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Purpose: This study aims to critically examine the effects of COVID-19 social discourses and policy decisions specifically on older adult volunteers in the UK, comparing the responses and their effects in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, providing perspectives on effects of policy changes designed to reduce risk of infection as a result of COVID-19, specifically on volunteer involvement of and for older adults, and understand, from the perspectives of volunteer managers, how COVID-19 restrictions had impacted older people's volunteering and situating this within statutory public health policies. Design/methodology/approach: The study uses a critical discourse approach to explore, compare and contrast accounts of volunteering of and for older people in policy, and then compare the discourses within policy documents with the discourses in personal accounts of volunteering in health and social care settings in the four nations of the UK. This paper is co-produced in collaboration with co-authors who have direct experience with volunteer involvement responses and their impact on older people. Findings: The prevailing overall policy approach during the pandemic was that risk of morbidity and mortality to older people was too high to permit them to participate in volunteering activities. Disenfranchising of older people, as exemplified in volunteer involvement, was remarkably uniform across the four nations of the UK. However, the authors find that despite, rather than because of policy changes, older volunteers, as part of, or with the help of, volunteer involving organisations, are taking time to think and to reconsider their involvement and are renewing their volunteer involvement with associated health benefits. Research limitations/implications: Working with participants as co-authors helps to ensure the credibility of results in that there was agreement in the themes identified and the conclusions. A limitation of this study lies in the sampling method, as a convenience sample was used and there is only representation from one organisation in each of the four nations. Originality/value: The paper combines existing knowledge about volunteer involvement of and for older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Across the four UK jurisdictions, there are distinct disparities in exclusion rates of school students. Northern Ireland, alongside Scotland and Wales, has demonstrated over time, lower rates of permanent exclusions and temporary exclusions compared with England. This paper examines these disparities from the perspectives of representatives from various system-level educational bodies and third sector organisations representing children and families who experienced the exclusion process. The paper will also present policy and legal frameworks associated with exclusion in Northern Ireland. We interviewed 9 stakeholders, associated with practices of school exclusion in Northern Ireland, from a range of system-level education bodies and advocacy groups. Findings include positive strategies perceived to keep exclusion levels low, types of obstacles or resistance to anti-exclusion policy, participants' perspectives on unofficial exclusion practice, and perspectives on official exclusion data. What emerges from interviews is a series of tensions between implementing a child-centred approach and diminishing support services and resources. We conclude that those working within the Northern Ireland education system, are committed to an inclusive approach. However, the development and implementation of effective supporting frameworks take time and consultation, and there is evidence of tension between the perceptions of those working at a system-level and those working in schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

Many migrant groups, particularly those that are politically and economically marginalised, such as asylum seekers and refugees (ASRs), face inequities in access to health care as well as poorer physical and mental health outcomes. The role of post-arrival experiences in contributing to these inequities is increasingly being explored, and it is suggested that being a migrant is itself a determinant of health outcomes. Drawing on the theoretical concept of structural vulnerability, this paper explores ASRs' experiences of health, wellbeing, and health practices in the context of their lived realities in Scotland. 24 semi-structured interviews were conducted with ASRs from Sub-Saharan Africa between January and December 2015. Data were explored using thematic analysis. Experience of the UK asylum system, both alone and in conjunction with other sources of vulnerability including racism, poverty, and language barriers had a negative and ongoing impact on the physical and mental health of ASRs. These impacts continued, even once refugee status was obtained. Efforts to engage ASRs in preventive health programmes and practices must take into account the ways in which the asylum system acts as a determinant of health, affecting both what it means to be healthy and what capacity individuals have to engage with their health. Political choices in how the asylum process is enacted have far-reaching implications for individual and population health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, policymakers around the globe have increasingly invested in digital health technologies to support the 'test, track and trace' approach of containing the spread of the novel coronavirus. These technologies include mobile 'contact tracing' applications (apps), which can trace individuals likely to have come into contact with those who have reported symptoms or tested positive for the virus and request that they self-isolate. This paper takes a critical public health perspective that advocates for 'genuine participation' in public health interventions and emphasises the need to take citizen's knowledge into account during public health decision-making. In doing so, it presents and discusses the findings of a UK interview