnostic service use amongst people experiencing high deprivation. Search terms related to diagnostics, barriers and facilitators to access and deprivation. Articles were included if they discussed facilitators and/or barriers to diagnostic service access, contained participants' direct perspectives and focussed on individuals experiencing high deprivation in the United Kingdom. Articles were excluded if the full text was unretrievable, only abstracts were available, the research did not focus on adults experiencing high deprivation in the United Kingdom, those not including participants' direct perspectives (e.g., quantitative studies) and papers unavailable in English. Results: Of 14,717 initial papers, 18 were included in the final review. Determinants were grouped into three themes (Beliefs and Behaviours, Emotional and Psychological Factors and Practical Factors), made up of 15 sub‐themes. These were mapped to a conceptual model, which illustrates that Beliefs and Behaviours interact with Emotional and Psychological Factors to influence Motivation to access diagnostic services. Motivation then influences and is influenced by Practical Factors, resulting in a Decision to Access or Not. This decision influences Beliefs and Behaviours and/or Emotional and Psychological Factors such that the cycle begins again. Conclusion: Decision‐making regarding diagnostic service use for people experiencing high deprivation in the United Kingdom is complex. The conceptual model illustrates this complexity, as well as the mediative, interactive and iterative nature of the process. The model should be applied in policy and practice to enable understanding of the factors influencing access to diagnostic services and to design interventions that address identified determinants. Patient or Public Contribution: Consulting lived experience experts was imperative in understanding whether and how the existing literature captures the lived experience of those experiencing high deprivation in South England. The model was presented to lived experience experts, who corroborated findings, highlighted significant factors for them and introduced issues that were not identified in the review. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the use of non-recyclable paper fibers in compost for agricultural purposes. During paper recycling in Great Britain, half a million tons of small paper fibres are wasted. These waste papers can be reused as a superior quality plant compost by replacing current chemical products. It also helps in reducing wilt diseases and has the same disease suppressing-properties like green compost. New by-products can also be developed from the huge industrial waste created in raw pulp production. Paper mills sludge can be turned into levulinic acid by the Biofine process. However, very few commercial organizations take the initiative to make paper an environmental friendly product.

National censuses are expensive. They are conducted infrequently. They collect information that some feel infringes their human rights, and people are required by law to complete them. The outputs are not perfect, and in some situations may be misleading. Some suggest that censuses hark back to a period when regularly collected administrative data were not available. These are some of the views held about national censuses. Why, then, would others argue that they are an essential resource? In this paper, we consider some of the pros and cons of conducting national censuses, before introducing a series of papers that draw on early data available from the 2001 UK census. We argue that these papers, and the wealth of research that will be conducted in the future with 2001 census data, make a strong case for supporting the compulsory collection of personal information about the ‘entire’ population every ten years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the role and purpose ascribed to company law under the British government's White Paper 'Modernising Company Law.' British government's attitude towards corporate activity; Overview of the British Department of Trade and Industry Review, which provided for the White Paper's recommendations; Governments' perception of its role in regulating companies, their directors, shareholders and those affected by corporate activity.

Aim: To explore and summarise published literature with regards to secondments to clinical research and to identify the gaps in research to inform further work. Design: Systematic scoping review. Method: A scoping review was undertaken in accordance with the Patterns, Advances, Gaps, Evidence and Research framework. Databases searched included CINAHL, PubMed, Medline and Embase. Inclusion/exclusion criteria were applied by two independent reviewers. Two reviewers independently retrieved full‐text studies for inclusion and applied the framework as a tool for synthesising Patterns, Advances, Gaps, Evidence and Research recommendations. Results: Six papers and one abstract published between 2003 and 2018 were included. All secondees (n = 34) were released from NHS posts, with secondments (where specified) ranging in duration from 0.25 to 2 years and for 40%–100% of their working hours. All seven papers reported benefits for personal and professional development, predominantly in the form of personal reflections. Few described involvement with research delivery teams. Conclusion: Published initiatives vary in nature and lack standardised reporting and measurement of impact. Further research is required to identify benefits at a departmental or organisational level, the facilitators for setting up secondments and the application of knowledge gained from secondment opportunities. Implications for the Profession: Undertaking a research secondment is reported to offer professional and personal benefit for clinical staff. Research secondments are one way in which a research culture can practically be embedded within clinical settings. Impact: This scoping review identified a lack of published empirical research seeking to understand research secondments as a tool to enhance research and evidence engagement. Although there is a suggestion that secondments could positively impact staff retention, there is limited evidence about the benefit for the organisation or for patient care. These findings have implications for staff, managers and their organisations. Reporting Method: The PRISMA‐ScR guidelines were used to guide reporting. No Patient or Public Contribution: This was not relevant to the research design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper involves an examination of skilled manual work in the modern paper industry. The data were collected at five mills in three countries -- the UK, Australia and the USA. The questions were formulated in order to probe four theories of skilled work. The results suggest that the distinction between skilled and nonskilled work is a fundamental feature of occupational differentiation in all five plants. They also reveal that there are intra-skilled conflicts over relative pay and demarcation lines and that these are affected by the wider socio-political environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Liver disease is an increasing cause of morbidity and mortality in the United Kingdom and can be challenging to live with in the advanced stages. There has been little research exploring the healthcare experiences of UK individuals with decompensated disease when the liver cannot carry out its functions properly. A PhD research project was developed with people who have liver disease to explore care experiences in decompensated advanced liver disease. Public involvement (PI) is an essential aspect of meaningful health research, and this paper reports on the progression of our PI approach in this ongoing study. Objective: To embed PI throughout the research project to ensure that the study is meaningful to individuals with liver disease and the people who support them. Methods: The research adopts a Constructivist Grounded Theory methodology to develop a theory of care experience. Various PI approaches were considered in developing the PI strategy for this qualitative study. Initially, Embedded consultation was the preferred model, which has evolved to include aspects of collaboration and coproduction. A PI group was set up to oversee the project through the national public engagement website VOICE, and reflections on PI from three members of the group are included in this paper to illuminate the PI process. Results: Six individuals with liver disease and three carers from across the United Kingdom are part of an ongoing PI group. Their role includes commenting on the findings of the systematic literature review for this project and contributing to decisions about recruitment, data collection and data analysis. Additionally, they had a direct impact on changing the focus of the research. The PI group will continue involvement until the completion of the project. Conclusion: Successfully embedding PI into doctoral research, as demonstrated in this project, requires commitment, planning and dedication to reciprocal working for the benefit of PI contributors as well as the research. This approach could be adopted by other postgraduate researchers. Patient or Public Contribution: This project is overseen by the PI group, whose contribution is described throughout, including reflections from three PI group members. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies the concept of urban politics and local governance in Great Britain. Representation of neoliberals and regulation theorists; Dominance of regulation theory-framed analyses of local governance; Extreme forms of policy design and intervention.

