Ailsa Cameron - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Ailsa Cameron

BMJ: British Medical …, 1996

The number of hospital based posts in which nurses take over clinical work previously done by jun... more The number of hospital based posts in which nurses take over clinical work previously done by junior doctors is growing. Accountability for the scope of such new roles and the standards of practice which apply to them are still unclear. When analysed together and compared, the regulations arising from the professional bodies (GMC and UKCC), civil law concerning certain wrongs to patients, and employment law are sometimes contradictory and hard to interpret. The resulting uncertainties about appropriate management for clinical roles evolving between the professions, coupled with an increasingly litigious public, put the nurses and consultants involved at risk ofcomplaints and ofdisciplinary and legal action. Drawing on our current research into changing clinical roles at the medical-nursing interface, we suggest strategies to reduce risk. Doctors and nurses should be equal partners in planning and managing these new posts, patients should be informed adequately about the nature of the postholder's role and training, significant changes in the work of such postholders should be formally acknowledged by the employer and relevant insurers, individuals taking up new roles should have access to legal advice and support to cover legal risk, and national regulatory bodies need to work together to harmonise their codes of practice in relation to changing clinical roles between the professions.

Health & Social Care in the Community, 2015

This paper reports findings from a longitudinal study of homeless women. Thirty-eight women were ... more This paper reports findings from a longitudinal study of homeless women. Thirty-eight women were recruited with a retention rate of 58% over three rounds of interviews. Interviews explored specific events in women's lives, their current living arrangements and how their experiences and needs, including for social care, changed over time. Data were analysed thematically using a priori codes. Women reported a range of complex issues, consistent with experiences of deep social exclusion and received support from both statutory and voluntary agencies. Although women appreciated the support they received, many reported that services were fragmented and rarely personalised to their needs.

International journal of integrated care, 2007

This paper reports the findings of the evaluation of the Supporting People Health Pilots programm... more This paper reports the findings of the evaluation of the Supporting People Health Pilots programme, which was established to demonstrate the policy links between housing support services and health and social care services by encouraging the development of integrated services. The paper highlights the challenges of working across housing, health and social care boundaries. THE EVALUATION OF THE SIX HEALTH PILOTS RESTED ON TWO MAIN SOURCES OF DATA COLLECTION: Quarterly Project Evaluation Reports collected process data as well as reporting progress against aims and objectives. Semi-structured interviews-conducted across all key professional stakeholder groups and agencies and with people who used services-explored their experiences of these new services. THE ABILITY OF PILOTS TO WORK ACROSS ORGANISATIONAL BOUNDARIES TO ACHIEVE THEIR AIMS AND OBJECTIVES WAS ASSOCIATED NOT ONLY WITH AGENCIES SHARING AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE PURPOSE OF THE JOINT VENTURE, A HISTORY OF JOINT WORKING AND CLE...

BMJ open, 2015

The use of external consultants from private and not-for-profit providers in the National Health ... more The use of external consultants from private and not-for-profit providers in the National Health Service (NHS) is intended to improve the quality of commissioning. The aim of this study was to learn about the support offered to healthcare commissioners, how external consultants and their clients work together and the perceived impact on the quality of commissioning. NHS commissioning organisations and private and not-for-profit providers. Mixed methods case study of eight cases. 92 interviews with external consultants (n=36), their clients (n=47) and others (n=9). Observation of 25 training events and meetings. Documentation, for example, meeting minutes and reports. Constant comparison. Data were coded, summarised and analysed by the research team with a coding framework to facilitate cross-case comparison. In the four contracts presented here, external providers offered technical solutions (eg, software tools), outsourcing and expertise including project management, data interpret...

Housing, Care and Support, 2001

... Housing Strategies and Community Care. Bristol: The Policy Press. Means, R., Brenton, M.,Harr... more ... Housing Strategies and Community Care. Bristol: The Policy Press. Means, R., Brenton, M.,Harrison, L. & Heywood, F. (1997) Making Partnerships Work in Community Care: A Guide for Practitioners in Housing, Health and Social Services. Bristol: The Policy Press.

Ethics, power, knowledge and consent, 2004

Journal of Integrated Care, 2005

... Care at the End of Life in Old Age Liz Lloyd Ailsa Cameron ... Incontinence was a serious det... more ... Care at the End of Life in Old Age Liz Lloyd Ailsa Cameron ... Incontinence was a serious deterrent to going out, the general fear of social embarrassment exacerbated by lack of public toilets. Being able to continue carrying out responsibilities to others was also important. ...

