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This paper provides a critical analysis of the Chartered Institute for Management of Sport and Physical Activity's (CIMSPA) transformative aspirations for UK Higher Education (HE) based Sport and Physical Activity Vocational Education and Training (SPAVET) provision. In doing so, we apply selected elements of Giddens' Structuration theory to offer an analysis of CIMSPA's structural properties (as rules and resources) and dimensions (signification, domination and legitimation). Illustration of CIMSPA's structural properties and dimensions was developed through adopting an institutional analysis strategy alongside a document analysis method. Publicly available strategic documents and web-based resources (N = 18) were selected and analysed using open-coding techniques. Our analysis shows how continued state-sanctioned decentralisation of the UK HE sector has led to CIMSPA becoming an increasingly influential transformative structure; attempting to use its structural dimensions and resources as a medium to gain and exercise power, to promote (signification) -- market-orientated discourses, practices and pedagogies in HEI provision, (domination) -- in an attempt to significantly influence regulatory control over UK SPAVET provision and (Legitimation) -- create partnerships which normalise its position and message within selected UK HEIs. We conclude that whilst the transformative aspirations of CIMSPA offer a number of possibilities for the HE SPAVET sector, they also raise critical questions. The central issue requiring debate is how these aspirations shift dialectical control towards vocationally focused, market-orientated principles and away from the liberal educational, research-led principles of some current UK HE SPAVET provision.

This paper offers insights into the increasing dichotomy that exists between official forms of opportunity and access and the actual "lived experience" of young peoples' trajectories towards careers in the UK's market-orientated Sport-Fitness and Physical Education employment sectors. It does so by drawing on data generated by an 18-month ethnographic study to provide a case study of two students who chose to make the transition from a Foundation Degree in Sport Coaching (FdSc) onto a "Top Up" Bachelor of Science (BSc) Sports Science and Coaching qualification. The paper illustrates their experiences of this transition in relation to the following phases of their trajectory (1) "facilitators of transition"; (2) "managing expectations"; (3) "transformation"; and (4) "isolation." The findings highlight how, for some individuals, current transitions facilitate a critical distance between individual dispositions towards education and the positions and practices of higher education. We suggest that education and employers must further listen to the voices and experiences of students that transcend the rhetorics of official policy discourse to facilitate a process in which the conditions of transition may begin to be reimagined.

Prior to the subtraction of Section 28 from the 1988 Local Government Act in 2003, a substantial amount of research was published that specifically examined the experiences of lesbian physical education (PE) teachers. This article contributes to the existing academic literature by exploring the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual teachers working in a post-Section 28 school environment. Drawing on life history interviews of two lesbian PE teachers, we offer insights into how the abolition of Section 28 has affected their lives. Comparable to previous studies, both women reported feeling fearful of the consequences of identifying as lesbian and employed various strategies in order to maintain a divide between their public and private lives so as to conceal their sexual identities from colleagues, pupils and parents. However, in contrast to much of the previous literature, we found that the teachers in this study also identified with narratives of resistance. Despite being fearful of coming out at work, they nevertheless remained committed to coming out when the context is appropriate, to challenging the heteronormative symbolic order configured around the heterosexual/homosexual binary and to more proactively promoting sexual diversity and tolerance in schools.

