HEALTH & SCIENCE AUTUMN/WINTER 2013
CSI comes to Cumbria Our forensic science students enjoyed a hands-on exercise recently allowing them to put theory into practice.
Graduates get their ‘perfect’ jobs
The power of the Smartphone unleashed
Medical Physicists get professional pathway
Army medics learn civilian healthcare skills
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CONTENTS 2
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Award winner Africa bound
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Graduates get their ‘perfect’ jobs
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Barrovians attracted to Social Work University welcomes changes to improve standards in social work
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08 10-11
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Welcome to the new faculty Nursing Times Gold for UOC
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The power of the Smartphone unleashed
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Medical Physicists get professional pathway
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Renewables —the future
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Army medics learn civilian healthcare skills
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Improving land management
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CSI comes to Cumbria
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Placement news
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News in brief
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WELCOME TO THE NEW FACULTY From August 2013 we are a new Faculty! We are now the Faculty of Health and Science which includes a broad range of programmes from registration health and social work programmes to land-based sciences and sustainable engineering. Underpinning each of our areas is a commitment to continuing professional development and part-time programmes for our external stakeholders. The new faculty has five departments: • Lifelong and Interprofessional Learning • Medical and Sport Sciences • Nursing and Midwifery • Rehabilitation and Social Work • Science, Natural Resources and Outdoor Studies New Heads of Department are currently being appointed and in each department there will be a strong emphasis on research, consultancy and academic enterprise to support Cumbria, Lancashire and adjoining areas, as well as the national and international markets in which we work. Central to our mission is our students; both the 2,500 full-time students at our campuses in Cumbria and Lancashire and the 2,500 part-time students at our campuses, working with us online or based at any of our external teaching centres. The 2013 National Student Survey has just been published and shows that our results have been outstanding. Increases of over 6% in overall student satisfaction since 2012, and many programmes getting 100% overall satisfaction from our students in 2013. A tremendous achievement by the Faculty. During 2013-14 I will be meeting a great number of our external partners. If, meanwhile, there are potential collaborative activities that you would like to discuss with the university please contact me directly. With best wishes Dr Robin Talbot Executive Dean Faculty of Health and Science Email: robin.talbot@cumbria.ac.uk Tel: 01524-385492
If you would like to contribute to the next issue of ‘Health & Science’ please contact carolyn.hodgson@cumbria.ac.uk
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NURSING TIMES GOLD FOR UOC STUDENT University of Cumbria nursing student Emma Consadine has won the Nursing Times Student of the Year: Learning Disabilities Award. She received the award at a ceremony in London in May 2013. Nationally nine students were short-listed for the award and three of these were from the University of Cumbria. Before becoming a student at the Lancaster campus, Emma worked for the charity Scope for ten years and she has always been an advocate for equality for people with disabilities. She says: “My passion was intensified by spending time in Australia discovering my own worth, having people instil in me a ‘can do’ attitude, and a ‘just try it out’ approach! I want to be able to go out and enable people to become the best that they aspire to be, to dream big dreams and to help them to take a step on their own path.” Emma’s ambitions once she graduates are firmly rooted in advancing the cause of those with learning disabilities. She wants others in society to be able to see people with a disability as part of their community, and to learn about their abilities rather than focusing on their disabilities.
She believes that access to mainstream health care and equality within treatment must be made available. She is also clear on what’s needed to improve the situation: “We should have acute liaison learning disability nurses in each hospital within the country so that we can liaise with other health professionals to facilitate a fully personcentred approach to care. The ‘six Cs’ of nursing must always be our fundamental cornerstone of care.” Her passion to work with people holistically and systematically, looking at all their needs, has led to Emma speaking at conferences about the importance of addressing not only ones own spiritual needs, but also those of the patients, to inform nursing practice and to enable nurses to be better at their job. Emma praises her experience as a student at the university. “I have been fully supported by the University of Cumbria. In particular, Jo Marshall, senior lecturer has helped me develop my nursing skills, to keep trying and to aim for the stars, and she and Tony Dennison, senior lecturer have supported my education, my professional and my personal needs throughout the course.”
