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A clinical audit is a key component of the clinical governance framework. The rate of audit completion in general surgery has not been investigated. The purpose of this paper is to assess the rates of audit activity and completion and explore the barriers to successful audit completion.

This was a multi-centre study evaluating current surgical audit practice. A standardised audit proforma was designed. All clinical audits in general surgery during a two-year period were identified and retrospectively reviewed. Data held by the audit departments were collated, and individual audit teams were contacted to verify the data accuracy. Audit teams failing to complete the full audit cycle with a re-audit were asked to explain the underlying reasons behind this.

Of the six trusts approached, two refused to participate, and one failed to initiate the project. A total of 39 audits were registered across three surgical directorates. Only 15 out of 39 audits completed at least one audit cycle, with 4 deemed of no value to re-audit. Only seven audits were completed to re-audit. Achieving a publication or a presentation was the most cited reason for not completing the audit loop.

This study demonstrates that the poor rates of audit completion rate found in other areas of clinical medicine pervade general surgery. Improved completion of an audit is essential and strategies to achieve this are urgently needed.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the correlation between rates of food‐poisoning in England and Wales due to the bacterium, Campylobacter, and the frequency of doorstep delivery of milk. Thermophilic campylobacters, particularly C. jejuni continue to be the most common cause of acute bacterial enteritis in the Western world.

Data relating to the frequency of milk doorstep delivery in the UK were compared to data on laboratory reports of Campylobacter isolated from faecal material in England and Wales and expressed graphically.

There does not appear to be any visible correlation between a falling rate of doorstep delivery of milk and Campylobacter food‐poisoning.

These data may indicate that although bird‐pecked milk is a recognized epidemiological risk factor for the acquisition of campylobacteriosis, the frequency and significance of this means acquiring the infection may not be as common as has been previously suggested.

The way of thought and vision and memory is that they often come upon you unexpectedly, presenting nothing new but usually with a clarity and emphasis that it all seems new. This will sometimes happen after a long period of indecision or when things are extremely difficult, as they have long been for the country, in most homes and among ordinary individuals. Watching one's life savings dwindle away, the nest‐egg laid down for security in an uncertain world, is a frightening process. This has happened to the nation, once the richest in the world, and ot its elderly people, most of them taught the habit of saving in early youth. We are also taught that what has been is past changing; the clock cannot be put back, and the largesse—much of it going to unprincipled spongers—distributed by a spendthrift Government as token relief is no answer, not even to present difficulties. The response can only come by a change of heart in those whose brutal selfishness have caused it all; and this may be a long time in coming. In the meantime, it is a useful exercise to consider our assets, to recognize those which must be protected at all costs and upon which, when sanity returns, the future depends.

The article seeks to demonstrate the benefits of using an integrative approach between human resource management (HRM) and knowledge management (KM), where one reinforces and supports the other in enhancing organisational effectiveness and performance.

This contribution is a collection of research articles that explore how HRM and KM are interrelated and provide empirical support for such connection.

The authors firmly believe that the articles of this issue will not only provide for interesting and worthwhile reading material, but also set the stage for enlarging and enriching the research base on the relationship between HRM and KM.

It is not an exhaustive analysis of the connections between HRM and KM; however, it is a very good first step in that direction. Even though HRM and KM have much in common, there are few studies that make such a connection explicit.

The article provides a very useful source of information and practical advice on how the connection between the two disciplines can enhance organisational functioning.

This special issue fulfils a gap in the existing literature for both academics and practitioners on the merits of using HRM and KM integratively.

This work critically investigates online fan responses towards the implementation of the affirmative action policy, the Rooney Rule, within English professional football. It explores systemic and structural racism and the history of the Rooney Rule, before analysing football fans' Twitter comments concerning the policy within English football across an 18-month period.

This research utilised a bespoke search programme to identify and analyse Tweets which focused on the Rooney Rule in English football. A total of 205 posts were thematically analysed and a series of codes were created.

The findings illustrated that fans were generally divided over the Rooney Rule. Over half of the participants welcomed counter measures against structural racism although many caveated responses by critiquing the Rule's approach and scope. For others, however, the policy is yet another example of ‘reverse racism’ and ‘political correctness gone mad’. The findings illustrate that there is an undercurrent of hostility towards anti-racist action and a belief that sport is inherently meritocratic and fair.

While much research has focused on examining online reactions to ‘trigger events’, this chapter provides an empirical insight into contemporary football fan responses towards anti-racist action in the ‘beautiful game’. It demonstrates that there are a series of common misconceptions and misunderstandings towards affirmative action policies in sport. Once we become aware of such misunderstandings, we can attempt to remedy them in order to aid the efficacy of anti-racist action.