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Introduction: The aim of this study was to gain consensus among young people with a stoma due to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) on the priorities for the content of an intervention for the self‐management of stoma‐related distress. The current identification and management of distress in young people with a stoma is often suboptimal in clinical settings and there is a need for improved support resources. Methods: Two consensus group meetings were carried out via online video conferencing, using nominal group technique. Participants generated, rated on a Likert scale and discussed, topics for inclusion in a future self‐management intervention. Results: Nineteen young people, aged 19–33, with a stoma due to IBD took part in one of two group meetings. Participants were located across England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. Twenty‐nine topics were generated by participants, seven of which reached consensus of ≥80%, that is, a mean of ≥5.6 on a 7‐point Likert scale. These were: receiving advice from young people with lived experience of stoma surgery; advice on/addressing concerns about romantic relationships, sex and intimacy; information about fertility and pregnancy related to stoma surgery; stoma 'hacks', for example, useful everyday tips regarding clothing, making bag changes easier and so forth; reflecting on and recognising own emotional response to surgery; tips on managing the stoma during the night; and processing trauma related to the illness and surgery journey. Conclusions: Findings extend previous research on young people's experiences of stoma surgery, by generating consensus on young people's priorities for managing distress related to surgery and living with a stoma. These priorities include topics not previously reported in the literature, including the need for information about fertility and pregnancy. Findings will inform the development of a self‐management resource for young people with an IBD stoma and have relevance for the clinical management of stoma‐related distress in this population. Patient or Public Contribution: Three patient contributors are co‐authors on this paper, having contributed to the study design, interpretation of results and writing of the manuscript. The study's Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement advisory group also had an integral role in the study. They met with the research team for four 2‐h virtual meetings, giving input on the aims and purpose of the study, recruitment methods, and interpretation of findings. The group also advised on the age range for participants. The views of young people with a stoma are the central component of the study reported in this paper, which aims to gain consensus among young people with an IBD stoma on their priorities for the content of a resource to self‐manage distress related to stoma surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Globally, it is estimated that one in three adults live with two or more long‐term conditions (multiple long‐term conditions, MLTCs), that require self‐management. People who experience socioeconomic deprivation face significant health inequalities due to a range of interrelated characteristics that lead to a lack of resources and opportunities. Previous research with underserved populations indicate low levels of trust towards primary care providers and potential barriers for developing patient‐healthcare professional relationships. The purpose of this paper is to explore the barriers and facilitators to self‐managing MLTCs, amongst people who experience socioeconomic deprivation. Methods: Semistructured one‐to‐one interviews with adults (n = 28) living in London and Sheffield, United Kingdom with MLTCs who are experiencing socioeconomic deprivation. Participants were recruited through general practices, community channels and social media. Data were analysed in NVivo using reflexive thematic analysis methods. Findings: Four analytical themes were developed: (1) challenges in accessing healthcare services, financial assistance, and cultural awareness; (2) empowerment and disempowerment through technology, including digital exclusion, and use of technology; (3) impact and causes of exclusion on self‐management, including social isolation, area‐based and economic exclusion, and health‐related stigma and (4) adapting self‐management strategies, including cost‐effective, and culturally/lifestyle appropriate strategies. Conclusions: Future health interventions and services need to be developed with consideration of the combined complexities of managing MLTCs while experiencing socioeconomic deprivation. Increased awareness in practitioners and commissioners of the complexities surrounding the lives of people experiencing socioeconomic deprivation, and the need for targeted strategies to promote self‐management of MLTCs are of great importance. Patient or Public Contribution: A patient advisory group contributed to all stages of the study, including providing important feedback on study documents (topic guides and recruitment materials), as well as providing critical insights surrounding the interpretation of interview data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: In England, primary care networks (PCNs) offer opportunities to improve access to and sustainability of general practice through collaboration between groups of practices to provide care with a broader range of practitioner roles. However, there are concerns that these changes may undermine continuity of care. Our study investigates what the organisational shift to PCNs means for continuity of care. Methods: The paper uses thematic analysis of qualitative data from interviews with general practitioners and other healthcare professionals (HCPs, n = 33) in 19 practices in five PCNs, and their patients (n = 35). Three patient cohorts within each participating practice were recruited, based on anticipated higher or lower needs for continuity of care: patients over 65 years with polypharmacy, patients with anxiety or depression and 'working age' adults aged between 18 and 45 years. Findings: Patients and clinicians perceived changes to continuity in PCNs in our study. Larger‐scale care provision in PCNs required better care coordination and information‐sharing processes, aimed at improving care for 'vulnerable' patients in target groups. However, new working arrangements and ways of delivering care in PCNs undermine HCPs' ability to maintain continuity through ongoing relationships with patients. Patients experience this in terms of reduced availability of their preferred clinician, inefficiencies in care and unfamiliarity of new staff, roles and processes. Conclusions: New practitioners need to be effectively integrated to support effective team‐based care. However, for patients, especially those not deemed 'vulnerable', this may not be sufficient to counter the loss of relationship with their practice. Therefore, caution is required in relation to designating patients as in need of, or not in need of continuity. Rather, continuity for all patients could be maintained through a dynamic understanding of the need for it as fluctuating and situational and by supporting clinicians to provide follow‐up care. Patient and Public Involvement (PPI): A PPI group was recruited and consulted during the study for feedback on the study design, recruitment materials and interpretation of findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Associations between structural inequalities and health are well established. However, there is limited work examining this link in relation to mental health, or that centres public perspectives. This study explores people's experience and sense‐making of inequality in their daily lives, with particular consideration of impacts on mental health. Methods: We conducted a peer research study. Participants had to live in one of two London Boroughs and have an interest in inequalities and mental health. Using social media, newsletters, local organisations and our peer researchers' contacts, we recruited 30 participants who took photos representing their experience of inequality and discussed them during semi‐structured interviews. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Results: Three themes were identified in this study: (1) inequalities are unjust, multilayered and intertwined with mental health. Accounts demonstrated a deep understanding of inequalities and their link to mental health outcomes, describing inequalities as 'suffering' and 'not good for anyone'. Financial, housing, immigration and healthcare problems exacerbated poor mental health, with racism, gender‐based violence and job loss also contributing factors for both poor mental health and experiences of inequality; (2) inequalities exclude and have far‐reaching mental health consequences, impacting personal sense of belonging and perceived societal value and (3) moving forwards—addressing long‐standing inequality and poor public mental health necessitated coping and resilience strategies that are often unacknowledged and undervalued by support systems. Conclusion: Lived experience expertise was central in this study, creating an innovative methodological approach. To improve public mental health, we must address the everyday, painful structural inequalities experienced by many as commonplace and unfair. New policies and strategies must be found that involve communities, redistributing resources and power, building on a collective knowledge base, to coproduce actions combatting inequalities and improving population mental health. Patient or Public Contribution: This study was peer‐led, designed and carried out by researchers who had experiences of poor mental health. Six authors of the paper worked as peer researchers on this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Co‐production with communities is increasingly seen as best practice that can improve the quality, relevance and effectiveness of research and service delivery. Despite this promising position, there remains uncertainty around definitions of co‐production and how to operationalize it. The current paper describes the development of a co‐production strategy to guide the work of the ActEarly multistakeholder preventative research programme to improve children's health in Bradford and Tower Hamlets, UK. Methods: The strategy used Appreciative Inquiry (AI), an approach following a five‐step iterative process: to define (Step 1) scope and guide progress; to discover (Step 2) key issues through seven focus groups (N = 36) and eight in‐depth interviews with key stakeholders representing community groups, and the voluntary and statutory sectors; to dream (Step 3) best practice through two workshops with AI participants to review findings; to design (Step 4) a co‐production strategy building on AI findings and to deliver (Step 5) the practical guidance in the strategy. Results: Nine principles for how to do co‐production well were identified: power should be shared; embrace a wide range of perspectives and skills; respect and value the lived experience; benefits should be for all involved parties; go to communities and do not expect them to come to you; work flexibly; avoid jargon and ensure availability of the right information; relationships should be built for the long‐term; co‐production activities should be adequately resourced. These principles were based on three underlying values of equality, reciprocity and agency. Conclusion: The empirical insights of the paper highlight the crucial importance of adequate resources and infrastructure to deliver effective co‐production. This documentation of one approach to operationalizing co‐production serves to avert any misappropriations of the term 'co‐production' by listening to service users, stakeholders and other relevant groups, to develop trust and long‐term relationships, and build on the learning that already exists amongst such groups. Patient or Public Contribution: The work was overseen by a steering group (N = 17) of individuals, both professional and members of the public with experience in undertaking co‐production, and/or with some knowledge of the context of the two ActEarly field sites, who provided regular oversight and feedback on the AI process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Becoming Breastfeeding Friendly (BBF) in Great Britain study was conducted during 2017–2019 comprising three country studies: BBF England, Wales and Scotland. It was part of an international project being coordinated during the same period by the Yale School of Public Health across five world regions to inform countries and guide policies to improve the environment for the promotion, protection and support of breastfeeding. This paper reports on the application of the BBF process that is based on an implementation science approach, across the countries that constitute Great Britain (England, Wales and Scotland). The process involves assessing 54 benchmarks across eight interlocking gears that drive a country's 'engine' towards a sustainable policy approach to supporting, promoting and protecting breastfeeding. It takes a consensus‐oriented approach to the evaluation of benchmarks and the development of recommendations. This paper provides a critical overview of how the process was conducted, the findings and recommendations that emerged and how these were managed. We draw on critical theory as a theoretical framework for explaining the different outcomes for each country and some considerations for future action. Key messages: Undertaking an international, comparable approach to develop evidence‐based policy recommendations for scaling up the breastfeeding environment can provide useful data on which to draw explanations and conclusions on national variation.The findings from the BBF process across England, Scotland and Wales suggest that improving breastfeeding in Great Britain is dependent on the degree of political will and having a coordinated national breastfeeding strategy in place or not, along with access to robust breastfeeding data.A critical theory lens helps to bring to light some differences in the research and policy process that can explain differences between countries in the United Kingdom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Big data research requires public support. It has been argued that this can be achieved by public involvement and engagement to ensure that public views are at the centre of research projects. Researchers should aim to include diverse communities, including seldom‐heard voices, to ensure that a range of voices are heard and that research is meaningful to them. Objective: We explored how researchers involve and engage seldom‐heard communities around big data research. Methods: This is a qualitative study. Researchers who had experience of involving or engaging seldom‐heard communities in big data research were recruited. They were based in England (n = 5), Scotland (n = 4), Belgium (n = 2) and Canada (n = 1). Twelve semistructured interviews were conducted on Zoom. All interviews were audio‐recorded and transcribed, and we used reflexive thematic analysis to analyse participants' experiences. Results: The analysis highlighted the complexity of involving and engaging seldom‐heard communities around big data research. Four themes were developed to represent participants' experiences: (1) abstraction and complexity of big data, (2) one size does not fit all, (3) working in partnership and (4) empowering the public contribution. Conclusion: The study offers researchers a better understanding of how to involve and engage seldom‐heard communities in a meaningful way around big data research. There is no one right approach, with involvement and engagement activities required to be project‐specific and dependent on the public contributors, researchers' needs, resources and time available. Patient and Public Involvement: Two public contributors are authors of the paper and they were involved in the study design, analysis and writing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A twice-daily record of barometric pressure exists for Durham Observatory (54.768 °N, 1.584 °W, barometer cistern 107.3 m above mean sea level, MSL) from 23 July 1843 to 31 December 1960 and is published here for the first time. The Durham record, which is 98.7% complete, is by far the longest digital barometric pressure series in northern England and fills a very large temporal and spatial gap in the International Surface Pressure Database (ISPD: Cram et al, [2015] Geoscience Data Journal, 2, 31-46). In what is believed to be the first study of its kind, the record has been independently quality-controlled against the NOAA-CIRES-DOE Twentieth Century Reanalysis version 3 (20CRv3; Slivinski et al., [2019] Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society, 145, 2876; Slivinski et al., [2021] Journal of Climate, 34, 1417-1438), which did not include the Durham records in its assimilation set. This paper describes the instruments used and their exposure, the sources of the record, digitization work undertaken to generate the digital time series (including quality control assessments using 20CRv3) and reduction to mean sea level pressure from station level observations, and examines consistency over the period of record against 20CRv3, concluding with a summary of monthly and annual means and extremes over the 117 year series and the details of the new dataset. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on the international, interdisciplinary conference, Nutrition and Nurture in Infancy and Childhood: Bio-Cultural Perspectives, to be held in Cumbria in June 2017. Topics to be discussed during the conference include illuminate socio-cultural, political and economic ifluences on infant and child feeding practices, nature of relationships within families, and increasing understandings of breastfeeding as a bio-psychosocial activity.