Tony Dennison said: “We were delighted when we heard that Emma had won. It is richly deserved! During her third and final year of the programme, in addition to her academic and placement work, Emma found time to present at a conference hosted by a local NHS Trust. From that she was invited to present at a regional conference and was subsequently invited to London to present at a national conference... then came this award. She is marvellous and it is a pleasure to know her.” To find out more about our BSc (Hons) Nursing (Learning Disability) course, please visit: www.cumbria.ac.uk/ learningdisability
Above: Left to Right, Michelle Parker student editor of the Student Nursing Times, Paul Evans, sponsor of the award, Emma, and Jenni Middleton, editor of the Nursing Times
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AWARD WINNER AFRICA BOUND Josephine Frame, a University of Cumbria student, has won the Student Vision Award, one of the UK’s top midwifery prizes, at the Royal College of Midwives’ (RCM) Annual Awards.
“I’ll be able to observe how Tanzanian midwifery is practiced, and be privy to the challenges the maternity services face as well as those faced by the women and families who seek maternity services choose.” Josephine Frame
Josephine, 28 and from Barrowin-Furness, currently studying BSc (Hons) Midwifery at the Fusehill Street campus in Carlisle, received her award at a ceremony in London, attended by the RCM’s chief executive Cathy Warwick, and journalist and broadcaster Natasha Kaplinsky. Josephine’s prize will help to fund an elective placement in Tanzania, enabling her to gain greater understanding of a busy maternity ward, ante-natal clinics and infant screening clinics. She will also spend five days in a Maasai village, supporting a rural dispensary. Even before starting her degree, Josephine knew that she wanted to have a placement overseas as an opportunity to open her eyes to other cultures’ workings, beliefs and traditions surrounding women’s health and childbirth. She explains: “I am interested in finding out how issues such as female genital mutilation, HIV and high infant mortality rates are being addressed on the front line of maternity services in Tanzania. I also want to discover how midwives promote evidence-based, safe motherhood in their communities. “One of the more challenging aspects I anticipate during this placement is seeing how midwives practice without the equipment taken for granted in the UK.” Josephine’s travels will take her to a district hospital in Arusha, North Tanzania. She says: “I’ll be able to observe how Tanzanian midwifery is practiced, and be privy to the challenges the maternity services face as well as those faced by the women and families who seek maternity services. I will also have the rare opportunity to spend five days with a Maasai tribe learning about their
traditions surrounding childbirth, and how they approach medicine while remaining sympathetic to their traditional culture.” As a finalist for the award Josephine had to prepare a 20-minute presentation supporting her original application, which was then followed by a 20-minute interview. She comments: “Not only is this a massive honour in itself, but an account of the winner is published in the RCM journal and the honour of having the support of the RCM is something which will never fade.” The RCM awards are an annual event that reward the professional excellence, hard work and dedication of the UK’s midwives, while celebrating exceptional achievement across all levels of the profession. Cathy Warwick, chief executive of the Royal College of Midwives, said: “This award highlights the important, innovative and pioneering international work being done by students like Josephine. I congratulate her on her commitment to the profession. It is important for people to know that midwifery education is not standing still and is constantly evolving. When student midwives are given the resources, support and freedom to develop their work and learning, the result is empowered midwives and better services, better care and better outcomes for mothers, babies and their families.”
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GRADUATES GET THEIR ‘PERFECT’ JOBS the ice and explain to them about the fragile nature of the environment and what we can do to protect it and ourselves. Other TEOS students have also been successful in gaining great jobs. Katerina Pata, from Greece, starts work this summer in a nursery school in Norway. She fell in love with Oslo and Norway while studying there for her second semester of the MA programme. Emma Whillis, from England, has a new secondary school teaching post in Newcastle with the opportunity to introduce experiential approaches into teaching and learning.
Above: Wilson Cheung
Wilson Cheung has just been offered his dream job guiding in Antarctica. Wilson, a student from the first cohort of the Erasmus Mundus MA Transcultural European Outdoor Studies (TEOS), is from Hong Kong and passionate about mountains, snow and the environment. He visited the continent prior to starting the MA as a youth ambassador for the environment. After a season volunteering as an assistant on Antarctic cruise ships while he collected data for his dissertation, Wilson has been offered the role he most wanted, to take people onto
Kristen Kalb, from the USA, is returning there to study to become an occupational therapist, a pathway she chose as a result of her studies on the programme and with a plan to bring outdoor elements into OT practice. Asbjorn Davis is returning to his home country Norway to take up a post in the first Norwegian secondary school to base it’s whole approach to teaching and learning on Friluftsliv, the Norwegian approach to outdoor education. He will be the mountaineering and kayaking specialist. The school is north of the Arctic Circle in some of the best country for his two favourite activities. For further information on this course and our other outdoor courses, please visit: www.cumbria.ac.uk/outdoors
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BARROVIANS ATTRACTED TO SOCIAL WORK Our established BA (Hons) Social Work course is now available to study at Furness College Barrowin-Furness and has just recruited its first set of students to start in September 2013.