The article presents a discursive analysis of Great Britain's Conservative Party 2011 Green Paper "One World Conservatism: A Conservative agenda for international development." It offers a comparison of the conception of development in that paper with the 1997 Labour Party White Paper which launched the development of the Department for International Development (DFID). The discourse used to describe Britain's role in promoting global development and reducing poverty is examined.

Background: Limited research concerning existing inequities in mental health care and support services in the United Kingdom captures perceptions and lived experiences of the significantly underrepresented Muslim population. Methods: Underpinned by social constructivist theory, we used consultation to facilitate public and patient involvement and engagement (PPIE) to identify inequities in mental health care and support experienced by Muslims from minoritised ethnic communities living in deprived areas in Liverpool, UK. The rationale was to (a) better inform standards and policies in healthcare and (b) provide a psychologically safe space to members of the Muslim community to share perceptions and experiences of mental health care and support services. To ensure trustworthiness of the data, member checking was adopted. This paper describes the procedure to achieving this consultation, including our recruitment strategy, data collection and analysis as well as key findings. Findings: Twenty‐seven consultees attended the women's consultation and eight consultees attended the men's consultation. Consultees were from Yemeni, Somali, Sudanese, Egyptian, Algerian, Pakistani and Moroccan communities and share the Islamic faith. Four key interlinked themes were identified from consultees' narratives: (1) broken cycle of trust; (2) an overmedicalised model of care; (3) community mental health prevention initiatives; and (4) culturally conscious training and education. Conclusions: The Muslim population has identified numerous barriers to accessing mental health support and there is a need to resource activities that would aid deeper understanding of mental health support needs through continuous and meaningful community initiatives. This would afford mental health practitioners and organisations opportunities for developing realistic anti‐racism strategies, effectively adopting social prescription, strengthening partnerships and collaborations aimed at supporting delivery of evidence‐based mental health care provisions to tackle mental health inequities. Patient and Public Involvement: This paper reports on the involvement and engagement of Muslims from minoritised ethnic communities living in the Liverpool city region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Liver disease is a growing health concern and a major cause of death. It causes multiple symptoms, including financial, psychological and social issues. To address these challenges, palliative care can support people alongside active treatment, and towards the end of life, but little is known about the care experiences of individuals with liver disease in the United Kingdom. This review aimed to explore the palliative and end‐of‐life care experiences of people with liver disease in the United Kingdom. Method: A systematic review was conducted using a five‐stage process and following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta Analyses guidelines. Searches were across Web of Science, Scopus, EBSCO and grey literature until 10 May 2023. The review was registered through International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO). NVivo 12.5 was used to facilitate data analysis (systematic review registration: PROSPERO CRD42022382649). Results: Of 6035 papers (excluding duplicates) found from searches, five met the inclusion criteria of primary research related to adults with liver disease receiving palliative and/or end‐of‐life care in the United Kingdom, published in English. Reflexive thematic analysis of the data was conducted. The themes identified were the experiences of people with liver disease of relating to healthcare professionals, using services, receiving support, and experiences of information and communication. These were connected by an overarching concept of disempowerment versus empowerment, with the notion of person‐centred care as an important feature. Conclusion: This review has found variations in the care experiences of people with advanced liver disease towards the end of life and an overall lack of access to specialist palliative care services. Where services are designed to be person‐centred, experiences are more empowering. Further research is needed but with recognition that it is often unclear when care for people with liver disease is palliative or end‐of‐life. Patient and Public Contribution: An online public involvement workshop was held on 18 April 2023 through Voice (2023). This included four people with liver disease and four carers to discuss the review findings and to design a qualitative research study to further explore the topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Continuous geomagnetic records of the strength and direction of the Earth's field at the surface extend back to the 1840s. Over the past two centuries, eight observatories have existed in the United Kingdom, which measured the daily field variations using light-sensitive photographic paper to produce analogue magnetograms. Around 350,000 magnetograms have been digitally photographed at high resolution. However, converting the traces to digital values is difficult and time consuming as the magnetograms can have over-lapping lines, low quality recordings and obscure metadata for conversion to SI units. We discuss our approach to digitizing the traces from large geomagnetic storms and highlight some of the issues to be aware of when capturing magnetic information from analogue measurements. These include cross-checking the final digitized values with the recorded hourly mean values from observatory year books and comparing several observatory records for the same storm to catch errors such as sign inversions or incorrect 'wrap-around' of data on the paper records. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper seeks to understand the process by which biodiversity performance indicators can be developed. In doing so, this paper examines how biodiversity performance measurements are inherently imperfect and reflects on the implications of that imperfectness. Using document analysis and semi‐structured interviews, this research outlines the case of the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and their work in developing biodiversity indicators. Based on the concept of imperfect measurements, this paper outlines the conditions under which imperfect biodiversity indicators can be productive measurements leading to fertile debate and constant improvements, rather than flawed measurements that actors 'make do' with. This paper concludes the biodiversity indicators construction process requires a collaboration between a broad set of diverse organisations, including NGOs and research centres. Lastly, this paper outlines the need for ongoing and rigorous review of adopted measurements to reduce the potentially harmful nature of imperfect biodiversity performance measurement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a rich new data source, we explore the selection of economics lecturers into the last UK Research Excellence Framework (REF) exercise. Only some one‐in‐two (54%) of these lecturers were submitted to REF2014; 57% of men and 46% of women. The decision making of institutions is found to be well approximated by a simplified selection approach; focusing on working papers and higher quality journal publications. Our results also reveal sizeable conditional differences in the probability of selection, especially so in departments with higher research rankings. More than half of the variance in selection probability remains unexplained, revealing considerable idiosyncrasies in the management of submissions and uncertainty across the discipline in this research assessment process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper traces the origins and development of the concept of ‘market transformation’, from its beginnings as a part of energy policy in the USA, to its subsequent development in the UK. It discusses whether it could become a strategic option for British business in pursuit of sustainable growth. Drawing together themes from the academic literature on marketing, consumer behaviour, business, and energy policy, together with data from national programmes, and British government sources, the paper argues that such an approach would be based on a twin false premise – that selling energy efficiency to consumers is in accordance with modern marketing thinking, and that it has much to do with achieving sustainable development. It concludes that while achieving sustainable development will certainly encompass the transformation of markets for many products, ‘market transformation’ itself cannot be seen as a key driver for change. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Women's groups in unions are collective, spaces within which women seek to advance their concerns and access empowering positions. This paper examines their pursuit of gender equality in unions. The need to explore unions and women's groups is heightened by women's significance as a source of union membership, and the connection between union revitalization and responsiveness to women. The paper uses case studies of two unions, MSF and USDAW, and seven women's groups. The analysis is structured by a typology of two frameworks: (i) a typology of gendered equality ideas derived from various literatures, and (ii) the dynamic and linked dimensions of Hyman's (1994) union organization model. Implications for research and theory, and for union policy and practice, are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effective conservation decisions rely on accurate survey data, but methods can be resource‐intensive and risk false negative results. Presence of the threatened hazel dormouse (England, UK) is typically confirmed by looking for its nest in survey tubes, over a 6‐month period. As an alternative, environmental DNA (eDNA) surveys have proven benefits in efficiency and accuracy for other taxa, but generally rely on the extraction and amplification of DNA from water, soil or sediment, which are not yet dependable samples for rare terrestrial mammals like the hazel dormouse.At a known occupancy site, paper‐lined survey tubes were used to capture a DNA sample. Like other species of rodent, the hazel dormouse excretes urine freely, and this was highlighted by ultraviolet torch, swabbed from the paper, extracted and hazel dormouse eDNA amplified by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR).Hazel dormouse presence was confirmed in this way in three out of 50 tubes within 8 days. Detection by conventional nest survey occurred on day 63 when a hazel dormouse nest was found in a single survey tube. We calculate that amplification of eDNA left behind in tubes increased survey efficiency here at least 12‐fold.Synthesis and applications. In this study we demonstrate that eDNA swabbed from a clean substrate placed in survey apparatus can significantly hasten the detection of a rare species. This method has the potential to broaden the application of eDNA to other terrestrial vertebrates, including surveys at large spatiotemporal scales. Beyond presence/absence, the non‐invasive DNA sample could also offer insights into sex ratio, abundance, behaviour and population genetics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantifying the market size for cannabis is important given vigorous policy debates about how to intervene in this market. We develop a new approach to measuring the size of the cannabis market using forensic economics. The key insight is that cannabis consumption often requires the use of complementary legal inputs: roll‐your‐own tobacco and rolling papers. The forensic approach specifies how legal and illegal inputs are combined in the production of hand‐rolled cigarettes and cannabis joints. These input relationships, along with market adding‐up conditions, can be used to infer the size of the cannabis market. We provide proof‐of‐concept that this approach can be readily calibrated using: (i) point‐of‐sale data on legal inputs of roll‐your‐own tobacco and rolling papers; (ii) input parameter estimates drawn from a wide‐ranging interdisciplinary evidence base. We implement the approach using data from 2008–9. For those years, the forensic estimates for the UK cannabis market are near double those derived from standard demand‐side approaches. We make precise what drives the measurement gap between methods by establishing the adjustments needed to match estimates from alternative approaches. Our analysis develops an agenda on measurement and data collection that allows for credible cost–benefit analysis of policy interventions in illicit drug markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper conducts a comprehensive sources‐of‐growth analysis for the UK market sector, 2000–19, using the latest ONS data, including new estimates of intangible investment, double deflated value‐added, and updated price indices, all constructed bottom‐up from data for 40 industries. The decomposition incorporates contributions from intangible assets, both capitalized and uncapitalized, in national accounts. Our main findings are that first, slowdowns in labour productivity are largest in more intangible‐, knowledge‐, technology‐ and digital‐intensive industries, using numerous definitions. Second, the labour