study that explored public views on the possibility of using a COVID-19 contact-tracing app public health intervention at the time the United Kingdom (UK) Government announced their decision to develop such a technology. Findings illustrated interviewees' range and degree of understandings, misconceptions, and concerns about the possibility of using an app. In particular, concerns about privacy and surveillance predominated. Interviewees associated these concerns much more broadly than health by identifying with pre-existent British national narratives associated with individual liberty and autonomy. In extending and contributing to ongoing sociological research with public health, we argue that understanding and responding to these matters is vital, and that our findings demonstrate the need for a forward-looking, anticipatory strategy for public engagement as part of the responsible innovation of the COVID-19 contact-tracing app in the UK. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The financialization of everyday life has received considerable attention since the 2008 global financial crisis. Financialization is thought to have created active financial subjects through the ability to participate in mainstream financial services. While the lived experience of these mainstream financial subjects has been the subject of close scrutiny, the experiences of financial subjects at the financial fringe have been rarely considered. In the UK, for example, the introduction of High-Cost, Short-Term Credit [HCSTC] or payday loan regulation was designed to protect vulnerable people from accessing unaffordable credit. Exploring the impact of HCSTC regulation is important due to the dramatic decline of the high-cost credit market which helped meet essential needs in an era of austerity. As such, the paper examines the impact of the HCSTC regulation on sixty-four financially marginalized individuals in the UK that are unable to access payday loans. First, we identify the range of socioeconomic strategies that individuals employ to manage their finances to create a typology of financial subjectivity at the financial fringe. Second, we demonstrate how the temporal and precarious nature of financial inclusion at the financial fringe adds nuance to existing debates of the everyday lived experience of financialization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Deaths in care homes and "at home" are anticipated to account for a third of UK deaths by 2040. Currently, palliative and end of life care are not part of statutory training in care homes. Reflective practice is a tool that can facilitate practice‐based learning and support. Following a feasibly study to test "online" supportive conversations and reflection sessions (OSCaRS) to support care home staff in relation to death/dying during the first months of the COVID pandemic, a one‐year practice development follow‐up project was undertaken with the aim to create a team of NHS/specialist palliative care (SPC)‐based facilitators to lead and support OSCaRS provision in up to 50 care homes in one region in Scotland—the focus of this paper. Methods: Forty care home managers attended an on‐line session explaining the project, with a similar session held for 19 NHS/SPC‐based nurses external to care homes. Those interested in facilitating OSCaRS then attended three education sessions. Data collected: records of all activities; reflective notes on OSCaRS organised/delivered; a summary of each OSCaRS reflection/learning points; final interviews with NHS/SPC trainee facilitators. Results: A total of 19 NHS/SPC facilitators delivered one or more OSCaRS in 22 participating care homes. However, as of January 2022 only six trained facilitators remained active. Out of the 158 OSCaRS arranged, 96 took place with a total of 262 staff attending. There were three important aspects that emerged: the role, remit, and resources of NHS/SPC supporting OSCaRS; requirements within care homes for establishing OSCaRS; and, the practice‐based learning topics discussed at each OSCaRS. Conclusion: Attempts to establish a team of NHS/SPC facilitators to lead OSCaRS highlights that end of life care education in care homes does not clearly fall within the contractual remit of either group or risks being missed due to more pressing priorities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Sexual and reproductive health (SRH) incorporates prevention of unplanned pregnancies, unsafe abortions, and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The sourcing, understanding and application of related information are important for health and this defines sexual and reproductive health literacy (SRHL). Health care utilization rates among Asylum Seekers and Refugees (ASRs) may not be high and they are unlikely to seek sufficient SRH information and care in their host countries, leaving some needs unmet. No SRHL research related to Scotland's Asylum Seeking and Refugee Women (ASRW) exists. In this qualitative study, the purpose of this paper is to explore the SRHL-related views and experiences of adult ASRW living in Glasgow and their views on assistance required to improve their SRHL. Design/methodology/approach: In total, 14 semi-structured interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed and qualitative thematic analysis employed. Findings: Five themes and 13 sub-themes with four key findings highlighted: experience of unmet SRHL needs, similarities and differences in the source of SRH information, SRH views and behaviours influenced by cultural and religious factors, barriers and facilitators to accessing SRH information/care and developing SRHL. Research limitations/implications: This was a small scale qualitative study affording limited transferability. The work addressed a highly sensitive topic among women from conservative home country cultures. Practical implications: Routine collection of sexual and reproductive health data by the NHS should be explored for this group. NHS staff should be aware of the rights of asylum seekers, Refugees and failed asylum seekers, to NHS