Most typical face in the world revealed (amid deep irony)

National Geographic Magazine has revealed what the most typical human on the planet looks like.…

There is a deep irony here (since we are talking about 'skin') in that as the global demographics flow across the decades to alter this typical face, there is a growing proportion of the population who hope that health and social care delivery is not typical and a 'composite'.

They hope that health, nursing and social care is truly personal and individual - taking in their preferences, needs and priorities.

Having said that though - would it be progress if everyone could expect at least to receive what is deemed a 'standard' level of basic nursing care that is in a way 'typical'?

more to follow - more will follow - are we ready?

Recipe for tension: Left-of-center values - Human (lower) Rights

Sometimes the invisible is most visible ...

INTERPERSONAL : SCIENCES

SOCIOLOGY : POLITICAL

Person visible - invisible in the conceptual frame	Where is your science now?
'Peace' the ultimate meme? Discuss.	"Human (lower) Rights"

Image source: Heiko Junge [20/27] Kansas City Star
http://www.kansascity.com/2010/12/09/2509904/empty-chair-left-for-jailed-chinese.html

Related links:

Recipe: Holistic care - Care pebble turnover*

Recipe II: Holistic care - Care pebble overhere!

Grand Challenges for Global Health: 15th - access to clean, clear, knowledge

Dear HIFA2015 colleagues,

The news item below is forwarded from the Global Health Council, which reports the mHealth Summit taking place this week in washington DC. It is especially good to see that Bill Gates is giving a keynote address. This suggests that the Gates Foundation may be poised to address the 15th Grand Challenge for Global Health, as proposed by international health leaders in The Lancet:

"The Gates Foundation identified fourteen challenges [Grand Challenges for Global Health] but a fifteenth challenge stares us plainly in the face: The 15th challenge is to ensure that everyone in the world can have access to clean, clear, knowledge - a basic human right, and a public health need as important as access to clean, clear, water, and much more easily achievable."

Tikki Pang (WHO), Muir Gray (NHS, UK), and Tim Evans (WHO): 'A 15th grand challenge for global public health.' The Lancet 2006; 367:284-286.
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140673606680501/fulltext

When HIFA2015 was in planning back in 2006, the lead author of the above paper, Dr Tikki Pang (Director of Research policy and Cooperation at WHO) said: 'HIFA2015 is an ambitious goal but it can be achieved if all stakeholders work together'. Bill and Melinda Gates are critical stakeholders. I look forward to see Bill Gates' presentation. Will the Gates Foundation take up the 15th Challenge? Will the Gates Foundation prioritise the challenge of health information for all by 2015?

Bill Gates keynote yesterday is not yet available on the web, but it will be soon at: http://mhealthsummit.org/conference/live-webcast

I hope that Bill Gates will use this opportunity to articulate a clear and specific vision from the Gates Foundation: a vision of a world where people are no longer dying for lack of access to appropriate, reliable healthcare information. With their support, there is no doubt this vision can and will be realised.

With best wishes,
Neil

HIFA2015 profile: Neil Pakenham-Walsh is the coordinator of the HIFA2015 campaign and co-director of the Global Healthcare Information Network. He started his career as a hospital doctor in the UK, and has clinical experience in rural Ecuador and Peru.  For the last 20 years he has been committed to improving the availability of healthcare information for health workers in developing countries. He has worked with the World Health Organization, the Wellcome Trust, Medicine Digest and INASP (International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications). www.hifa2015.org  neil.pakenham-walsh AT ghi-net.org

My source:  www.hifa2015.org

Global health: Care logistics in-deed

Although the previous post -

Care Logistics: have model will travel ...

- differentiated between what we might term mechanistic and humanistic logistics, there is a great deal of overlap:

communications, time, priorities, purposes, service, quality, processes ....

Global health has featured on W2tQ and it is here that the true dimensions of logistics can be defined. I may be confusing logistics and scale, but if I am then the challenge of logistics presents itself by virtue of scale and in global health the focus upon populations, nations, medical conditions and physical environments, climates and topography.

While the Wikipedia page on global health does not explicitly refer to logistics it is there in the shadows: it contributes to inequality, illiteracy, poverty, public ill-health (and mental too), pandemics ...