productivity slowdown can be accounted for largely by a slowdown in 'innovation', where innovation is shorthand for contributions of intangible capital deepening and TFP growth. We show that: (a) the level of labour productivity in 2019 was 27 log points (31 percentage points) less than had it continued to grow at its 2000–7 rate; (b) reallocation of labour did not contribute to the slowdown; (c) capitalization of the full range of intangibles accounts for 5% of the slowdown; (d) 35% is accounted for by a slowdown in capital deepening (25% tangible, 10% intangible), and 78% by a slowdown in TFP growth; and (e) less than one‐tenth of the TFP slowdown can be accounted for by exceptionally fast growth pre‐crisis. This paper is part of the Economica 100 Series. Economica, the LSE "house journal" is now 100 years old. To commemorate this achievement, we are publishing 100 papers by former students, as well as current and former faculty. Jonathan Haskel graduated from the LSE with an MSc in Economics (1985) and a PhD in Economics (1990). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To capture and retain healthcare staff in postgraduate courses relevant to individual career aspirations, service requirements and continuous practice development (CPD) within an English UK university. Design: Two virtual career clinics for postgraduate practitioners to engage in CPD offers within the university. An online post‐enrolment online survey to explore their experiences of engagement with the university. Methods: Mixed: qualitative and quantitative methods. Engaging 10 participants attended the career clinics, and 42 participants with an online survey. Results: The career clinics were well received by participants who mapped CPD requirements and individual career aspirations. The surveys exposed challenges with marketing and enrolment; however, these were mitigated with support. Four recommendations are presented within this paper applicable to the international postgraduate education of all health practitioners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Decarbonizing industrial sectors is a critical global challenge, involving the creation of new industrial spaces—'net zero industrial clusters'—co‐locating energy sectors and 'hard‐to‐abate' industries such as oil refining and steelmaking. This paper provides the first empirically grounded geographical investigation of these emerging spaces. It employs a place‐based research agenda to unpack how UK net zero industrial clusters (ICs) are imagined and emplaced in policy and industry discourses through place‐based naming, spatial configuring and mapping activities. By conducting document analysis, 33 in‐depth stakeholder interviews and five field trips to three UK case studies, we show how cluster imaginaries vary across cases and policy contexts in terms of constituents, focus and purpose. Ontological complexity is compounded by different rationales among stakeholders in configuring clusters and by contested cluster naming and boundary setting. This ambiguous, evolving spatiality raises important political and justice concerns over who and where is excluded in cluster building. These findings advance the geographies of low‐carbon transitions by showing: (1) ways that ICs' spatial embeddedness, which underlies cluster spatial configurations, helps increase industry actors' recognition of their economic, social and cultural ties with the places of their making, even if this risks path dependency; (2) how fluid cluster boundaries, reflected in cluster names and maps, emphasize the value of a network topology of scale to enable spatially inclusive, multi‐scalar climate mitigation. Finally, we argue that a place‐sensitive net zero policy mindset is vital for fulfilling ICs and the UK's decarbonization potential in a manner that is both fair and locally grounded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Kidney dysfunction is a highly significant disease, both in the United Kingdom and globally. Many previous studies have reported associations between human leukocyte antigens (HLA) and renal function; this systematic review attempts to identify, summarize and appraise all published studies of these associations. Methods: A literature search was performed using Medline, Embase and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials to identify papers whose keywords included each of the following concepts: HLA, renal failure and genetic association. A total of 245 papers were identified and assessed for eligibility; 35 of these were included in the final study. Results: A total of 95 HLA types and 14 three‐locus haplotypes were reported to be associated with either increased or decreased renal function. A number of these findings were replicated by independent studies that reported 16 types were protective against renal dysfunction and 15 types were associated with reduced renal function. A total of 20 HLA types were associated with both increased risk of renal disease and decreased risk by independent studies. Discussion: There is very little consensus on which HLA types have a protective or deleterious effect on renal function. Ethnicity may play a role, with HLA types possibly having different effects among different populations, and it is possible that the different primary diseases that lead to ESRD may have different HLA associations. Some of the studies may contain type I and type II errors caused by insufficient sample sizes, cohort selection and statistical methods. Although we have compiled a comprehensive list of published associations between renal function and HLA, in many cases, it is unclear which associations are reliable. Further studies are required to confirm or refute these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: There is growing scientific and policy recognition that optimising health before a potential pregnancy (preconception health) improves reproductive outcomes and the lifelong health of future children. However, public awareness on this topic is low. We conducted a public consultation to develop language recommendations and identify and prioritise approaches to inform research and improve public awareness of preconception health. Methods: A public consultation was undertaken with people of any gender aged 18–50 years living in the United Kingdom who were not currently expecting a child. Public contributors were recruited through patient and public involvement, community and support groups, an existing cohort study, and an LGBTQ+ charity. An initial round of online group discussions (February/March 2021) explored public contributors' knowledge of preconception health, their recommendations for appropriate language, and ideas about public health approaches. In a subsequent discussion round (May 2021), language recommendations were refined and suggested approaches prioritised. Discussions were summarised based