There has been increasing interest in the use of computers to facilitate collaborative learning between healthcare professionals for continuing professional development but many schemes appear to be unsuccessful. The aim of the study was to identify, from a cross-case analysis of three case studies, the main factors that facilitate and inhibit online collaborative learning for healthcare continuing professional development. The intervention was an asynchronous, structured and moderated discussion board. Data were collected by semi-structured telephone interviews on a purposive sample from each case study, documentary analysis of all self-reported comments made in the discussion boards, log of technical problems and evaluation of discussion board activity. Three key factors were identified: the need for implementation based on the requirements of users, the acceptance of this approach by the user and the development of a supportive organization within which the healthcare professionals work. This study has highlighted the overall low level of activity and this would appear to be because implementation has not been based on an understanding of the healthcare context.
The ex‐prisoner population is an under‐researched, socially excluded group, whose broad health needs are seldom assessed and often unmet. This qualitative study aims to identify the broad health needs of ex‐prisoners living in an urban borough in the NorthWest of England. We interviewed 27 exprisoners and 14 of the service providers who work with them, from all the resettlement pathways. We asked them about the resettlement experience and how it impacts on ex‐prisoners’ health, what broad health concerns ex‐prisoners have, and how these could be rectified or improved. This study contributes detail from the perspective of ex‐prisoners themselves, and the workers who know their needs best. We have been able to demonstrate that the transition from prison to community is often a health depleting experience, particularly when accommodation has not been adequately arranged. We have found that whilst ex‐prisoners doubtless suffer very poor health they do not often prioritise their own health. However, the majority of ex‐prisoners clearly suffer particularly from mental health and substance misuse problems. Much can be done to tackle these issues by improving communication and partnership working between key stakeholders.
BackgroundWeb-based delivery of educational programmes is becoming increasingly popular and is expected to expand, especially in medicine. The successful implementation of these programmes is reliant on their ability to provide access to web based materials, including high quality published work. Publishers' responses to requests to access health literature in the context of developing an electronic Master's degree course are described.MethodsTwo different permission requests were submitted to publishers. The first was to store an electronic version of a journal article, to which we subscribe, on a secure password protected server. The second was to reproduce extracts of published material on password protected web pages and CD Rom.ResultsEight of 16 publishers were willing to grant permission to store electronic versions of articles without levying charges additional to the subscription. Twenty of 35 publishers gave permission to reproduce extracts of published work at no fee. Publishers' responses were highly variable to the requests for access to published material. This may be influenced by vague terminology within the 'fair dealing' provision in the copyright legislation, which seems to leave it open to individual interpretation. Considerable resource costs were incurred by the exercise. Time expended included those incurred by us: research to identify informed representatives within the publishing organisation, request 'chase-ups' and alternative examples being sought if publishers were uncooperative; and the publisher when dealing with numerous permission requests. Financial costs were also incurred by both parties through additional staffing and paperwork generated by the permission process, the latter including those purely borne by educators due to the necessary provision of photocopy 'course packs' when no suitably alternative material could be found if publishers were uncooperative. Finally we discuss the resultant bias in material towards readily available electronic resources as a result of publisher's uncooperative stance and encourage initiatives that aim to improve open electronic access.ConclusionsThe permission request process has been expensive and has resulted in reduced access for students to the relevant literature. Variations in the responses from publishers suggest that for educational purposes common policies could be agreed and unnecessary restrictions removed in the future.
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