Logistics is there in the light too; the torch of disaster relief, the many development organisations, the ethos and values of the Millennium Development Goals. ...

Care Logistics: have model will travel ...

From: NHS Logistics - supplies, v4m, corporate, orders, consultancy, catalogue, process, delivery, stock, just in time, service, quality, priority, efficiency, customers, finance, contracts ...
	To: Care Logistics - access, choice, attitude, empathy, communication, values, outcomes, human rights, dignity and respect, quality care, professionalism, purpose, roles, holistic competency, standards, personal, measures, equity ...

HIV/AIDS and Rights - Social Networking - The Vienna World AIDS Conference

To: Members of The CI Community Interested in HIV/AIDS and Communication
From: Warren Feek

Peter - Please Join: "HIV/AIDS Future Strategy" network at
http://groups.comminit.com/node/306528 - if you have not done so already.

Many best wishes.

I am writing in advance of the Vienna World AIDS Conference (July 18-23 2010) - an event summarised on The CI website - http://www.comminit.com/en/node/310758/347 - with an invitation to participate in dialogue on the themes of this important conference...whether you will be in Vienna or not!


The CI's Development Network Group called "HIV/AIDS Strategy: Future Directions" - http://groups.comminit.com/node/306528 - is the hub for our communication and media focused networking pertaining to the conference. This group presently has 489 members. This is complemented by the relevant HIV/AIDS Rights Knowledge within the HIV/AIDS theme site at http://comminit.com/en/hiv-aids.html

If you are not already one of them, please join the conversation! You can register here - http://groups.comminit.com/user/register - or, if already registered, join the group by going here - http://groups.comminit.com/node/306528 - and clicking on the red words "Request membership".

Thanks - it will be excellent to have you engaged.

To view communication- and media-related events happening at the Conference, please visit the HIV/AIDS Strategy: Future Directions Group's July calendar: http://groups.comminit.com/groups_calendar/306528/2010/07/all

Click on each event's name to read a description of what will be happening, where, and when. (Please note also the hyperlinked word "more"...click there to see the entire list of C4D-related events taking place each day). And please do add your own event description: Once logged in, just click on "Submit an Event" in the box on the right-hand side of the screen.

You can learn, for example, about:

* "Is AIDS Activism Dead?" (Monday July 19 2010, from 11:00-12:30, in Global Village Session Room 1)
http://groups.comminit.com/node/319719

* "Distance Based Learning Technologies: E-Health and Social Media for Clinical HIV" (Monday July 19 2010, from 14:30-18:00, in Mini Room 8)
http://groups.comminit.com/node/319802

* "'I Want My Rights Now" - A Toolkit for Young People to Advocate Successfully" (Monday July 19 2010, from 11:00-12:30, in Mini Room 3)
http://groups.comminit.com/node/319795

* and many more...

Global Pulse 2010 March 29th - 31st #gp2010

I have just registered for:


From March 29^th through March 31^st you will have the chance to participate in something truly exciting. Inspired by President Obama’s “New Beginnings” speech to Cairo University, the U.S. Government is hosting Global Pulse 2010, an innovative, online brainstorming discussion.

During this unique event, individuals throughout the world will have a chance to participate in and influence a global conversation centered on 10 hot-button social issues facing the global community within the fields of science and technology, entrepreneurship, and human development.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

GANM's - Dr. Patricia Abbott will be a featured expert during the event. She will host a discussion on E-Health from 11:00am-noon (eastern time) on March 30, 2010.

Why is Global Pulse 2010 important?

Global Pulse 2010 will offer a unique way for community members to connect and engage, build new relationships and share their ideas on how we can strengthen our global partnerships to better address our shared global challenges.

Global Pulse 2010 is an open forum that will highlight ten broad topics:

• Empowering Women and Girls
• Enabling Essential Education
• Building Stronger Partnerships
• Exercising Political and Civil Rights
• Inspiring a New Generation
• Promoting Global Health
• Advancing Entrepreneurship, Trade & Economic Opportunity
• Fostering Science, Technology & Innovation
• Supporting a Sustainable Planet
• Pursuing Grand Challenges

How to Register for Global Pulse 2010?

