I N S I D E T H I S

I S S U E :

Children in Need 2

Emotional

Freedom

Techniques

3

Paramedic

Training

4

Endurance

Challenge

Success

5

Psychology

News

6

SWAPH

Lunchtime

Seminar Series

7

Q Methodology 9

Publications & Conferences

10

FAC ULTY

O F H EA LT H

S CI EN C ES

ealth Matters Decembe r 2014 I S S U E 3 1

NEW STAFF

Sophie Finnerty joined us on 24th November as a Lecturer in Midwifery based at Blackheath Lane.

Welcome to December's Edition

of Health Matters.

Another year is nearly over and it has been another exciting but challenging year.

There have been many individual, team and Faculty successes, much of which have been recorded in this, and previous Health Matters.

You will, I am sure, be aware of our challenges and the importance of working

together effectively to continue to achieve our goals. A key focus for the coming

year, in line with the wider University, is student recruitment, retention, experience, attainment and employability. This is detailed in our Smarter Futures

document, circulated recently by our Vice Chancellor, which outlines how we will develop. I encourage you to read this document and to discuss in your teams. In

connection with Smarter Futures we are looking forward to 2015 when we will:

Develop a focussed 1 page Faculty plan which you will all have the

opportunity to contribute to.

Begin our investment of £3 million in our new Centres of Excellence in

Health Care Education in Stafford and Shrewsbury. Further opportunities to contribute to the promotion and marketing activity to support these will

be circulated shortly. Eagerly anticipate our REF results, and are hopeful

that this will show an improvement on our results in RAE 2008 and reflect the excellent and innovative research we have across the Faculty.

I am well aware of our significant challenges. But I am heartened by the way we

have responded to date. The positive responses by staff in the Faculty to our challenges, has, I can assure you, been noted by the University Executive.

Finally, on a personal note I would like to reiterate how much I appreciate all the hard work you have done and all the success you have achieved. And may I take

this opportunity to wish you all an enjoyable seasonal break and a happy new year, and look forward to working with you all and achieving further successes in

2015. Nigel Thomas

Dean

H

ealth M

att

ers

P A G E 2

Many members of staff and students of the Faculty of Health

Sciences based at Blackheath Lane and Shrewsbury took part in activities on the 14th November in aid of Children in Need.

Members of staff wore onesies and fancy dress for the work day and carried out their normal work activities which included

amongst others meeting and greeting students and visitors while

working on reception and delivering lectures.

A big thank you to everyone who took part and also donated to

the great cause of Children in Need.

Students attended their lectures in fancy dress and

onesies while four first year student nurses, Jade Buffham, Lize Goodwin, Emma Kirr and Lorraine

Seal-Yates volunteered and were interviewed live for Radio Shropshire along with lecturer Jayne Evans.

Staff and students at Shrewsbury also took part in a lunch time Zumba dance class.

P A G E 3

Angela Carryer and Dr Liz Boath working in

collaboration with Personnel, carried out a session on EFT for stress reduction for National

Stress Awareness Day on 5th November.

As one participant said...'That was fantastic, I

feel so calm and relaxed now. I will definitely use EFT in future'.

NEW CONSULTANCY WORK Bristol Care Homes (http://www.bristolcarehomes.co.uk/) is a small group of high-quality homes which has recently moved into the field of dementia care. On 10th and 11th of November, Dr Peter Kevern and Adam

Boughey (shown here with Professor Wilf McSherry, who is advising on the project) undertook a two-day

consultancy visit to review and advise on their dementia care provision. This is intended to be the first step in a developing relationship which will draw on a range of staff through the Research Group in Ageing, Health and

Social Care.

Pictured: Adam, Wilf and Peter during preparations for the review

Tapping away exam stress in Distance Learning students using Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT)

Anne Wright, Professor Tony Stewart and Dr Liz Boath have successfully obtained funding from the Vice Chancellors Small Projects Grant. Building on previous successes with EFT in reducing presentation anxiety and

enhancing academic performance, the ‘Tapping Team’ now aim to develop a video aimed at using EFT to reduce

exam stress in distance learning students. Dr Elizabeth Boath

P A G E 4

Every year Paramedic Students from Staffordshire University experience some of the most realistic training scenarios at the West Midlands Fire Service Safeside at Eastside location in Birmingham. Within this controlled environ-ment, students are required to answer radio calls to various mock incidents within the extremely realistic recreated “village” environment. They responded to “emergency calls” (planned and hosted by Paramedic University Lecturers and operational ambulance paramedics) in such environments as the top deck of a bus, train tracks, a top floor bedroom, a shop, a dark alleyway, a police station and a pedestrian crossing. The mock incidents often include such things as cardiac arrests, spinal injuries, assaults, heart attacks, and a car crash. Although understandably tired at the end of an extremely intensive day of training, students have been extremely positive about what they have learned and the realism of the whole exercise. “Being able to train in such an extremely realistic environment is of great

importance for the professional development of students. It allows them to

potentially get it wrong in a controlled environment, and to really learn from the

whole experience before being independent in practice”.

