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Megaphone Online

In this issue:• StudentsattendMHconference

• StaffpresentatTeaching&Learningevent

• Writingweekwinnersannounced

• Newstartersandleavers

July 2019

the voice of Health Sciences’ staff and students

New nursing curriculum approved

WearedelightedtoreportthatournewnursingcurriculumreceivedapprovalfromtheNursingandMidwiferyCouncilinJune,subjecttosomeminoramendmentsandwithseveralcommendations.

ProfessorKarlAtkin,HeadofDepartment,said:“Thisisanincredibleachievementofwhichcolleagues,andtheUniversity,canbejustifiablyproud.Thishasbeenagreatteameffortinvolvingstaff,studentsandserviceusers,whichwasclearlyreflectedontheday.Thisisanimpressiveandmuchdeservedoutcome.”

“Congratulationstoeveryoneinvolved.”

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Student News

Nursing student becomes Ambassador for Cancer Research

FirstyearundergraduatenursingstudentRebeccaReffoldhasbecomeanAmbassadorforCancerResearch.

Rebeccasays:“ForalongtimeIhavewantedtovolunteerinanareawhereIbelieveIcouldmakeagreatcontributionto,bothonaprofessionalandpersonallevel.Afterstudyingthemodule‘ProfessionalIdentity’whichIthoroughlyenjoyed,Ididsomefurtherresearchwhichsparkedmyinteresttolearnmoreaboutthepoliticssurroundingnursingandbecomeanadvocateforpatients,thenursingworkforceandthepublic.ThishasledmetotakeontheroleofanAmbassadorforCancerResearchUK.”

“Ibelievethisroleisgoingtoenhancemyknowledgegreatlyandgivememanyopportunitiesinthefuturetohaveavoiceandworkwiththelocalmediaandlocalpoliticianswithinmyconstituency,SelbyandAinsty.IhavealreadysecuredameetingwithmylocalMPatthisextremelydifficulttimepoliticallytodiscusstheShouldertoShouldercampaignwhichaddressesthekeyissueofemploymentwithinthehealthcareindustry,anopportunityIamverymuchlookingforwardto.”

PaulGaldas,ProfessorofNursingandDeputyHeadofDepartment(Nursing&Midwifery)said:“IamdelightedthatRebeccahasdecidedtobecomeanAmbassadorforCancerResearchUK.It’sanexcellentexampleoftheleadershippotentialweaimtofosterinallYorknursingstudents.RebeccawillbeusingherenthusiasmandcommitmenttobringCancerResearchUKcampaignstolife,influencingpoliticianstomakecancerapriority.WeareallreallylookingforwardtosupportingRebeccainthisexcitingrole.”

Cake sale raises funds for

MasterofPublicHealthstudentLucyFlatleyrecentlyheldacakebaketoraisemoneyforTheLullabyTrust.TheTrustraisesawarenessofsuddeninfantdeathsyndrome(SIDS),providesexpertadviceonsafersleepforbabiesandoffersemotionalsupportforbereavedfamilies.

Thankstodonationsfromstaffandstudents,Lucyraised£80.

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Student News

Students attend Future Mental Health Nurses Conference

ThirdyearmentalhealthnursingstudentLouYorkandfourthyearMentalHealthMNursingstudentMollyCroslandrecentlyattendedtheFutureMentalHealthNursesConferenceheldinEdinburgh.

Lousaid:“MyfriendMollyandIweregratefultowinaplaceattheFutureMentalHealthnursesconferenceinEdinburgh.Thedaywasfantastic,wemetmanyotherstudentnursesfromalldifferentbackgroundsandaspirations,heardthestoriesofpreviousserviceusersexplaininghowmuchtheyhadtransformedtheirlives,andheardfromtheDirectorofNursingofScotland.”

Shecontinued:“Weattendedatraumainformedcareworkshopintheafternoonwhichwasfantasticbecauseitreallygaveussomeinsightastowhatitmustbeliketolivewithtrauma,andhowweasnursescansupporttheseindividuals.Thedaywashighlybeneficialtomylearning,motivatingandvaluable.IwouldhighlyrecommendmentalhealthnursingstudentstoapplynextyearasIamsogratefultohavehadthisopportunity.”

Picture shows: left, Lou York and right, Molly Crosland.

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Student NewsPhD student attends 1st International Conference on the Mental Health & Wellbeing of Postgraduate Researchers

SarahMasefield,athirdyearHealthSciencesPhDstudent,wassupportedbytheUniversitytoattendthefirstInternationalConferenceontheMentalHealthandWellbeingofPostgraduateResearchersinBrighton(http://www.ukcge.ac.uk/article/mental-health-wellbeing-conference-blog-410.aspx).Sarahpresentedattheconferenceonthepeer-supportinitiative“HowtosurviveyourPhD(andenjoyit)”(https://www.york.ac.uk/research/graduate-school/support/survive-your-phd/)thatshefoundedattheUniversityofYork.

