Search results

The purpose of this paper is to provide a review of the use of wearable technologies that focuses on applications that tackle sensory and communication deficits, physical disabilities and alarm and activity monitoring. It is intended to promote the introduction of more wearable approaches to providing assistive technologies because of their benefits in utilisation and aesthetic appeal.

The approach involves a comparison of different types of portable device in order to identify different groups that may be beneficial to different application areas. Recent advances are then considered for each area.

The work demonstrates that the use of wearable AT device is increasing due to improvements in materials, battery power and connected intelligence such as smartphones. They will allow new devices to be introduced that are smaller, lighter and more usable.

Utilisation of assistive technologies is likely to improve as wearable devices become the norm across a wide range of applications

Approaches to improving the Quality of Life of people with disabilities through an extended use of assistive technologies will be enhanced by the increased range of devices available and by their performance.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first review of wearable devices that has focused on the needs of people who have rehabilitation and/or social care needs. Its value lies in encouraging manufacturers and designers to use wearable approaches to solving some of the problems facing vulnerable people.

Shared, dockless micromobility is causing concern across the globe. The phenomenon started with shared bikes and e-bikes. More recently, e-scooters (or electric kickbikes), the focus of this chapter, have flooded cities in unprecedented speed and volume – and have caught virtually every city and competent authority off guard. The failure of current regulatory frameworks to address new challenges posed by e-scooters is explored. This chapter first briefly describes major developments of the shared e-scooter market. It then presents rationales for, and to some extent against, e-scooter regulation as well as policy tools available for e-scooter regulation. E-scooters open the door for new and innovative – and potentially efficient – ways to regulate, including geofencing, zoning, mandatory data sharing and mandatory cooperation. Against this backdrop, the chapter discusses regulatory dilemmas, challenges, opportunities and possibilities.

A small but significant number of people die during restraint by hospital staff, police or prison officers. One possible mechanism for this has been termed ‘positional asphyxia’. There is literature to suggest that deaths that occur in circumstances involving restraint may be related to certain positions, but early research has been contested. This article presents a balanced review of the literature and findings and concludes that the evidence remains unclear. However the literature does point to practical measures that should be adopted by those whose work is likely to require restraint of extreme violence, to avoid risk of death. These are summarised.

In 1986, the issue of violence at work was thrust into the arena of public debate by the disappearance of Suzy Lamplugh and the deaths of three social workers in the course of their duties. These atypical cases represent the extreme end of a continuum of violence and vulnerability, but they were sufficient to warrant the formation of a Government committee chaired by Lady Trumpington, parliamentary Under Secretary for Health. The aim of the committee is to develop a common approach to violence across the health, social services and social security fields.

Healthcare is indispensable for any civilisation to attain a good quality of life and well-being on both mental and physical levels. The healthcare domain primarily falls under pharma, medical, biotechnology, and nursing. Also, other fields may be aligned with these primary fields. Healthcare amasses the contemporary trends and knowledge of upcoming techniques to improve healthcare processes. The practitioners are primarily doctors, nurses, specialists and health professionals, hospital administrators, and health insurance.

It is a fundamental attribute needed for any society to attain good quality of life and well-being in mental and physical health. It is a fundamental right of people to receive good healthcare where drug treatment and hospitalization are available at a nominal cost, as a requirement of today’s modern era. There appears to be a significant disparity in the availability of good healthcare in rural areas compared to urban in India. Even though we enter the digital era with the facilities offered in Industry 4.0 and other advanced technologies brings about a significant change of overall processing within healthcare systems. During the pandemic of COVID-19, there has been digital transformation with success globally. Healthcare cooperatives are a new norm to support the healthcare systems globally. The chapter discusses Gampaha healthcare cooperative and reviews Ayushman Sahakar scheme in India. The reforms require time to evolve.

This case study describes how two of the Government's key initiatives have been brought together to drive the integration agenda locally. Practice‐based commissioning is being used in one English county to integrate health and social care practice, and so promote independent living in the community. A model of anticipatory case management is being developed at local level, focusing on individuals identified by use of a standard tool (PARR) as at risk of re‐admission to hospital. Historical barriers to this sort of initiative are being overcome.

Pedestrian injuries and deaths should be viewed as a critical public health issue. The purpose of this chapter is to show how incorporating safety from traffic into broader efforts to increase walking and physical activity has the potential to have a significant health impact. In this chapter we provide an overview of pedestrian safety considerations having to do with population health and the built environment. The chapter is organised around a conceptual framework that highlights the multiple pathways through which safe walking environments can contribute to improved population health. We review the existing literature on pedestrian safety and public health. Pedestrian safety will remain a vexing challenge for public health and transportation professionals in the coming decades. But addressing this problem on multiple fronts and across multiple sectors is necessary to reduce injuries and fatalities and to unleash the full potential of walking to improve population health through increased physical activity. This chapter uniquely contributes a conceptual framework for understanding the relationship between the walking environment and public health.

This paper describes the development and implementation of care pathways in two orthopaedic units in Scotland. Although originally developed as a tool of project management, care pathways have been promoted internationally as a response to concerns for patient safety, variability in care and increasing costs. Generally, care pathways can be seen as an example of clinician led rather than management led reform. However, it does reflect a wider shift towards process and away from hierarchical approaches to management. Within the UK care pathways have been promoted as a response to the modernisation initiative of the Labour Government. While the initiative was a success in both units it was more difficult to implement care pathways in a trauma rather than an elective unit. In conclusion, it is questionable whether care pathways are a universal response to the requirement for modernisation and service redesign in the NHS.

Describes the training model employed to train trainers for the UK‐based ATLS (Advanced Trauma Life Support) programme. A questionnaire evaluation of the course reveals the effectiveness of the training model when compared to other training provision in postgraduate medical education. The course is seen to be very effective in raising the confidence of instructors who have little previous training in instructional methods. Identifies and discusses the successful characteristics of the course which include a high tutor:student ratio, extensive use of interactive learning strategies, continuous assessment, a focus on problem‐based learning and the use of self and peer group critiquing strategies.