We have been working closely with Furness College to part-fund and develop a dedicated higher education hub within the £43million purpose-built site. Its facilities include a resource area and interactive lecture rooms
offer this well-established course which the university has taught at the Carlisle campus for a number of years.
All of our students studying at Furness College will be supported by dedicated and qualified university staff including the BA (Hons) Social Work programme leader throughout their three-year degree. Louise Nelson, university Quality Group Lead, said: “We are delighted to
UNIVERSITY WELCOMES CHANGES TO IMPROVE STANDARDS IN SOCIAL WORK
“We have a long history of partnership with Furness College and have been developing this opportunity over some years. It will allow us to develop students nationally and from the local area to serve the needs of this area.” For more information on our social work course, please visit: www.cumbria.ac.uk/socialwork
The University of Cumbria has embraced recent changes within the field of social work which aim to enhance professional standards for students throughout their career. These changes have a direct impact upon social work students in terms of placement assessment, supervision and availability. As a result of the Social Work Reform Board review, the General Social Care Council which governed this area was replaced by the Health and Care Professionals Council last summer. This brought the profession in line with the way other disciplines are regulated such as occupational therapy and radiography.
Left: Cilla Clarke, manager of Eden Carers, Angie Boyle, lecturer in social work at the university and Carol Swainson, manager of West Cumbria Rape Crisis Team
A new framework was also brought in which maps out what needs to be achieved at each stage of a social worker’s career from a junior to a senior practitioner level.
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These changes mean from September 2013, all final placements must have some statutory social work experience and have a registered social worker in the role of practice educator. The University of Cumbria welcomed more than 20 placement providers to its inaugural Social Work Placement Conference in July at the Fusehill Street campus in Carlisle to provide training, discuss the new changes and share best practice. Workshops and talks were held in a number of areas including assessing students, expert by experience involvement and supporting critical thinking and reflection in placement. A placement provider's experience presentation was also given by People First which has provided student placements to the university for a number of years. Angie Boyle, lecturer in social work at the university, said: “Since the changes were brought in, we have been working closely with the local authority in securing more statutory placements and developing opportunities with the private, voluntary and independent sector. “We used to invite students and practice educators back into university on set days, but we have now moved to providing more opportunities for placement staff and educators to come together to network and have provided a series of days about the new changes in regulations culminating in our first ever placement conference. “The feedback was extremely positive and we are looking at holding another conference next year.” For more information on our Social Work course, please visit: www.cumbria.ac.uk/socialwork
THE POWER OF THE SMARTPHONE UNLEASHED
Below: Professor Oleg Medvedev
Professor Oleg Medvedev, took time out of his busy schedule in the UK to visit us at our Carlisle campus and Energus, Workington site in June 2013.
Professor Medvedev is Chair of the Department of Pharmacology at Moscow State University, with research interests including the cardiovascular system, medical informatics, telemedicine and m-health. He is internationally recognised for working on collaborative projects and as an invited speaker at conferences worldwide, including the Microsoft Workshop on Telemedicine and Telemonitoring in Brussels, 2010. He also chairs the Working Group of Experts on Telemedicine and Monitoring of Health at the Ministry of Public Health of Russian Federation. His lecture, “The digital revolution in medicine: personalised prediction of chronic health risks” inspired twenty six attendees, which included University of Cumbria staff and external colleagues representing NHS Trust’s and academic establishments. He presented compelling evidence of how modern technology will be the basis of preventative health care in the future and in particular, the use of common items such as smart phones and tablets to continually monitor clinically vital parameters, which form the foundations of true chronic disease prevention.
