Faculty nomination for BMA prize

Janet Kelly

Janet Kelly's book :
Is Medical Ethics in Armed Conflict Identical to Medical Ethics in Times of Peace? has been nominated by Cambridge Scholars Publishing for a British Medical Association book award, under the ‘Basis of Medicine’ category.

Research grant award: Preventing avoidable sight loss linked to smoking, alcohol and obesity: using different groups to get the message across

Yvonne Needham has been awarded a research grant and the details are:

Preventing avoidable sight loss linked to smoking, alcohol and obesity: using different groups to get the message across

Sponsored by the RNIB and East Riding Public Health

Project team

Liz Greenwood (Optometric Advisor, North Yorkshire and Humber Area Team of NHS England);

Janet McDougall (Public Health Lead East Riding of Yorkshire Council)

Yvonne Needham (Senior Lecturer Faculty of Health and Social Care Hull University)

We all value our eyesight. In fact, it is the sense we fear losing more than any other, 86% of adults living in the UK value their sight more than any other sense (The College of Optometrists 2011). However, many of us do not actively look after our sight. 100 people a day start to lose their sight in the UK, but for most of us this should not be the case (UK Vision Strategy 2008). 

Smoking may cause eye diseases that lead to blindness such as cataract and macular degeneration (Fletcher 2010). The risk of macular degeneration is two to three times higher in smokers (Kelly et al 2005 Neuner et al 2008, Kelly et al 2004, Lawrenson and Evans 2013) but can return to normal with smoking cessation (Neuner et al 2008). Thus, the literature review (Kelly et al 2005) indicated a strong association between smoking and the development of cataract, particularly nuclear cataract.

There is currently no coordinated programme of education to support stop smoking teams develop their knowledge of eye health and its relationship to visual impairment. This project will build on the local work carried out in 2012 during ‘Stoptober’ an NHS initiative to support people to stop smoking during the month of October https://stoptober.smokefree.nhs.uk/) when local eye health professionals supported the stop smoking team at Stoptober events.  At these events information and discussions were undertaken with the public and health promoters, it was clear from these events that the link between smoking and eye health was not well know by either group.  By the end of the sessions the stop smoking team were aware of the link but did not have detailed information they could pass on to the public.

References

Fletcher, A. E.( 2010) Free radicals, antioxidants and eye diseases: evidence from epidemiological studies on cataract and age-related macular degeneration Ophthalmic Research 44, 191-198.

 Kelly S P, Thornton J, Lyratzopoulos G, Edwards R and Mitchell P (2004) Smoking and blindness, Strong evidence for the link, but public awareness lags BMJ  328(7439), 537–538.

 Kelly S P, Thornton J, Edwards R, Sahu A . Harrison R (2005) Smoking and cataract: Review of causal association. Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery 3, 2395-404

·         Lawrencson J G and Evans J. R (2013) Advice about diet and Smokingfor prople with or at risk of age-related macular degeneration:a crosssectionsal survey of eye care professionals in the UK BMC Public Health  13:564 

·         Neuner, B., Wellmann, J., Dasch, B., Dietzel, M., Farwick, A., Stoll, M., Pauleikhoff, D. & Hense, H. W., (2008) LOC387715, smoking and their prognostic impact on visual functional status in age-related macular degeneration - The Muenster Aging and Retina Study (MARS) cohort Ophthalmic Epidemiology 15, 148-154.

·         Parkin P (2009) Managing Change in Healthcare using action research Sage, London.

·         The College of Optometrists (2011) Britain’s Eye Health in Focus a study of consumer attitudes and behaviours towards eye health RCOpt, London.

·         Thornton, J., Edwards, R., Mitchell, P., Harrison, R. A., Buchan, I. & Kelly, S. P. (2005) Smoking and age-related macular degeneration: a reviewof association Eye 19 935-944. 