Background: Obesity rates are higher among people of lower socioeconomic status. While numerous health behaviour interventions targeting obesity exist, they are more successful at engaging higher socioeconomic status populations, leaving those in less affluent circumstances with poorer outcomes. This highlights a need for more tailored interventions. The aim of this study was to enhance an existing weight loss course for adults living in low socioeconomic communities. Methods: The Behaviour Change Wheel approach was followed to design an add‐on intervention to an existing local authority‐run weight loss group, informed by mixed‐methods research and stakeholder engagement. Results: The COM‐B analysis of qualitative data revealed that changes were required to psychological capability, physical and social opportunity and reflective motivation to enable dietary goal‐setting behaviours. The resulting SMART‐C booklet included 6 weeks of dietary goal setting, with weekly behavioural contract and review. Conclusion: This paper details the development of the theory‐ and evidence‐informed SMART‐C intervention. This is the first report of the Behaviour Change Wheel being used to design an add‐on tool to enhance existing weight loss services. The process benefitted from a further checking stage with stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to compare the drivers of clustering of rural and urban creative industries in England. We use pre‐pandemic web‐scraped data from 154,618 creative industry organizations in England, and use a novel technique to identify 71 distinct rural creative "microclusters" of geographically proximate creative firms. We then consider the role of place‐based assets and agglomeration in the presence of microclusters at a micro‐level geography and find that the determinants of microclustering are generally consistent between rural and urban areas. On that basis we argue that policies to support creative clusters may drive rural regional development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the methodological aspects of a user‐led study investigating mental health service user experiences of targeted violence and abuse (often called 'hate crime'). 'Keeping Control' was a 16‐month qualitative study, undertaken in the context of adult safeguarding reforms in England. By collecting data on service user concepts and experiences, the research sought to address a gap in research and practice knowledge relating to targeted violence, abuse and hostility against people with mental health problems. In this paper, we discuss the significance of the design and methodology used for this study, with a particular focus on the interviews with service users. The research was both user‐led and carried out in collaboration with practitioners and academics, a form of research co‐production. Our aim is to inform researchers, practitioners and policymakers about the value of user leadership in co‐productive research with practitioners, particularly for a highly sensitive and potentially distressing topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) applied for prostate cancer (PCa) has been one of the most important and hottest research fields over recent decades. This study aimed to explore the research hotspots of EBRT in PCa and help the researchers have a clear and intuitive reference basis for later researches. Methods: The literature scientometric analysis related to "EBRT applied for PCa" was conducted via the Web of Science Core Collection from 2010 to 2019. The Microsoft Office Excel 2019 and CiteSpace V. 5.7.R1 software were introduced for visualizing and analyzing the data. Results: A total of 7860 relevant papers were extracted and downloaded. A total of 7828 papers were extracted and analyzed after data cleansing by CiteSpace. The tendency of published papers was comprehensively increasing from 2010 to 2019. Among all 73 countries/regions, USA published the most papers, accounting for 39%, which was the most active contributor with most publications. Australia (Centrality: 0.18), England (Centrality: 0.12) were cooperating most cohesively with other countries. Univ Toronto was the most productive institute (229), while Harvard Univ (Centrality: 0.67) had extensive collaborations with other institutes. The International journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics had the largest number of publications and the highest number of co‐citations. Briganti A had the largest volume of publications. D'Amico AV had the highest number of co‐citations. Four latest and largest clusters were identified as oligometastases, salvage therapy (SRT), prostate‐specific membrane antigen (PSMA), and hypofractionation. Thirteen references became strongest burst citations lasting until 2019. The studies of "oligometastases," "SRT," "PSMA," "hypofractionation," "postoperative radiotherapy," and "dose and fraction regimen changes" were prevailing in the recent years. Conclusion: The "oligometastases," "SRT," "PSMA," "hypofractionation," "postoperative radiotherapy," and "dose and fraction regimen changes" may be the state‐of‐art research frontiers, and related studies will advance in this field over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Co‐production is predicated on equal power‐sharing and responsibility in research partnerships. However, relatively few accounts exist that explore the subjective experience of how co‐researchers achieve such equality, from the perspectives of public contributors and researchers. Aim: This paper aims to provide a unique insight into the process of co‐production, by weaving personal reflections with principles to evaluate the impact arising from co‐produced knowledge. It is based upon participatory research that was initiated by a 'lay' person, on behalf of a community organization, seeking support for Somali families who are affected by autism. The paper explores the evolving partnerships that began with community theatre and qualitative research and leading to extensive dissemination and impact, all of which has been jointly owned and negotiated by the co‐researchers and community organizations. Discussion: Initially, this paper reflects on the process, drawing on principles defined for co‐production in health research and combining it with the co‐researcher's personal reflections of their experiences as insiders and outsiders, stepping in and out of each other's worlds. The value of reciprocity, flexibility and continuous reflection is illustrated. The latter part of the paper explores the impact of this co‐produced knowledge using a theoretical framework, to assess the specific impacts and its broader transformative potential. It demonstrates how (1) opportunities for all partners to be equitably involved to the maximum degree possible throughout the research process can affect social change and (2) co‐produced research can become a catalyst that is dynamic and complex, achieving multi‐layered impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Looked after children and care leavers (denoted as LAC) are often described as a 'hard to reach' group of young people, and their voices are rarely sought to inform academic research. Methods: This paper reports on experiences and reflections of a group of children and young people and academic researchers who developed a Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) group that was set up in the context of an ongoing health service intervention trial with LAC. Setting and participants: Eighteen qualitative semi‐structured interviews were conducted with seven LAC, the participation officer within a North East Children in Care Council and the four researchers involved in developing and facilitating the PPI group. PPI sessions (n = 9) each approximately 1 hour in length were conducted over an 18‐month period. Analysis: The qualitative interviews were transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data, and direct quotes are used within the paper. Main outcomes: The LAC used the PPI group to produce a 5‐minute video to highlight why they think young people should be involved in research. Overall findings suggested that it was feasible to develop a research‐related PPI group with LAC. Findings from the research were used to co‐develop 'top tips' of working with vulnerable young people such as looked after children. Conclusion: This paper has shown that PPI with LAC can be done if a co‐production approach to research is taken. It also suggests that assumptions regarding the capabilities of young people as researchers need to be re‐evaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A new diagnosis of complex post‐traumatic stress disorder, CPTSD, has been agreed by the World Health Organization, WHO, and evidence is needed for what psychological treatment might be effective, particularly from those with experience of the disorder. We used a novel participatory approach to explore patient views and simultaneously studied the impact on the patient researchers of the research process itself. In this paper, we report on the latter section of the study how the involvement in research of patients with CPTSD affected their mental health. Symptoms of CPTSD may include emotional dysregulation, feelings of self‐worthlessness and difficulties in relationships. Objective: The aim of this study section was to explore whether patients' mental health could be promoted through empowering them to participate in research on CPTSD. Design: The study had a qualitative, participatory design. The clinician who led the research (first author) held group meetings with patient researchers to explore the impact of the research process. The clinician also kept notes on