on notes taken by two researchers. Results: Fifty‐four people joined the initial discussion round (66% women, 21% men, 13% nonbinary or transgender; 55% aged 18–30 years, 30% 31–40 years, 15% 41–50 years). Of these, 36 people (67%) participated in the subsequent round. Very few had heard the term 'preconception health', understood what it means, or why and for whom it is important. They recommended avoiding unfamiliar terms without further explanation (e.g., preconception health, medical terms), using language that is positive, encouraging and gender‐sensitive where possible, and using messages that are specific, nonjudgmental and realistic. The phrases 'health and well‐being during the childbearing years', 'health and well‐being before pregnancy and parenthood' and 'planning for parenthood' resonated with most public contributors. School‐based education, social media campaigns and the National Health Service emerged as priority approaches/settings for raising awareness. Conclusion: This public consultation produced recommendations from a diverse group of people of reproductive age in the United Kingdom to improve language and prioritise approaches that increase public understanding of preconception health in ways that are relevant and appropriate to them. This should begin in schools and will require adaptation of curricula, alongside co‐development of public awareness campaigns and guidance for healthcare professionals. Patient or Public Contribution: This public consultation included a diverse group of members of the public. They were not involved in the original design of the project, but following the initial round of online group discussions, they contributed to the interpretation and refinement of the emerging concepts in a subsequent round of group meetings. After the consultation activity, public contributors formed a Public Advisory Group and have subsequently been involved in other studies on the same topic. Two public contributors (E.R. and F.F.) provided critical input in the preparation and revision of this manuscript and are co‐authors of the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

UK top income shares have varied hugely over the past two centuries, ranging from more than 30% to less than 7% of pre‐tax national income allocated to the top 1 percentile. We build a congruent dynamic linear regression model of the top 1% income share allowing for economic, political and social factors. Saturation estimation is used to model outliers and trend breaks, proxying underlying structural changes driving income inequality in the UK. We use the model to forecast the top 1% income share over the last 15 years, and compare to a range of forecast devices. Despite a well‐specified constant parameter model conditioning on significant explanatory variables, the best performing forecasts are obtained from a random walk and a smoothed random walk. These results are explained by the presence of shifts in the income share over the forecast period, resulting in forecasts from equilibrium correction models converging to the wrong equilibrium. Our best prediction for 2026 based on the most recent data from 2021 (a 5‐year ahead projection) is that the pre‐tax top 1% income share will remain at the most recent realized value of 12.7%, but there is a large degree of uncertainty, with a 95% confidence band ranging from 10% to 15.7%. This paper is part of the Economica 100 Series. Economica, the LSE "house journal" is now 100 years old. To commemorate this achievement, we are publishing 100 papers by former students, as well as current and former faculty. David Forbes Hendry received his MSc and PhD from the LSE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With one‐fifth of the UK labour force employed in the public sector, public sector pay and its interaction with private sector pay is an important driver of the macroeconomy. Using new data on sector‐level earnings and sector–industry‐level pay settlements, this paper addresses the fundamental question of which sector leads and which follows in terms of earnings determination. We find that in the long run, public sector wages adjust to wages set in the private sector, maintaining a consistent relationship. We further find that there can be significant wage spillovers from the public sector to the private sector in the short run. These tend to be more pronounced for private sector industries that are domestically facing, characterized by low worker bargaining power, or reliant on public sector inputs. This paper's findings have important implications for macroeconomic policy that aims to balance inflationary forces and fiscal funding pressures. This paper is part of the Economica 100 Series. Economica, the LSE "house journal" is now 100 years old. To commemorate this achievement, we are publishing 100 papers by former students, as well as current and former faculty. Peter Dolton is a senior Fellow at the CEP, LSE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Further education and sixth form colleges are key institutions for facilitating skill acquisition among 16–19 year olds in the UK. They enrol half a school cohort after completion of their lower secondary education, and this includes a disproportionate number from low‐income backgrounds. Yet little is known about what could improve performance in these institutions. We conduct the world's first management practices survey in such institutions, and match this to administrative longitudinal data on over 40,000 students. Value‐added regressions with rich controls suggest that structured management matters for educational outcomes, especially for students from low‐income backgrounds. For this group, in a hypothetical scenario where an individual is moved from a college at the 10th percentile of management practices to the 90th, this would be associated with 8% higher probability of achieving a good high school qualification, nearly half of the educational gap between those from poor and non‐poor backgrounds. Hence improving management practices may be an important channel for reducing inequalities. This paper is part of the Economica 100 Series. Economica, the LSE "house journal" is now 100 years old. To commemorate this achievement, we are publishing 100 papers by former students, as well as current and former faculty. Anna Valero is a distinguished Policy fellow at CEP and Deputy Director of POID and associate at GRI. Sandra McNally is Director of the Education and Skills Programme at the CEP. Luis Schmidt‐Rivera is a Researcher at STICERD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on the Conservative Green paper released by Conservative Party to improve the contribution of Great Britain to gross national income. It mentions that Green Paper was written at the time of recession. It mentions that Green Paper focuses on the role of corporate contributions to international aid.