TheconferencewasrunbytheUniversitiesofSussexandPortsmouthinassociationwithNatureandthesupportoftheUKCouncilforGraduateEducation(http://www.ukcge.ac.uk/).Theyestablishedtheconference(whichwilltakeplaceagainnextyear)because:“there’sawell-worntropewhentalkingaboutdoctoralstudy–it’sallamatterofsurvival.Undertakingadoctorate,we’retold,isabattle.Abattlewon,notbythesmartest,butthemostresilient.Webelievethisviewisfundamentallywrongandit’stimeforustochangetheconversation.”AnarticlepublishedbyNaturetocorrespondwiththeconferenceprovidesmorebackgroundinformationontheissue(https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-019-01492-0).

Theconference,heldduringMentalHealthAwarenessWeek,broughttogetherover150academics,postgraduateresearchers(PGRs)andrepresentativesfromstudentsupportservicesandgraduateschoolsacrosstheworld.ThedelegatesattendedaseriesofpresentationsandworkshopstodiscussthechallengesexperiencedbyPGRsandhowresearchandsupportactivitiescanhelpreducetheriskofmentalill-healthandpoorwellbeingassociatedwiththePhDexperience.

SarahfoundedthePhDSurvivalprojectattheUniversityofYorkin2017,workingwithagroupofcurrentandrecentlygraduatedPGRsfromacrosstheUniversitytodevelopaguide,websiteandworkshopsfornewPGRs.TheaimwasforPGRstoshareinformationandtipsbetweenyeargroupsandfosterasenseofPGRcommunitywhichcouldhelptoreducePhD-relatedstressandmentalill-health.Sarahwroteablogfortheconferenceanddeliveredahalfhourpresentationtoaround40delegatesabouttheprojectandtheroleofpeer-to-peersupportinimprovingPGRwellbeing.Thepresentationwasverywellreceivedwithlotsofquestionsandsocialmediaactivity.SarahhasbeeninvitedtowriteanarticleforNature(publishedsoon).

SarahwassupportedtoattendbytheYorkGraduateResearchSchoolandResearchExcellenceTrainingTeam.ProfTomStonehamandDrKarenCleggarecontinuingtosupporttheprojectanditsexpansiontoincludeafurther3workshopsonfinishingyourPhDandsurvivingyourviva(25thJuly),survivingPhDfieldwork/datacollection(September),andsurvivingtheinternationalPGRexperience(November).ThemainPhDsurvivalworkshopswillrunagainon23rdOctober2019and5thFebruary2020.RegistrationisviaSkillsForge.PrintedcopiesoftheguidewillbeavailablefordistributiontonewPGRsinOctober.Ifyouhaveanyquestionsorwouldlikeacopyoftheguide,emailSarahMasefield(scm541@york.ac.uk).

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Teaching News

Shaping the future of Midwifery Education HelenRecchia,ProgrammeLeadforBA(Hons)Midwiferywrites:“TheMidwiferyEducationTeamrecentlyhostedanawarenesseventtoconsiderthedraftNursingandMidwiferyCouncil(NMC)standardsformidwiferyeducation.”

“Thisinformaleventwasanopportunitytoexplorethepotentialimpactofthestandardsonmidwiferyeducation,particularlyinrelationtotheformationofanewmidwiferycurriculumattheUniversityofYork.Inviteswerecirculatedtomidwives,studentmidwives,womenusingmaternityservicesandtrustrepresentatives.Theeventwasreallypositiveandenabledattendeestosharetheirthoughtsonthecontentofthefutureeducationstandards.”

Shecontinues:“ItissignificantforstudentmidwivestostayabreastwithcurrentchangestomidwiferyeducationandpracticeandthiswasanopportunitytoseektheiropinionsontheirfutureprofessionandalsoencouragethemtosubmittheirresponsesbeforetheconsultationclosedonMay9th.Itwaspleasingtoseesomanyofourstudentmidwivespresentattheevent.”

ForfurtherinformationinrelationtothedraftNMCmidwiferystandardspleasevisit:https://www.nmc.org.uk/standards/midwifery/education/

Lecturer presents at Royal College of Midwives Education Conference LecturerinMidwiferysecondeeStephMarriottpresentedaposterattheRCMeducationconferenceinBathinJune.Theposterwastitled:developingcommunicationskillsincomplexsocialsituationsforthirdyearundergraduatemidwiferystudents.

