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Megaphone Online
In this issue:• Findingsofcannabisconference
• JohnSnowlecture
• Studentsholdcakestall
• MalcolmGrantvisitsdepartment
June 2016
the voice of Health Sciences’ staff and students
Green Impact team gets gold
TheHealthSciences’GreenImpactteamhassuccessfullyachievedagoldawardforthedepartmentfollowingitsactionsinencouragingsustainabilityoverthelastyear.
GreenImpactisaNUSinitiativewhichaimstoreducewasteandenergyconsumptionandpromoteenvironmentallyfriendlybehaviourwithintheworkplace,suchasreducingprintingandswitchingoffcomputers.
Theteam,whichisledbyJonathanAyto,hassuccessfullyincreaseditsscoreyear-on-year,sinceitstartedfouryearsago,andthisyearachievedthehighestscoreofallteamssubmittingfromwithintheuniversity.
Jonathansaid:“It’sgreatthatwehavewonthegoldaward!WewerepraisedbytheawardspanelforbeingthefirstDepartmenttoimplementasustainabilitystatement.ThisapproachhasbeenintroducedasaGreenImpactactionforallteamsnextyeartohelpimprovetheUniversity’senvironmentalimpact.I’dencourageeveryonetoreadthestatementonourGreenImpactwebsite(www.york.ac.uk/healthsciences/green-impact)andconsiderhowwecanmakeadifferenceinourowndailyworkingpractice.”
NicolaThomisfromtheteamalsoreceivedaspecial‘sustainabilityhero’awardforherworkinpromotingGreenImpactthroughcommunicationchannels.Nicolasaid,“Iamabsolutelythrilledtohavebeennominatedforthisaward–itcameasahugesurpriseandithasgivenmeaboosttoredoublemyeffortsinhelpingusachieveourawardnextyear.”
Pictured l to r are: Kat Chatterton, Nicola Thomis, John Mason (who represented the Senior Management team at the award) and Johnathan Ayto
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Student NewsFlorence Nightingale Foundation Students’ Day visit
MaryAllitt,MNursingstudent,writes:
“On11May2016IattendedtheFlorenceNightingaleFoundation(FNF)Students’DayonbehalfoftheDepartmentofHealthSciences.TheFNFisacharitywhichprovidesresearch,travelandleadershipscholarshipstoqualifiednursesandmidwives.
“TheeventwasattendedbymidwiferyandnursingstudentsfromallovertheUK,andbeganwithadiscussionchairedbytheFNF’sChiefExecutive,ProfessorElizabethRobb,andapanelofnursingleaders.Thediscussionsessionwaslivelyandengaging,coveringawealthoftopicsincludingleadership,mentorship,mentalhealth,research,bursarycuts,consentandtheroleofthenurseassociate.Ireallyenjoyedtakingpartinthediscussion,anditwasinterestingtoseethatstudentsfindthesameissuespertinentdespitedifferencesintheshapeofoureducation.Thefinalmessageofthepanelwasinspiringtousasundergraduates;thatwehavelotsofopportunityaheadofusandthatweshouldbeleadersatthepointofcaringforanindividual.
“Lunchgaveustheopportunitytohaveagoodchatandfindoutmoreabouteveryone’sexperienceofpre-registrationtraining.OnestudentmidwifefromScotlandtoldmeaboutaplacementshehadintheShetlandIsles,whereshehadtotravelbyferryeveryweek!AfterlunchwelearntmoreaboutFlorenceNightingale’slifebywatchingashortfilmandvisitingthechapelwithinthehospital,whichdatesbackto1870andtheFlorenceNightingaleMuseum.AlthoughFlorencediedin1910,Ilearntthatmanyofherphilosophiesarerelevanttonursesandmidwivesworkingtoday:‘Foruswhonurse,ournursingisathingwhich,unlesswearemakingprogresseveryyear,everymonth,everyweek,takemywordforit,wearegoingback.’