The period when the British Educational Research Association (BERA) was founded was one in which there was an increasing recognition amongst the research community that a wind of change had stirred up the settled traditions of educational research. It was a time which celebrated the promise of alternative paradigms for research. Ten or so years on we are entering another era where the emphasis is not on the reconceptualisation of what research is but on how it is organised. I think one can discern at least two factors, not wholly separate from each other, that will increasingly influence how a substantial part of research will be organised. These two factors are the changes which have taken place in the composition of the research community and the direction of current Government policy concerning the school system. I aim to show how these are leading to a fruitful form of collaborative research at local level which should be encouraged and supported—not least by BERA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Academics often judge themselves and are judged by others according to the status of the journals in which they publish. Little is known about whether individual scholars would choose to publish a paper in a high‐status journal if it would garner similar or lower levels of scholarly impact than a paper published in a lower‐status journal. Drawing upon status theory, we explore whether and how much business school academics are willing to 'pay', as captured by a hypothetical level of 'forfeited' citations, to publish in high‐status 4* journals rather than leading specialized 4‐rated journals. Using choice‐set design and survey data from UK business and management scholars, we suggest and empirically demonstrate that the willingness to forgo citations to publish in 4* journals is strongest among academics who have already published in 4* and/or 4‐rated journals. Contrary to our expectations, we find that an individual's existing scholarly impact, as captured by prior citations, has no effect on this preference. We also show that academics working in high‐ranked institutions would give up more citations for 4* journal publication than those working at lower‐ranked institutions. We explore the implications of these findings for theories of academic status, journal rankings and research assessment systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

British data from the early 1700s through World War I reflect the results of numerous high‐quality natural experiments of government spending. Britain frequently participated in wars, increasing military spending massively. Wartime distortions were relatively limited because the government generally adopted tax smoothing policy and rarely implemented interventions. Government spending multiplier estimates are low or negative and significantly below unity. This paper finds no evidence that the multiplier was higher in the slack state than in the normal state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Co‐production is gaining increasing recognition as a good way of facilitating collaboration among different stakeholders, including members of the public. However, it remains an ambiguous concept as there is no definitive or universal model of co‐production or clarity on what constitutes a good co‐production approach. This paper draws on the reflections of the academic researchers, practitioners and public advisors involved in co‐producing a priority‐setting exercise. The exercise was conducted by the Primary and Community Health Services (PCHS) Theme of the National Institute for Health and Care Research Applied Research Collaboration for Kent, Surrey and Sussex (NIHR ARC KSS). Methods: We collected data through written and verbal reflections from seven collaborators involved in the PCHS priority‐setting exercise. We used Gibbs' model of reflection to guide the data collection. We then analysed the data through an inductive, reflexive thematic analysis. Results: A common thread through our reflections was the concept of 'sharing'. Although co‐production is inherently shared, we used the virtuous cycle to illustrate a sequence of sharing concepts during the research cycle, which provides the underpinnings of positive co‐production outcomes. We identified six themes to denote the iterative process of a shared approach within the virtuous cycle: shared values, shared understanding, shared power, shared responsibilities, shared ownership and positive outcomes. Conclusion: Our results present a virtuous cycle of co‐production, which furthers the conceptual underpinnings of co‐production. Through our reflections, we propose that positive co‐production outcomes require foundations of shared values and a shared understanding of co‐production as a concept. These foundations facilitate a process of shared power, shared responsibilities and shared ownership. We argue that when these elements are present in a co‐production exercise, there is a greater potential for implementable outcomes in the communities in which the research serves and the empowerment of collaborators involved in the co‐production process. Public Members' Contributions: Three members of the public who are public advisors in the NIHR ARC KSS were involved in the priority‐setting exercise that informed this paper. The public advisors were involved in the design of the priority‐setting exercise and supported participants' recruitment. They also co‐facilitated the focus groups during data collection and were involved in the data analysis, interpretation and preparation of the priority‐setting report. For this current manuscript, two of them are co‐authors. They provided reflections and contributed to the writing and reviewing of this manuscript. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over 60 million tons of E‐waste is expected to be generated in 2023, with associated significant impacts on health and the environment. To reduce the number of products sent to landfills, "Right to Repair" (RtR) movements are gaining momentum in many countries, including the UK, USA, and EU member states. While Universities are seen as important stakeholders to drive forward sustainable design practices, there is currently little work looking at training undergraduate design engineers in the principles of designing household products in support of RtR. In particular, the project‐based learning (PBL) pedagogy shows promise in engaging and training students with the skills and knowledge required to successfully design products for RtR. In this paper, a pilot‐study of teaching engineers is presented to design products compatible with RtR principles, alongside many technical skills, in a first‐year PBL course. The key outputs of this paper are the design of the module, which can be used to help inform first‐year engineering education, the high engagement of students, with 100% of respondents agreeing that they intend to try to implement sustainable design practices in future, and some of the innovative features that students implement in their projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: To