Mark Garratt

P A G E 5

Sports Therapy lecturer completes endurance challenge for charity

In October’s edition of Health Matters we reported that Sports Therapy lecturer, Brendon Skin-ner, was attempting the 10km Winter Wolf Run at Stanford Hall in Leicestershire to help raise money for the World Child Cancer charity.

Brendon has since completed this challenge which saw him tackle five river crossings, six mud pits and swamps, two mud pit tunnels and a 50m water slide contained with the 10km run. Brendon said “This is the first time I have taken on a challenge of this nature and have been overwhelmed by the support offered. It’s been a great event to take part in, and one I would recommend anybody to try…. So long as you don’t mind getting cold, wet and completely covered in mud”.

To this point, Brendon has helped to raise £380 for World Child Cancer, and would like to thank

everybody who has kindly and generously donated during this process. If you would like to

support Brendon in helping to raise money for World Child Cancer you can donate until 1st

February 2015 via the just giving page at https://www.justgiving.com/Brendon-and-Vicky-

Skinner/

Congratulations

Dr Keira Flett, Dr Angela Fletton and Dr Claire Bourne who have passed their Professional Doctorate in Health Psychology vivas!

Dr Helen Combes and Dr Ken McFadyen on completing their Masters in Education at Staffordshire University.

P A G E 6

Psychology News

Mel Hall and Dr Claire Barlow recently gave a Workshop for Further Education Students from Stoke-on-Trent College about studying Psychology at Staffordshire University.

Dr Helen Combes has been awarded a small grant

to look into developing teaching materials which present the diversity of views on the nine pro-

tected characteristics contained within the Equali-ty act.

In his role as Chairperson of the LGBT Staff Network, Dr

Ken McFadyen from Clinical Psychology was interviewed on BBC Radio Stoke about the fluctuations in homophobic

crime statistics.

He discussed the difficulties in reporting and recording of

hate crimes stating that 67% of these type of crimes were not reported, and of those that are, 60% are not recorded

as homophobic incidents.

Professor David Clark-Carter was featured on the Perry Spiller show on BBC Radio Stoke

on Friday 28th November discussing the “Black Friday” sales phenomenon in the UK. Listen via http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02bq80m (From 2:07:10)

After a request from Stoke-on

-Trent College asking whether

their students could have a

“Post 16 HE Activity Day” with

Psychology or Policing, Claire

Barlow and Mel Hall ran a

workshop for some of the

BTEC Public Services students

from the College about

studying Psychology at

Staffordshire University.

In the session, they talked about the Psychology undergraduate degrees as well as running interactive activities on

children’s drawing development and jury decision making.

School of Social Work, Allied & Public Health Social Work & Social Welfare Team

Lunchtime Seminar Series 2014-2015 Following a successful seminar series last year (2013-1014), the Social Work & Social Welfare team wish to continue sharing their research and advanced scholarly activity with the wider Faculty staff and students

Date Speaker Topic

17/12/2014

Richard Machin

Early Impact of the “Bedroom Tax” on Tenants in North Staffordshire – a pilot

study (BG45)

28/01/2015

Stephanie Jones

Empowering Families in Care Proceedings (BG45)

25/02/2015

Jessica Wagner

Breaking the Cycle of Domestic Abuse (BG46)

11/03/2015

Fern Basnett

Laura Newman Alan Kemp

Going Full Circle, Care Leaver to Social Worker - Exploring the Myths

(BG46)

20/05/2015

Bob Banks

The National Student Survey (NSS):

The Student Voice? (BG45)

All seminars will take place at 13.00 – 13.30 All staff and students of the Faculty of Health Sciences are welcome to attend. The seminars are also open to Health and Social Care practitioners, so please forward this to anyone of your contacts/partners who might be interested. Lunch / refreshments will not be provided, but you are welcome to bring your lunch/drink.

For any queries please contact:

Dr Anna Tsaroucha t: 01782-294260 e: a.tsaroucha@staffs.ac.uk

Blackheath Lane Lunchtime Seminars 2015

An initiative to share the research and advanced scholarly activity of Nursing, Midwifery and SWAPH staff with the wider Faculty staff and students

as well as with Health and Social Care Practitioners

Date Speaker Topic

21/01/2015 Lesley Hayes Self-neglect in adults (BL045)

25/02/2015

Dr Peter Kevern

Empowering older people in care settings: some comparative case studies from a European project (BL045)

25/03/2015

Barry Wardle

The effect of gender role on Nursing Mentor’s expectations of student nurse attributes (BL045)

22/04/2015

Dr Edward Tolhurst

The perspectives of dementia carers: navigating the dimensions of focus group data (BL045)

06/05/2015

Paul Anthony

Student perceptions of service user and carer involvement in pre-registration nurse education (BL045)

03/06/2015

Tina Fanneran

A critical analysis of adult safeguarding practices in NHS mental health services: implications for practice and service provision (BL046)

Seminars will take place at 13.00 – 13.30

All staff and students of the Faculty of Health Sciences are welcome to attend. The seminars are also open to Health and Social Care practitioners, so please forward this to anyone of your contacts/partners who might be interested. Lunch / refreshments will not be provided, but you are

welcome to bring your lunch/drink.