Purpose: The UK is experiencing an extraordinary cost-of-living crisis as inflation and prices continue to rise. Energy bills are soaring, and food prices are rising to record rates, with no expectation that prices will drop in 2023. The current economic side effect is the rise of buy now pay later and the increasing reliance on credit cards. The purpose of this study is to evaluate whether employers introducing more flexible payment policies can improve the financial well-being of their employees. Design/methodology/approach: The article analyses statistics and reports from various sources which provide detail on the impact of the cost-of-living crisis and the financial stress it causes on employees. The article evaluates sources and studies which explore the limitations of monthly pay and viable alternatives including flexible pay. Findings: The article provides findings on the rise of short-term credit and buy now pay later schemes due to the cost-of-living crisis and how this is impacting on the workplace. The article discovers the significant benefits in introducing free flexible pay to employers and workers, from breaking the feast and famine cycle of monthly pay to improving well-being, productivity and absenteeism. Originality/value: This research will be valuable for HR professionals and employers who are currently dealing with the cost-of-living crisis and are looking for cost-effective ways of helping employees financially in 2023. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Seizures can occur unpredictably in patients with acute encephalitis syndrome (AES), and many suffer from poor long-term neurological sequelae. Establishing factors associated with acute seizures risk and poor outcomes could support clinical care. We aimed to conduct regional and volumetric analysis of cerebral oedema on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with AES. We assessed the relationship of brain oedema with acute seizure activity and long-term neurological outcome. Methods: In a multi-centre cohort study, adults and children presenting with an AES were recruited in the UK. The clinical and brain MRI data were retrospectively reviewed. The outcomes variables were inpatient acute seizure activity and neurological disability at six-months post-discharge. A poor outcome was defined as a Glasgow outcome score (GOS) of 1–3. We quantified regional brain oedema on MRI through stereological examination of T2-weighted images using established methodology by independent and blinded assessors. Clinical and neuroimaging variables were analysed by multivariate logistic regression to assess for correlation with acute seizure activity and outcome. Results: The study cohort comprised 69 patients (mean age 31.8 years; 53.6% female), of whom 41 (59.4%) had acute seizures as inpatients. A higher Glasgow coma scale (GCS) score on admission was a negative predictor of seizures (OR 0.61 [0.46–0.83], p = 0.001). Even correcting for GCS on admission, the presence of cortical oedema was a significant risk factor for acute seizure activity (OR 5.48 [1.62–18.51], p = 0.006) and greater volume of cerebral oedema in these cortical structures increased the risk of acute seizures (OR 1.90 [1.12–3.21], p = 0.017). At six-month post-discharge, 21 (30.4%) had a poor neurological outcome. Herpes simplex virus encephalitis was associated with higher risk of poor outcomes in univariate analysis (OR 3.92 [1.08–14.20], p = 0.038). When controlling for aetiology, increased volume of cerebral oedema was an independent risk factor for adverse neurological outcome at 6 months (OR 1.73 [1.06–2.83], p = 0.027). Conclusions: Both the presence and degree of cerebral oedema on MRIs of patients with AES may help identify patients at risk of acute seizure activity and subsequent long-term morbidity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper uses data from the British Household Panel Survey (BHPS) to examine whether poverty dynamics changed in rural and urban Britain between 1991 and 2008, prior to the economic crisis. In addition to descriptive statistics, poverty exit and re-entry hazard models are estimated to assess the effect of household and personal characteristics, place of residence and participation in social policy programmes (benefits) on the time spent in poverty. Particular attention is paid to the election of the 'New Labour' government in 1997 and the impact of its social policy reforms. The analysis reveals that rural poverty is not a rare experience with half the population of rural Britain experiencing poverty at some point over this period. While the risk of poverty affected a much higher proportion of the rural population than previously thought, both rural and urban poverty fell from 1999 when Labour began to introduce its spending programme and reforms, with rural poverty falling further than urban. Our analysis suggests these policy reforms played an important role in rural dwellers' increasing mobility out of poverty and in decreasing mobility back into poverty during 1999–2007. • This paper examines changes in poverty dynamics in rural Britain during 1991–2008. • Half Britain's rural population experienced poverty at least once in this period. • Rural poverty fell faster than urban after Labour introduced social policy reforms. • Analysis suggests these policy reforms were instrumental in reducing rural poverty. • The findings challenge neglect of rural poverty in social policy and rural policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In reacting to the Financial Crisis of 2007–2009, the U.K. Civil Service has sought to redefine its relationship with its employees. The U.K. Civil Service appears to have shifted to a model of employer–employee relationship which segments the workforce, markets itself to its perceived core employees, and demarkets itself to its perceived noncore employees. The findings challenge the previously held assumption that internal demarketing constitutes accidental, manager‐level, bungled, but well‐intentioned, attempts at internal marketing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Demand has prompted new UK providers of chemical engineering degree programmes. • Issues include course content, infrastructure, industry engagement and accreditation. • The new providers