Journal of Integrated Care, 2003

... team building Several studies suggested that one way to improve inter-organisational working ... more ... team building Several studies suggested that one way to improve inter-organisational working was to ... For example, anxieties about cost shunting between organisations could lead to the ... S. (1987) The Salford experiment: an account of the Community Alcohol Team approach. ...

British Medical Journal, 1996

The Howard Journal of Criminal Justice, 2009

Among the many studies of the crime of homicide there is little evidence of interest in the pract... more Among the many studies of the crime of homicide there is little evidence of interest in the practical management of those convicted. This stuaj sought to compare two groups, identtfied within entirely different services, each with a diJferent background of management. One was drawn from the probation service and the other from the balth service. A t the time of sentencing there were remarkably f e w group differences in demography, social or health status of the two groups of offenders, at least according to contemporaneous reports. The one significant difference was the higher rate ofpsychosis among those initially sent to hospital. Questions are raised about the diagnosis of personalify disorder at the time of the trial and its eflect on sentencing. Both hospital and probation staff seemed to be functioning on a dearth of important information. Closer liaison between probation and medical services, both within the prison and within the NHS, in assessing and planning the management of such people seems essential. Two case examples are included which illustrate the issues raised in the study. This s t u 4 also provides furiker evidence of the need to review the mandutorp. life sentence for murder.

Social & Legal Studies, 2008

This article in scrapbook form represents the endeavour of the eight authors to document a recent... more This article in scrapbook form represents the endeavour of the eight authors to document a recent, collective, academic journey. The project was one embarked upon as a means to explore tensions between the ideas of embodiment that connected our work, and the rigidities of ...

Scottish Geographical Magazine, 1994

The government is encouraging the establishment of community woodlands in Scotland. Reliance for ... more The government is encouraging the establishment of community woodlands in Scotland. Reliance for the implementation of this policy is being placed on the private sector, with the public sector fulfilling a facilitating role. This paper considers the factors which are likely to determine the private sector's response to this encouragement, including the opportunity cost, grant aid, commercial planting and the

Journal of Health Services Research & Policy, 2011

To increase understanding about how evaluations of health policy initiatives are commissioned, co... more To increase understanding about how evaluations of health policy initiatives are commissioned, conducted and used. A mapping exercise was conducted to identify evaluation of initiatives promoted by the White Paper 'Our health, our care, our say' in the English NHS. All evaluations were subjected to critical appraisal and 21 were purposively selected as case studies, involving documentary analysis and 60 interviews with those commissioning, conducting and affected by the evaluation. Variation in the types of evaluation being undertaken did not reflect the importance of the initiatives being evaluated. Most evaluations collected evidence about uptake, processes of care and users' perceptions. While some provided useful information about how initiatives could be improved, few provided robust evidence about the benefits or costs of the initiatives. Those who commissioned evaluations had similar concerns to those who conducted them. There was a commitment to the concept of evaluation but little clarity about how findings would be used. Evaluation was often commissioned too late to influence decisions about implementation. Compromises over research design and difficulties collecting data limited the potential to provide robust evidence about benefits. There were tensions between the desire of evaluators for methodological rigour and the needs of service providers for swift, contextually relevant findings. There were concerns about the transparency of methods and results. Considerable public resources are committed to evaluation, but this investment is less productive than it could be. This article specifies several ways in which the use of evaluation of initiatives in health and social care could be improved.

Health & Social Care in the Community, 2014

Health & Social Care in the Community, 2009

This paper reports the findings of an evaluation of the &... more This paper reports the findings of an evaluation of the 'Housing Support, Outreach and Referral' service developed to support people living with HIV who were homeless or at risk of homelessness. The service was set up as part of the Supporting People Health Pilot programme established to demonstrate the policy links between housing support services and health and social care services by encouraging the development of integrated services. The paper considers the role of housing support in improving people's health, and considers the challenges of working across housing, health and social care boundaries. The evaluation of the health pilot employed two main sources of data collection: quarterly project evaluation reports, which collected process data as well as reporting progress against aims and objectives, and semi-structured interviews with professionals from all key stakeholder groups and agencies, and with people who used services. Over the course of 15 months, 56 referrals were received of which 27 were accepted. Fifteen people received tenancy support of whom 12 were helped to access temporary accommodation. At the end of the 15 months, all of the tenancies had been maintained. In addition, 18 people registered with a general practitioner and 13 registered with an HIV clinic. Interviews with professionals emphasised the importance of the local joint working context, the involvement of the voluntary sector and the role of the support workers as factors that accounted for these outcomes. Those using services placed most emphasis on the flexibility of the support worker role. Importantly, interviews with professionals and those using services suggest that the role of support worker incorporates two dimensions--those of networker/navigator as well as advocate--and that both dimensions are important in determining the effectiveness of the service.