Short CVs of project team

    Liz Greenwood (Optometric Advisor, North Yorkshire and Humber Area Team of NHS England);  Liz Greenwood is an independent optometrist in Hull with an interest in promoting eye health and preventing visual impairment. She has studied an MSC module in ophthalmic public health and leadership and is a trained facilitator and mentor. She is the caretaker chair for the Local Eye Health Network which is working to develop integrated eye care services with an emphasis on maintaining healthy eyes and developing community services. She works nationally as an optical lead for the Local Optical Committee Support Unit (LOCSU) supporting Local Optical Committees to develop enhanced eye care services in the community. Liz was responsible for the first public health promotion in the Hull and East Yorks area devoted purely to eyes during eye health week in 2012 when the lack of knowledge on the link between eyes and smoking was highlighted.

                     Janet McDougall (Public Health Lead East Riding of Yorkshire Council)

      Qualifications: MSc (Healthcare Improvement and Leadership), BSc Health Studies, Registered Nurse (Mental Health) Commenced involvement in Public Health in 1999, investigating the promotion of mental health in older people. Went on to lead up a pre retirement pilot funded through the department of health ( one of 6 national pilots), this early work influenced the now NHS Health Check programme. Currently lead on the promotion of Older People's Health. Key areas of work involve Dementia awareness, Falls prevention, Reducing alcohol misuse in the ERY. Other areas include seasonal FLU raising public awareness and improving the take up among social care staff. 

Yvonne Needham (Senior Lecturer Faculty of Health and Social Care Hull University)

·         Qualifications: MSc Ophthalmic Nursing Practice  BSC (HONS) Nursing with Education Registered Nurse (General) Registered Practice Teacher. Yvonne is an Ophthalmic nurse with an interest in Public health. She sits on the eye health forum at the Department of Health ,is a member of the Vision 2020 public health group and a member of the Ophthalmic Clinical Council though her work with the RCN Ophthalmic Nursing Forum. Yvonne has had research grants to develop reusable learning objects to support inter-professional learning and a Faculty  research fellowship to undertake research in nursing homes to develop staffs knowledge to support the eye care of Clients .

New publication in Christian Bioethics

Peter Draper has co-authored:

Draper P, McSherry W (2013) Making windows into men's souls: ethical perspectives on spiritual assessment in nursing  Christian Bioethics 19, 270-281

Publication by Nicola Credland

Nicola Creland

Nicola Credland has published:

Credland N (2013) Interpreting the Full Blood Count Dermatological Nursing 12:4 34-38

Dermatological Nursing is the journal of the British Dermatological Nursing Group.

Special issue of the Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology

A special issue of the Journal of Reproductive and infant Psychology has been edited and contributed to by colleagues in the Faculty of Health and Social Care and the Humber NHS Foundation Trust.  The papers in this issue were delivered at the recent conference of the Society Reproduction and Infant Psychology held in Hull.

New paper in Perspectives in Psychiatric Care

Jacquie White is lead author on: 

Jacquie White

White J, Hemingway S, Stephenson J (2013) Training Mental Health Nurses to Assess the Physical Health Needs of Mental Health Service Users: A Pre- and Post-test Analysis Perspectives in Psychiatric Care DOI:10.1111/ppc.12048 (article first published online 25 November 2013)

Faculty Learning and Teaching workshop

The Faculty held a Learning and Teaching workshop on 22 November 2013. The workshop, attended by eight colleagues, was one in a series of events promoting the scholarship of learning and teaching in the Faculty.

The focus of the workshop was student engagement and student centred approaches.  Colleagues explored their own and others' experiences of promoting student engagement, sharing both problems and strategies for successful teaching. We then related our experiences to learning theories before discussing interdisciplinary examples of teaching at the cutting edge of practice.

Peter Draper

The workshop was facilitated by two of the University's National Teaching Fellows, Dr Peter Draper, Academic Lead for Staff Development (FHSC), and Dr Graham Scott, Deputy Head, Department of Biological, Biomedical and Environmental Sciences.