healthcare free at the point of delivery in Scotland (National Health Service, 2019; Scottish Government, 2018), and be well trained in the likely religious and cultural norms of these groups. Host communities should consider improving access to SRH information and care in ASRWs first languages. Social implications: The study identified weaknesses in the opportunities for social integration afforded this group and the coordination of existing social opportunities. The stigmatization of immigrants in the UK is well understood and has repercussions for many individuals and societal organizations implicated in the promotion of this. Originality/value: This paper addresses a very sensitive topic with women from conservative cultures. With few publications in this area, and none pertaining to Scotland, the paper makes a small but original contribution that might be considered a starting point for researchers and relevant services in Scotland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

The research goals were to obtain an understanding of who the users of e‐books in the NHS are, what they are using e‐books for, and when and how they use them. This article presents the methodology used and the findings from the research. It also explores the outputs and next steps from the research, both for the individual countries and collectively. The Five Nations group, (library leads in England, Northern Ireland, Ireland, Scotland and Wales) commissioned research into healthcare staff use and non‐use of e‐books to understand the behaviours, needs and expectations of healthcare staff and to identify shared challenges around e‐books to inform policy and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper explores the views of social work practitioners regarding their ability to explore the emotional content of their practice in formalandin formal forums. The responses from a questionnaire- and interview-based study of a Scottish local authority reveal that supervision is subject to issues of ‘safety', permissions, manageria list approaches and individual relationships. Informal support from peers was valued due to its unrecorded, on-demand and supportive nature. The findings have implications for seeking improvements in supervision as suggested by the Social Work Task Force,and for securing of the validity and place of emotions in practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The aim of this study was to uncover perspectives on the COVID‐19 pandemic and the responses implemented by the UK and Scottish Governments to help control the spread of infection. Such understanding could help to inform future responses to pandemics at individual, community and national levels. Method: Q methodology was used to elicit perspectives from people in England and Scotland with different experiences of the pandemic including public health officials, key workers, those on furlough, those who were unvaccinated or vaccinated to different levels, those who were 'shielding' because they were at higher risk and people with different scientific expertise. Participants rank‐ordered phrases about different aspects of COVID‐19 according to their viewpoint. Factor analysis was then conducted in conjunction with interview material from the same respondents. Results: A four‐factor solution was statistically supported and was interpretable alongside the qualitative accounts of participants loading on these factors. These four perspectives are titled Dangerous and Unaccountable Leadership, Fear and Anger at Policy and Public responses, Governing Through a Crisis and Injustices Exposed. Conclusion: The four perspectives demonstrate plurality and nuance in views on COVID‐19 and the associated policies and restrictions, going beyond a binary narrative that has been apparent in popular and social media. The four perspectives include some areas of common ground, as well as disagreement. We argue that understanding the detail of different perspectives might be used to build cohesion around policy initiatives in future. Patient or Public Contribution: The development of the statement set, which is rank‐ordered by participants in a Q study, and factor interpretations were informed by views of the general public. The statement set was initially developed using existing publicly available material based on members of the general public experiencing the pandemic first hand. It was then piloted with members of the public experiencing different challenges as a result of COVID‐19 and the subsequent lockdown and updated based on feedback. Finally, interpretations of the identified factors were presented publicly and edited according to their feedback. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unaccompanied asylum-seeking children are one of the most vulnerable groups of children and those who have been trafficked present with additional needs, posing new challenges for child protection professionals. Drawing on a research programme commissioned to inform policy and practice in Glasgow, this paper identifies issues emerging for practitioners working with separated children who have been trafficked. The commitment of frontline staff and increased multiagency working appear to be positive aspects of the work. Initial identification and assessment present a major challenge for reasons including cultural issues, the trauma and fear of children affecting engagement and the potential for ongoing contact with traffickers to compromise safeguarding. Trafficking is a particularly complex area of child protection work, made more problematic by the international dimensions to the trade and the absence of a clear definition and conceptual framework that can fully inform interventions and practice. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In common with the rest of the UK, child care and protection practice in Scotland has undergone unprecedented change over the last ten years, including a wide-ranging three-year Child Protection Reform Programme. In 2006, The University of Dundee's Centre for Child Care and Protection and Barnardo's Scotland Research and Development team were commissioned by the then Scottish Executive to undertake a process review of the Child Protection Reform Programme (Daniel et al., ). Drawing on findings from the process review, this article considers the impact of the Child Protection Reform Programme. The process review concluded that, in the view of the respondents, the Child Protection Reform Programme made a substantive contribution towards the improvement and delivery of child protection services in Scotland, particularly in terms of raising awareness and increased multi-agency working. It was beyond the scope of the review to measure outcomes for children as a result of the reforms. Since the completion of the Child Protection Reform Programme, national policy emphasis has broadened from 'child protection' towards integrated support for children under the Getting it Right for Every Child reforms of children's services. The paper concludes with a discussion around where 'child protection' now fits within this context of universal support for children and argues that there is a need to ensure that the valuable work which was done to improve child protection services in Scotland under the Child Protection Reform Programme is not lost. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supported self-management (SSM) is an important part of adapting to life after stroke however it is a complex concept. It is unclear what SSM in stroke consists of or how stroke survivors, families, and clinicians can most effectively work together to support person-centred self-management. In this study, we aimed to explore what was most important in making SSM work in community stroke rehabilitation. We conducted a Q-methodology study with stroke survivors (n = 20), community-based stroke clinicians (n = 20), and team managers (n = 8) across four health boards in Scotland, United Kingdom. Participants ranked 32 statements according to their importance in making SSM work. Factor analysis was used to identify shared viewpoints. We identified four viewpoints: (i) A person-centred approach to build self-confidence and self-worth; (ii) Feeling heard, understood, and supported by everybody; (iii) Preparation of appropriate resources; and (iv) Right thing, right place, right time for the individual. Important across all viewpoints were: a trusting supportive relationship; working in partnership; focusing on meaningful goals; and building self-confidence. Differing views exist on what is most important in SSM. These views could be used to inform quality improvement strategies to support the delivery of SSM that considers the preferences of stroke survivors. Clinicians should be aware of their own viewpoint of supported self-management and consider how their perspective may differ from stroke survivors' and colleagues' perspectives of what's important to support self-management. Working in partnership with stroke survivors plus developing a trusting and supportive relationship with them are core components of supporting self-management in the longer term after stroke. Building a sense of self-worth and self-confidence, a focus on meaningful goals, training and support for staff, and tailoring support to people's needs at the right time are important considerations for supporting longer-term engagement in self-management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parenting can be impacted by substance misuse, and children can be at risk of maltreatment, leading to their removal from their mothers. Successful treatment of substance abuse relies on these women gaining effective support from services. Previous research has demonstrated the impact working in this field can have on staff, including high staff turnover, vicarious trauma, and burnout. The present study further explores the experience of staff members working in a Drug and Alcohol Recovery Service in Scotland who work with mothers who have had their children removed. Six interviews with nurses and social care workers were analysed using interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA). Two superordinate themes were developed from the data: (1) complexity and tension within working relationships and (2) emotional experiences and attempts to resolve them. Participants described the complexity of their roles, including the dual role of supporting mothers while also being involved in the child removal process by providing reports and evidence and how they respond and work with mothers after removal and conflicts with the wider system. They also highlighted their attempts to cope with the emotional impact of being part of this process and the empathy they have with mothers, especially when they are parents themselves, and described the complexities of trying to cope and manage when working in this challenging area. Clinical implications, including training needs and requirements, are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The wellbeing of care home staff and the need to support them at work was highlighted with devastating clarity by the COVID pandemic. This small study explores what online and at work wellbeing resources were available to frontline care home workers during the first wave of the pandemic. A mixed methods study was undertaken May and July 2020. A multi-disciplinary team undertook a rapid review of online wellbeing information and resources relevant specifically to the care home sector and its non-nurse staff. Qualitative data comprised of digital recordings of semi-structured interviews with six care home managers of five care homes, and an online survey sent to 55 Scottish care homes with a response rate of 18%. Five overarching lessons were identified from the data. The first two ('managing information overload' and 'medium not appropriate for the message') relate to the awareness and use of the online wellbeing resources by frontline care workers. Three others ('visible and supportive leadership', 'building team camaraderie' and 'maintaining a focus on wellbeing beyond a crisis response') highlight the in-house, practice-based issues of