This culminated in an open question and answer session with pertinent questions sparking a thoughtful debate on the future of technology and its use within the health sector. During the lecture, the audience observed a demonstration of how an i-phone can be used to wirelessly read an ECG, and transmit the results along with other clinical observations recorded by a wrist watch, to a tablet; a truly remarkable use for everyday technology. The following day Professor Medvedev spent an afternoon in focused research meetings with members of the University of Cumbria. This has resulted in a number of exciting projects for the future including a series of distance lectures delivered by Professor Medvedev and his associates to University of Cumbria staff and students and subsequently delivering to Russian students. A recording of the lecture has been made, and will be available soon at: www.cumbria.ac.uk/CaCHeT. For further information on this lecture and Professor Medvedev’s visit, please email: andrew.sullivan@cumbria.ac.uk
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MEDICAL PHYSICISTS GET PROFESSIONAL PATHWAY
RENEWABLES —THE FUTURE
The University of Cumbria has been accredited to run one of the new Modernising Scientific Careers Healthcare Science BSc programmes, under the Department of Health’s Practitioner Training Programme. This brand new scheme has been set up to provide a unified career pathway for medical physicists. The University of Cumbria will be one of a small number of providers. In order to meet the challenging placement requirements under the prescribed funding regime, an innovative delivery mechanism has been devised in which students will take the academic parts of their modules in week long blocks, so that the course can attract students who could already be working in other posts within medical physics or radiography units. Flexible and distance learning will be a strong feature of the course, with students taking on self-study and online tasks whilst outside the week long blocks. The development of the programme has been enhanced through support from various NHS partners, particularly Christie Foundation Hospital Trust, Manchester, the leading cancer centre, and North Cumbria Universities Hospital Trust. The priority now is on planning the placement and work-based learning programme, with a number of medical physics units across the North of England and elsewhere. The programme is accredited for three different pathways—Radiotherapy, Radiation Physics and Nuclear Medicine. One of the great advantages is that there is overlapping content between the current course programmes in Radiation Protection and Radiography, where a great level of staff expertise lies. We are recruiting to this course now, for a January 2014 start. For further information on our BSc (Hons) Healthcare Science with pathways in Radiotherapy, Radiation Physics and Nuclear Medicine, please visit: www.cumbria.ac.uk/healthcarescience
Wind energy both on-shore and offshore is a major renewable energy source for the UK. To increase understanding in this area we have gathered the leading experts from both academia and industry for the delivery of a series of short courses around wind energy systems and wind turbine technology. These courses include: wind resources assessment; wind turbine aerodynamics; wind turbine concept design; wind turbine structure and drive train; wind turbine electric aspects; wind turbine generators; wind turbine control; wind turbine condition monitoring; offshore wind project development and wind turbine installation and operation. These courses are designed for both the public and professionals, including wind energy system designers, manufacturers, installers, consultants, developers, operators and suppliers. Delivery of these short courses will be at our site at Energus, Workington, in the heart of Britain’s Energy Coast. Each course will last one day and there are 12 sessions in total. The whole series of courses last 13 weeks, with the first being delivered on 24 September 2013 and the last being delivered on 17 December 2013. For further information please visit: www.cumbria.ac.uk/windenergy
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ARMY MEDICS LEARN CIVILIAN HEALTHCARE SKILLS Sixty army medical technicians were awarded a specially designed qualification at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in Spring this year.
The Cert HE for Patients and Clients in Healthcare Settings (Pre Hospital Care), designed by the University of Cumbria, gives experienced medical technicians the opportunity to develop skills which they may not get the chance to practice in military situations. Recognised by the NHS, the University of Cumbria award provides opportunities for military staff who are leaving the army to take up roles within the NHS. The address was made by Colonel Nigel Partington MBE late RAMC and followed an address by Professor Sandra Jowett of the University of Cumbria. The awards were presented by the Director General Army Medical
Services (DGAMS), Major General E Carmichael MBE QHDS L/RADC and Professor Jowett. Major General Ewan Carmichael commented“As we draw down from Afghanistan the opportunities to practice the skills of a combat medical technician may diminish, but this relationship with the University of Cumbria enables us to place our people in a partnership which enables combat medical technicians to hone their skills on a day-to-day basis.” The event features on British Forces Broadcasting Service and you can watch here: http://bit.ly/15M3zis.
IMPROVING LAND MANAGEMENT The CumbriaPost2013 project is coming to an end after a successful 30 months. The University of Cumbria worked on this project with Natural England and the Federation of Cumbria Commoners, which is funded by the Rural Development Programme for England in Cumbria. The project involved a series of innovative mini projects, delivered with a range of groups all designed to raise public and land-manager awareness of the benefits that farmers bring to the region. The events included: a whole valley planning exercise; leaflets and solutions
booklets; a wandering library exhibition; trade show stands; in-depth training days; evening talks to interested groups; newspaper articles; academic articles and advertising on commercial goods.
“This project has been great, we have completed over 120 events across the county making contact with over 1,900 people.” Dr Lois Mansfield, University of Cumbria
Land management in Cumbria is due to undergo radical change in the next 40 years. These changes will be due to a range of factors including: climate change; food security; restructuring in the EU; adjusting to peak oil; and developments in ecosystem service provision.