Graham Scott

  

The next event in the learning and teaching series will be a seminar by Dr John Unsworth of Northumbria University on the 6th of December who will present on 'Transforming the Assessment of Practice in Nursing'. This will be followed on 25th of February by Professor Phil Keeley (Manchester University) will give a paper entitled 'Seeking Recognition and Reward for Teaching and                                                 Learning'.

The workshops and seminars are supported by a grant from
the Higher EducationAcademy.

New midwifery publication

Catriona Jones

Catriona Jones, Julie Jomeen and Ola Ogbuehi have published:

Julie Jomeen

Jones C, Jomeen J, Ogbuehi O (2013) A preliminary survey of the use of complementary and alternative medicines in childbearing women Evidence Based Midwifery 11(4): 128 – 131

Olanma Ogubuehi

Thanks to Janet Kelly

Dr Janet Kelly has stepped down as Chair of our Faculty Ethics committee.

She is pictured here receiving a bouquet of flowers in thanks for her years of service.  The committee will now be chaired by Dr Judith Dyson and has some new members, including one of our PhD students Tzu-Pei Yeh from Taiwan.

Hull articles in The Practising Midwife

Hull midwives Professor Julie Jomeen and former student Cara Mumby have had pieces published in the November issue of The Practising Midwife.

Julie Jomeen

Julie's piece entiled 'Maternity: a world of differences' is about the UN Population Fund report The state of the world's midwifery.

Cara's piece is a report entitles 'Uganda placements' is a report of her visit to Mbarara Hospital in Uganda.  Cara is a newly qualified midwife 

Profile: Mike Parker

Mike Parker, Lecturer in Clinical Nursing 

This week Mike completed the Advanced Trauma Nursing Course (ATNC)/Advanced Trauma Life Support Course (ATLS)  in association with the Royal College of Surgeons of England and the American College of Surgeons. The course candidates are doctors and nurses of a senior level working in trauma care.

Mike obtained 93% in his written exam and received an outstanding performance in his OSCE and was consequently nominated for Instructorship. He will have to complete the Royal College of Surgeons of England Instructor Course and teach on one course as an Instructor Candidate after which he will be able to register as an ATNC Instructor.


Of his recent success, Mike says:

"It is a real privilege to be asked and I am delighted. I now have the 'hat trick' in terms of instructorship as I am a Resuscitation Council (UK) instructor for Adult and Paediatric Advanced Life Support and once I have completed the ATNC/ATLS as an Instructor Candidate I will also be a Trauma Instructor.:

Free access to Journal of Clinical Nursing papers edited by Mark Hayter

Mark Hayter

Free access to all the papers in the Journal of Clinical Nursing Sexual Health special issue edited by Professor Mark Hayter (University of Hull) and  Professor Alice Loke (Hong Kong Polytechnic University)

New publications by Professor Julie Jomeen

Julie Jomeen has co-authored:

Julie Jomeen

Walsh J, Hepper EG, Bagge SR, *Wadephul F, Jomeen J (2013) Maternal-fetal relationships and psychological health: emerging research directions Journal of reproductive and infant psychology 

DOI: 10.1080/02646838.2013.834311

 

Jomeen J, Glover L, Jones C, Garg D, Marshall C (2013)

 Assessing women’s perinatal psychological health: exploring the experiences of health visitors Journal of reproductive and infant psychology DOI:10.1080/02646838.2013.83503

Alderdics F, Ayers S, Darwin Z, Green J, Jomeen J, Kenyon S, Martin CR, Morrell J, Neham JJ, Redshaw M, Savage-McGlynn E, Walsh J (2013) Measuring psychological health in the perinatal period workshop consensus statement, 19 March 2013 Journal of reproductive and infant psychology DOI:10.1080/02646838.2013.835039