“ThedayconcludedbywalkingacrosstherivertoWestminsterAbbey.WewereluckyenoughtovisittheNurses’MemorialChapel,whichisnotusuallyopentothepublic.Tuckedupasteep,stonystaircasetowardsthebackoftheAbbey,thesmallchapelisamemorialtonursesandmidwivesfromtheCommonwealthwhodiedduringWW2.WethentookourseatsfortheFlorenceNightingaleCommemorationService,whichwasattendedby2,000people,includingnursesfromthearmedforces,JeremyHuntMPandCeciliaAnim(PresidentoftheRCN).Theservicereallywasbeautiful,andmademefeelproudtobeworkingtowardsmyregistration.Thedayhighlightedallthegreatthingsaboutbeinganurseormidwifeandbothareprofessionstobecelebrated.”
Mary Allitt is pictured with a student group (top) and the whole delegation (bottom)
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Teaching News
Nurses’ Day NurSoc event
HeatherCasson,secretaryofNurSoc,writes:
“OnThursday,12May,theworldcelebratedInternationalNurses’Day.ThedaymarkstheanniversaryofFlorenceNightingale’sbirthandalsocelebratesthenursingprofessionworldwide.
“IntheDepartmentofHealthSciences,NurSochostedseveraleventstomarktheoccasion.AstheRCN’sthemethisyearwas#ThankANurse,weaskedstudentsandstafftorecordtheirthanksonwhiteboardswhichwerethenphotographed.ThesewerethendisplayeduponTVscreensacrossthedepartment.NurSocalsoheldalunchtimebakesalewithgenerousdonationsfromthecommittee,studentsandstaff.Cakepurchaserswerethengivenacounterwhichtheycouldpledgetothreeseparatecharities.£103wasraisedintotalwhichhasnowbeensplitaccordinglybetweenthethreecharities:TheRetreat(£35),YorkHospital(£28),andSASH(£40).NurSocwereveryhappywiththeresult.Thefinaleventofthedaywasaquizhandedoutaboutthehistoryofnursing-allthecorrectanswershavebeenputintoadrawandthetopthreewinnerswillwinsomenursingrelatedgoodies.”
Student News
Conference in Edinburgh
MikeParker,lecturerinAdultNursing,writes:
“DeviNannenandIpresentedattheStaffandEducationalDevelopmentAssociation(SEDA)ConferenceinEdinburghinMay.Werana45minuteworkshoponthedevelopmentandimplementationofAssertionReasonQuestionExaminations.
“Thepresentationwasabigsuccessandwereceivedverypositivefeedbackfromtheparticipantsintheroomandthefacilitator.Theconferencewasonassessmentandfeedbackineducation.Webothfounditveryinterestingandhavebroughtlotsofideasawayforinnovativemethodsofassessmentandfeedback.”
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Teaching News
York Festival of Ideas
SeniorlecturerinDiabetesCare,AnnePhillips,tookpartintheC2D2fundedYorkFestivalofIdeason11and12JuneatKing’sManor.Shestaffedadiabetespreventionandhealthpromotionstandwhichgaveinformationandadvicetothegeneralpublic.Thestandwasverywellattended.
Advanced training for Mike Parker
LecturerinAdultNursing,MikeParker,whoisaFellowoftheFacultyofEmergencyNursing,completedhisAdvancedTraumaLifeSupportInstructorTrainingattheRoyalCollegeofSurgeonsofEnglandinMay.Englandistheonlycountryintheworldthatpermitsnursestoundertakethetraining-inallothercountriesthetrainingcanonlybeundertakenbyphysiciansorsurgeons.Mikesaidthatitwasagreatprivilegeandahonourtobeselectedasaninstructorcandidate.
Thecoursestartswitha90minutewrittenexaminationinwhichMikeachieved94percent.Hecommentedhowpleasedhewasandthatthepreparationforthecoursehadbeenintense.Hesaidhetrainedwithsomereallyinspirationalcandidatesandheusedtheopportunitytonetworkwithlike-mindedcolleaguesandpromotetheUniversityofYorkandtheworkthatistakingplacehere.
Periodic Review
ThePeriodicReviewoftheDepartment’steachingactivitytookplaceonTuesday,14June.
PeriodicReviewisaqualityassuranceexerciseundertakenbyeachDepartmentintheUniversityeverysixyears.ItiscarriedoutbytheUniversityTeachingCommitteewithinternal
andexternalrepresentatives,togetherwithstaffandstudentsfromthedepartmentinvolved.
