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The purpose of this paper is to analyse the drivers that allow for enhanced personal productivity of knowledge-based workers in Central London focusing on the physical and social environment as well as worker’s individual preferences.

A closed-ended questionnaire was sent to employees of eight professional companies (Consultancy, Financial and Media Services) based in Central London. Of the 500 questionnaires sent, 213 were successfully completed and returned, representing a response rate of 42.6 per cent.

The findings from this trial study show that comfort, convenience, IT connectivity, good design and working to a specific time scale were strong drivers of personal productivity. Knowledge workers prefer a flexible range of office settings that enable both a stimulating open and connected work environment, knowledge sharing, collaboration, as well as quiet concentration locations, free of distractions and noise. It was also found that moves of knowledge workers into open-plan office space (and especially fee earners) is normally met with initial resistance. However, there is normally greater acceptance of open space after experiencing an actual move into open-plan, with benefits improving teamwork and communication being highlighted. The research also stresses that office design considerations need to be closer aligned with knowledge worker’s overall well-being and individual psychological needs.

Limited to Central London offices and self-assessed evaluation of productivity drivers within the knowledge worker’s office environment.

Corporate real estate managers and office occupiers, designers and facilities managers can use the findings as part of their workplace strategy by providing a range of flexible workplaces that allow the knowledge worker a place for greater personal productivity through the provision of a well-designed collaborative office environment alongside private and quiet working spaces. Developers and landlords should also be aware of these requirements when taking their decisions.

This paper focuses specifically on the high-productivity knowledge-based work environment, demonstrating that there is a need to consider the collaborative physical and social environment and the individual preferences of knowledge workers to ensure enhanced personal productivity and well-being within the office. This can be achieved through the provision of a well-designed office space that allows for open, connected and comfortable work environments, as well as opportunities to use dedicated concentration spaces that are free of distraction. It was also shown that hot-desking was unanimously disliked by knowledge workers.

The purpose of this paper is to describe a clinical governance framework applied in a community nursing setting. Significant opportunities for improving quality and safety of clinical practice through clinical governance within a community‐nursing organisation are idendified.

The intention in this paper is to achieve quality client outcomes by translating a clinical governance framework into the day‐to‐day practice and processes of all staff, and by developing a system of leadership that supports improvement as a fundamental part of organisational processes.

The paper finds that a comprehensive project plan was developed which involved six interrelated steps or stages that would serve as indicators of project progress.

In the paper, the organisation continues down the journey of implementing a comprehensive clinical governance framework over a five‐year implementation plan.

The paper shows that the improvement plan offers many exciting challenges for the organisation over the coming years.

Confidentiality in adoption has been the norm in this country since the 1930s. Traditionally, it has been perceived as beneficial to all sides of the adoption triangle: the adoptive parents, the adoptee, and the birth parents. Adoption agencies have supported the policy of confidentiality, and as a result the practice of concealment is almost universal in the United States. Alaska, Hawaii, and Kansas are the only states that allow adult adoptees access to their birth and adoption information.

A READER kindly sent me a recent patent in which Xerox Corp claim a dramatic break through to prevent unauthorized photocopying. JANET SHAW of the Hertis industrial unit at Hatfield has summarized it for NLW:

Details are given of the main developments in library co‐operation throughout 1979/80. A description of the topics considered by the National Committee on Regional Library Co‐operation is provided, as well as a report on the activities of the Advisory Committee on Interlibrary Loans. Notes from each of the regional systems, together with a round‐up of developments from the numerous co‐operative schemes which serve local industry, complete the overall picture of co‐operation within the United Kingdom.

Reviews how one of the USA′s innovative hospitals is focusing on quality improvement. Discusses the need to become competitive as a result of the reduction in patients, and outlines the implementation of the quality improvement programme, recording the resultant benefits to hospital, doctors and patients. Concludes by noting that in addition to the financial savings, employee morale has been raised, and that different departments are working together to solve problems.

HOLED FATIGUE SPECIMENS, both untested and tested, were received from structures department, RAE for metallurgical examination to determine the causes of certain observed variations in total life and crack initiation time.