* Fran Wadephul is one of our PhD students

New publications by Professor Mark Hayter

Mark Hayter has published:

Hayter M, Haigh C, Jackson D (2013) Editorial: Representations of sexuality: a snapshot of 5 years of scholarship in Journal of Clinical Nursing. Journal of Clinical Nursing 22, 3237-3238

Mark Hayter

Farrag S, Hayter M (2013) A qualitative study of Egyptian school nurses' attitudes and experiences toward sex and relationship education The Journal of School Nursing doi:1177/1059840513506941

European Academy of Caring Science (EACS) virtual meeting at Hull

Colleagues at Hull met today with their partners from Bournemouth, Brighton, Aarhus, Boras, Linnaeus, Uppsala and Cyprus at a teleconference of The European Academy of Caring Science (EACS).

Hull colleagues participate in EACS teleconference

EACS is a collaboration of member institutions with the collective intention of taking forward research in caring science from a European perspective. The Academy affords an opportunity to work together as individuals or in groups under the auspices of the founding organisations with the aim of generating skills, values and beliefs in a concentrated effort to improve health and social care provision. The next meeting will be held at Hull University in February 2014. 

Jackie Hutchinson (Left in picture) and Mike Parker (2nd from right) have just returned from a related visit to Boras University on Sweden; details of the visit can be found and comments left at this link.

Publications on Telehealth and Dementia

Mark Gretton has published: The INDEPENDENT project: using technology to integrate health, social and third sector care which can be found in ALIP - Telecare eNewsletter October 2013 - 8th anniversary edition 

Mark Gretton

and co-authored:

Lazenby B, Gretton M (2013) Remember Me: nurse education Journal of Dementia Care 21:6, 2-4

Belinda Lazenby introduces her play about the relationship between an older women who develops dementia and her granddaughter – and Mark Gretton explains how the play is helping student nurses better understand dementia.

New publication on midwifery education

Julie Jomeen has co-authored:

Professor Julie Jomeen

Sidebotham M, Jomeen J, Gamble J (2013) Teaching evidence based practice and research through blended learning to undergraduate midwifery students from a practice based perspective Nurse Education in Practice (corrected proof online)

Hull midwife shortlisted for prize

A DVD on Supervision made by Julie Flint has been shortlisted for the Royal College  of Midwives Annual Midwifery award.  Julie will visit the RCM on Friday 29^th November 2013 to make a presentation in support of her entry.

New publication by Jacquie White

Jacquie White

Jacquie White has co-authored:

Fox C, Maidment I, Moniz-Cook E, White J, Rene Thyrian J, Young J, Katona C, Chew-Graham CA (2013) Optimising primary care for people with dementia Mental Health in Primary Medicine 10, 143-151

Mary Seacole Award - end of project award

Dr Gloria Likupe's success in winning a Mary Seacole award was reported previously and on 24 October 2013 Gloria was presented with a successful  completion project certificate at the RCN office in London for her project 'A communication Model between Health Care Workers and Ethnic Minority Elders'.  The certificates were presented by Dean Royles, Chief Executive, NHS Employers and Jane Cummings, Chief Nursing Officer England. 

Dean Royles, Chief Executive, NHS Employers, Gloria
and Jane Cummings, Chief Nursing Officer England. 

Dr Gloria Likupe

Reflecting on the award, Gloria says:

Winning the Mary Seacole Leadership Award has been a highlight in my career. I have always had ideas on how I could influence the health care of people who may be disadvantaged in society and the Mary seacole award has started me on a journey to do this.  The Project I am working on concerns the exploration of communication processes between Health Care Works and Ethnic Minority Elders. From this exploration I have proposed a Communication Model which can be used by health care workers to enhance the care of ethnic minority elders and in so doing maintain their dignity. The project has also identified issues on training of health care workers in communication to enable them to provide culturally competent care.  I have already presented part of the project at the UK Phi Mu Chapter Inaugural Conference in Bournemouth. Other presentations and journal articles are planned.  The Mary Seacole award has enabled me to network with health care and social care providers and to hear, first hand, their views on communication.  I have developed my leadership skills and feel more energised to be a diversity champion generally and for older people in particular.