DuringthedaytheDepartmenthostedapanelofsixreviewerswhichlookedatawiderangeofactivitiesundertakenwithintheremitofHealthSciences,includingthequalityofourteachingdeliveryandstudentexperience.
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Research News
GP incentives have little impact on patient outcomes
Incentivespaidtogeneralpractitionerstoimprovehealthcarehavelittleimpactonpatientoutcomes.
Theworld’slargestprimarycarepay-for-performanceprogramme,designedtoimprovepatienthealthcareandoutcomes,hasfailedtosaveadditionallivesaccordingtojointresearchbytheUniversitiesofYork,ManchesterandMichigan.
In2004,theQualityandOutcomesFramework(QOF)wasintroducedacrossgeneralpracticesintheUK.ItincreasedGPincomebyupto25percent,dependentonperformanceonover100qualityofcareindicators.InitsfirstsevenyearstheschemecosttheNHS£5.86billion.
AnanalysisoftheQOF,publishedinTheLancet,showsmodestreductionsindeaths,butnostatisticallysignificantdeclinesinmortalityratesforthechronicconditionstargetedbytheprogramme,includingcancer,diabetesandheartdisease.
Thefirststudytolookatmortalityratesinacross-nationalstudycomparingcountriesthathaveimplementedtheprogramwiththosethathavenot,researchersconductedapopulation-levelevaluationofmortalitystatisticsfrom1994to2010.Analysing27high-incomecountriesthathadnotbeenexposedtopay-for-performance,researchersfoundthatunderQOF,themortalityrateintheUKimprovedbylessthanfourdeathsper100,000people,dependingonthecondition.Thisisnotastatisticallysignificantimprovement.
Forchronicconditionsnottargetedbytheprogramme,themortalityrateactuallyincreasedbyapproximately12deathsoutof100,000.
TimDoran(picturedabove),ProfessorofHealthPolicyintheDepartmentofHealthSciences,said:“Previousstudieshaveshownthatfinancialincentivespaidtoproviderscanleadtomodestimprovementsinpatientcare,buttheeffectsonpatientoutcomeshavebeenvariable,andinsomecasescarehassuffered.
“Theseresearchresultsraisequestionsaboutthecost-effectivenessofpay-for-performanceinhealthcare,andaboutthebestwaytoimprovepopulationhealthandlifeexpectancy.”
Alex Smith talks at support group
DrAlexSmith,fromECSG,wastheguestspeakerattheYorkhaematologysupportgroup’smonthlypatientmeeting.
Alex’stalkfeaturedtheYorkshireandHumberHaematologyNetwork(YHHN),explaining
whattheNetworkresearchesandtheimportanceofusingrealworldpopulation-baseddata.Herpresentationfocusedonhowfactorssuchasapatient’sage,genderandsocioeconomicstatus,caneffecttheincidenceandsurvivalofhaematologicalmalignancies.
Thesemeetingsprovidetheopportunityforpatientsto
expandtheirknowledgeoftheirconditions,andaskresearchersdirectlyabouttheirwork.ThegroupmeetsonthefirstThursdayofeachmonthatHuntingtonWorkingMen’sclub,andisconvenedbyformerpatientCarolMiller.
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Research News
Fourth annual John Snow lecture hosted by Department
TheDepartmentofHealthScienceswasdelightedtowelcomeProfessorJeffCollin,fromtheUniversityofEdinburgh,whogavetheJohnSnowlectureE-cigarettesandthefutureofthetobaccoindustry.Thelecture,whichisajointventurebetweenTheDepartmentofHealthSciencesandtheHullYorkMedicalSchool(HYMS)wasthefourthannualJohnSnowlecture.
In2013theinvestmentbankGoldmanSachsidentifiede-cigarettesasatechnologycapableof“creativedestruction,”offeringsmokersanalternativeproductthatcouldrequirecigarettemanufacturerstoradicallyadapttheirbusinessmodelsorelsefaceterminaldecline.