The project has ensured land managers can quickly adapt to these changes. It will also help customers of Cumbrian land managers better understand the changing context in which land managers work in order to appreciate the reasons why landscapes may be changing. Dr Lois Mansfield, University of Cumbria lead on the project said “This project has been great, we have completed over 120 events across the county making contact with over 1,900 people. What is really fantastic was that towards the end of the project it was evident messages were getting home, as audiences at the later events showed more interest and knowledge in the subjects. We’d also like to take this opportunity to thank RDPE Leader for their funding.” For further information on this project, please visit: www.CumbriaPost2013.org.uk
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Above: Forensic science students collect evidence at a ‘crime scene’ in the woods
CSI COMES TO CUMBRIA Our forensic science students enjoyed a hands-on exercise recently allowing them to put theory into practice. The students were briefed by ‘senior investigating officer’ on intelligence which had been received about an unfolding major incident. A number of crime scenes on campus had been identified, including disused barns and fields surrounding it. Special constables from Cumbria Constabulary as well as police dogs and
their handlers soon arrived to assist in the operation. Students identified, collected and examined forensic evidence from a variety of sites and situations over a twoday period. They were joined in this real-time scenario by 30 public services students from Newton Rigg College who took an active part in reporting intelligence and manning an incident room. The scenario was a complex and challenging one involving drugs, explosives, improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and weapons as well as gunshot and stabbing victims, buried bones and suspect vehicles.
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University of Cumbria’s forensic science lecturer Ashleigh Hunt explains: “At the university, we believe that it is important to take learning out of the classroom, for the students to taste real life and leave with transferable skills that will stand them in good stead wherever their career path takes them. “This exercise involved them working alongside other professions, managing the environmental conditions and determining the relevance of the forensic evidence before analysing it in the laboratory. “We’re extremely grateful to Cumbria Constabulary for taking part, as their attendance lent invaluable realism to the scenario and to Newton Rigg College whose staff and students were heavily involved in setting up and running this two-day incident.” PC Paddy Bainbridge is a dog handler from Cumbria Constabulary who was one of the officers supporting the students
during this exercise. He says: “This role play scenario provided an ideal training environment—not only for the students, but also for our police dogs. “We work closely with the university and college to support students and provide an input into their education. In return, the students help us with our training and we are able to use the excellent facilities on campus to test our dogs and specialist equipment. “This event gave the students a taste of what life is like in the real world of forensics and demonstrated how different teams, departments and agencies come together to piece evidence together and track down criminals. “We used the opportunity to demonstrate to the students how closely police officers work with forensic teams and how effective our police search dogs can be. The dogs are tested over a period of time to track down individuals, articles of clothing and sniff out drugs that
would be difficult for humans to find. The students were able to see for themselves that criminals have nowhere to hide – no matter where or how people, items or drugs are hidden, our dogs will find them!”
“This exercise involved them working alongside other professions, managing the environmental conditions and determining the relevance of the forensic evidence before analysing it in the laboratory.” Ashleigh Hunt Forensic Science Lecturer
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Placement NEWS
A WORLDWIDE VIEW ON NURSING Students at the University of Cumbria have taken the opportunity to travel the world to learn more about their nursing profession. A transcultural nursing module encourages students on the BSc (Hons) Nursing to learn about providing culturally sensitive care and for many of the students involves providing care in another country. Ghana, Australia, Tanzania, USA, Botswana and India have all been visited by students completing the third year enrichment experience. A number of other students also stayed in the UK to work with charities and government bodies, in areas such as caring for older adults, mental health, substance abuse, the prison service and in clinics and care settings providing care for UK residents from other countries across the world. Laurie Smith, 21, spent three weeks in Hong Kong for her placement. She visited Hong Kong Polytechnic University, observing the mobile clinic and traditional Chinese medicine centre. Laurie said: “The opportunity to have a placement outside the normal practice placement area for students during the Transcultural nursing module is a fantastic way of gaining understanding
and awareness of different people’s ways of living, health care and cultures. “This opportunity took me out of my comfort zone and it was great to learn in a different environment. I worked a few days alongside a practice nurse in a local GP practice. I then worked with the midwives for a day in the private Matilda International hospital, which contrasted hugely from the previous clinical environments I have worked in, so was very interesting to compare them. Andrea Martine, 47, and three fellow students visited Sri Lanka. Andrea of Wigton travelled with Lydia Maclennan (30), Amy Johnstone (21) and Sharon Thomlinson (22). They spent two weeks in Kandy Hospital, a government run facility which has a special renal transplant unit, undertaking three transplants each week. The hospital also treats a high number of patients with Dengue fever, TB, Leprosy and Chikungunya, a severe insect borne virus. They will also spend one week at an ayurvedic hospital. Andrea, who previously worked in catering and with adults with learning disabilities, is keen to learn about alternative medicine. She said: “My placement to Sri Lanka was a truly amazing experience. I learned lots on ayurvedic medicine as 70% of the rural population of Sri Lanka do not believe in western medicine. “I found out how they treat broken bones, including how they try to re-grow the bone by using oils, pastes and herbs.”
