General practice pharmacists in England: Integration,mediation and professional dynamics

BackgroundA number of key publications in recent years have advocated a more integrated vision of UK primary care involving increased multi-professional communication and understanding. This has resulted in a marked change in the roles being undertaken by pharmacists. Community pharmacists have traditionally provided a medicine supply function and treated minor ailments in addition to delivering a suite of locally commissioned services; however these functions have not necessarily been part of a programme of care involving the other clinicians associated with the patient. An integrated model of care would see much closer working between pharmacy and general practice but also with pharmacists not only working with, but in the practice, in an enhanced patient-facing role, trained as independent prescribers. This has implications for the dynamics amongst professionals in this environment.ObjectivesThis exploratory multiple case study attempts to explore these changing dynamics across ten GP surgeries throughout the South-East of England.MethodsSemi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted with one nurse, one pharmacist and one physician from each clinic, and survey data was collected from 38 patients who had appointments with a pharmacist.ResultsThe data suggested that the pharmacists who had enhanced roles perceived some uncertainty about their professional role and identity, which resulted in instability and insecurity and that this uncertainty led to both professional and interprofessional tension with their primary care colleagues. The survey data revealed that n = 35 (92%) patients stated they were ‘very satisfied’ or ‘satisfied’ with their appointment. And n = 37 (97%) were ‘very comfortable’ or ‘comfortable’ discussing their medications with the pharmacist. In addition, 36 patients (95%) reported that they strongly agreed or agreed with the clinical recommendations made by the pharmacist.ConclusionsThese findings are discussed in relation to role expansion and professional/interprofessional relations before key practical suggestions are offered.     

Adherence to the Mediterranean diet and weight status in children: the role of parental feeding practices

Abstract

The study examines Parental Feeding Practices (PFP) in relation to adherence to the Mediterranean Diet (MD) and children’s weight status. It’s a cross-sectional study of 402 parents (68.4% mothers), with children aged 2–12 years. Parents completed the Comprehensive Parental Feeding Questionnaire and the Mediterranean Diet Quality Index for children and adolescents (KIDMED), evaluating children’s adherence to the MD. Logistic regression showed that in children aged 2–<6 years, “emotion regulation/food as reward” and “pressure” decrease MD adherence (OR?=?0.186, p?<?0.0001 and OR?=?0.496, p?=?0.004), and “monitoring” decrease excess body weight (OR?=?0.284, p?=?0.009). In older children (6–12 years), “healthy eating guidance” and “monitoring” increase MD adherence (OR?=?3.262, p?=?0.001 and OR?=?3.147, p?<?0.0001), “child control” decreases MD adherence (OR?=?0.587, p?=?0.049), “pressure” decrease excess body weight (OR?=?0.495, p?<?0.0001) and “restriction” increase excess body weight (OR?=?1.784, p?=?0.015). “Healthy eating guidance” and “monitoring” seem to be the best PFP employed, in terms of children’s MD adherence and weight status.     

Fathers of children with autism spectrum disorder: Their perceptions of paternal role a predictor of caregiving satisfaction,self-efficacy and burden

BackgroundThe positive effect of a father’s involvement in children’s upbringing is now recognised. However, research on fathers raising children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are still few. This study examines the relationship between the perception, fathers of children with ASD have of the importance of their role in the development of their children and the feelings (self-efficacy, caregiving burden, satisfaction) they express about their parenting experience.MethodSixty-three Swiss Italian fathers of children with ASD completed The Role of the Father Questionnaire (ROFQ), three sub-scales of the Caregiver Survey, a subtest of the Child Adjustment and Parent Efficacy Scale and a home-made questionnaire measuring Perceived Social Support.ResultsThe results from hierarchical multiple regression analyses show that the importance that fathers attach to the paternal role predicts positively their caregiving satisfaction and their feeling of self-efficacy. The children’s challenging behaviours predict positively the caregiving burden whereas the assessment of social support predicts it negatively.ConclusionsThe perception of the importance of the paternal role needs to be considered in the support offered to families with a child with ASD. A better understanding of the fathers’ feelings could be of value for the programmes.     

A mechanism for gratitude development in a child

Most scholars consider gratitude as a moral emotion, with only few seeing it as a character trait. As a result, no systematic mechanism has ever been attempted to develop gratitude in children. Given the social issue of widespread lack of gratitude in the one-child generations of China, this article attempts to outline a mechanism of parental moral education for gratitude development. The mechanism is underpinned by love, induction and discipline; and theoretically justified in accordance with key psychological and sociological theories, such as Piaget's theory of moral development, Kohlberg's moral stages theory, attachment theory, Hoffman's internalisation theory, Rest's social justice theory and Baumrind's parenting styles theory. The benefits and potential risks of each strategy of the mechanism are addressed.     

Development of integrated provision for pre-fives in the UK

This paper analyses the diverse services currently available for children under five in the UK, and considers the nature of the demand for them. It recounts the initiative made by Strathclyde Region to co-ordinate and integrate pre-five provision, administratively and at a service level. It then considers the efforts of other local authorities to integrate administratively and looks at some of the complexities of attempting to do so at a service level.