Feb 09

CHSS 2018 Open Lecture on Primary Care by ‘Distinguished Visitor’ GP

‘General Practice Forward View and a vision for the future of primary care’
–  Dr Arvind Madan

1830, 18 April 2018, Grimond Lecture Theatre #chssopen18

The CHSS 2018 Open Lecture will be delivered as one of the University’s ‘Distinguished Visitor’ series. We expect the event to attract an audience from a very wide range of backgrounds.

Dr Arvind Madan has been the Director of Primary Care and Deputy National Medical Director for NHS England since 2015, providing clinical leadership for the transformation of primary care including delivery of the General Practice Forward View.

A GP for 20 years, he retains a regular clinical commitment in general practice, urgent care and out-of-hours care, looking after patients in South and East London. Arvind has a strong track record in using new technology and redesigned ways of working across care boundaries to improve outcomes. He is a member of the Kings Fund Advisory Board and has helped set up the Community Interest Company ‘Healthy Minds’, which runs peer mediation for children in 30 London schools.

This event will be a must for anyone working in or using NHS primary care services.

No booking is required. Updates will follow on our website. https://www.kent.ac.uk/chss/events/events.html 

 

chss

 

Jan 31

CHSS Newsletter, Winter 2017/18

The latest CHSS Newsletter is now available to read or download on our website. We hope you enjoy our latest news, research features and staff profile.

This issue highlights recent and forthcoming CHSS events. We are delighted to announce two events focused on the future of primary care. In March we host the EFPC Symposium at Canterbury Cathedral Lodge. On 18 April, Dr Arvand Madan delivers our 2018 Open Lecture at the University’s Grimond Building. Full details on p5.
Our research news focuses on care at both the beginning, and nearing the end, of life. CHSS leads Britain’s contribution to a new international project to increase breastfeeding rates. Professor Jenny Billings and her team recently evaluated the Kent and Medway ‘OneCare’ pilot. Based on the ‘Buurtzorg’ (neighbourhood care) model, it aimed to improve patient experience in Kent and Medway.

‘CHSS People’ profiles Dr Vanessa Abrahamson, who studied for her PhD in stroke rehabilitation as a CHSS student. Now a full-time researcher, she talks to us about her journey from occupational therapist to academic researcher. You can subscribe to future issues by post. Our online archive is also available.

We love to receive feedback, suggestions or comments on our newsletters.
contact Helen McGregor at h.mcgregor@kent.ac.uk

 

Jan 22

European Forum for Primary Care (EFPC) Symposium 2018: Integrating Primary and Community Care: an International Perspective

Canterbury Cathedral Lodge, 9am-5pm, Friday 2 March, 2018    

Register now!

#efpckent18

Strong primary care is the cornerstone of health systems across Europe.  This means that features including structure, access, coordination, continuity, and comprehensiveness can be observed and monitored and are part of health care policy.

Increasingly it is recognised that integration between primary care and other parts of the health system can contribute to strengthening primary care, improving health outcomes and bringing cost-effective changes to the health service.

With contributions from world-leading primary care experts, this symposium will debate how integration between primary and community care in Europe can strengthen and improve health across different populations including refugees, older people and those with mental health difficulties. It will also consider how new care models can contribute and examine the wider global health implications.

More details on our events page

 

 

 

Dec 04

Book now! EFPC Symposium – Integrating Primary & Community Care 2/3/18

Integrating Primary and Community Care: an International Perspective

Registration now open at http://bit.ly/2B5bvhw

The Symposium will be held at the Canterbury Cathedral Lodge, 9am-5pm Friday, 2 March, 2018.
More details on our events page:

#efpckent18

 

Nov 27

CHSS shortlisted for Darzi Fellowship in public health – Are you an NHS clinician with a passion for breastfeeding and leadership?

 

The Darzi Fellowship is a highly prestigious opportunity and the Kent Surrey and Sussex award holder will undertake a standardised assessment of breastfeeding in Kent and Medway through the Becoming Breastfeeding Friendly (BBF) project under the supervision of CHSS Professor of Community Nursing and Public Health, Sally Kendall

BBF UK is a national project being undertaken with Yale University as part of an international comparative study and CHSS is leading on the UK contribution. The project will assess 54 benchmark statements demonstrating the current status of the countries involved in relation to breastfeeding.

The completion of the bench-marking assessment in Kent and Medway will provide an analysis of where there is both best practice and gaps in policy, services and research. It will sit alongside the current work being undertaken by Kent Community Health Foundation Trust to achieve BFI accreditation with UNICEF UK.