Jeanne Landon-Campbell, Adult Nursing programme leader, said of the experience: “The aim of this module is to develop cultural understanding amongst the students, in preparation for their professional nursing careers. Many of our nurses take up posts around the world. But even in this country, they are expected to be able to deliver culturally competent care.
Left to right: Laurie Smith, Andrea Martine, Lydia Maclennan, Amy Johnstone and Sharon Thomlinson
“The module gives students a chance to consider cultural and lifestyle differences which could have an impact on the treatment and care a nurse provides. Nursing today has to be looked at in a global and political context and by stepping out of their comfort zones, the students can begin to consider the impact various situations can have on health and on the care that they deliver.” The students carried out their placements in April 2013 and each produced a detailed report of their learning as well as delivered full presentations to fellow students and staff on their return. To find out more about our Nursing and health courses, please visit: www.cumbria.ac.uk/health.
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Left: Melissa Thorley
MELISSA'S PASSION FOR PRIMATES TAKES HER ROUND THE WORLD Melissa Thorley (21) is currently completing her degree in Animal Conservation Science at the University of Cumbria. But very soon her passion for primates will take her all the way to Panama – via Marrakech in Morocco. This summer she will be setting off to complete a four-month internship at the Alouatta monkey sanctuary in Panama, which specialises in the rehabilitation of primates, especially mantled howler monkeys. Whilst there, she will be contributing to educational programmes, assisting with on-going research projects and supporting the day-to-day running of the facility. However, at the end of last year, Melissa submitted an abstract of her final year dissertation to the World Environmental Education Conference, which was held in Morocco in June 2013. To her delight, she was asked to attend the conference and deliver a poster presentation of her research work, which was entitled ‘Evaluating how environmental education can influence and change children’s perception of gorillas’.
Melissa, originally from Bourne in Lincolnshire, explains: “My main interest has always been in primate conservation and I’m a volunteer with Moroccan Primate Conservation UK, which concentrates on the protection of the endangered Barbary macaque monkeys. “For the past year I’ve been spending one day a week at St Catherine’s Primary School in Penrith, working with the children on various areas of conservation and the environment. I became fascinated about the best way to teach this type of information and decided to use it as research for my final dissertation. “When I discovered the World Environmental Education Conference was being held in Morocco this year, it seemed like too much of a coincidence to ignore, so I sent in my abstract, without too much hope of being accepted, I must admit. When I received my invitation to present I was overjoyed, as this also gave me the opportunity to attend many of the other lectures and sessions taking place during the six-day conference.”
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Placement NEWS
NEW CHARTER PROMOTES PLACEMENT STANDARDS “The overall aim is to achieve excellence in learning, leading to excellence in the delivery of health and social care by learners in their future careers.” Vicky MacMillan Health Education North West
Above right: The Placement Charter was launched at the University of Cumbria's Fusehill Street campus
CONTINUED...
A new charter which pledges to give students a first-rate learning experience during work placements has been introduced. In collaboration with the University of Cumbria, Health Education North West’s Placement Charter was launched with a trio of events taking place across North Cumbria.
The charter, which is based on the NHS constitution, was developed as part of a regional consultation with health and social care students, professionals, service users and carers. Monitoring of the charter will be through learning and development agreements in place with all healthcare providers in the region, and will include feedback from learners, staff and patients.
The charter commits to providing safe and high quality learning environments for all health and social care learners in the North West, and prepares them for their future roles working together in multi-professional teams.
Nesta added: “We are delighted to pledge our commitment to this charter which shares our attitude in providing safe and supportive placements to health and social care students.”
Health care students and lecturers from the University of Cumbria attended the launch event at the institution’s Fusehill Street campus in Carlisle, and the charter was also unveiled at Cumberland Infirmary and West Cumbria Hospital.