the process in a reflective log. Setting and participants: Six patient researchers participated in research with other patients with lived experience of CPTSD in an NHS outpatient unit in a London hospital. Intervention studied: The research process itself was analysed in group meetings with researchers which the clinician recorded and transcribed. Findings: Participation in research may promote increased self‐confidence and social inclusion for those with CPTSD. Conclusion: Involvement in research may be seen as an empowering intervention because patients felt it contributed to recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This paper presents an analysis of 32 narratives written by patients waiting for assessment at a transgender health clinic (THC) in England. Narratives are autobiographical free texts, designed to allow patients to describe in their own words their experiences of their gender identity and/or transition prior to a clinic appointment, as part of the assessment process. Objective: Narratives were analysed to identify actions prospective patients had taken to manage their (usually lengthy) waiting times, so that these 'coping strategies' could be shared with future patients. Design: Corpus linguistic methodology was utilized to identify common patterns across the whole corpus of text‐based data, augmented with more detailed sociolinguistic analysis of individual narratives. Results: There are broad commonalities in the way the transition experience is described across the corpus in terms of presentation of key experiences and feelings. There are specific descriptions of a number of recurring coping strategies, both positive and negative. Conclusion: The empowerment value of writing these narratives may be limited; the existence of recurring key features suggests that patients may feel they have to present their experiences in certain ways to be accepted for treatment. However, dissemination of some positive coping strategies may help future clients of THCs to better cope with waiting times, as well as assisting practitioners in THCs in supporting their patients during this wait. Patient/Public Contribution: The clinic's Service Users' Research Advisory Group contributed to formulating the objective and design of the study. Results were presented at the clinic's annual PPI conference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The "learning health system" has been proposed to deliver better outcomes for patients and communities by analyzing routinely captured health information and feeding back results to clinical staff. This approach has been piloted in the Connected Health Cities (CHC) programme in four regions in the North of England. This paper presents the results of the evaluation of this program conducted between February and December 2018. Methods: Fifty nine semistructured interviews were completed with a mix of CHC programme staff and external partners who had contributed to the delivery of the CHC programme. Interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. This also included the review of project documentation including project reports and minutes of project group meetings, in addition to a short online survey that was completed by 31 members of CHC programme staff. Data were analyzed thematically. Results: Two overarching themes emerged through the thematic analysis of participant interview: (a) challenges in the implementation of learning health system pathways, and (b) benefits to the CHC approach for both staff and patients. In particular, time constraints in delivering an ambitious program of work, data quality, and accessibility, as well as the long‐term sustainability of the CHC programme were noted as key challenges in implementing a LHS at scale. Conclusions: The findings from this evaluation provide valuable insight into creating learning health system at scale, including the potential benefits and likely challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although breastfeeding is known to improve health, economic and environmental outcomes, breastfeeding initiation and continuation rates are low in the United Kingdom. The global WHO/UNICEF Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) aims to reverse declining rates of breastfeeding by shifting the culture of infant feeding care provision throughout hospital maternity settings. In the United Kingdom, the global BFHI has been adapted by UNICEF UK reflecting a paradigm shift towards the experiences of women and families using maternity services. This research used a critical ethnographic approach to explore the influence of the national UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative (BFI) standards on the culture of one typical maternity service in England, over a period of 8 weeks, across four phases of data collection between 2011 and 2017. Twenty‐one staff and 26 service users were recruited and engaged in moderate‐level participant observation and/or guided interviews and conversations. Basic, organising and a final global theme emerged through thematic network analysis, describing the influence of the BFI on providing, receiving and leading infant feeding care in a hospital maternity setting. Using Antonovsky's sense of coherence construct, the findings discussed in this paper highlight how the BFI offers 'informational' (comprehensible), 'practical' (manageable) and 'emotional' (meaningful) support for both staff and service users, strengthened by effective, local leadership and a team approach. This is juxtaposed against the tensions and demands of the busy hospital maternity setting. It is recommended that ongoing infant feeding policy, practice and leadership balance relational and rational approaches for positive infant feeding care and experiences to flourish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Continence is a key moment of care that can tell us about the wider care of people living with dementia within acute hospital wards. The spotlight is currently on the quality of hospital care of older people across the UK, yet concerns persist about their poor treatment, neglect, abuse, and discrimination within this setting. Thus, within hospitals, the care of people living with dementia is both a welfare issue and a human rights issue. The challenge of continence care for people living with dementia can be seen as the ‘canary in the coal mine’ for the unravelling of dignity within the acute setting. This paper draws on an ethnographic study within five hospitals in England and Wales, selected to represent a range of hospital types, geographies and socio‐economic catchments. Observational fieldwork was carried out over 154 days in acute hospitals known to admit large numbers of people living with dementia. This paper starts to fill the gap between theory and data by providing an in‐depth ethnographic analysis examining the ways in which treatment as a person is negotiated, achieved or threatened. We examine how the twin assaults on agency of a diagnosis of dementia and of incontinence threaten personhood. The acute threats to this patient group may then act to magnify perils to treatment as a person. Our findings suggest that personal dignity and the social construction of moral personhood are both threatened and maintained in such a setting. We show how empirical ethnographic data can lend weight to, and add detail to, theoretical accounts of moral personhood and dignity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and context: Breastfeeding peer support is valued by women, but UK trials have not demonstrated efficacy. The ABA feasibility trial offered proactive peer support underpinned by behaviour change theory and an assets‐based approach to women having their first baby, regardless of feeding intention. This paper explores women's and infant feeding helpers' (IFHs) views of the different components of the ABA intervention. Setting and participants: Trained IFHs offered 50 women an antenatal meeting to discuss infant feeding and identify community assets in two English sites—one with a paid peer support service and the other volunteer‐led. Postnatally, daily contact was offered for the first 2 weeks, followed by less frequent contact until 5 months. Methods: Interviews with 21 women and focus groups/interviews with 13 IFHs were analysed using thematic and framework methods. Results: Five themes are reported highlighting that women talked positively about the antenatal meeting, mapping their network of support, receiving proactive contact from their IFH, keeping in touch using text messaging and access to local groups. The face‐to‐face antenatal visit facilitated regular text‐based communication both in pregnancy and in the early weeks after birth. Volunteer IFHs were supportive of and enthusiastic about the intervention, whereas some of the paid IFHs disliked some intervention components and struggled with the distances to travel to participants. Conclusions: This proactive community assets‐based approach with a woman‐centred focus was acceptable to women and IFHs and is a promising intervention warranting further research as to its effect on infant feeding outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Engaging with the public is a key