To register please visit:https://www.collaborationjam.com/minijam3/globalpulse2010/registration/
For more information, please visit us at www.GlobalPulse2010.gov

You may also join us on Facebook, Twitter, Orkut, and LinkedIn to stay up to date on key Global Pulse 2010 activities. Stay tuned for more information on Global Pulse 2010!

PLEASE NOTE: We want to hear from your network. If you know of others who would be interested in participating in this event, please feel free to forward this email. As there are a limited number of virtual seats in Global Pulse 2010, we ask that these individuals complete and submit this brief form available at www.GlobalPulse2010.gov/registration Pending the number of available seats, slotted individuals will be notified so that they may then formally register to participate in Global Pulse 2010.

My source:
GANM (Global Alliance for Nursing and Midwifery)

International Leprosy Day

Fighting for a Just Cause
Sunday 31 January 2010

How would you respond if, because of a disease,
your family no longer wanted you to live at home?
How would you feel if, because of a disease,
your husband or wife wanted a divorce?
What would you say if you lost your job
because of an illness that had no impact on your ability to carry out your work?
What would you do if your children were no longer allowed to go to school
because of your ill health or disability?

These situations may sound remarkable, unbelievable even, and yet these are real situations, faced by real people everyday. They happen just because the person has leprosy.

TLM-UK: In 2010 The Leprosy Mission is focusing on Nepal to celebrate World Leprosy Day. At Anandaban hospital, patients not only receive medical care, but staff also help them begin the slow process of emotional healing and release. The hospital's projects include medical treatment and surgery, counselling, education support, housing support and small business loans.

Additional links:

http://www.leprosymission.org.uk/

http://www.who.int/lep/

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/medical_notes/166163.stm

Were you born in 1989? Join the EU "Generation '89" project!

Are you a citizen of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Romania or the UK?

Meet people from your generation!
Join the "Generation '89" project!

You have the chance to participate in one of the simultaneous meetings in Brussels, Bucharest, Prague or Warsaw, and to present the Declaration "Generation '89" to EU representatives in Brussels!

Application deadline: 31 January 2010 (10 February for Belgium and Poland)

More info at www.generation89.eu

With the support of the "Citizenship" Programme of the European Union.

GENERATION 89

The project "Generation 89" proposes to commemorate the fall of the communist systems in the European countries, through the lens of the young people born in 1989. The young people from Czech Republic, Romania, Poland, Belgium, UK, Germany, Hungary, Austria and Bulgaria and have had different historical context in which they lived their lives, and one of the objectives of this project is to bring together these youngsters and to offer a space where they can share experiences and expectations for the future. In order to attain this objective, 4 international meetings will be organised in Prague, Bucharest, Warsaw, and Brussels, where for two days the participants will have a various programme focused on two themes: national past and European future.

The programme will comprise movie screenings and debates on the events from 1989, as their parents' generation lived and storied them, informational session regarding the EU policies in the matter of youth and young professionals, workshops focused in drafting a Declaration upon how they perceive their future in EU, a documentary visit to a local organisation with activity in the field of communist systems studies, sightseeing and international night. A second meeting in Brussels of a delegation of the young representatives will be organised with the EU representatives, in order to present the Declaration "Generation 89" and the young people opinion on the future of Europe and their future as citizens of EU. With the support of the "Citizenship" Programme of the European Union.

www.generation89.eu

Image source: Globe - Europe Registrarism

Nursing human rights - dementia care II: fao Sir Gerry Robinson*

The 2nd and final edition of BBC Two's TV programs Can Gerry Robinson Fix Dementia Care Homes? was on last night and made for uneasy viewing.

The saving grace for the public's confidence (if there is one) was repetition of the excellent care at one home.

For all the negatives presented on TV, before mapping the key content of this program using Hodges' model it must be acknowledged that the staff and both managers involved are to be congratulated in allowing and facilitating the production of this program. Sir Gerry and the program's producer(s) obviously travelled an especially difficult course in this episode.

Unless qualified or having undergone some training, many staff will behave and eventually modify their norms and expectations according to what they are exposed to within a short period of starting to work in residential care. Perhaps, this explains in part the adage 'start as you mean to go on'? It was apparent that many staff knew they were failing, they recognised the lack of leadership, their inability to sustain the effort for positive change.