Alongsidedebatesaboutthecomparativesafetyofe-cigarettes,understandingthestrategicsignificanceofsuchnewproductstothetobaccoindustryisofcriticalimportancetothefutureoftobaccocontrolandpublichealthpolicymorebroadly.
ProfessorCollin’stalkexaminedhowtobaccocompanieshavesoughttorespondtosuchthreats,andhighlightedtheopportunitiesassociatedwithe-cigarettesandtheharmreductionagenda.Itappraisedkeyacquisitionsandinitiativesandexaminedtheirroleswithinwiderindustryeffortstounderminetobaccocontrol,includingpromotingallianceswithpartsofthepublichealthcommunity,exploitingsubsequentdivisions,andadvancingthecorestrategicobjectivesofrehabilitationfrompariahstatusandincreasedengagementinpolicymaking.
ProfessorKarlAtkin,HeadofDepartmentforHealthSciences,said:“IwasdelightedthatJeff’stalkprovidedalivelydebatearoundthesubjectofe-cigarettesformembersofthepublic,universitystaffandstudents.”
Jim McCambridge awarded grant
ChairinAddictiveBehavioursandPublicHealthProfessorJimMcCambridgehasbeenawardeda£991KgrantfromtheWellcomeTrusttocarryoutresearchintounderstandingtherolesthealcoholindustryplayswithintheUKpolicymakingcontextandmorebroadlyininfluencingglobalresearchagendas,scienceandpolicy.
ProfMcCambridgeandhisteamwillinitiallydevelopanewplatformtocapturepubliclyavailabledataandundertakeaseriesofsystematicreviews.
Thiswillinforminterview,documentaryandmulti-methodstudiesinvestigatingcorporateplayers,publichealthsciencesandthesciencepolicyinterface.Ultimately,itwilladvanceresearchonvestedinterests,scienceandpolicy,andinformnationalandinternationalalcoholpolicies.
ProfMcCambridgesaid:“I’mreallydelightedtoreceivethisawardasitpermitsthedevelopmentofanareaofstudywhichispotentiallyveryimportanttohelpingaddressthesocietalandpublichealthchallengesposedbyalcohol.”
Pictured, left to right: Professor Jim McCambridge (Chair in Addictive Behaviours and Public Health), Professor Jeff Collin, Professor Karl Atkin (Head of Department of Health Sciences) and Professor Ian Watt (Professor of Primary and Community Care).
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Research News
Research Concordat Forum
ThenewlyformedResearchConcordatForumprovidesanopportunityforPhDstudentsandstaffonresearchcontractstojointogetherinidentifyingtrainingneedstosupporttheirdevelopmentintheDepartmentofHealthSciences.
TheForumwillmeetatleastonceatermandhopestodevelopacommunityofresearcherswho
willengageinsharingtheirexperiencesthroughaseriesofsocialevents.
Thefirstoftheseeventswillbeheldon12July3-5pmwitheveryonewelcometoattend.
AnyonewishingtoknowmoreabouttheForumpleasecontactAmandaPerry([email protected])whoisaco-chairandresponsible(onbehalfofthecommittee)forthecommunicationaspect.
York Trials Unit joins forces with North Yorkshire Police
Co-ProductionofPolicingEvidence,ResearchandTraining:FocusMentalHealth(theConnectProject)isa£1millionprojectfundedbytheCollegeofPolicing,HigherEducationFundingCouncilforEngland(HEFCE)andtheHomeOffice.Theprojectispartofthe£10millionPolicingKnowledgeFundlaunchedtoencouragecollaborationbetweenacademiaandpoliceforcesinresponsetotheHomeSecretary’scallfor“policingandcrimereductiontohavethesamerelentlessfocusonevidenceasinourmedicalandlegalprofessions.”
TheConnectProject(membersoftheteamarepicturedabove)aimstodevelopmechanismstochangethepracticeandculturesurroundingrecordingandworkingwithpeoplewithmentalhealthproblemsandconsistsofanumberofworkstreamsthatarebeingconductedbytheYorkTrialsUnit,Politics,DepartmentofSocialPolicyandSocialWork,DepartmentofEducationandtheInstituteforEffectiveEducationincollaborationwithNorthYorkshirePolice.