element of health research; however, little work has examined experiences of public involvement in research dissemination. The aim of this paper was to assess the extent of public involvement, experiences of public advisers and resulting changes in the dissemination of the North West Coast Household Health Survey (HHS). Methods: Three writing groups allowed public advisers to contribute to the dissemination of the HHS. A public workshop was set up to aid the co‐production of the research evidence and discuss the experiences of public advisers involved with the survey in March 2018. A focus group with public advisers was conducted in August 2018 to understand their experiences of involvement. Data were analysed using thematic analysis and coded by two researchers. Writing groups are still on‐going. Results: Fourteen public advisers contributed via three face‐to‐face writing groups, by actively interpreting findings and helping in the write‐up of research articles and by presenting talks at the public workshop. At the workshop, seven public advisors contributed to setting priorities for data analysis from the HHS. Five public advisers took part in the focus group, which highlighted that whilst public advisers were generally satisfied with their involvement, they would like to be involved in more activities. Conclusions: Members of the public shaped the dissemination of evidence and provided guidance for future steps. Public advisers were mostly positive about their involvement in the dissemination of the HHS, but highlighted the need for more transparency and support from researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To compare mortality rates for cardiovascular disease, cancer, and respiratory disease between adults with cerebral palsy (CP) and the general population.Method: A cohort study was conducted using data from adults with CP in England, identified through a primary care data set (the Clinical Practice Research Datalink), with linked data on death registrations from the Office for National Statistics. Cause of death was categorized according to International Classification of Diseases codes. Standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) were calculated to compare mortality rates between adults with CP and the general population, adjusted for age, sex, and calendar year.Results: Nine hundred and fifty-eight adults with CP were identified (52.5% males, 47.5% females; median age at start of follow-up 31y [interquartile range 22-43y]) and followed for a total of 7693 person-years. One hundred and forty-two patients (15%) died during follow-up. Adults with CP had an increased risk of death due to cardiovascular disease (SMR: 3.19, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.20-4.62) and respiratory disease (SMR: 13.59, 95% CI 9.89-18.67), but not from malignant neoplasms (SMR: 1.42, 95% CI 0.83-2.45).Interpretation: We found that adults with CP in England have increased risk of death due to diseases of the circulatory and respiratory systems, supporting findings from two studies that compared cause-specific mortality rates between adults with CP in the USA and the general population. Further research is required into primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular and respiratory disease in people with CP worldwide.What This Paper Adds: Adults with cerebral palsy (CP) in England have 14-fold increased risk of mortality due to diseases of the respiratory system. They have a 3-fold increased risk of mortality due to diseases of the circulatory system. Adults with CP had an increased risk of death due to cerebrovascular disease and ischaemic heart disease. The elevated risk of ischaemic heart disease, however, did not reach statistical significance at the 5% per cent level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To test the hypothesis that children and young people with neurological conditions who missed outpatient appointments have more emergency inpatient admissions and Accident and Emergency centre (A&E) visits than those who missed none.Method: Retrospective cohort of individuals aged up to 19 years with neurological conditions, identified from routine hospital data in England, UK from April 1st, 2003 to March 31st, 2015 using an International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, coding framework. Counts of emergency inpatient admissions and A&E visits per person per year were modelled (random intercept negative binomial regression) with outpatient attendance the independent variable of interest.Results: The cohort numbered 524 613 individuals. Those who missed outpatient appointments had 19 per cent (95% confidence interval [CI] 18-19) more emergency inpatient admissions and 16 per cent (95% CI 15-17) more A&E visits per year than those who missed none. 'Did not attends' had a larger increase in unplanned health care than patient or provider cancellations. If no appointments were missed, the models predict there would have been 107 000 fewer A&E visits from 2007/2008 to 2014/2015 and 104 000 fewer emergency inpatient admissions from 2003/2004 to 2014/2015.Interpretation: Missed outpatient appointments were associated with increased unplanned health care. Improving outpatient attendance may have the potential to reduce emergency inpatient admissions and A&E visits.What This Paper Adds: Missed outpatient appointments by children and young people with neurological conditions are associated with increased unplanned health care. Both emergency inpatient admissions and Accident and Emergency centre visits are increased. 'Did not attends' are more strongly associated with unplanned health care than cancellations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

LINKED CONTENT: This article is linked to Dhanda et al papers. To view these articles, visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.17307 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.17335 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

LINKED CONTENT: This article is linked to Dhanda et al papers. To view these articles, visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.17307 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.17366 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emotions such as guilt and blame are frequently reported by non-breastfeeding mothers, and fear and humiliation are experienced by breastfeeding mothers when feeding in a public context. In this paper, we present new insights into how shame-related affects, cognitions and actions are evident within breastfeeding and nonbreastfeeding women's narratives of their experiences.As part of an evaluation study of the implementation of the UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative CommunityAward within two primary (community based) care trusts in North West England, 63 women with varied infant feeding experiences took part in either a focus group or an individual semi-structured interview to explore their experiences, opinions and perceptions of infant feeding. Using a framework analysis approach and drawing on Lazare's categories of shame, we consider how the nature of the event (infant feeding) and the vulnerability of the individual (mother) interact in the social context to create shame responses in some breastfeeding and non-breastfeeding mothers.Three key themes illustrate how shame is experienced and internalised through 'exposure of women's bodies and infant feeding methods', 'undermining and insufficient support' and 'perceptions of inadequate mothering'. The findings of this paper highlight how breastfeeding and non-breastfeeding women may experience judgement and condemnation in interactions with health professionals as well as within community contexts, leading to feelings of failure, inadequacy and isolation. There is a need for strategies and support that address personal, cultural, ideological and structural constraints of infant feeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Social network processes impact on the genesis and management of mental health problems. There is currently less understanding of the way people negotiate networked relationships in times of crisis compared to how they manage at other times. Objective This paper explores the patterns and nature of personal network involvement at times of crises and how these may differ from day-to-day networks of recovery and maintenance. Method Semi-structured interviews with 25 participants with a diagnosis of long-term mental health ( MH) problems drawn from recovery settings in the south of England. Interviews centred on personal network mapping of members and resources providing support. The mapping interviews explored the work of network members and changes in times of crisis. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and analysed using a framework analysis. Results Three key themes were identified: the fluidity of network relationality between crisis and recovery; isolation as a means of crises management; leaning towards peer support. Personal network input retreated at times of crisis often as result of 'ejection' from the network by participants who used self-isolation as a personal management strategy in an attempt to deal with crises. Peer support is considered useful during a crisis, whilst the role of services was viewed with some ambiguity. Conclusions Social networks membership, and type and depth of involvement, is subject to change between times of crisis and everyday support. This has implications for managing mental health in terms of engaging with network support differently in times of crises versus recovery and everyday living. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To investigate how vision relates to early development by studying vision and cognition in a national cohort of 1-year-old infants with congenital disorders of the peripheral visual system and visual impairment.Method: This was a cross-sectional observational investigation of a nationally recruited cohort of infants with 'simple' and 'complex' congenital disorders of the peripheral visual system. Entry age was 8 to 16 months. Vision level (Near Detection Scale) and non-verbal cognition (sensorimotor understanding, Reynell Zinkin Scales) were assessed. Parents completed demographic questionnaires.Results: Of 90 infants (49 males, 41 females; mean 13mo, standard deviation [SD] 2.5mo; range 7-17mo); 25 (28%) had profound visual impairment (light perception at best) and 65 (72%) had severe visual impairment (basic 'form' vision). The Near Detection Scale correlated significantly with sensorimotor understanding developmental quotients in the 'total', 'simple', and 'complex' groups (all p<0.001). Age and vision accounted for 48% of sensorimotor understanding variance. Infants with profound visual impairment, especially in the 'complex' group with congenital disorders of the peripheral visual system with known brain involvement, showed the greatest cognitive delay.Interpretation: Lack of vision is associated with delayed early-object manipulative abilities and concepts; 'form' vision appeared to support early developmental advance. This paper provides baseline characteristics for cross-sectional and longitudinal follow-up investigations in progress. A methodological strength of the study was the representativeness of the cohort according to national epidemiological and population census data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper generates new evidence for England and Wales on the importance of labour pooling as a source of agglomeration economies. Estimates of worker and firm productivity are obtained from longitudinal worker and firm micro-data and used to test the hypothesis that denser labour markets increase the quality of the matching between employees and employers across labour markets. Our findings provide evidence supportive of a positive relationship between the quality of the employee-employer matching and the economic size of labour markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT This paper presents ethical dilemmas concerning the termination of pregnancy, the management of childbirth, and the withdrawal of life-support from infants in special care, for a small sample of British Pakistani Muslim parents of babies diagnosed with fatal abnormalities. Case studies illustrating these dilemmas are taken from a qualitative study of 66 families of Pakistani origin referred to a genetics clinic in Southern England. The paper shows how parents negotiated between the authoritative knowledge of their doctors, religious experts, and senior family members in response to the ethical dilemmas they faced. There was little knowledge or open discussion of the view that Islam permits the termination of pregnancy for serious or fatal abnormality within 120 days and there was considerable disquiet over the idea of ending a pregnancy. For some parents, whether their newborn baby would draw breath was a main worry, with implications for the baby's Muslim identity and for the recognition of loss the parents would receive from family and community. This concern sometimes conflicted with doctors' concerns to minimize risk to future pregnancies by not performing a Caesarean delivery if a baby is sure to die. The paper also identifies parents' concerns and feelings of wrong-doing regarding the withdrawal of artificial life-support from infants with multiple abnormalities. The conclusion considers some of the implications of these observations for the counselling and support of Muslim parents following the pre- or neo-natal diagnosis of fatal abnormalities in their children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a longstanding literature on the unequal geographical distribution of welfare. In this paper we argue that increasingly geography is becoming the basis for rationing access to some forms of welfare. Focusing on access to secondary schools in East London, England, where the demand for places at the more popular schools generally far exceeds the number of places available, we show how distance from school has now become the primary means of allocating places. Rather than educational resources attempting to compensate for geographical disadvantage, geography (in the form of distance from school) has become the rationale by which those living in advantaged areas continue to have privileged access to educational resources. Whereas previously the role of the state was to compensate for the unfairness of such geographical inequalities, geography (via distance to school) is now used to justify the unequal allocation of scarce school places. The paper demonstrates that not only does the near universal adoption of distance-based allocation policies in East London lead to the reproduction of social advantage and disadvantage, but also it is creating new hierarchies of school popularity and more important unpopularity which are not always clearly related to issues of school attainment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper considers the relations between practice, knowledge and context in design consultancies. It uses a case study of design consultancies in London based on in-depth interviews with designers working in design agencies in the city. The paper argues that the relations between design knowledge and context have been conceived in two ways. The first account emphasises the sharing of tacit knowledge in a design community marked by relatively strong and durable social ties. The second approach argues instead that design is a creative collectivity with much weaker social ties and a broader range of types of knowledge. It is argued that while both of these approaches illuminate parts of situated learning and context in design consultancies, these are actually more complex and mixed than either account recognises. Both accounts overlook the crucial importance of what are termed medium-strength ties between designers and their clients that combine market contracts with personal regard and friendship. The paper concludes by suggesting that such medium ties are increasingly important in design-based innovation systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the overwhelming evidence for the benefits of breastfeeding, and yet the low prevalence rates in the UK, it is crucial to understand the influences on women's infant feeding experiences to target and promote effective support. As part of an evaluation study of the implementation of the UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative (BFI) Community Award within two primary (community-based) care trusts in North West England, 15 women took part in an in-depth interview to explore their experiences, opinions and perceptions of infant feeding. In this paper, we have provided a theoretical interpretation of these women's experiences by drawing upon Aaron Antonovsky's Sense of Coherence (SOC) theory. The SOC is a global orientation to how people are able to cope with stressors and maintain a sense of well-being. The three constructs that underpin the SOC are 'comprehensibility' (one must believe that one understands the life challenge), 'manageability' (one has sufficient resources at one's disposal) and 'meaningfulness' (one must want to cope with the life challenge). In this paper, our interpretations explore how infant feeding is influenced by the 'comprehensibility', 'manageability' and 'meaningfulness' of this event; contextualized within a wider socio-cultural perspective. The findings of this paper offer a unique means through which the influences on women's experiences of infant feeding may be considered. Recommendations and suggestions for practice in relation to the implementation of the BFI have also been presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The built heritage of most cities is heterogeneous, hybrid and multiple. However, certain heritage objects and meanings are invariably privileged over others in place-making strategies. In this paper we are interested in the production of local heritage and design discourses and their impact on the regulation of conservation and change in the built environment. Using the example of the legacy of post-war (i.e. 1950s and 1960s) modernist development in Manchester, England, the paper explores the performative work of place narratives in conservation policy. The contested heritage value of post-war modernist development in the UK is particularly relevant, given the difficulties posed by aspects of 1950s and 1960s design set