BetterStartBradford’spersonalisedmidwiferycareteam,whichprovidesmaternitycareintheareasidentifiedbytheBorninBradfordcohortstudyashavingthehighestlevelsofsocialdeprivationandpooresthealthoutcomesinthecity.

Theposterexploredhowthesecondmentofamidwifefromthis team to the midwifery education team has enhanced acomplexsocialsituationcommunicationworkshopfortheUniversity’sthirdyearstudentmidwives.

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Teaching News

Staff present at University of York Teaching and Learning Conference

Death and Disaster: Using Lego to explore complex real-world problems

BethHardywrites:“Humanshaveplayedgamesforcenturiesandmanygameshavebeendevelopedforlearning.JoRoseandIledaworkshopattherecentlearningandteachingconferenceaboutusingLegogamesasamechanismforlearning.”

“Relativelyrecentlythetheoryofgamificationhasemergedintheliterature.Theprincipalideabehindgamificationisthatgamedesignandgameelementsconfersuchpowertopeoplethatitcantransformtheirrelationwithservices,products,policiesoreveneverydaytasksthatcanbemonitoredtrackedandmodelledwithina‘gamespace’(Beza,2011).Gamificationenablesgamerstotesttheoriesandideaswithafreedomtofailwithoutrealworldconsequences,andwithreal-timefeedback.Thisenablesgamerstolearnfrommistakesanderrors.”

“Drawingonourownteachinginthefieldsofdisastermanagementandendoflifecare,JoandIinvitedparticipantstoplaytwogames‘DisasterIsland’and‘GoingHome’,followedbydiscussionofhowparticipantsmightuseLegointheirownteaching.21oftheparticipantsstatedthatfollowingtheworkshoptheyhavesomethingtotakeawaytoapplytotheirownteaching.”

Interprofessional Education (IPE) Event

HelenBedford,LecturerinMidwiferywrites:“AlisonSmalley,CaroleLindseyandmyselfhostedaworkshopwithKatieGrahamfromSocialPolicyandSocialWork,showcasinganinnovativeinterprofessionaleducationeventwhichhasbeenfacilitatedforundergraduatemidwiferyandsocialworkstudentsforthelastsuccessiveacademicyears.Theinteractiveonedayeventhasbeenevaluatedverypositivelybystudentsandisbecomingembeddedinbothcurricula.”

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Research News

Support for Parents of Deaf Infants

TheChildOrientedMentalhealthInterventionCentre(COMIC)researchteam,ledbyProfessorBarryWright,hasbeenawardedfundingbyTheNationalInstituteforHealthResearch(NIHR)toconductasystematicreviewofearlysupportinterventionsforparentsofdeafbabies.

Thereareapproximately50,000deafchildrenintheUK;over90%areborntohearingparents,mostofwhomwerenotbeenexpectingadeafchild.Deafchildrenaremorelikelytohavedelaysinlanguageandcognition(Peterson,2015),delayededucationaloutcomes(NDCS,2018)andpoorerlongtermoutcomesincludingincreasedunemployment(ActiononHearingLoss,2015).DeafchildrenacrossEnglandhavebeenfoundtohave2to3timestheratesofmentalhealthproblemscomparedtootherchildren(Robertsetal,2015).Earlysupportforparentsisthereforeimportant.

EarlydetectionofdeafnessthroughtheUniversalNewbornHearingScreeningProgramme(UNHSP)quicklyfollowedbyparentingsupportprogrammesimprovesmanynegativeoutcomes(Yoshinaga–Itano,2003).However,parentingsupportacrosstheUKvariesincontentandfrequency.WhilstnearlyalldeafchildrenareallocatedaTeacheroftheDeaf(ToD)forsupportthereiscurrentlynouniversalofferingintermsofthefrequencyandnatureofsupport,oranestablishedmanualisedearlyparentingsupportprogramme.

TheCOMICteamwillconductasystematicreviewoftheresearchevidence,forearlyparentingsupportinterventions,between0-5yearsofdeafinfantswithahearinglossof40dBorabove.BeforethesystematicreviewbeginsinJuly2019,theteamareholdingameetinginLondononFriday12thJulytogatherinformationaboutwhatsupportiscurrentlyofferedintheUKandtodiscussexperiencesofgoodpracticeforparentsupportfordeafinfants.

TofindoutmoreabouttheresearchorregisterforthemeetingpleasecontactJaneBlackwell(jane.blackwell2@nhs.net),BarryWright(barry.wright1@nhs.net),orMeganGarside(megan.garside@nhs.net).

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Research NewsStudy reveals female cannabis users are underrepresented in health researchResearchattheUniversityofYorkhasshownthatwomenareunderrepresentedinresearchintothelinksbetweencannabisandpsychosis,whichcouldlimitunderstandingoftheimpactofthedrug.