TheYorkTrialsUnitisundertakingarandomisedcontrolledtrialtoassesstheeffectivenessofanewface-to-facementalhealthtraininginterventionforfront-linepoliceofficers,comparedwitha‘businessasusual’controlgroup.AseriesofsystematicreviewsandevidencebriefingsonmentalhealthandpolicingarealsobeingconductedbytheYorkTrialsUnittoestablishwhatevidenceiscurrentlyavailableaboutwhatworksandidentifyareaswherefutureresearchisrequired.
FormoreinformationontheConnectProjectpleaseseetheproject’swebsite:www.connectebp.org.
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Research NewsHealth research in prisons and ex-offender engagement
AmandaPerry(picturedright)wasaskedtopresentattherecentPrisonHealthSymposiumheldatGlasgowUniversityandHMPBarlinnie.Amandatalkedaboutthecollaborativeproject(jointwiththeUniversityofLeeds)presentinginformationonthemethodologyofafeasibilitystudy.
Thestudyfocusesontheimplementationofatrainingschemeinproblemsolvingskillsforarangeofprisonstaffandtheadaptationofaninterventionforprisonersatriskofself-harmbehaviour.ThisstudyiscurrentlyongoinginfourHMPYorkshireandHumbersideprisons.
FundedbytheResearchforPatientBenefitNIHRfundtheprojectseekstheinvolvementofpeoplewhoarelivinginthecommunitywhomighthavepreviousexperiencesofprisonlife.Aworkshopwillbeheldon24Junetohelpacademicsunderstandmorefrompeoplewhohavebeenthroughprisonandtheirinvolvementwillhelpwithanevaluationofaseriesofsemi-structuredinterviews.Travelexpensesandlunchareprovidedfortheday.Ifanyoneknowsofsomeonewhomightbeinterestedinattending,pleasecontactAmandadirectly.([email protected])
Effective treatments for cannabis use hampered by “benign” image – conference told
Somecannabisusershavedevelopedan“invertedexpertise”onthedrug–oftenequippedwithmoreup-to-dateknowledgethanthepeopletryingtohelpthem-aconferenceheldattheUniversityofYorkwastold.
AgroupofnationalexpertsgatheredattheUniversity’sKing’sManortoexchangeideasoneffectivetreatmentforcannabisusers.
Therehasbeenadramaticincreaseinthenumberofpeopleseekingtreatmentforproblemsrelatedtocannabisuseoverthelastdecade.Researchhasrevealedtherewasa64percentincreaseinthenumberofpeopleseekingtreatmentbetween2005throughto2015inEngland.Cannabishasalsonowovertakenheroinasthedrugmostlikelytopromptcallsforhelp.
Theincreaseinrequestsfortreatmentisincontrastwiththesteadydeclineinthepopulation’suseofcannabis,delegatesweretold.
ResearchersattheUniversityofYork-includingIanHamilton,LecturerinMentalHealthand
CharlieLloyd,SeniorLecturerinHealthSciences-andtheUniversityofLeedsareinvestigatingwhysomanycannabisusersareseekingtreatmentandhowservicesareresponding.
Initialfindingssuggestthatindividualsseekhelpwithproblemswhicharenotusuallyassociatedwithcannabis,suchasirritabilityandpoorimpulsecontrol.Also,thattreatmentservicesarenotsufficientlypreparedtooffereffectiveinterventions,ascannabisisstillseenasabenigndrug.
Ian,whoorganisedtheevent,said:“Thisisthefirstresearchthathaslookedatboththedemandforcannabistreatmentandthereasonswhythere’sbeenasignificantriseinit.Theoutcomeoftheconferencewasagreementamongstcommissioners,providersandresearchersthatthereisaproblemweneedtoexplore,aroundwhypeoplearepresentingtotreatmentservices,andhowwecanoffereffectiveinterventionsoncetheyareintreatment.”
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Anxiety and depression linked to recurrence of inflammatory bowel disease
ResearchersfromtheDepartmenthavediscoveredalinkbetweenarecurrenceofinflammatoryboweldisease(IBD)andanxietyanddepression.