offer an increased diversity of chemical engineering education. Recent growth in chemical engineering student numbers has driven an increase in the number of UK universities offering the subject. The implications of this growth are described, along with the different challenges facing new providers in the UK compared with established departments. The approaches taken by the various new entrants are reviewed, with reference to recruitment strategies, infrastructure, the use of external facilities, and the particular flavours of chemical engineering being offered by the new providers. Information about the differentiating features of the large number of chemical engineering degree courses now available is somewhat indistinct: this should be rectified in the interests both of prospective students and of employers. Dilemmas facing new providers include the need to address the fundamentals of the subject as well as moving into more novel research-led areas; enabling students to develop the competencies to sustain them for a whole career as well as meeting immediate employer needs; and providing sufficient industry understanding when academics may lack substantial industrial experience. The central importance of practical provision and of the design project, and the approaches taken by new providers to deliver these components, are reviewed, together with the role of software tools in chemical engineering education, and measures to facilitate industry input into courses. As long as it is not used prescriptively or to inhibit innovation, the accreditation process provides constructive guidance and leverage for universities developing new chemical engineering programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on a qualitative ethnographic study undertaken on a small rural village community in Cornwall, UK with a significant population of local surfers. It focuses on these local surfers' interactions with the wider rural community they co-exist with, and in which ways this group might contribute to the formation, maintenance and identity of that broader rural community. The analysis presented draws together a range of broadly agreed conceptual notions of community with Victor Turner's (1969) notion of spontaneous, normative and ideological communitas as dynamic emergent elements in what Whol (2015) refers to as a process of developing community sense through experiencing and communicating aesthetic judgments. Findings illustrate that notions of community were not restricted to a static and bounded geographical location. Rather, the village focused upon in this study was seen as a hub of a close and a wider de-territorialised community. Despite their obvious differences, there was a strong sense of communitas, community sense and aesthetic judgement between surfing locals and non-surfing locals, expressed through the sharing of experience of the inspired feelings of native place configured around relationships with the sea, the local beach, surf break and village life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined university gym use by staff and students using mixed methods: participant observation and an e-survey. Research in three UK universities entailed 16 observation sessions and an e-survey that reached 3396 students and staff. The research focused on gym use, the gym environment, the presentation of the self, and social interaction within gym spaces. The gyms were found to have a difficult role to play in providing functionality for some, while helping others to be active and minimize feelings of isolation and lack of control. This led to these gyms developing spaces of exercise rather than therapeutic spaces, and divisions in use of space, with some areas rarely used and often highly gendered, resulting in contested meanings produced within Healthy University discourses and physical activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Prostate cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in men in the UK. Black men are in a higher prostate cancer risk group possibly due to inherent genetic factors. The purpose of this paper is to introduce PROstate Cancer Evaluation and Education (PROCEE), an innovative serious game aimed at providing prostate cancer information and risk evaluation to black African-Caribbean men.Design/methodology/approach PROCEE has been carefully co-designed with prostate cancer experts, prostate cancer patients and members of the black African-Caribbean community in order to ensure that it meets the real needs and expectations of the target audience.Findings During the co-design process, the users defined an easy to use and entertaining game which can effectively raise awareness, inform users about prostate cancer and their risk, and encourage symptomatic men to seek medical attention in a timely manner.Originality/value During focus group evaluations, users embraced the game and emphasised that it can potentially have a positive impact on changing user behaviour among high risk men who are experiencing symptoms and who are reluctant to visit their doctor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The oral infant rotavirus vaccine, Rotarix, was introduced in England and Wales in July 2013. We estimated the impact on laboratory-confirmed rotavirus infections and hospitalizations for all-cause acute gastroenteritis (AGE) during the first year after introduction.Methods: We extracted data on laboratory-confirmed rotavirus infections (July 2000 through June 2015) and all-cause AGE-associated hospitalizations (July 2007 through June 2014) for all age groups using national databases (LabBase2 and HES). We determined the ratio of the rate during the 2013-2014 rotavirus season to the rate during the prevaccination era.Results: In infants, there was a 77% decline (rate ratio [RR], 0.23; 95% confidence interval [CI], .16-.32) in laboratory-confirmed rotavirus infections and a 26% decline (RR, 0.74; 95% CI, .65-.84) in all-cause AGE-associated hospitalizations in 2013-2014, compared with the prevaccination era. Large reductions were also observed in older children, adults, and older adults. We estimated that 10 884 laboratory-confirmed infections and 50 427 all-cause AGE-associated hospital admissions were averted in 2013-2014. Similar reductions have been