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In this paper, we use a UK case study to explore how the COVID-19 pandemic affected the mental health (emotional, psychological, social wellbeing) of farmers. We outline the drivers of poor farming mental health, the manifold impacts of the pandemic at a time of policy and environmental change, and identify lessons that can be learned to develop resilience in farming communities against future shocks. We undertook a survey answered by 207 farmers across the UK, focusing on drivers of poor mental health and the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic. We also conducted 22 in-depth interviews with individuals in England, Scotland and Wales who provide mental health support to farmers. These explored how and why the COVID-19 pandemic affected the mental health of farmers. These interviews were supplemented by 93 survey responses from a similar group of support providers (UK-wide). We found that the pandemic exacerbated underlying drivers of poor mental health and wellbeing in farming communities. 67% of farmers surveyed reported feeling more stressed, 63% felt more anxious, 38% felt more depressed, and 12% felt more suicidal. The primary drivers of poor mental health identified by farmers during the pandemic included decreased social contact and loneliness, issues with the general public on private land, and moving online for social events. Support providers also highlighted relationship and financial issues, illness, and government inspections as drivers of poor mental health. Some farmers, conversely, outlined positive impacts of the pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic is just one of many potential stressors associated with poor farming mental health and its impacts are likely to be long-lasting and delayed. Multiple stressors affecting farmers at the same time can create a tipping point. Therefore, there is a need for long-term support and ongoing evaluation of the drivers of poor mental health in farming families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2023, the UK Government published its long-awaited reform strategy for England's children's social care system. Whilst the strategy set out planned reforms for several aspects of the wider system, an area requiring particular 'priority' was the purported workforce instability seen within child protection social work. However, the strategy has subsequently faced criticism on the basis that the suggested reforms were not satisfactorily informed by the testimonies of practicing social workers. This paper draws from a mixed-method study to report on the lived experiences of a sample of 201 child protection social workers practicing across England, in the context of better understanding the factors which they believed were impacting on workforce stability within England's child protection system. Implications that emerge are the need for an increase in the monetary commitment offered by the UK Government (especially in the context of tackling high caseloads, and improving local authority pay scales to reduce the allure of agency work); a targeted emphasis on challenging local cultures preoccupied with evidencing compliance over time spent with children; and the Government taking a more assertive role in tackling the often-counterproductive commentary perpetuated by politicians and media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper draws on UK data from an international, comparative project involving eight countries. The study examined how social workers' conceptions and definitions of family impact on the way they engage with complex families, and how social policies that frame social work context impact on the way social workers engage with families. Focus groups were held in which social workers from four service areas (child welfare, addictions, mental health and migration) were asked to discuss a case vignette. Several factors were embedded in the vignette to represent a realistic situation a social worker may come across in their day-to-day work. Social workers clearly identified the complexity of the family's situation in terms of the range of issues identified and candidate 'causes'. However, typical first responses were institutional, looking for triggers that would signify certainty about their, or other agencies' involvement. This resulted in a complicated story, through which the family was disaggregated into individual problem-service categories. This paper argues that understanding these processes and their consequences is critical for exploring the ways in which we might develop alternative, supportive professional responses with families with complex needs. It also demonstrates how organisational systems manifest themselves in everyday reasoning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Undergoing an amputation is a life-altering experience that can involve a protracted and intensive period of care from a range of healthcare professionals. Amputation care within the NHS has historically been criticised. Here we seek to understand how patients are experiencing care by exploring their stories and identifying features of both high- and low-quality care. We analysed patient stories posted on the patient feedback site Care Opinion during the period 2018–2020 to examine how amputee patients (and their families) experience NHS care. Using thematic analysis, we identified four key themes. We found that patients' stories of undergoing an amputation as posted on Care Opinion give overwhelmingly positive feedback on their experiences. Patients report feeling well-supported by empathetic staff, and that the outcomes, in terms of quality of life and restoration of mobility, are beneficial. Time was a common feature within the posts we examined and negative experiences of care often related to untimeliness in a variety of ways. Care Opinion provides a useful and accessible resource for understanding how patients experience amputation care; analysis of stories posted there provides preliminary ideas of the features of "good care" from a patient-centred perspective. Patients undergoing amputations view professionalism of staff as important for good care. Timeliness is important to patients in seeing care in positive terms, ensuring patients are supported in their care during and after amputation in a timely manner is therefore important for achieving good rehabilitation care. Rehabilitation and related services supporting patients who have undergone amputations could usefully patient feedback sites as a means for further understanding the experiences of their patients and for improving services where necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social workers are increasingly globally mobile, pursuing employment opportunities that combine professional and lifestyle projects. Social work skills and practice are embedded in cultural, linguistic and nation-specific legislative competencies. The current article engages with the interplay of a fast-moving social work and immigration policy context and the role of inter-European social workers, using England as a case study of destination. Based on registration data of non-UK qualified social workers (2003–2017), a