TheresearchteamanalysedalargecohortofpatientsfromanIBDstudyconductedinSwitzerlandfrom2006to2015.TheyexaminedsymptomsofdepressionandanxietyforanassociationwiththeclinicalrecurrenceofIBDinpatientsovertime.AsignificantassociationwasfoundbetweendepressionandtheclinicalrecurrenceofIBD.AsignificantassociationwasalsofoundbetweensymptomsofanxietyandtherecurrenceofIBD,theresearchteamconcluded.
ThepaperispublishedinClinicalGastroenterologyandHepatology.
Seniorlecturer,DrAntoninaMikocka-Walus(picturedaboveright)fromtheDepartmentsaid:“Weanalysedprospectivedatafor2006-2015andobservedahighlystatisticallysignificantrelationshipbetweendepressionandIBDclinicalrecurrenceovertime.
“Thesamewastrueforanxietybutwaslessstatisticallysignificant.
“WerecommendedintroducingscreeningforanxietyanddepressionandreferralforpsychologicaltreatmentaspartofstandardIBDcare.Thisiscurrentlynotthecaseand,intheUKforexample,only12percentofIBDclinicshaveanyreferralpathwaysforpsychologicalcounselling.
“Withthispaperweshowedthatwecannolongerignorementalhealthinthetreatmentofchronic
gastrointestinalconditionssuchasinflammatoryboweldisease.
“Thosedepressedhavemoreseverephysicalsymptomsandmorefrequentflares.Itispossiblethatifweprovidedgoodmentalhealthcarewecouldimprovewell-beingofthesepatientsandreducehealthcarecosts.
“PatientswithIBDshouldbescreenedforclinicallyrelevantlevelsofdepressionandanxietyandreferredtopsychologistsorpsychiatristsforfurtherevaluationandtreatment.”
Inflammatoryboweldisease(IBD)isachronicrelapsingcondition.ItstwomaintypesareCrohn’sdiseaseandulcerativecolitis.
Itaffectsmorethan300,000peopleintheUKand2.2millionpeopleinEurope.IBDcausesstigma,fearandisolationandisassociatedwithasignificantpsychosocialburden.
TheratesofdepressioninIBDpatientsarethreetimeshigherthaninthehealthypopulation.
ThestudyinvolvedcollaborationwithresearchersattheInstituteofSocialandPreventiveMedicine,UniversityofLausanne;DepartmentofClinicalResearch,UniversityofBern;DepartmentofNeurology,BernUniversityHospital;andDepartmentofPsychosomaticMedicine,ClinicBarmelweid.ItwassupportedbytheSwissNationalScienceFoundationandtheBrocherFoundation.
Research News
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Research NewsThe truth about migrants and the NHS
WhatisthetruthabouthowmigrationaffectstheNHS?ProfessorKarenBloor(picturedright),oftheDepartmentofHealthSciences,hastakenalookatthisthornyissue.
MigrationandtheNHSarehot-topicissues,withbothsidesoftheBrexitdebateclaimingthattheyrepresentthe‘truth’.InapiecewrittenforTheConversationwebsite,ProfessorBloor,alongwithProfessorAndrewStreetfromtheCentreforHealth
Economics,havetakenacloserlookatexactlywhatcontributionmigrantsmaketoourhealthservice,howthataffectsprovision,andhowlikelyitisthatthedoctorornursetreatingyouisamigrantthemselves.
Readthefullarticle:https://theconversation.com/the-truth-about-migrants-and-the-nhs-60908.
Staff NewsLong service awards for staff
DepartmentofHealthSciences’CourseadministratorPaulaJames(picturednearright)waspresentedwithalongserviceawardbyDeputyVice-ChancelloroftheUniversityofYork,ProfessorSaulTendler.
Paula,whohasbeenattheuniversityfor25years,said:“Is it really25years?Manycolleagueshavecomeandgoneinthattime,butsomeofusarestillhere!Workinginthedepartmentisalwaysinterestingand,asthingsconstantlychange,myroleshavecontinuedtoevolveandchangeaccordingly.Beingineducationisneverboringandpeoplewithinthedepartmentareapleasuretoworkwith.”