Inareviewofscientificliteratureoveranumberofyears,IanHamiltonfromtheDepartmentofHealthSciences,foundthatthemajorityofresearchreflectstheexperienceofmalecannabisusers,withverylimitedinformationonhowwomenreacttothedrug.

Theyalsofoundthattherewaslittleresearchoncannabispsychosisincountrieswherecannabisuseishigh.ResearchtendstobefocusedinAmerica,EuropeandAustralia,missingtheimpactofthedruginAfrica,AsianandtheMiddleEast,whereverylittleisknownaboutthenumberofpeoplethatdevelopcannabispsychosis.

Iansaid:“Acrosstheworldgovernmentsareopeningupaccesstocannabisforhealthorrecreation.Thismeansthatitisimportantthatpeoplehaveaccesstoinformationabouttherisksaswellasbenefitsofusingcannabis.”

“Cannabispsychosisisoneriskwhichcanhaveadevastatingeffectonanindividualandtheirfamily.BuildingonpreviousresearchfromtheUniversityofYork,wereviewedtheevidencelinkingcannabistopsychosis,andidentifiedtwosignificantproblems.”

“Onesuchproblemrelatestogenderbias.Theresearchwelookedatpredominantlyincludesmenandnotwomen;thiscouldlinktoawiderproblemwiththelackoffemalescientistsinaddictionresearchalso.”

“Theotherissuerelatestogeographicalspreadofaddictionresearch;wearemissingalargepopulationsizeinnotfocusingstudyinareasoutsideofAmerica,EuropeandAustralia.”

“Wecouldgainmuchmoreknowledgeontheriskofcannabispsychosisbyincludingothercountriesandcultures.”

Thestudysuggeststhatmoreattentionneedstobeonwhoisatriskofcannabispsychosisaswellasthehealthimplicationsoftakingthedrug.ThisresearchhastoincludemorewomenandcountriesacrossAsia,AfricaandtheMiddleEast,theresearchersargue.

Ianadded:“Weneedtoacceptthatcannabispsychosisisaboutmorethangeneticsorbiologybutiseffectedbysocialfactorssuchaswhereandhowyoungpeoplegrowupandtheproblemstheyexperienceastheydevelop.”

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Research NewsWriting Week goes to the Oscars! WritingWeekinYorkTrialsUnitprovidesasupportiveenvironmentforthinking,researching,writingandpublishing.ThisisimportantfortheUnitasawholeandforindividualpersonalandprofessionaldevelopment.

ThreeWritingWeeksareheldeachyearandeachyearthereisanewtheme.Thisyearitwas“Films”.DuringthelastWritingWeekheldinJuneexcellentprogresswasmadewithdevelopingresearchideas,grantapplications,abstractsforconferences,writingpapersandreports,undertakingsecondaryanalysesofdataandmuchmore.

CongratulationsgotothewinningteamforJunewhichwas“Avatar”ledbyLizCook(TeamDirector)andtothestarwriterwhowasHeatherLeggettof“ToyStory”.Congratulationsalsototheoverallteamwinnerfor2018/19whichwas“CrouchingTiger,HiddenDragon”ledbyNatashaMitchell(TeamDirector)andtoAdaKedingwhowontheFellowshipAward.

StephenBrealeyhostedthisyear’sWritingWeek.Whentrackeddownontheredcarpethecommentedthat“unlikeaboxofchocolates,wealwaysknowwe’llgetOscarwinningperformancesinWritingWeek–everyonedidbrilliantlyanditwasajoytobethehostofthistheme”.Thenextwritingweekthemeis...“Chocolate”!

Picture shows: left, Natasha Mitchell and right, Izzy Coleman

Picture shows from left to right: Alexandra Dean, Charlie Welch, Emily Peckham, Liz Cook, Debbie Huskins, Sam Gascoyne and David Torgerson.

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IfyouwouldliketomakeasubmissiontofutureeditionsofMegaphone, pleasecontactJaneMilsom(jane.milsom@york.ac.ukortel01904 321392).

HelloWewishaverywarmwelcometonewmembersofstaffwhohavejoinedthedepartmentrecently,theseinclude:MaliniPires,JoPoskitt,CharlotteEndacott,AllyChadwick,MeganRussell,CharlotteDiamond,HeatherLeggett,KalpitaJoshi,JoeGolden,LauraDoherty,AilishByrne,SallyFloyd,JoshuaBradbury,HelenElseyandLaurenBurke.

GoodbyeWealsowishaveryfondfarewelltothosewhohaveleftthedepartmentoverthelastfewmonths,including:CatherinePreston,CamilaMaturana,RhianGabe,ClaireHirstandCharlotteBoyce.

Staff News