PP89 The Investigation And Development Of A National Formulary Monitoring System Across Wales

IntroductionThe New Treatment Fund (NTF), launched in January 2017, aims to support the faster introduction of new medicines recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and the All Wales Medicines Strategy Group (AWMSG). The NTF requires seven health boards and one trust to make recommended medicines available within 60 days of any positive recommendation decision. The project goal was to develop a system for demonstrating how monitoring the NTF improves medicines access for the people of Wales.MethodsThe process was derived via a series of task and finish group meetings with relevant stakeholders. The monitoring criteria were agreed through a collaborative expert approach using a nominal group technique. This determined a minimal dataset of formulary status, which included time to formulary addition. Pre-NTF medicines data (n = 59) were available for a six-month period.ResultsBy the three-year milestone of the NTF, the average time taken for newly recommended medicines (n = 219) to become available to patients across Wales had decreased by eighty-five percent from 90 to 13 days (p < 0.01).ConclusionsAn innovative and robust system has been created for accurately monitoring the formulary addition of medicines within the NTF, supporting the rapid and comprehensive uptake of medicines deemed clinically and cost effective by NICE and the AWMSG.

Putting peer review to the test: A response to Caputo

In a recent essay in Families in Society, Caputo replies to my call for a more robust system of peer review. In this brief response, I outline points of agreement and disagreement between the two of us. Ultimately, I find that our overarching goal, if perhaps implicitly, is the same: We both want to see a better system of peer review in the discipline of social work. I close with some considerations about the testing of peer review within social work journals, which I hope will help pave the way toward a more fruitful, rigorous, and transparent programme of research and knowledge governance.

The Cultivation of Social Work Knowledge: Toward a More Robust System of Peer Review

In a recent issue of Families in Society, Caputo argues for the “centrality” of peer review in the cultivation of social work knowledge. Specifically, he favors the double-blind model of peer review. In this paper, I argue that social work should adopt a more dynamic set of reviewing practices. First, I define some terminology and discuss the limitations of the current double-blind model. Then, I describe recent trends in peer review, which I argue foster a more robust and open system. I frame this discussion within the context of the wider open science movement and urge social workers to engage with these scholarly practices. In line with these practices and values, a freely accessible preprint is available at: https://osf.io/preprints/socarxiv/rvqze/

Location Analysis and Application of GIS in Site Suitability Study for Biogas Plant

Proper livestock waste management and development of robust system for the treatment of the bio-waste has been emphasized and investigated by several searchers. Utilization of bio-waste for bio-energy production is advantageous for sustainable environment and socio-economic viewpoints. This study therefore is essential in providing critical strategy needed in situating bio-energy plants, consideration was made in the application of geospatial technology owing to it wide adoption and numerous advantages. Data for site analysis of biogas plant was obtained from GIS organizations and agency, the biomass generation and sites data was obtained from field survey. The biomass potential was based on paunch content generated in the various 43 abattoirs in the study area. The ArcGIS 10 software was used for all GIS operations and subsequent map production. The final suitability index map was obtained by overlaying the land use suitability map with the biomass spatial density layer. The suitable areas were divided into 4 classes: the Most Suitable, Highly Suitable, Moderate Suitable and Not Suitable. The study indicates that suitable sites are predominant in the East and central region of the study area, this study is essential in developing framework for siting biogas plant.

Form over Function

This chapter provides an overview of the system of local government and politics. It reviews the institutional and management structures, policy functions, and financial profiles of local government units. The chapter emphasizes that successive waves of reform have done little to establish a robust system of local government, and, indeed, that legislative changes have focused on institutional form over function at several junctures. The number of local authorities has been rationalized, and while the official position stresses enhanced policy and administrative roles, any rigorous analysis must conclude that local government has been hollowed out. Local elections have become more regular since a constitutional change in 2001, and while they have obvious ‘second order’ aspects, candidate numbers are robust, turnout remains reasonable relative to other contests, and there is a strong perception that councillors are embedded in their communities.

A comparative study of 6-week and 12-week Radiographic Union Scores for HUmeral fractures (RUSHU) as a predictor of humeral shaft non-union

Background Non-union in non-operatively managed humeral shaft fractures are associated with significant morbidity. Hence, developing a robust system that could help with early diagnosis is important. We aimed to evaluate the validity of the Radiographic Union Score for HUmeral fractures (RUSHU) at 6 weeks (RUSHU-6) and test whether a RUSHU at 12 weeks (RUSHU-12) would be a better predictor of non-union. Methods We retrospectively reviewed all non-operatively managed humeral diaphyseal fractures from 2012 to 2018. Statistical analysis was used to determine the cut-off RUSHU-12 and evaluate the effect of RUSHU-6 and RUSHU-12 on non-union prediction. Results In sum, 32 patients had radiographs at 6 weeks post-injury, 27 of which also had radiographs at 12 weeks. A RUSHU cut-off of 9 was the best predictor of non-union at 12 weeks. Only RUSHU-12 had a statistically significant influence predicting non-union (P = 0.011) and there was a significant correlation (P = 0.003) between score progression from RUSHU-6 to RUSHU-12 and the development of non-union. Discussion A RUSHU-12 of <9 and a low score progression between 6 and 12 weeks suggest superior predictive value in determining the likelihood of non-union. Further validation in the form of a large multicentred study is however required.