observed for laboratory-confirmed rotavirus infections during the 2014-2015 season.Conclusions: The rapid declines in rotavirus infection and AGE in vaccinated and unvaccinated age groups within 1 year of introducing an infant rotavirus vaccination program are far greater than expected and than previously reported by other countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The foundation degree is an intermediate-level qualification designed to widen participation in higher education while providing work-related skills and knowledge. It has a vocational focus and a pedagogic approach that integrates academic and work-based learning. Research into opportunities and the process of learning within foundation degrees is limited, particularly that which looks in depth at personal development occurring within these courses. This study contributes to the literature in this area, reporting on the results of a case study of the foundation degree in medicines management (University of Portsmouth). A key finding of this work was that knowledge was gained within a community of practice, and led to students’ development as individuals. Motivation, learning to learn and guidance and feedback, alongside peer learning within the course, were central aspects of this process. The learning and personal development taking place resulted in increased awareness, confidence and empowerment in students, which was reported to influence their work and personal lives. However, the development of specialist work-related skills and knowledge was found to be limited, questioning the fitness for purpose of the course researched. While key aspects of the subject investigated have been described in this work, further research is needed to understand this complex phenomenon. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

BACKGROUND: A low-cost virtual reality system that translates movements of the hand, fingers, and thumb into game play was designed to provide a flexible and motivating approach to increasing adherence to home-based rehabilitation. OBJECTIVE: Effectiveness depends on adherence, so did patients use the intervention to the recommended level? If not, what reasons did they give? The purpose of this study was to investigate these and related questions. DESIGN: A prospective cohort study, plus qualitative analysis of interviews, was conducted. METHODS: Seventeen patients recovering from stroke recruited to the intervention arm of a feasibility trial had the equipment left in their homes for 8 weeks and were advised to use it 3 times a day for periods of no more than 20 minutes. Frequency and duration of use were automatically recorded. At the end of the intervention, participants were interviewed to determine barriers to using it in the recommended way. RESULTS: Duration of use and how many days they used the equipment are presented for the 13 participants who successfully started the intervention. These figures were highly variable and could fall far short of our recommendations. There was a weak positive correlation between duration and baseline reported activities of daily living. Participants reported familiarity with technology and competing commitments as barriers to use, although they appreciated the flexibility of the intervention and found it motivating. LIMITATIONS: The small sample size limits the conclusions that can be drawn. CONCLUSIONS: Level of use is variable and can fall far short of recommendations. Competing commitments were a barrier to use of the equipment, but participants reported that the intervention was flexible and motivating. It will not suit everyone, but some participants recorded high levels of use. Implications for practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This systematic economic review examined the cost–benefit and cost-effectiveness of park, trail, and greenway infrastructure interventions to increase physical activity or infrastructure use. The search period covered the date of inception of publications databases through February 2022. Inclusion was limited to studies that reported cost–benefit or cost-effectiveness outcomes and were based in the U.S. and other high-income countries. Analyses were conducted from March 2022 through December 2022. All monetary values reported are in 2021 U.S. dollars. The search yielded 1 study based in the U.S. and 7 based in other high-income countries, with 1 reporting cost-effectiveness and 7 reporting cost–benefit outcomes. The cost-effectiveness study based in the United Kingdom reported $23,254 per disability-adjusted life year averted. The median benefit-to-cost ratio was 3.1 (interquartile interval=2.9–3.9) on the basis of 7 studies. The evidence shows that economic benefits exceed the intervention cost of park, trail, and greenway infrastructure. Given large differences in the size of infrastructure, intervention costs and economic benefits varied substantially across studies. There was insufficient number of studies to determine the cost-effectiveness of these interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scholars on both sides of the Atlantic have grappled with the difficulties of conducting comparative research on rural issues in general, and on rural poverty and inequality in particular. Shortall and Warner have observed that "The UK-US dialog is highly illustrative of how seemingly similar situations turn out to be full of complexity and difference." That complexity and difference can serve to turn researchers away from comparative collaborations. We begin our paper with an overview of some of the general differences (and similarities) between how rural scholars in the UK and US have examined poverty and inequality in rural areas. Analysis of the two welfare regimes in these countries provides the backdrop for examining specific aspects of deprivation for rural people and communities. Our paper draws on our experience as members of a trans-Atlantic research group to illustrate the type of organisational infrastructure that can support international, interdisciplinary collaboration. We conclude by offering suggestions for future comparative research. Our paper progresses earlier debates in rural studies on the challenges of doing comparative US-UK analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]