Erasmus Mobility Exchange - Hull and Borås

Members of staff Mike Parker and Jacqueline Hutchison (Faculty of Health and Social Care: Department of Nursing) are travelling to Borås Sweden on Saturday 26th October for 8 days on an Erasmus Mobility Staff Exchange. They have designed a website and they will be updating this and providing blogs on a daily basis; please feel free to interact with the website and 'blog them'! The purpose of the visit is to teach on the Post Registration - Ambulance Nursing Course and work in their respective clinical fields.

Mike will be working a shift with the Paramedic Ambulance Nurses in Borås and spending time in the Emergency Department and Level 1 Trauma Centre at Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg. Jackie will be working in the Intensive Care Unit at Borås hospital and collaboratively with academic staff at the University of  Borås in the Dedicated Educational Unit;  Life World, (Södra Älvsborg Hospital, Borås). Information on the visit is on the University of Boras website.

Pictures from 2013 40th Annual meeting of the American Academy of Nursing Washinton DC October 17-19

Rita Pickler (JAN Editor) with
Mark & Roger

Mark's picture on wall of fame

Sally Chan with Roger

Sally Chan with her sponsors

Sally with husband
Bing Shu Chen
and Roger

From L-R: Rob Fasy (UCLA), Mark,
Sally Chan
Courtney Lyder (UCLA)
and Roger

Mark at the US Capitol

Visiting students from Singapore

Joseph Tan and Rachel Goon from Nanyang Polytehnic in Singapore had this to say after their visit to Hull:

Joseph and Rachel

We would also like to send you our sincere appreciation for the kind hospitality Hull Royal Infirmary, University of Hull and yourself have shown us during our 6 weeks placement in UK. This invaluable placement in UK have benefited us both tremendously as nurses and served to widen our horizons in the field of nursing in the UK. In the process we have both made some good friends at the hospitals as well as wit some students from Hull university; and have enjoyed ourselves during our tours around the country. 

Rachel and Jospeh
with Dr Jeremy Jolley

Once again I like to extend our warmest appreciation to you and the university of hull for offering us this wonderful experience. We hope that Hull university would continue to support NanYang Polytechnic for future student placements in the years ahead.

New chapter co-authored by Professor Kate Galvin

Professor Kate Galvin has co-authored:

Galvin K.T. & Todres L. (2012)  The Creativity of Unspecialization: A Contemplative Direction for Integrative Scholarly Practice. In: Friesen, N. Henriksson & Saevi, T (Eds.) Hermeneutic Phenomenology in Education: Method and Practice. pp.107- 118. Rotterdam. Sense Publishers.

Publication for World Mental Health Day

Jacquie White an Esme Moniz-Cook have published:

Jacquie White

Fox, C. Maidment, I. Monez-Cook, E. White, J. Thyrian, J.R. Young, J. Kationa, C. Chew-Graham, C.A. (2013) Optimising primary care for dementia Mental Health in Family Medicine 10, 143-51

Esme Moniz-Cook

Recent publications by Roger Watson

Some recent publications by Roger Watson:

Akansel N, Watson R, Aydin N, Özdemir A (2013) Mokken scaling of the CaringDimensions Inventory Journal of Clinical Nursing 22, 1818-1826

Cleary M, Jackson D, Watson R, Chan SW-C (2012) Qualitydoctoral programmes: views from the East Asian Forum of Nursing Scholars Journal of Clinical Nursing 22, 1198-1200

Kelly J, Fealy G, Watson R (2013) Legitimacy in legacy: a discussion of historical scholarship publishedin the Journal of Advanced Nursing,1976-2011 Journal of Advanced Nursing 69, 1881-1894

Lin Y-P, Watson R, Tsai Y-F (2013) Dignity in care in the clinical setting: a narrative review Nursing Ethics 20, 168-177

For offprints please email Roger Watson

Pioneering feeding tube reaches awards finals

PRESS RELEASE – 01/10/13

Pioneering feeding tube reaches awards finals

A novel feeding tube that signals when it has been correctly inserted into the stomach has reached the final stages of two innovation competitions. It is hoped that the new device, which was devised and developed at the University of Hull, will help improve the safety and ease of tube feeding for all patients.