SheinitiallyworkedfortheRegionalHealthAuthority,thenmovedintotheSchoolofNursingatRiponandcontinuedherservicewhenitwasintegratedintotheDepartmentofHealthSciencesattheUniversityofYork.Asan
administratorinthedepartment,sheprimarilysupportslecturersandstudentswithintheMentalHealthTeachingandScholarshipTeamandthePostgraduateDiplomainNursingprogrammes.
StudentAllocationsManagerJuliePlatts(picturedfarright)hasalsobeenatthedepartmentfor25years.ShebeganworkingatthethenYorkandScarboroughCollegeofNursingandMidwiferyon1May1991.Thiswasafteran18monthbreakfromthecollegeaftercompletingtwo-and-a-halfyearsofadultnursetrainingwhich,sadly,endedherregistrationfollowingspinalsurgery.
“Icanrememberthatfirstdaylikeitwasyesterday,”shesaid.“Forsomereasonitisalmostvideoedinmymemory.Iknewnearlyallthestafffrommynursetraininganditwasinterestingtobe‘ontheothersideofthefence’.I
wasbroughtintosupervisetheallocationsfunction.Inthosedayswedidn’thaveacomputer,justanantiquatedtypewriterandlotsofchartsonthewalls.Howtimeschange,thankfullyso!
“AlthoughIhavealwaysbeeninvolvedintheorganisationofpracticeforstudents,thecontinuallychangingorganisational,politicalandfinancialclimateinwhichittakesplacehasensuredthere’salwayssomethingnewandchallengingtomaintaininterestandcommitment.IremainpassionateabouttheinterestsofpatientsandclientsandmanyofthoseIcaredfor25-30yearsago,Icanstillremembertoday.I’mprivilegedtobeinvolvedwiththosethatwillberesponsibleforshapingthenursingprofessionanddeliveringexcellentcareinthefuture.”
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The Chancellor of the University of York, Professor Sir Malcolm Grant, visits Department
SirMalcolmiscurrentlychairmanofNHSEngland,whichhasresponsibilityforholdingandinvestingtheNHSbudgettosecurecontinualimprovementinthequalityofthehealthandhealthcareforthepopulationofEngland.HewasshownaroundthedepartmentbyHeadofDepartmentProfessorKarlAtkinbeforebeinggivenanintroductiontoresearchbyProfessorPatrickDoherty.PatrickthenjoinedDrDeanMcMillantopresentaresearchcasestudyondepressionandcardiovascularhealth.
GerriKaufmangaveSirMalcolmanintroductiontoprofessionalnursingandmidwiferyeducationbeforeJessicaPowellandDavidGrahamgaveateachingcasestudyduringavisittotheClinicalSimulationUnit.
FinallyProfessorLesleyStewart,Director,andAmandaSowden,DeputyDirector,talkedabouttheCentreforReviewsandDisseminationandProfessorsIanWattandKarlAtkintalkedaboutrelationshipswithotherdepartments,includingHYMS.
Thetalkswerefollowedupwithlunchwiththeteamleadsforteaching,researchandadministrativesupportstaff.
ProfAtkinsaid:“‘MalcolmGrantwasincrediblyimpressedbytherangeofactivitiesundertakenbyDepartmentandabletounderstandandengagewiththechallengesfacingus.Welookforwardtowelcominghimbacksoon.”
IfyouwouldliketomakeasubmissiontofutureeditionsofMegaphone, pleasecontactNicolaThomis([email protected] 321927).
Staff News
HelloWe wish a very warm welcome to new members of staff who have joined the department recently, these include: David Goodge and Vanessa Taylor.
GoodbyeFarewell to staff who have left us recently. These include: Pauline Holloway, Hannah Buckley, Jenny Sumner, Karen Overend, Paula Cowan and Debbie Needham.
The Divide screening
TherewillbeascreeningofTheDivideon12JulyattheTFTVcinema,HeslingtonEast.ThefilmisbasedonthebookTheSpiritLevelwhichisauthoredbyKatePickettandRichardWilkinson.
Formoreinformationpleasevisit:www.york.ac.uk/healthsciences/news-and-events/events/2016/divide.