understand when knowledge objects in a computable biomedical knowledge library are likely to be subject to regulation as a medical device in the United Kingdom. Methods: A briefing paper was circulated to a multi‐disciplinary group of 25 including regulators, lawyers and others with insights into device regulation. A 1‐day workshop was convened to discuss questions relating to our aim. A discussion paper was drafted by lead authors and circulated to other authors for their comments and contributions. Results: This article reports on those deliberations and describes how UK device regulators are likely to treat the different kinds of knowledge objects that may be stored in computable biomedical knowledge libraries. While our focus is the likely approach of UK regulators, our analogies and analysis will also be relevant to the approaches taken by regulators elsewhere. We include a table examining the implications for each of the four knowledge levels described by Boxwala in 2011 and propose an additional level. Conclusions: If a knowledge object is described as directly executable for a medical purpose to provide decision support, it will generally be in scope of UK regulation as "software as a medical device." However, if the knowledge object consists of an algorithm, a ruleset, pseudocode or some other representation that is not directly executable and whose developers make no claim that it can be used for a medical purpose, it is not likely to be subject to regulation. We expect similar reasoning to be applied by regulators in other countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the issue of the Lend-Lease declaration in Great Britain on September 10, 1941. There were two closely linked factors which caused the dramatic reduction in Britain's overseas trade. First, large sections of Britain's manufacturing industry had to be converted to war production, thus reducing the capacity for manufactured exports. By June 1944, 33 percent of Britain's labor force was engaged in war duties and a further 22 percent was in the armed forces. Secondly, America supplied Britain with food, raw materials, industrial and military equipment, without cash payments, under Lend-Lease. The responsibility for Lend-Lease in the early days was delegated to Harry Hopkins, the person in charge for Lend-Lease, though the official head of the agency in charge of Lend-Lease was nominally General J.H. Burns. Despite Hopkins's renowned energy and drive, Lend-Lease supplies to Britain during 1941 only played a marginal role in the war effort. There was an unavoidable time lag between the inception of Lend-Lease and the American economy's ability to produce the goods.

The paper investigates semiotics as an integrative, foundational framework for operational research (OR). To this end, the semiotics of the pragmatist C.S. Peirce is explained and its application in OR research, and consulting practice is explored. It is the fourth in a series of papers each seeking to ground OR in a different logic: philosophic/mathematical logic, pragmatic logic, economic logic and now semiotic logic. For Peirce, semiotics is a logic, and as such it is argued in the paper that it can embrace philosophical/mathematical, pragmatic and economic logics. The comprehensive nature of semiotics is such that it brings to a close the research programme aimed at establishing foundations for OR. However, the closure of one programme opens up another—the application of semiotics in OR practice and academic research. Possible avenues for further research include learning from, and collaboration with, neighbouring disciplines such as information systems and computer science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses various reports within the issue on topics including the analysis for the journal, role of authors in the publication of articles and the contribution of the journal in various areas worldwide such as Great Britain and North America.

Aims: Candidates with disabilities are eligible for reasonable adjustments (RA) while undertaking the national Prescribing Safety Assessment (PSA). The PSA is a novel open‐book, time‐constrained, multiformat assessment that may pose challenges to candidates with dyslexia and other disabilities. Methods: Retrospective cohort analysis of 36 140 UK candidates undertaking first‐sitting of the PSA (2014–2018). Results: Of the 36 140 candidates, 9.1% (3284) were registered for RA. The RA group had lower pass rates (absolute difference 1.94%, 95% confidence interval 1.01–2.87%; P <.001) and assessment scores (1.16 percentage marks, 95% confidence interval 0.83–1.48; P <.001) compared with the non‐RA group. This absolute difference is small relative to overall variability. This difference persists after adjusting for confounding factors (medical school and paper), and was present for all 8 different question types. The attainment gap within each medical school is negatively correlated with the school's overall performance, both in terms of pass rate (P <.001) and scores (P =.01). The RA group were also less likely to perceive the PSA as an appropriate test, having easy to follow layout/presentation or clear/unambiguous questions, even after adjusting for candidate performance. Conclusion: This analysis identifies slight differences in academic performance of candidates requiring RA in a national undergraduate assessment. The study is limited by the unavailability of data on ethnicity, sex, age, diagnosis and time of diagnosis. While further research is required to determine the cause of the attainment gap, this study emphasises the need to maintain a careful review on the fairness and validity of all aspects of the assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The proliferation of 'accessible information' for people with intellectual disabilities in UK health care has accelerated in recent years, underpinned by policy guidance alongside the recent introduction of mandatory standards. However, questions have been raised as to the impact of such resources as a means of enhancing involvement in health care and addressing health inequalities. Objective To review and synthesize the evidence from different approaches used to evaluate the impact of accessible information for people with intellectual disabilities using a meta-narrative approach. Search strategy Literature searches were iterative and incorporated formal databases, grey literature and hand searches alongside more intuitive and opportunistic methods. Inclusion criteria Included English language papers published before December 2015 described the design and evaluation of written information adapted for adults with intellectual disabilities. Data extraction and synthesis We organized the papers into five groups according to similarity in authors' writing styles and presentation, epistemology and theoretical foundations, aims and methodologies, professional and organizational identities. Main results The 42 included papers in the five groupings occupied diverse positions on (i) public communication vs individualized materials, (ii) literacy as decontextualized