Vicky MacMillan, of Health Education North West, said: “The overall aim is to achieve excellence in learning, leading to excellence in the delivery of health and social care by learners in their future careers.
Nesta Hartley, principal lecturer at the University of Cumbria, said: “It is intended to help set standards in work placements and therefore is extremely important to our students and to those who receive their care.”
“The intention is for the charter to be displayed in all practice environments where learning takes place.”
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News: IN BRIEF WELLBEING CONFERENCE —A SUCCESS
Below: Emerging 2 Occupational Therapy organisers, with Janice Bell, University of Cumbria programme leader for MSc in Occupational Therapy, and Robert Berry, committee chair of the British Association of Occupational Therapists Northern and Yorkshire Region
This summer saw the first wellbeing conference organised by Brathay Trust and the University of Cumbria, held at The Brathay Trust in Ambleside. The conference brought UK academics and practitioners together from multiple disciplines to share practice ideas, insights and research into various aspects of wellbeing, helping practitioners and academics network cross disciplinary work. The conference themes were: • What is wellbeing? • How well are people in the UK? • What do we know about wellbeing in the UK? • What are various people doing to support wellbeing? • How can services work together to develop wellbeing? There was overwhelming feedback that the day was worthwhile and enjoyable, and that it should be an annual event. For more information about the event please visit www.brathay.org.uk or ring 015394 39725
STUDENTS HELP OTHERS TO SEARCH FOR DREAM JOBS Health students at the University of Cumbria are celebrating their success after helping dozens of aspiring practitioners to move closer to their dream jobs. The group of first and second year MSc Occupational Therapy students secured funding and organised a conference to help and prepare both recent graduates and current students for their professional careers. The Emerging 2 Occupational Therapy conference, held in May this year, was attended by 140 delegates and six universities were represented from across the North West and East. Continued page 16
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Conference chair Michelle Perryman, aged 26 from Bristol, said: “We are approaching the final few months of our university education and although our practice placements and theoretical support has prepared us for the move from student to practitioner, we felt there was a huge amount still to learn outside of the classroom. “We decided to tackle this shared aim to establish a not-for-profit student conference to help us and fellow students in this situation.” Michelle, who first came up with the idea last October, shared her plan with student Catherine Murphy and they recruited six other OT students to form an action group. The conference has been financially supported by the British Association of Occupational Therapists as well as the University of Cumbria which provided venues at its Fusehill Street campus in Carlisle free of charge. The event featured guest speakers including Lesley Crichton, professional head of OT at Cumbria Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, and Professor Matthew Molineux, head of OT at Griffith University, Australia. Workshops explored teaching in OT, the challenges of becoming newly qualified therapists, using OT skills in a non-traditional role and networking. Throughout the conference, there was live tweeting which allowed OTs from the USA, Australia, New Zealand and Uganda to take part in the student to practitioner discussion – and nearly 800 tweets were sent throughout the day.
““We hope that the success of this conference will encourage other students to devise future conferences, and that the delegates will motivate other students and graduates to network and create learning opportunities to support each other.” Vice chair Catherine
Vice chair Catherine, 26 from Dublin, added: “We hope that the success of this conference will encourage other students to devise future conferences, and that the delegates will motivate other students and graduates to network and create learning opportunities to support each other.” Janice Bell, programme leader for MSc in Occupational Therapy at the University of Cumbria, said: “The staff team is proud of our students who have shown outstanding initiative in the planning and organisation of the student conference. “The theme they have chosen is particularly relevant to the current challenges and opportunities of working in health care professions and is consistent with the university’s aims of producing creative, enterprising graduates able to apply themselves in today’s working environments.” The conference organisers paid special thanks to the BAOT; editor of Words for Wellbeing Carol Ross who supplied books; and to University of Cumbria lecturers Janice Bell and Dr Karen Morris for their support.