supporting the wellbeing of staff. Although small, the findings from this study are of relevance and use by those in the UK and beyond working develop and sustain more effective ways to support and retain of this vital workforce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To identify the patient classification systems used to classify nursing intensity in the assessment of nursing staffing resources currently used in home health care, with a special emphasis on validity, reliability and staff allocation. Scoping review of internationally published and grey literature, based on a methodological framework by Arksey and O'Malley. Searches of the electronic databases Cinahl, Medline, Embase and SweMed, the websites Google and Google Scholar and hand searches of reference lists occurred. Eligibility criteria included (A) a focus on patient classification systems measuring nursing intensity and workload in home health care and (B) published in English between January 2007 and March 2019. In level one testing two team members screened titles and abstracts, in level two testing two team members determined which papers should undergo a full text review. Data were extracted using structured extraction by one team member and verified by two other members. Thirteen peer-reviewed articles and grey literature documents were identified, from Canada, Ireland, the UK, the USA, Scotland, Turkey and the Netherlands. Four patient classification systems had been tested for both validity and reliability. Validity was tested through face validity, predictive validity, concurrent validity or content validity index. Reliability was tested through stability, internal consistency, observer agreement or inter rater reliability. One patient classification system had been tested only for reliability, through interrater reliability and observer agreement. Two patient classification systems had been evaluated through summative evaluation; one qualitatively through focus group interviews and one through semi-structured interviews. Only one patient classification system had been validity and reliability tested and evaluated. Overall, the patient classification systems in the included papers (13) were considered to have benefits and to be appropriate for the measurement of patients' needs, workload and allocation of staff, although specific information was not always given. Little has been published on validity or reliability tested patient classification systems linked to staffing allocation in home health care in the past decade. Limited research was seen where a patient classification system was considered to be fully operational in home health care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Suicide is the fourth leading cause of death amongst young people aged 15–29 globally and amongst this young population, lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT+) young people have higher rates of suicidal thoughts and attempts than their cisgender (non-trans), heterosexual peers. However, despite well-established knowledge on the existence of this health inequality, in the UK there has been a paucity of research exploring why this disparity exists, and this is particularly the case in Scotland. This paper aims to address this gap, reporting on the first study specifically seeking to understand LGBT+ young people's suicidal thoughts and attempts in Scotland. We used a qualitative methodology to explore how young people with lived experience of suicidal distress make sense of the relationship between homophobia, biphobia and transphobia, and suicidal thoughts and attempts. We undertook in-depth, narrative interviews with twenty-four LGBT+ people aged 16–24, and analysed them using reflexive thematic analysis. Drawing on this analysis, we argue that suicide can be understood as a response to stigma, discrimination and harassment, made possible by a cultural climate that positions LGBT+ people as different or other , reinforcing norms regarding gender conformity and sexuality. We suggest in turn, that this cultural climate provides fertile ground from which more explicit acts of homophobia, biphobia and transphobia, such as bullying and family rejection are able to grow. In response to this, LGBT+ young people could begin to experience senses of entrapment, rejection and isolation, to which suicidal thoughts and attempts can be understood as responses. Consequently, we propose that these stigma experiences must be taken seriously and tackled directly in order to reduce LGBT + suicide in the future. • Queerphobia can act as a central contributor to LGBT + youths' suicidal distress. • Queerphobia is made possible by socially accepted norms of gender and sexuality. • Rejection of youths' gender or sexuality can be understood as rejection of the whole self. • Suicide can be seen as a way to escape or embody rejection from others. • To prevent LGBT + suicide, prevention strategies must tackle queerphobia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

UK policy for adults with intellectual disabilities no longer supports state-provided building-based day care but promotes personalised care and support under individuals' control with choice of community-based opportunities. The research explored experiences of this new terrain and the informal learning involved. An initial scoping review was followed by interviews with key service providers in one urban and one rural area in England and one of each in Scotland. Next, ethnographic fieldwork with people with intellectual disabilities involved a flexible mix of observations, interviews, focus groups, and participant-generated visual data. Thematic analysis involved an iterative mix of deductive and inductive coding. Findings showed informal peer learning ranged from ad hoc to structurally supported. Though learning was often tacit, support was valued and agency developed. The availability of local supportive people and schemes and time spent in them to develop new skills and identities was vital to people self-building community lives. This research looked at the experiences of