This is why (in 1977 at least) the school of nursing I attended was a little more than churlish about students initially working as a nursing assistant. If you were not working on a ward that also trained student nurses then you may adopt the wrong attitudes and with it what we might call 'non-skills'. This includes 'learning' means of avoiding contact and interaction with patients; and possibly interpreting behaviour in a purely negative and non-therapeutic way. This may extend to the point of becoming personally involved - taking things personally - whether the behaviour exhibited is aggression or sexual disinhibition, for example.

Here then are some of the points I noted, many are repeated from the first program with some very unfortunate and troubling additions (which I may further review as per the above text):

PURPOSE, CARE PHILOSOPHY (none?), person-centered care, attitude, memory loss, vulnerable individuals, training, risk, assessment, motivation to change, interpersonal skills, motivation, listening, life skills, knowledge and skills, feedback, aggression, agitation, measures, rapport, empathy, +ve care, boredom, personal choice & autonomy, access to personal belongings, dolls, personal focus, anxiety, psychological stress and trauma of physical relocation

physical environment, colour, decor, noise, outside access - physical security, physical restraint - use of furniture, position of furniture, day-to-day items, tasks, PROCESS, measures 'dementia care mapping', routine tasks, time with residents, assessment, care files (paper!), bed occupancy, activities - painting, gardening, sheds, staffing cover : resident ratios, models of care (none?), objective measures

PRACTICE (common minimum standards), the residents, team work, day staff:night staff, collective faith and trust, collaborative objectives, care, shared enthusiasm, social attitudes, dignity and respect, relationships, social values, personal-social history, engaged activities, involvement, 'social' norms, inclusion, community - institution, being valued by others, impact on families and local community of home closure

POLICY (the lines in the sand?), management spot checks, '24 hour care', disciplinary procedures, professionalism in management relationships, duty of care, ratings: tokenistic inspection regime, home closure, consultancy, audit, legislation, sickness, pay, business ethos, staff morale, recruitment and retention, confidentiality, sanctions, management style, qualifications, standards, institutionalised care, re-location, lessons learned (business involved, local authority)?

Once again, if you missed it there is an opportunity to watch the program on BBC iPlayer. There are also Open University learning resources associated with the program.

My closing thought: in closing the asylums over the past 40+ years I hope we have not and are not creating a series of micro-institutionalised replacements.

This is an issue for everyone.

*Please pardon the deliberate name-dropping (and not for the 1st time!).

Additional links:

The Care Quality Commission

POLITICAL care domain resources

SOCIOLOGICAL care domain resources

Nursing human rights and Int. Human Rights Day: fao Sir Gerry Robinson*

On last nights BBC Two TV program: Can Gerry Robinson Fix Dementia Care Homes?

- amongst the angst his visits and engagement with several care homes provoked Sir Gerry highlighted the need for a moral compass and compassion. The themes I expected to find were there: the need for person-centered care, knowledge of the clients and their backgrounds, being occupied and having access to a secure environment when the weather permits, staff morale and the level of staff training and competence. Although not necessarily 'enjoyable' viewing the program was very good in raising awareness and included either directly or indirectly:

person-centered care, attitude, memory loss, vulnerable individuals, training, risk, assessment, review, motivation to change, interpersonal skills, motivation, listening, life skills, knowledge and skills, feedback, aggression, agitation, change, measures, rapport, empathy, +ve care, boredom, diurnal variation of mood, personal choice & autonomy	physical environment, colour, decor, noise, outside access, physical security, nutrition, tasks, processes, measures 'dementia care mapping', routine, meal times, time, physical risk - falls, mobility, assessment, care files (paper!), bed occupancy, staffing : resident ratios, models of care
the residents, visitors, family, love, social attitudes, dignity and respect, relationships, social values, personal-social history, engaged activities, involvement, 'social' norms, inclusion, community - institution, being valued by others, distraction	records, freedom, care funding costs / weekly charges, funding, inspection, consultancy, audit, legislation, rules (meals), pay, investment, business, staff morale, recruitment and retention, financial risk, confidentiality, plans and initiatives, management style, qualifications, standards

If you missed it there is an opportunity to watch the program on BBC iPlayer.