Feeding tubes (also called nasogastric tubes) fulfil an essential role by allowing food and medication to be administered to patients who cannot eat or drink normally by mouth. As well as being commonplace on hospital wards, nasogastric tubes are used at home by the carers of children and people with illnesses or disabilities. They are also used routinely for all patients having abdominal surgery in order to drain the stomach and improve patient safety.

As the name suggests, nasogastric tubes must be inserted through the nose, down the oesophagus and into the stomach. However, there is currently no entirely fail-safe method of ensuring that the tubes have been inserted correctly, and the misplacement of tubes can lead to serious and sometimes fatal consequences.

Barbara Elliott, Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Health and Social Care at the University of Hull, felt certain that something could be done to improve the procedure.

“When I was a practicing nurse and Ward Sister, inserting nasogastric tubes was something I did regularly,” she said. “However, making sure the tube was positioned in the right place was problematic, as there is potential for the tube to be inserted into the lungs, or for it not to be inserted far enough into the stomach.

“The new feeding tube is designed to provide a signal once it is correctly positioned. When the tip comes into contact with stomach acid, a tiny current is generated which travels back up the tube and is detected on a handheld device, about the size of a mobile phone. This device can then be removed, allowing food to be administered.”

The tube is the result of collaboration between academic faculties across the University of Hull, the Knowledge Exchange and clinical colleagues. The project has been funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Invention for Innovation (i4i) Programme.

The team at the University of Hull also sought feedback from the users of feeding tubes, to help them with their design. “We had originally planned for the detector to be credit-card sized,” said Barbara, “but parents told us that they would much rather have something a little bit bigger, similar to a mobile phone or TV remote, which was easy to carry but less likely to get lost.”

The feeding tube has reached the final five for the Universal Biotech Innovation Prize, beating around 200 other contenders from across Europe.

The project has also been recognised more locally, reaching the final five in ‘Medical Devices’ category of the Medipex NHS Innovation Awards. This award, which covers Yorkshire and the East Midlands, aims to identify inventions that could lead to improvements in patient care and could be scaled up for wider implementation across the NHS.

The winners of both awards are due to be announced at ceremonies in the coming weeks.

Robert Singh, Commercial Development Officer at the University of Hull Enterprise Centre, said:

“The feeding tube is the result of true collaboration and hard work by colleagues across the University and we are delighted to reach the final stages of two such significant awards.

“Medical device development is particularly strong at the University of Hull and we hope to see these ideas translated into tangible benefits for patients in the near future.”

The team hope to begin trialling the new feeding tube in patients within the next 18 months.

-ENDS-

For media enquiries, please contact Nina Beadle on 01482 465268
Notes to Editors

The misplacement of a nasogastric tube which is not quickly detected and corrected is classed as an NHS ‘never-event’; meaning it is an event that is considered unacceptable and preventable.

The current recommended method of testing positioning is to use the tube to suck up a small sample of fluid from inside the body and test its pH using indicator paper. Tubes that are correctly inserted into the stomach should give a clear result using this test, as the fluid in the stomach is very acidic. In the event of an uncertain result, clinicians are recommended to use an X-ray to make sure of the correct positioning.