skills vs social practices and (iii) the expertise of patients vs professionals. There was limited evidence for the impact of accessible health information, notwithstanding the potential benefits associated with their creation. Conclusions Individually tailored information is more likely to meet personalized health information needs for people with intellectual disabilities. The emergence of different social formations in the creation of accessible information has potential for advancing engagement of diverse groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims Newly graduated doctors write a large proportion of prescriptions in UK hospitals but recent studies have shown that they frequently make prescribing errors. The prescribing safety assessment (PSA) has been developed as an assessment of competence in relation to prescribing and supervising the use of medicines. This report describes the delivery of the PSA to all UK final-year medical students in 2016 (PSA2016). Methods The PSA is a 2-hour online assessment comprising eight sections which cover various aspects of prescribing defined within the outcomes of undergraduate education identified by the UK General Medical Council. Students sat one of four PSA 'papers', which had been standard-set using a modified Angoff process. Results A total of 7343 final-year medical students in all 31 UK medical schools sat the PSA. The overall pass rate was 95% with the pass rates for the individual papers ranging from 93 to 97%. The PSA was re-sat by 261 students who had failed and 80% of those candidates passed. The internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha) of the four papers ranged from 0.74 to 0.77 (standard error of measurement 4.13-4.24%). There was a statistically significant variation in performance between medical school cohorts (F = 32.6, P < 0.001) and a strongly positive correlation in performance for individual schools between PSA2015 and PSA2016 ( r = 0.79, 95% CI 0.61-0.90; P < 0.01). Conclusions PSA2016 demonstrated the feasibility of delivering a standardized national prescribing assessment online. The vast majority of UK final-year medical students were able to meet a prespecified standard of prescribing competence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diversity of flood‐generating mechanisms superimposed on catchment physiographic features with non‐stationary meteorological drivers makes future flood hazard assessment a grand challenge. To date, many studies have examined patterns in rainfall and streamflow, but far fewer have investigated trends in the other drivers of flooding. The complex transfer function between precipitation and flooding makes it potentially misleading to simply look at the change in rainfall to express the hazard. Furthermore, there are very few studies that have directly used output from km‐scale climate models in flood modeling. Coarse resolution climate data sets may not credibly resolve local climate and weather extremes. Changes in rainfall distribution and antecedent moisture over extended time periods due to climate change have so far been ignored when assessing urban pluvial flood risk. In this paper, an urban flood hazard assessment framework using the latest 2.2 km resolution UK Climate Projections Local is proposed. Global warming induced changes in pluvial flood risks under RCP8.5 are projected, focusing on the impact of changing precipitation patterns and soil moisture dynamics on flood generation. Results indicate a strong increase in the frequency of occurrence of extreme floods, and the resultant future (2060–2080) annual flood volume is expected to increase up to 52.6% relative to 1980–2000 over a major UK urban region, and these patterns are likely to hold more generally elsewhere in the UK. Shifts to a later occurrence of extreme flooding is identified under global warming. Previous studies that have neglected soil moisture dynamics are unlikely to give accurate flood estimates. Plain Language Summary: The future flood hazard status over the major UK urban region of Bristol (domain size ∼746 km2) is evaluated using the latest 12‐member UK Climate Projections Local ensemble rainfall data set at the hourly and kilometer scale. A total of 30,098 rainfall events from an equivalent 720 years of climate data are identified and used for flood modeling. Impact of changing precipitation pattern and soil moisture dynamics on surface water floods are evaluated, and the interaction between precipitation, inundation, infiltration, and soil wetness are handled simultaneously at a spatial resolution of ∼30 m or less using an improved hydrodynamic model (LISFLOOD‐FP). Our findings highlight a shift toward a later seasonal occurrence of extreme flooding under global warming. Specifically, a large proportion of future extreme flood hazards is projected to manifest in December, contrasting with historical trends where most extreme events occurred in November. Extreme precipitation can be magnified in rainy seasons due to amplified moisture convergence, while in dry periods limited moisture availability may offset precipitation increases. Despite an overall increase in the total annual rainfall volume, the future summer is anticipated to be much drier due to limited rainfall availability, leading to a further reduction in soil moisture availability. Key Points: Shifts to a later seasonal occurrence of extreme flooding is identified under global warming in the UKIncrease in annual total rainfall leads to a disproportionate rise in the resultant flood volumeImpact of the antecedent soil moisture on flood generation shows seasonality [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The 2022/23 influenza season in the United Kingdom saw the return of influenza to prepandemic levels following two seasons with low influenza activity. The early season was dominated by A(H3N2), with cocirculation of A(H1N1), reaching a peak late December 2022, while influenza B circulated at low levels during the latter part of the season. From September to March 2022/23, influenza vaccines were offered, free of charge, to all aged 2–13 (and 14–15 in Scotland and Wales), adults up to 49 years of age with clinical risk conditions and adults aged 50 and above across the mainland United Kingdom. Methods: End‐of‐season adjusted vaccine effectiveness (VE) estimates against sentinel primary‐care attendance for influenza‐like illness, where influenza infection was laboratory confirmed, were calculated using the test negative design, adjusting for potential confounders. Methods: Results In the mainland United Kingdom, end‐of‐season VE against all laboratory‐confirmed influenza for all those > 65 years of age, most of whom received adjuvanted quadrivalent vaccines, was 30% (95% CI: −6% to 54%). VE for those aged 18–64, who largely received cell‐based vaccines, was 47% (95% CI: 37%–56%). Overall VE for 2–17 year olds, predominantly receiving live attenuated vaccines, was 66% (95% CI: 53%–76%). Conclusion: The paper provides evidence of moderate influenza VE in 2022/23. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]