against increased pressures for conservation. Accordingly, the conservation of aspects of 1950s/1960s urbanism can be fiercely resisted by urban leaders. Empirically, we examine the ways in which post-war heritage has been selectively incorporated into the dominant design and heritage narratives of the city of Manchester. Looking beyond Manchester, the paper contributes to conceptual debates about the situated politics of heritage and the institutional work performed by heritage discourse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compared with the attention paid to written texts, geographers and others have neglected the spoken word in its many forms, particularly in investigations of the power relations of colonialism and imperialism. This paper argues that considering orality as a series of embodied, situated enunciations, declarations and conversations can provide a basis for historical geographies of the spoken word that engage with representation as practice. Using evidence from the domain of law within the context of Britain's plantation colonies in the Caribbean - particularly Barbados and Jamaica - this paper argues for the significance of the oral culture of empire. This was evident in the ways in which the power of speech - through the rules on oath-taking and evidence-giving - was part of the making of imperial and colonial identities and relationships dividing white and non-white, free and unfree, both within the spaces of plantation societies and in the broader British Atlantic world. The fragility of the identities and relationships made through the spoken word is also demonstrated through a series of moments when changes in the regulation of speech in courts of law were suggested and contested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To date, much of the work that uses Geographical Information Systems (GIS) to study human geographies applies a social science paradigm to quantitative data. There is a growing recognition of the need, however, to test whether GIS can be used to map out the qualitative 'data' provided by the articulation of subjective spatial experiences. This paper expands the conceptual possibilities opened up by the use of GIS technology through an exploration of the theoretical potentiality of literary GIS. Drawing on work carried out as part of an interdisciplinary project, 'Mapping the Lakes', the paper focuses on the ways in which GIS can be used to explore the spatial relationships between two textual accounts of tours of the English Lake District: the proto-Picturesque journey undertaken by the poet, Thomas Gray, in the autumn of 1769; and Samuel Taylor Coleridge's self-consciously post-Picturesque 'circumcursion' of August 1802. Alongside this text-specific focus, the paper also draws on recent spatial literary criticism to reflect, more generally, on the critical possibilities and problems associated with the digital mapping of space and place in literature. Ultimately, the paper seeks to open up methodological and critical space for the ongoing development of literary GIS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the environmental knowledge of small-scale rural landholders and comments on the implications of this for environmental policy. The paper draws on conceptualisations of knowledge as ‘know what’, ‘know why’, ‘know how’ and ‘know who’, recognises a distinction between tacit and codified environmental knowledges and highlights the need to consider the politics of knowledge surrounding environmental issues. Both quantitative and qualitative data are reported, and are derived from structured interviews with 30 small-scale landholders who were participants in a nature and landscape conservation initiative – the Landscape Heritage Scheme – within South Devon, England. These data are used to explore the place of environmental concerns within the land management objectives of respondents; the nature and extent of their environmental knowledge; how a range of factors alongside their environmental knowledge shaped the environmental practices of respondents; and the politics of knowledge associated with the Landscape Heritage Scheme. The paper suggests that small-scale landholders should be of interest to environmental policy, prioritising environmental objectives in their land management, being relatively knowledgeable about the environment and highly responsive to environmental advice and financial incentives that support environmental management. A case is made for developing research in this area, given ongoing processes of rural demographic change and the rising importance within this of an increasingly diverse landholding population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article focuses on attempts to understand how the curriculum and pedagogy can help to reduce inequalities in the outcomes of schooling between those from higher and lower socio-economic backgrounds. In the 1970s, the author was involved with Michael F.D. Young and others in the development of the so-called ‘new’ sociology of education. Much of this work entailed laying bare the assumptions underlying the school curriculum and demonstrating how the selection of school knowledge was implicated in the reproduction of social inequalities. During the 1980s in England the curriculum was overtly politicised by the Thatcher government but the interests of sociologists of education moved increasingly away from the sociology of school knowledge to focus instead on the sociology of education policy. This paper identifies a recent tendency on the part of sociologists of education to return to the ‘knowledge question’. In particular, it examines Young's own role in this and his attempts to revisit and revise of his earlier position. Contemporary developments in curricular policy in England and Northern Ireland are then outlined and discussed. Finally, the paper considers whether the work of Basil Bernstein, particularly his concepts of classification/framing and recognition/realisation rules, might help us to address one of the prevailing political problems of many modern education systems — the systematic failure of socially disadvantaged pupils to perform well at school. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Whilst sex-work policy in England and Wales claims gender-neutrality, local and national prostitution strategies primarily focus on female street-based sex workers. Men who sell sex are generally absent or inadequately considered in such policies, and measures to regulate commercial sex markets are rarely considered in terms of their impact on male working practice. Drawing on the Coordinated Prostitution Strategy for England and Wales, this paper has two aims: first, to offer a gender-based critique of the current policy framework for England and Wales by arguing that sex-work policy is infused by a gendered understanding of sex work in which male identities are neglected or assumed deviant; and second to explore the notion that understanding sex work as it is performed locally is valuable when generating local and national policy. Informed by gendered readings of policy, social understandings of masculinity, and the (in)visibility of male sexual commerce this paper explores male sex work in the context of Manchester, England. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In June 2007, the city of Sheffield officially declared itself to be the UK’s first ‘City of Sanctuary’, a gesture that sought to instil a spirit of ‘welcome and hospitality towards asylum seekers and refugees’. Drawing on a series of interviews and ethnographic work, this paper critically examines this gesture by considering how City of Sanctuary sought to enact a relational account of place through which the responsibilities of Sheffield towards both proximate and distant strangers were highlighted. The paper argues that while the City of Sanctuary movement integrates both relational and territorial political practices, it also actively pursues a relational imaginary through presenting the city as a space of political connections and responsibilities. This is achieved through a twin focus upon the role asylum seekers and refugees play in constituting the city and the role that Sheffield might come to play in national discussions of asylum. Following this discussion, the paper looks to the implications of City of Sanctuary’s work for a relational account of spatial politics, arguing that a dual orientation of spatial responsibilities ‘within’ and ‘beyond’ place may be more easily articulated in reference to some networks and flows than others. The experiences of City of Sanctuary therefore suggest that relational accounts must present a space of negotiation between territorial practices, political networks, spatial responsibilities and geographical imaginations. The development of City of Sanctuary into a national network of towns and cities promoting hospitality indicates the importance of such negotiations for developing a culture of refuge across British cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Working out from an encounter with a series of memorial benches at Mullion Cove, Cornwall, this paper develops an account of landscape in terms of absence and the non-coincidence of self and world. Arguing that recent work on the topics of landscape, embodiment, perception and material culture has tended to stress presence in various ways, I seek to explore instead here motifs of absence, distance, loss and haunting. The paper further attempts to combine descriptive and experiential accounts of the memorial benches and the views they open with conceptual arguments regarding the limits of certain phenomenological understandings of self and landscape. In particular, Derrida’s critical reading of Merleau-Ponty is outlined and explored. The final substantive section of the paper then takes a further cue from the memorial benches to discuss what it terms the geographies of love. The argument here is that such geographies constitute a fracture forbidding any phenomenological fusion of self and world, entailing instead a simultaneous opening-onto and distancing-from. It is within the tension of this openness and distance, perhaps, that landscape, absence and love are entangled. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses developments in the last five to six years in the provision of operational flood forecasting in England, Wales, and Scotland. Before the formation of the Environment Agency EA in England and Wales and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency SEPA, flood forecasting capabilities were fragmented. Just over a decade ago both organisations received governmental mandates for the provision of flood forecasting and warning nationally, and have as a result in recent years established systems providing national coverage: the National Flood Forecasting System, and Flood Early Warning System FEWS Scotland. These have facilitated a rapid expansion of catchments for which forecasts are provided, and the common framework used has enabled a more rapid introduction of scientific advances in forecasting techniques. This paper gives an overview of some of these recent developments, as well as providing an outlook to further developments to be undertaken in the near future. Copyright © 2009 Royal Meteorological Society [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drinking in England is an issue of public and policy concern. The Government has focused on the city centre in pursuing its twin policy aims of urban regeneration and public order and health. This paper challenges the silences in such debate by focusing on the domestic drinking practices in two case-study locations. Drawing on insights from wider geographies of home, the empirical sections of the paper explore domestic drinking as a widespread, socially sanctioned practice, which is shaped through diverse social relations, and the home's connections to other time/spaces. The ideological power of home works to obscure the problems that domestic drinking can sometimes cause. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Licensing Act (2003) was enacted in England and Wales against the backdrop of media concern about ‘binge Britain’ and violent town centres avoided by ‘social drinkers’. This paper responds to these concerns by asking how to create more inclusive urban centres at night. Findings from focus groups found it was not alcohol consumption or a reluctance to partake in urban life that was detracting residents. Using the notion of ‘comfort’, the paper instead reveals a strong desire for varied late-night experiences ranging from quiet local venues, to active streets and live venues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes two studies. The first study was designed to investigate the ways in which the statutory assessments of reading for 11-year-old children in England assess inferential abilities. The second study was designed to investigate the levels of performance achieved in these tests in 2001 and 2002 by 11-year-old children attending state-funded local authority schools in one London borough. In the first study, content and questions used in the reading papers for the Standard Assessment Tasks (SATs) in the years 2001 and 2002 were analysed to see what types of inference were being assessed. This analysis suggested that the complexity involved in inference making and the variety of inference types that are made during the reading process are not adequately sampled in the SATs. Similar inadequacies are evident in the ways in which the programmes of study for literacy recommended by central government deal with inference. In the second study, scripts of completed SATs Reading papers for 2001 and 2002 were analysed to investigate the levels of inferential ability evident in scripts of children achieving different SATs levels. The analysis in this article suggests that children who only just achieve the 'target' Level 4 do so with minimal use of inference skills. They are particularly weak in making inferences that require the application of background knowledge. Thus, many children who achieve the reading level (Level 4) expected of 11-year-olds are entering secondary education with insecure inference-making skills that have not been recognised. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the transitions from primary to secondary school for a contemporary cohort of children moving between state schools in England. It uses data on over 12 000 primary schools, over 2000 secondary schools and around 400 000 pupils. The results suggest that the experiences of poor pupils at age 11 may be quite different, on average, to their non-poor peers’. Poor pupils’ primary peer groups are more fractured at the age of 11 and these pupils tend to find themselves more concentrated within lower performing secondary schools. High ability pupils are more likely to go to the modal secondary school of their cohort if it is better than average; the reverse is true for low ability pupils. Poor pupils are less likely to go to the modal school when it is better than average but more likely to go when it is worse. Finally, we find that primary schools which have high academic test scores have more bifurcated flows: poor and non-poor pupils are dispersed across different secondary schools. This analysis of within-primary school differences in destination is one of the novel contributions of the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing from debates in economic geography on relational and organisational proximity as a substitute for geographical proximity, the paper explores characteristics of knowledge transfer in London's recorded music industry through an examination of organisational connections on local and global scales. The paper demonstrates that knowledge transfer within the industry occurs simultaneously across multiple geographical scales, with certain organisational connections facilitating the transfer of tacit knowledge across organisational boundaries. However, the paper argues that these connections do not offer the same scope for trust as is afforded by frequent face-to-face contact and therefore offer only a partial substitute for geographical proximity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the governance of families in the context of a political philosophy that endorses a rights perspective in social policy and the need to promote transparent government. The status of parenting as a function of government has grown substantially under the present Labour administration and now commands cross-party support as a priority issue. However, it would be wrong to claim that there is a national consensus regarding the role of the state in supporting and regulating families in their upbringing of children. This paper assesses current parental rights and responsibilities in relation to financial support, and the physical and emotional care and control of children. Emerging themes and ambiguities are drawn out, and consideration is given to the need for a strategic policy statement embracing the broad ambit of government legislation, discussion documents, and commentaries. In conclusion, the case is made for a regular policy review and for a national debate as to whether there should an official statement of parents’ rights and responsibilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides a new discussion of how people learn through deliberative processes, drawing upon empirical analysis of a novel public engagement process for urban river restoration. Such critical evaluation is rare and yet will be crucial to both theoretical development and learning about engagement practice, not least in a policy area subject to strong regulatory drivers for public participation. The analysis supports two important learning mechanisms – the use of ‘gatekeepers’ of knowledge, interests and values, and the privileging of narrative. It provides new evidence of instrumental and communicative learning about shared priorities and criteria for effective river restoration that evolved through the deliberative process and directly informed the restoration scheme. It is important to question whether and how such site or context-specific learning might inform other restoration schemes. Finally, the paper questions the often ignored issue of expert learning, not least the issue of the link between individual and organizational learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]