About the University of Hull

Inspired in Hull - The University of Hull has a long heritage of academic excellence. It was England’s 14^th university when it was established in 1927 and received its Royal Charter in 1954. Its inspiring history includes major research in health, business, social sciences, the performing arts and science. Liquid crystal display (LCD) technology was developed in Hull and now underpins most mobile and computer screens.

Still inspiring today - The University has more than 20,000 students across two picturesque campuses in Hull and Scarborough. A vibrant and ambitious institution, recognised for excellent teaching, student experience and graduate employability, as well as first-class research and enterprise.

To find out more about how you could be inspired in Hull visit: Twitter  & Facebook

The University of Hull has launched iHull, a mobile application that gives students and visitors access to a range of information about studying at the University. The app is available for iPhone/iPad, Android™ devices and as mobile web pages. You can download the app.

About the National Institute for Health Research

The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) is funded by the Department of Health to improve the health and wealth of the nation through research. Since its establishment in April 2006, the NIHR has transformed research in the NHS. It has increased the volume of applied health research for the benefit of patients and the public, driven faster translation of basic science discoveries into tangible benefits for patients and the economy, and developed and supported the people who conduct and contribute to applied health research. The NIHR plays a key role in the Government’s strategy for economic growth, attracting investment by the life-sciences industries through its world-class infrastructure for health research. Together, the NIHR people, programmes, centres of excellence and systems represent the most integrated health research system in the world. For further information, visit the NIHR website.

Parveen Ali: new publication and other news

Parveen Ali has published:

Parveen Ali

Ali PA, Naylor PB (2013)  Intimate partner violence: a narrative review of the feminist, social and ecological explanations for its causation Aggression and Violent Behaviour

Parveen was also awarded status as a recognised nurse teacher by the Nursing & MIdwifery Council

Some recent publications

Judith Dyson was first author on:

'Development of a theory-based instrument to identify barriers and levers to best hand hygiene practice among healthcare practitioners' with Lawton R, Jackson C, Cheater F (2013) in Implementation Science




Nicki Morton (2013) authored: Non-invasive ventilation in COPD exacerbations' in Nursing Times 109:36 18-21

New publication on perinatal mental illness

Julie Jomeen

Catriona Jones

Catriona Jones

Julie Jomeen & Mark Hayter

Mark Hayter

have just published: The impact of peer support in the context of perinatal mental illness: A meta-ethnography in Midwifery

Catriona says:

This paper, published in Midwifery, reports on the findings of a systematic review and meta-ethnography on the impact of peer support on perinatal mental illness (PMI).  PMI is now acknowledged as an important global health problem, with levels of post natal depression (PND) affecting 3-25% of new mothers.  The incidence of PND is matched by that of antenatal depression.  Several quantitative studies have attempted to measure the impact of peer support for PMI; however, this approach has provided mixed evidence of efficacy.  There isa growing number of qualitative studies on this issue; hence Julie, Mark and I recognised an urgent need to bring them together and synthesise the key messages for practice. 

This qualitative synthesis not only illustrates the positive impact that access to the right type of support can have on recovery and women’s health, it also demonstrates the powerful effects of isolation, the attitudes of others, and the harmful effects of societal views of the “good mother”.

We began work on the review in March 2012.  One member of the team was relatively new to the Faculty, and two team members were new to the process of meta-ethnography; a collection of novices you might say.  Whilst the project itself has taken approximately 18 months to complete, the 'man-hours' spent dedicated to it, from the development of the review protocol through to final corrections, probably amounts to approximately 24 - 36 hours in total.  Thus highlighting that what appears to be a long drawn out process to the individuals involved is not as lengthy as it seems!  Personally, I can say that this was a huge learning curve for me, and I was well supported by the other members of the team throughout.  It was extremely rewarding, and it demonstrates that the use of fanciful and often intimidating research language such as 'undertaking a meta-ethnography' should not put people off.  Like everything in life, you just need to know that you are part of a team, and no matter how huge the task ahead may seem, it just needs to be broken down into 'bite size' chunks.