survey of 97 stakeholders from 27 European Union countries and focus group discussions, it investigates trends and challenges of transnational social workers (TSWs) in England. The findings highlight a dynamic process of social work education and immigration policy reforms during the past decade that was associated with a significant change in the volume and profile of TSWs registered to work in England. Data from European stakeholders further highlight two key findings: first, there is evidence of an increased role of inter-European social workers in most of Western European countries; second, the process of social work qualifications' recognition within Europe remains considerably variable. The implications of the findings are discussed within the context of continued inter-European policy and political changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This first psychometric evaluation of the Patient Categorisation Tool examined its properties as an instrument to measure complexity of needs in a mixed population of patients presenting for specialist neurorehabilitation. Materials/methods: Analysis of a large multicentre cohort of patients (n = 5396) from the national clinical dataset representing 63 specialist rehabilitation services across England. Structural validity was examined using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. Concurrent and criterion-validity were tested through a priori hypothesized relationships with other validated measures of resource requirements and dependency. Results: All but two items loaded strongly onto a single principal component with Cronbach's alpha 0.88. A total score of ≥30 identified patients with complex (category A) needs with sensitivity 76% and specificity 75%. However, confirmatory factor analysis provided a better fit when the scale was split into two subscales – a 'Cognitive/psychosocial' and a 'Physical' sub-scale (alpha 0.83 and 0.84, respectively). Moderate convergent and discriminant correlations were consistent with hypothesized relationships. Conclusions: The findings provide some overall support for the Patient Categorisation Tool as a unidimensional tool for measuring complexity of needs for neurorehabilitation, but the subscales may be more suitable for certain groups of patients. Further analysis is now required to evaluate its performance in different conditions. A psychometrically robust tool for measuring the complexity of rehabilitation needs has potential value, both at an individual level for treatment planning, and at a population level for planning and commissioning rehabilitation services. The Patient Categorisation Tool now forms part of the United Kingdom national clinical dataset mandated by the National Health Service in England This psychometric analysis from a large national multicentre cohort representing a diverse range of conditions, provides evidence for its validity as a means to identity patients with complex rehabilitation needs requiring specialist rehabilitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Aphasia and other acquired language impairments have the potential to impact greatly on quality of life by disrupting everyday conversation. Different intervention approaches are available to speech and language therapists (SLTs), such as targeting the language impairment itself and/or addressing activity or participation barriers. Conversation therapy is one approach that is gaining in popularity, with a growing evidence base. However, it is not clear how SLTs currently use conversation approaches and what factors may influence delivery. Aims: To investigate how SLTs (i) define conversation therapy, (ii) deliver it in clinical practice, and identify (iii) any challenges faced. Methods & Procedures: An online survey and focus group explored how SLTs working in the south east of England currently deliver conversation therapy to support people with a range of communication disorders, in particular aphasia. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and thematic content analysis. Outcomes & Results: A total of 50 SLTs completed the survey and 6 participants attended the focus group. Conversation therapy was found to be widely employed by participants, however there was considerable variation in the approaches used, and a number of major challenges were raised. SLTs reported delivering conversation therapy with a range of client groups and preferably working with the client and partner together. Conversation goals predominantly reflected an approach based on: (i) strategy use and/or total communication (TC), and (ii) Conversation Analysis. Three overarching themes around conversation therapy emerged from the focus group: (1) What is conversation therapy? (2) showing it works, and (3) complexities of delivering it. SLTs acknowledged the benefit of conversation therapy but felt they lacked the tools and skills needed to deliver it. Conclusions: SLTs wanted to use conversation therapy and desired clear outcome measures to demonstrate its effectiveness, but were not accessing the available evidence base, highlighting the ongoing difficulty of translating research into clinical practice. Whilst these data are limited by the small number of participants, the study provides a first view of how conversation therapy is articulated in practice. Further investigation of conversation therapy delivery is warranted with a larger sample of SLTs based across the United Kingdom, as is comparison with practice in other countries. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objectives.In this study we aimed to test the associations between area-level ethnic density and health for Pakistani and White British residents of Bradford, England. Design.The sample consisted of 8610 mothers and infant taking part in the Born in Bradford cohort. Ethnic density was measured as the percentage of Pakistani, White British or South Asian residents living in a Lower Super Output Area. Health outcomes included birth weight, preterm birth and smoking during pregnancy. Associations between ethnic density and health were tested in multilevel regression models, adjusted for individual covariates and area deprivation. Results.In the Pakistani sample, higher own ethnic density was associated with lower birth weight (β= −0.82, 95% CI: −1.63, −0.02), and higher South Asian density was associated with a lower probability of smoking during pregnancy (OR = 0.99, 95% CI: 0.98, 1.00). Pakistani women in areas with 50−70% South Asian residents were less likely to smoke than those living in areas with less than 10% South Asian residents (OR = 0.39, 95% CI: 0.16, 0.97). In the White British sample, neither birth weight nor preterm birth was associated with own ethnic density. The probability of smoking during pregnancy was lower in areas with 10−29.99% compared to <10% South Asian density (OR = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.64, 0.98). Conclusion.In this sample, ethnic density was associated with lower odds of smoking during pregnancy but not with higher birth weight or lower odds of preterm birth. Possibly, high levels of social disadvantage inhibit positive effects of ethnic density on health. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]