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SPORT IN THE COMMUNITY Our final year students studying BA (Hons) Coaching and Sport Development, BA (Hons) Physical Education and BA (Hons) Sport, Physical Activity and Health Development have set up student event teams to deliver 11 community sport events across Carlisle and Lancaster. Top: Lancaster students with the winning dodgeball team. Below: the Williamson Park Fun Run – despite the weather, 170 fun runners took part this year
These events ran from March to early May 2013 and all 11 of them were a success. The events at Lancaster included: a dodgeball festival; Change4life festival; Williamson Park 3km and 5km fun run; schools football festival; school multiskills festival and a streetgames event. The events at Carlisle included: the Bitts Park 3km Family Fun Run; school handball event; sport volunteering conference; ‘Come and Try Tennis’ festival and a School’s Mile Challenge. In total, 320 fun runners attended the two fun runs in Lancaster and Carlisle; 55 university and high school students attended the volunteer conference; and 700 pupils were involved in the various school events. In addition to delivering the events, the students also raised funds for four charities. The Carlisle Fun Run raised over £300 for Cash4kids and the Williamson
Park Fun Run raised over £600 for Lancashire Boys and Girls Clubs. The other events all raised money for the children’s hospice Derian House Hospice in Lancashire and Eden Valley Hospice in Cumbria. The final figure of total money raised for each of these charities is expected to top £1,000. Mark Christie, module leader commented: “The students worked very hard to put the events together within a twelve week time frame. They developed key employability skills in respect of planning techniques, logistics, marketing, time management, fundraising, managing finance, partnership liaison, teamwork and problem solving. They have also raised a considerable sum for charity alongside this, which is an excellent achievement.” To find out more about sport at the University of Cumbria, please visit: www.cumbria.ac.uk/sport
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REFLECTIONS PROJECT TAKES TO THE WATER The Windermere Reflections Heritage Lottery three-year partnership project has just celebrated the mid-point of their project with a novelty canoe race across Lake Windermere. The race involved teams of canoeists racing in relay along a stretch of Windermere with a pint of a new Lake District beer strapped to someone’s head. The winner of one race was the first team back and a second prize went to the team that did not spill any beer. The race finished at Wray Castle where the rowers and other guests could then taste the new beer for the first time. The reception in Wray Castle featured the achievements of the various environmental and cultural projects so far, which included displays, a short film and volunteer awards. Above: A canoe racing team.
The Windermere Reflections group is principally funded from the Heritage Lottery Fund, with match funding from the Environment Agency, Lake District National Park, National Trust and the University of Cumbria. They are the body tasked with engaging local communities in protecting the water quality of the lake by managing the catchment. For further information on Windermere Reflections, please visit: www.windermere-reflections.org.uk or contact the university representative: lois.mansfield@cumbria.ac.uk
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DEVELOPING PARTNERSHIPS IN NUCLEAR SECURITY MANAGEMENT Our MSc in Nuclear Security Management is progressing with intensive discussions with key stakeholders.
The Security Institute is the emerging professional body in this new area, covering a wide remit from counterterrorism through to conventional security and nuclear security. The university is getting right in at ground level developing an accreditation framework with the Security Institute and we are moving towards a formal partnership to address professionalisation for this new industry. The other major partner is the World Institute for Nuclear Security, with whom discussions are also at an advanced stage to address the global market. The MSc course was successfully validated in May and is now recruiting students worldwide for a January 2014 start. The course offers a number of unique features, including being designed for practitioners rather than policy makers and being the only UK course covering security of radioactive sources. This makes it of interest to several sectors, including nuclear power generation and healthcare. For further information on this course, please visit: www.cumbria.ac.uk/nuclear
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TOO MUCH COMPETITIVE SPORTS FOR CHILDREN? Senior lecturer Cathy Devine was interviewed live on Sky News Sunrise this Spring, discussing competitive sport and the pressures that children feel to win. In the interview Cathy explained that teaching fair play (ethics) should always be an integral part of teaching or coaching sport. However, the February 2013 OFSTED Report on PE says that 'traditional team games tended to dominate the curriculum at the expense of aesthetic and athletic activities...it left only minimal time for activities such as gymnastics, swimming, dance and athletics'. The Sports Council for Wales cites the top 5 activities that primary
For more information on our science courses, please visit: www.cumbria. ac.uk/science
age girls want to do as: swimming, dance, horse riding, cycling and gymnastics whereas boys choose: football, swimming, cricket, rugby, and cycling/tennis. In England and Scotland this is similar. Therefore, the question is, are we providing too much competitive sport in schools? Contrary to what children are interested in doing, is this fair in particular for girls, and will it be beneficial in relation to increasing personal achievement.
For further information on any of our health programmes, please visit: www.cumbria.ac.uk/health If you have any queries, please contact: enquirycentre@cumbria.ac.uk; 0845 606 11 44.
Fusehill Street Carlisle CA1 2HH www.cumbria.ac.uk/health www.cumbria.ac.uk/science Š 2013 University of Cumbria (UOC 076)