The Potential Use of “Blogs” in Nursing Education

NursingCenter - Library - Journal Issue - Article - The Potential Use of “Blogs” in Nursing Education

This paper in the current edition of CIN: Computers, Informatics, Nursing provides some useful insights into the use of blogs in educational provision & makes specific recomendation about their use in nursing and healthcare education.

FOI request - DoH - Wells report on NHSU

I have still not received any response to my request, under the freedom of information act, to the department of health for publication of the report by Sir William Wells into the NHSU.

I therefore phoned again, and now have a reference number. I'm not satisfied with the response and have sent the message below to the department's Freedom of Information Unit as specified in their publication schedule.

To: FreedomofInformation@dh.gsi.gov.uk

Cc: Jill.Moorcroft@dh.gsi.gov.uk

Subject: FOI request - Wells report on NHSU

Jill / FOI unit,

Ref: TO6011201

I submitted a written request to the department of health for publication of the Report by Sir William Wells into the NHSu on 1st Jan 2005. I understand that under the act you are supposed to respond within 20 working days.

I had not received anything by 31st Jan and phoned. I spoke to Veronica Fraser who told me my letter had been stamped as being received on 12th Jan (although I posted it on 31st Dec) & suggested it had got delayed in the Xmas post - and that I should receive a response by 8th Feb.

I have still not received anything & phoned again today. I was informed of the reference number of my application and told that DoH was aware that my request had not been responded to. It would be useful if at least an acknowledgement could be sent with the reference number.

If it is of help in your investigation I have a letter signed by John Hutton to my MP dated 9th Nov 2004 (Ref No: PO5006593) which stated that this report would be published shortly.

I am not satisfied with the way the department has handled my request and therefore, in line with your guidance on the DoH web site I am now contacting you.

I would appreciate receiving either publication of the report or an explanation of why this has not occurred.

I will be placing a copy of this email on my blog Informaticopia at: http://www.rodspace.co.uk/blog/blogger.html which contains the full text of my original letter to the DoH & updates on progress if you are unable to find any of the relevant correspondence.

Rod

Calls for proposals in eHealth

Calls for proposals

This page includes several calls for research rpoposals from the NHS Service Delivery and Organisation (SDO) Programme which include several interesting ehealth areas, as set out below.

I'm currently looking at these with some colleagues & if others might be interested in a collaborative bid please gte in touch.

e-Health

Ref: EH93 ‘Harnessing the internet as an effective health information tool to empower patients, carers and members of the general public.’ Funding of up to £300,000 is available for this project which should take no longer than 3 years to complete and start in December 2005.

Ref: EH94 ‘The attitudes of health care professionals to e-Health technologies and services, and the identification of strategies to support increased uptake.’ Funding of up to £300,000 is available for this project which should take no longer than 3 years to complete and start in December 2005.

Ref: EH95 ‘A study of the use of e-Health solutions in the management and treatment of disease and in facilitating change in the organisation and delivery of services.’ Funding of up to £300,000 is available for this project which should take no longer than 3 years to complete and start in December 2005.

Documenting sickness on the internet

SocietyGuardian.co.uk | Health | Documenting sickness on the internet

This article in today's Guardian describes how web blogs are being used by individuals as part of their therapy, the latest in a long line of examples of the "union of health and the diarist".

The key example given is Ivan Noble's Tumour Diary following his death last week.

Perhaps a free blog from the NHS, as part of a comprehensive package of care for those with chronic or terminal illness, is an application Health Space should consider?

Doctors fear 6bn pound IT project will be a fiasco

SocietyGuardian.co.uk | Society | Doctors fear �6bn IT project will be a fiasco

This item from todays Guardian reports a survey of doctors attitudes to the NHS National Programme for IT (NPfIT), revealing how they now have less confidence and enthusiasm than they did last year.

10% of NHS staff signed up for ECDL

One in ten NHS workers now training to use computers - Press Release - NHSIA

According to this press release from the NHS Information Authority (NHSIA) 100,000 NHS staff are now working towards the European Computer Driving Licence.

This is extremely encouraging, however the completion rates are still much lower. My suspicion is that those who already have reasonable computer skills will be the first to sign up for ECDL & get recognition for what they can do. Those with less IT skills are more likely to delay signing up & are those are the people who are likely to have more problems as increasing use of IT systems in clinical practice become the norm.