people with intellectual disabilities, as they and their friends and family respond to policy change bringing in more personalisation and individual choice. Often people with intellectual disabilities and those supporting them do not recognise their everyday learning. Learning outside schools/colleges gets little research attention. We looked at the learning involved in people managing their own daily lives in their communities. Staff and volunteers are helping people to learn from each other in organisations, and this can become more formal peer learning, peer mentoring and peer support programmes. Advocacy groups create a sense of belonging and shared purpose, encouraging peer learning through the sharing of knowledge, experiences and problem solving. When new projects start up or traditional day services change, the staff or volunteers may not involve people with intellectual disabilities in the planning. This means people with intellectual disabilities miss opportunities to learn. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As working lives extend and there is better recognition of early-onset dementias, employers need to consider dementia as a workplace concern. With suitable support, people living with dementia can continue employment – although, this is not appropriate for all. The requirement for employers to support employees living with dementia has human rights and legal foundations. This article considers whether employers consider dementia as a workplace concern; and the policies and/or practices available to support employees living with dementia. Thus, it develops understanding of whether employers are meeting their human rights/legislative obligations. A sequential mixed-methods approach was employed, with data collection undertaken in Scotland (United Kingdom). An online survey was sent to employers across Scotland, with 331 participating. Thirty employer interviews were conducted, with the survey results informing the interview approach. The survey and interview data were analyzed separately and then combined and presented thematically. The themes identified were (1) Dementia as a workplace concern, (2) Support for employees living with dementia and (3) Employer policy development and awareness raising. The findings demonstrate dementia awareness, but this knowledge is not applied to employment situations. There was little evidence suggesting that the rights of employees living with dementia are consistently upheld. This research sends out strong messages about the rights and legal position of person living with dementia which cannot be ignored. The continuing potential of employees living with dementia and their legal rights are not consistently recognized. This highlights the need for robust training interventions for employers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Health care delivery and education face critical potential shortages in the foreseeable future in terms of retaining doctors nearing the time of retirement ‐ doctors who have experience‐based knowledge to pass onto the next generation. Retirement decisions are driven by a combination of macro‐related, job and individual factors. This is a constantly shifting space; findings from earlier studies do not always help us understand the retirement decisions of contemporary cohorts of doctors. To address these issues, and identify new knowledge to inform approaches to retaining expertise, we aimed to identify and explore what may keep an older doctor in the workforce ('stay') factors and ('go') factors that might prompt retirement. Methods: We invited doctors aged 50 years or over from diverse areas of Scotland to participate in qualitative, semi‐structured interviews. Initial analysis of interview transcripts was inductive. The embeddedness theory of Mitchell et al encompassing the dimensions of 'link,' 'fit' and 'sacrifice,' was used for subsequent theory‐driven analysis. Results: A total of 40 respondents participated. In terms of 'link,' retiring could feel like a loss when work links were positive, whereas the opposite was true when relationships were poor, or peers were retiring. Considering 'fit,' intrinsic job satisfaction was high but respondents had less confidence in their own abilities as they grew older. However, the data foregrounded the inverse of the notion of Mitchell et al's 'sacrifice'; for UK doctors, staying in work can involve sacrifice because of tax penalties, work intensity and arduous demands. Conclusions: Retirement stay and go factors seem enmeshed in the cultural, social and economic structures of health care organisations and countries. Systems‐level interventions that address ultimate causes, such as sufficient staffing, supportive systems, non‐punitive taxation regimes and good working conditions are likely to be most effective in encouraging doctors to continue to contribute their knowledge and skills to the benefit of patients and learners. With so much expertise at risk of being lost to premature retirement, this study points to systems‐level issues as the most likely ways to effectively encourage highly functioning doctors to stay in the workforce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article draws on findings from the first cross-national study of school exclusions in the four jurisdictions of the UK. It sketches factors associated with the past research with reductions in exclusions. It then reports interview data gathered in England in 2018 from five specialist officers working in two Local Authorities and a senior officer working for a national voluntary organisation. The officers describe good practice but also national, local and school level developments contributing to a deteriorating situation. These developments include unhelpful government guidance and regulations; school accountability frameworks affecting curriculum and leading to the neglect of Special Educational Needs; loss of Local Authority powers and funding resulting in reductions in support services. Data gathered for this study in other UK jurisdictions suggests that in Scotland and Northern Ireland, and to a lesser extent in Wales, a practice that avoids school exclusions has persisted more than in England. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and objectives: To evaluate and explore mental health nurses' responses to and experience of an educational intervention to improve attitudes towards people with a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder (BPD). Report findings are concordant with relevant EQUATOR guidelines (STROBE and COREQ). Background: Attitudes towards people with a diagnosis of BPD are poorer than for people with other diagnoses. There is limited evidence about what might improve this situation. One intervention with reportedly good effect uses an underlying biosocial model of BPD. No previous intervention has been co‐produced with an expert by experience. We developed and delivered a 1‐day intervention comprising these elements. Design: A mixed‐methods design was used comprising prospective within‐subjects cohort intervention and qualitative elements. Participants were mental health nursing staff working in inpatient and community settings in one NHS Board in Scotland, UK. Methods: Measurement of cognitive and emotional attitudes to people with a diagnosis of BPD at pre‐ and postintervention (N = 28) and at 4‐month follow‐up. Focus groups were used to explore participants' experiences of the intervention (N = 11). Results: Quantitative evaluation revealed some sustained changes consistent with expected attitudinal gains in relation to the perceived treatment characteristics of this group, the perception of their suicidal tendencies and negative attitudes in general. Qualitative findings revealed some hostility towards the underpinning biosocial model and positive appreciation for the involvement of an expert by experience. Conclusions: Sustained benefits of an educational intervention for people working with people diagnosed with BPD in some but not all areas. Participants provided contrasting messages about what they think will be useful. Relevance to clinical practice: The study provides further evidence for incorporation of a biosocial model into staff training as well as the benefits of expert by experience co‐production. Mental health nurses, however, believe that more well‐resourced services are the key to improving care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To explore how policy actors attempted to deliberately frame public debate around alcohol minimum unit pricing (MUP) in the UK by comparing and contrasting their constructions of the policy in public (newspapers), semi-public (evidence submissions) and private (interviews). Methods: Content analysis was conducted on articles published in ten national newspapers between 1 January 2005 and 30 June 2012. Newsprint data were contrasted with alcohol policy documents, evidence submissions to the Scottish Parliament's Health and Sport Committee and 36 confidential interviews with policy stakeholders (academics, advocates, industry representatives, politicians and civil servants). Findings: A range of policy actors exerted influence both directly (through Parliamentary institutions and political representatives) and indirectly through the mass media. Policy actors were acutely aware of mass media's importance in shaping public opinion and used it tactically to influence policy. They often framed messages in subtly different ways, depending on target audiences. In general, newspapers presented the policy debate in a 'balanced' way, but this arguably over-represented hostile perspective and suggested greater disagreement around the evidence base than is the case. Conclusions: The roles of policy actors vary between public and policy spheres, and how messages are communicated in policy debates depends on perceived strategic advantage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(2011) Journal of Nursing Management, 507-516 This study aimed to (1) identify how leadership is perceived and experienced by community nurses, and (2) examine the interaction between recent policy and leadership development in community nursing in the United Kingdom (UK). Leadership is a 'hot topic' yet little is known about leadership in community nursing. Traditionally, the study of leadership is viewed from a leader-centric perspective in which the discussion of followership and its impact on leadership in theory and research is noticeable absent. A qualitative study using individual interviews ( n = 31) and three focus groups ( n = 13) was conducted. 'Following' is a complex process with a socially co-constructed view of leaders undertaken in a variety of ways through 'doing following''standing by' or 'resisting following'. Followers do not necessarily fit into one category but may move between categories depending on the situation. Future research into leadership requires consideration of leadership and followership as interdependent concepts. Successful leadership is dependent on the actions of many within organizations. Followers play an active role in leadership. Failure to consider differences amongst followers denies the impact followers have on the success (or failure) of the leadership process and ultimately on an organization's ability to achieve goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last decade, global workforce shortages have seen governments seek to recruit social work practitioners offshore; as a consequence, increasingly, mobile practitioners are navigating the opportunities and challenges posed by working and living in countries other than where they obtained their professional qualifications. This article reports a small exploratory study describing the experiences of ten social workers who qualified in New Zealand but who were practising in England, Scotland or Ireland during 2010–11. While differences in community, work and professional cultures pose challenges, the opportunity such travel provides for reflection on cultural and professional differences is found to be at the heart of participants' overall positive experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]