The Fellow will be part of the UK team and will have the opportunity to engage at national and international levels on the project with world-leading experts. They will ideally be a health visitor, midwife or public health practitioner with a passion for breastfeeding and a strong knowledge base.

For more information contact: Professor Sally Kendall, CHSS, s.kendall-608@kent.ac.uk

Find out more on our vacancies page

 

 

Nov 20

Landmark victory for cleaner air after High Court ruling

CHSS Director was expert witness

For the first time, a judge has denied a developer’s appeal against refusal of planning permission on air quality grounds.

Earlier this year Stephen Peckham was expert witness for a Planning Inquiry where Swale Borough Council refused planning permission on air quality grounds. Developers wanted to build 470 homes in Newington, Kent, on a site where existing nitrogen dioxide levels are already excessive and in breach of Air Quality Directive 2008/50/EC.

A Planning Inspectorate review backed the Council’s decision, finding that the proposals had potential for ‘moderate’ or ‘substantial’ adverse impacts on air pollution, despite company proposals to mitigate adverse impacts of the development.

The developers appealed the Planning Inspectorate’s ruling in the High Court. In a hearing last month, Stephen’s evidence that existing emission levels were already damaging public health was a key factor in the Judge finding against the developers.

The ruling is viewed as a landmark decision as it is the first ever planning appeal thrown out on grounds of air quality.

Read more here 

 

 

Nov 20

VIDEO Prof Sally Kendall on breastfeeding support

Film maker and anthropologist Catriona Blackburn’s latest film is ‘Invest in breast’, focusing on the crucial role of peer support groups in helping women to establish and maintain breastfeeding. CHSS Professor of Community Nursing and Public Health Sally Kendall, talks to Hannah Croft, peer supporter and co-founder of ‘Save Canterbury, Whitstable and Herne Bay Breastfeeding Support Groups’.

They discuss the benefits of breastfeeding for babies, mothers and the wider community in the early days, and for long term public health. Sally also stresses how effective and cost-effective supporting breastfeeding can be. It reduces treatment costs and has wide-ranging health and social benefits.

‘From a public health point of view we have to work out how we can improve breastfeeding rates here. We have one of the lowest in Europe. For those who do initiative feeding in the first week we see huge drop-off by six weeks, and certainly at six months (the recommended WHO period for exclusive breastfeeding) in England rates are down to around 2%.  We don’t have enough health professionals with the specialist knowledge to support mothers. Peer support groups are amazing and I know there’s been some fantastic work in Kent. It’s a sharing relationship, celebrating success and helping each other through difficult times. And nurturing the community – a real investment for the future’.

Find out more about Sally’s work on her web profile

**KCC are currently undertaking a public consultation about proposed changes to breastfeeding support services. For more information and to take part, please follow the link. Closing date for participation is 3 December 2017

https://consultations.kent.gov.uk/consult.ti/Infantfeedingservice

 

 

 

 

 

Nov 13

Stephen Peckham speaks on the need for collective responsibility for cleaner air

On Tuesday 7 November Stephen Peckham spoke at a clean air conference at Port Lympne in Kent.  His presentation was ‘how can we ensure cleaner air for the people of Kent?’ The one day event aimed to help address the air quality challenge for business in the south east.

Stephen emphasised that businesses must take on their share of the collective responsibility by working to lower harmful emissions and reduce catastrophic damage to public health and the environment.

For more information about the research CHSS are carrying out in this area, see p3 of our Spring CHSS Newsletter.

Oct 31

CHSS newsletter

The latest CHSS Newsletter is now available to read or download on our website. We hope you enjoy our latest news, events, publications and staff updates. This issue has a global feel. We feature Professor Sally Kendall’s project in Western Australia working with Aboriginal mothers. ‘CHSS People’ (p6) profiles Dr Erica Gadsby, and her experiences of working in global health and aid.

There are updates from European projects EXCEPT and SUSTAIN. Page 3 highlights Professor Jenny Billings’ video on Integrated Care – part of the University’s Think Kent lecture series.
You can subscribe to future issues by post. Our online archive is also available.

We are happy to receive feedback, suggestions or comments on our newsletters.
contact: h.mcgregor@kent.ac.uk

Oct 30

WATCH: Stephen Peckham presentation: Citizens Conference on Fluoride, Washington

Fluoride and Thyroid

In September, Professor Stephen Peckham was a guest speaker at the 6th Citizens Conference on Fluoride in Washington.

The CHSS Director presented an overview of a recent observational study which found an association between fluoridated water and underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism).

Rick Woychik PhD was another keynote speaker at the Conference. Rick is Deputy Director for the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.

Watch the video of Stephen’s presentation here.