Today 10 December 2009 is also International Human Rights Day. To many people elderly care issues in a Western democracy may seem a world away from 'human rights' as per:

• false imprisonment
• denial of justice, law and order
• political repression
• freedom of expression
• education and health for all
• discrimination
• ....
  

- and yet the situations that arise within nursing, health, social care are never far from ethical and human rights concerns:

• Mental capacity
• Consent
• Physical restraint
• Mental health law
• Environmental health law
• Conscientious objection
• Medicine and nursing in the armed forces
• Equity and equality
• Accessibility
• ....
  

Moral dilemmas can and do arise in any and all of the care domains of Hodges' model and all combined (the spiritual). In addition to a moral compass, it seems we need a compass in nursing in order to be compass-ionate.

Hodges' model can provide a compass.

A compass to help navigate open waters, new coastlines and the uncharted corners and recesses of human nature.


*Please pardon the deliberate name-dropping (and not for the 1st time!).

Additional links: Amnesty International

BloggersUnite: Human Rights Day

POLITICAL care domain resources

Compass image: http://clipart-for-free.blogspot.com/2008/07/compass-rose-clipart.html

Data sharing, privacy, health, citizenry.... "Database State"

In February (2009) I ventured that the degree of sensitivity that members of the public ascribe to their personal data is undergoing quite a change. This change is not without its own chaotic dynamic since the change is one of general laissez faire, until an individual finds themselves 'wronged'. Then watch the litigation flow. That initial laissez faire attitude may please some in government as it makes it easier to introduce yet more data farming, gathering, and harvesting legislation and join up what are usually (or should be) disparate data repositories.

I don't read the gutter press and 'lighter' forms of reading, but the exposé in such publications that include - as per the market 'requirement' - very personal data, information and knowledge must have an influence on how the populous view their own data? For health and social care professionals of course they had better continue to hold 'personal data' in the 'highest of esteem', especially in these digitally conjoined times.

Last month The Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust published a report "Database State" calling in question the legality of several public sector databases. The response to these findings is awaited. ...

Meanwhile the website Statebook seeks to parody and yet make a point about the changing data times we live in. Whilst in response to such a critique there are calls for independent oversight, the difficulty lies in ensuring such bodies are not dentally challenged....

Additional links:

http://www.jrrt.org.uk/

http://www.opendemocracy.net/article/email/the-database-state-were-in

Open Rights Group

Hodges' model: Political domain links

"EU: 50 years of rights and opportunities" a sort of "Encyclopaedia of European programmes"

Happy New Year to one and all....

How time flies! 2007 was a 50th anniversary for the EU, here are details about a valuable free resource about EU programmes....

If printed it would be like a book of 5,000 pages...

It is the multimedia Guide "50 years of rights and opportunities" a sort of "Encyclopaedia of European programmes" published by a network of social organization, as part of a project run in the frame of the Europe for citizens programme of the European Union.

The guide, available online at www.together50years.eu and also on a Cd-rom distributed for free, contains information on initiative and programmes in the fields of citizenship, culture, training, participation and job opportunities promoted by European institutions (not only the European Union but also the Council of Europe).

In the guide there's also a list of about 150 international institutions and offices offering training, internship and job opportunities to young people, graduated or not.

A NON-EXHAUSTIVE list of the programmes, initiatives and services included in the Guide, contains:

- Youth in Action
- Longlife learning (Leonardo da Vinci, Socrates, Comenius, etc)
- Culture 2007
- Tempus III
- Media
- Progress
- Executive Training Programme
- European Social Fund
- Junior Professional Officer
- UE-Canada Co-operation
- UE-USA Co-operation
- UE-Australia Co-operation
- Ue-Japan Co-operation
- Erasmus Mundus
- Aschberg-Unesco Bursaries
- Atlantis
- Eures
- Cedefop
- Epso
- Eqf
- Europass
- Eurodesk
- SALTO

...and many more...

On the website you'll also find how to acquire the Cd-Rom.

For further information do not hesitate to contact us at info@together50years.eu

My source: received from together50years.eu