For any queries please contact:

Dr. Anna Tsaroucha t: 01782-294260 e: a.tsaroucha@staffs.ac.uk

Dr Helen Combes has been using Q methodology for over 15 years to examine peoples’ views and

opinions on a range of subject matter, especially in relation to mental health and psychological wellbeing. The methodology was developed by a psychologist (William Stephenson) in the 1930’s-

50’s who endeavoured to overturn psychological thinking about what we should be measuring in psychological research. Stephenson believed that we should be most interested in the individual’s

relationship with his or her world and how our opinions (or subjectivities) change across contexts.

Q methodology enables the researcher to ascribe a number to our subjective viewpoints and enables

the researcher to compare and contrast individual and collective opinions on a subject matter. Dr Combes’s research has looked the values of people with learning difficulties and their circles of

support. Her supervised research projects using Q include: multi-professional views on the causes of depression and bi-polar disorder, the different understandings of Muslim women about post-natal

depression, and understanding the sexuality of people with learning disabilities.

If you are a student, researcher or lecturer interested in varied opinions across populations and

within individuals why not learn about Q and join us for debates and discussions about the methodology? Contact Helen for more detail on H.A.Combes@staffs.ac.uk

P A G E 9

Q Methodology

“Dr Martin Turner presented at the first ever FA

Futsal conference on the 22nd of November. Martin was invited to speak about his work as

lead sport psychologist for the England Futsal Team.

He talked to coaches and practitioners about helping players to deal with pressure, applying

research on challenge and threat states in athletes developed with colleagues at Stafford-

shire University”.

“Dr Martin Turner presented at a BPS

event “Psychologist in the Pub” on the 13th of November. Martin was invited

to talk about this research applying Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy

with Athletes.

He spoke to a group of keen

psychologists and sport enthusiasts at T h e G r a i n S t o r e p u b i n

Wolverhampton”.

P A G E 1 0

Kerri Thomas

Faculty of Health Sciences, Staffordshire University

The Shrewsbury & Telford Hospital NHS Trust

Mytton Oak Road, Shrewsbury, Shropshire. SY3 8XQ

Tel: 01743 261136 Email: k.thomas@staffs.ac.uk

Health Matters Contact Details

Publications

Deadline

for Next Edition:

23rd December 2014

Unnithan, V. Invited KEYNOTE Speaker: British Society of Surgery in Cerebral Palsy: Exercise Evaluation of the

Child with Spastic Cerebral Palsy: From Lab to Classroom to Podium. Liverpool Cathedral, Liverpool, UK. November 2014.

Wright, A., Porteous, E., Boath, E. & Tsaroucha, A. (2014)

Asking the Oracle: a Delphi study to develop a new Advanced Accreditation Award (Triple A) in Money Advice Practice. Quarterly Accounts, 34, pp.13.

Peter Simcock, Senior Lecturer in Social Work (SWAPH) has been invited to join the British Association of Social

Workers (BASW), Social Work with Adults Reference Group. The BASW Social Work with Adults Reference Group consists of social work academics and practitioners, and serves to raise the profile of social work with adults within

the organisation and further afield.

The group responds to public consultations on adult social work issues, most recently responding to Lyn Romeo's

(Chief Social Worker for England) statement on the role of adult social workers at end of ASYE year.

Unnithan, V.B., Roche, D.M., Garrard, M., Holloway, K. and Marwood, S. Oxygen uptake kinetics in

trained adolescent females. In Press: European Journal of Applied Physiology. DOI: 10.1007/s00421-014-3005-8

Turner, M. J., & Barker. J. B. (2014). Examining the Effects of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) on

the Irrational Beliefs of Blue-Chip Professionals. Journal of Rational-Emotive & Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, 32, 4,

Turner, M. J., Jones, M. V., Sheffield, D., Barker, J. B., & Coffee, P. (2014). Manipulating cardiovascular indices of challenge and threat states using resource appraisals. International Journal of Psychophysiology, 94, 9-

18.

Turner. M. J. (2014). Tipping the balance: Psychological preparation for Futsal players. Presented at The FA

Licensed Coaches Club National Futsal Conference 22nd November 2014.

Turner, M. J. (2014). It’s Not a Tragedy, it’s Sport: Using Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy to Help Athletes to Think Smart. Presented at the BPS Psychologist in the Pub on Thursday 13th of November

Turner, M. J., Barker, J. B. & Harwood, C. G. (2014). “I can’t stand losing!”: A workshop on the use of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) with athletes. Presented at the annual Association for Applied Sport Psychology

conference on 18th October 18 2014.

Turner, M. J., & Barker, J. B. (2014). Tipping the balance: the mental skills handbook for athletes. UK: Bennion Kearny

Conference Presentations

Publications:

Book Chapter:

Tweed, A. & Priest, H. (2014). Grounded the-

ory. In P. Rohleder &

A. Lyons (Eds). Quali-tative research in clini-cal and health psychol-ogy. Basingstoke: Pal-

grave MacMillan

Journal Article:

Brett, P., Sorensen, J., & Priest, H. (2014). A

case-series evaluation of a brief, psycho-