Realising ‘Joined-Up’ Geography in the National Health Service: The Role of Geographical Information Systems?

10.1068/c06r ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 241-258 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gary Higgs ◽  
Darren P Smith ◽  
Myles I Gould
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
Information Systems ◽  
National Health Service ◽  
Health Service ◽  
National Health ◽  
Geographical Information Systems ◽  
National Level ◽  
Geographical Information ◽  
Local Authorities ◽  
The United Kingdom

This paper focuses on the use of geographical information systems (GIS) within primary and secondary health care sectors in the United Kingdom in relation to wider notions of ‘joined-up’ government—a key tenet of central government initiatives aimed at addressing problems such as social exclusion and polarisation. Drawing on findings from a national-level questionnaire survey, and follow-up semi-structured interviews with key respondents from the National Health Service (NHS), we have found that there has been an increase in GIS uptake within health organisations in the last decade. However, there has been limited collaboration between NHS organisations and local authorities on projects that utilise GIS. This lack of interorganisational activity is underpinned by the lack of a service-level agreement for digital data provision within NHS organisations, ambiguous understandings of data confidentiality requirements, and a limited awareness of the benefits of joined-up working arrangements. The paper concludes with a suggestion that significant organisational and cultural changes are required to facilitate enabling contexts for enhanced collaborative use of GIS between NHS organisations and local authorities, in order to support the wider joined-up government agenda currently being promoted in the United Kingdom.

Patient and carer participation in old age psychiatry in England. Part II: models of participation

2011 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 185-196 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan Mary Benbow
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
Organizational Learning ◽  
National Health Service ◽  
Health Service ◽  
Old Age ◽  
National Health ◽  
Balance Of Power ◽  
Learning And Development ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Old Age Psychiatry

ABSTRACTBackground: There are a number of models of patient and carer participation. Their usefulness and applicability to old age psychiatry is considered.Methods: Models of participation are reviewed and related to examples of participation initiatives drawn from the author's work in the context of the National Health Service in the United Kingdom.Results: Models of participation which emphasize collaboration and partnership are found to be useful. Simple interventions such as copying letters to patients and/or carers can lead to change in the balance of power between staff and patients/carers. Initiatives which draw on the experiences of patients and carers can facilitate organizational learning and development. Involving patients and carers in education offers a way to influence services and the staff working in them.Conclusion: Participation is better understood as a spectrum rather than a hierarchy. Old age psychiatry services would benefit from developing greater patient and carer participation at all levels.

scholarly journals Homebirthing in the United Kingdom during COVID-19

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 183-200
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Chloe Romanis ◽  
Anna Nelson
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Human Rights ◽  
United Kingdom ◽  
National Health Service ◽  
Health Service ◽  
National Health ◽  
Place Of Birth ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Failure To Protect

COVID-19 has significantly impacted all aspects of maternity services in the United Kingdom, exacerbating the fact that choice is insufficiently centred within the maternity regime. In this article, we focus on the restrictions placed on homebirthing services by some National Health Service Trusts in response to the virus. In March 2020, around a third of Trusts implemented blanket policies suspending their entire homebirth service. We argue that the failure to protect choice about place of birth during the pandemic may not only be harmful to birthing people’s physical and mental health, but also that it is legally problematic as it may, in some instances, breach human rights obligations. We also voice concerns about the possibility that in the absence of available homebirthing services people might choose to freebirth. While freebirthing (birthing absent any medical or midwifery support) is not innately problematic, it is concerning that people may feel forced to opt for this.

Review of paediatric cardiology services in district general hospitals in the United Kingdom

2015 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 528-531 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hannah Andrews ◽  
Yogen Singh
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
National Health Service ◽  
Health Service ◽  
National Health ◽  
Response Rate ◽  
General Hospitals ◽  
Paediatric Cardiology ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Picture Archiving And Communication ◽  
Design And Methods

AbstractFollowing the Safe and Sustainable review of Paediatric Services in 2012/2013, National Health Service England recommended that local paediatric cardiology services should be provided by specially trained paediatricians with expertise in cardiology in all non-specialist hospitals.AimTo understand the variation in local paediatric cardiology services provided across district general hospitals in the United Kingdom.Study design and methodsAn internet-based questionnaire was sent out via the Paediatrician with Expertise in Cardiology Special Interest Group and the Neonatologists with Interest in Cardiology and Haemodynamics contact databases and the National Health Service directory. Non-responders were followed-up via telephone.ResultsThe response rate was 80% (141 of 177 hospitals), and paediatricians with expertise in cardiology were available in 68% of those. Local cardiology clinics led by paediatricians with expertise in cardiology were provided in 96 hospitals (68%), whereas specialist outreach clinics were held in 123 centres (87%). A total of 11 hospitals provided neither specialist outreach clinics nor any local cardiology clinics led by paediatricians with expertise in cardiology. Paediatric echocardiography services were provided in 83% of the hospitals, 12-lead electrocardiogram in 96%, Holter electrocardiogram in 91%, and exercise testing in only 47% of the responding hospitals. Telemedicine facilities were established in only 52% of the centres, where sharing echocardiogram images via picture archiving and communication system was used most commonly.ConclusionThere has been a substantial increase in the availability of paediatricians with expertise in cardiology since 2008. Most of the hospitals are well-supported by specialist cardiology centres via outreach clinics; however, there remains significant variation in the local paediatric cardiology services provided across district general hospitals in the United Kingdom.

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