Defense Analysis, 1994

... 189 in Tehran in 1978, and the asset freeze and embargo against Iraq after the 1990 invasion ... more ... 189 in Tehran in 1978, and the asset freeze and embargo against Iraq after the 1990 invasion of Kuwait. As shown by statistical analysis, debt, particularly foreign debt, can be a lucrative target of non-lethal attack at many levels of GDP. ...

British Journal of General Practice, 2011

BMJ: British Medical …, 1996

The number of hospital based posts in which nurses take over clinical work previously done by jun... more The number of hospital based posts in which nurses take over clinical work previously done by junior doctors is growing. Accountability for the scope of such new roles and the standards of practice which apply to them are still unclear. When analysed together and compared, the regulations arising from the professional bodies (GMC and UKCC), civil law concerning certain wrongs to patients, and employment law are sometimes contradictory and hard to interpret. The resulting uncertainties about appropriate management for clinical roles evolving between the professions, coupled with an increasingly litigious public, put the nurses and consultants involved at risk ofcomplaints and ofdisciplinary and legal action. Drawing on our current research into changing clinical roles at the medical-nursing interface, we suggest strategies to reduce risk. Doctors and nurses should be equal partners in planning and managing these new posts, patients should be informed adequately about the nature of the postholder's role and training, significant changes in the work of such postholders should be formally acknowledged by the employer and relevant insurers, individuals taking up new roles should have access to legal advice and support to cover legal risk, and national regulatory bodies need to work together to harmonise their codes of practice in relation to changing clinical roles between the professions.

Health & Social Care in the Community, 2015

This paper reports findings from a longitudinal study of homeless women. Thirty-eight women were ... more This paper reports findings from a longitudinal study of homeless women. Thirty-eight women were recruited with a retention rate of 58% over three rounds of interviews. Interviews explored specific events in women's lives, their current living arrangements and how their experiences and needs, including for social care, changed over time. Data were analysed thematically using a priori codes. Women reported a range of complex issues, consistent with experiences of deep social exclusion and received support from both statutory and voluntary agencies. Although women appreciated the support they received, many reported that services were fragmented and rarely personalised to their needs.

International journal of integrated care, 2007

This paper reports the findings of the evaluation of the Supporting People Health Pilots programm... more This paper reports the findings of the evaluation of the Supporting People Health Pilots programme, which was established to demonstrate the policy links between housing support services and health and social care services by encouraging the development of integrated services. The paper highlights the challenges of working across housing, health and social care boundaries. THE EVALUATION OF THE SIX HEALTH PILOTS RESTED ON TWO MAIN SOURCES OF DATA COLLECTION: Quarterly Project Evaluation Reports collected process data as well as reporting progress against aims and objectives. Semi-structured interviews-conducted across all key professional stakeholder groups and agencies and with people who used services-explored their experiences of these new services. THE ABILITY OF PILOTS TO WORK ACROSS ORGANISATIONAL BOUNDARIES TO ACHIEVE THEIR AIMS AND OBJECTIVES WAS ASSOCIATED NOT ONLY WITH AGENCIES SHARING AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE PURPOSE OF THE JOINT VENTURE, A HISTORY OF JOINT WORKING AND CLE...

BMJ open, 2015

The use of external consultants from private and not-for-profit providers in the National Health ... more The use of external consultants from private and not-for-profit providers in the National Health Service (NHS) is intended to improve the quality of commissioning. The aim of this study was to learn about the support offered to healthcare commissioners, how external consultants and their clients work together and the perceived impact on the quality of commissioning. NHS commissioning organisations and private and not-for-profit providers. Mixed methods case study of eight cases. 92 interviews with external consultants (n=36), their clients (n=47) and others (n=9). Observation of 25 training events and meetings. Documentation, for example, meeting minutes and reports. Constant comparison. Data were coded, summarised and analysed by the research team with a coding framework to facilitate cross-case comparison. In the four contracts presented here, external providers offered technical solutions (eg, software tools), outsourcing and expertise including project management, data interpret...

Housing, Care and Support, 2001

... Housing Strategies and Community Care. Bristol: The Policy Press. Means, R., Brenton, M.,Harr... more ... Housing Strategies and Community Care. Bristol: The Policy Press. Means, R., Brenton, M.,Harrison, L. & Heywood, F. (1997) Making Partnerships Work in Community Care: A Guide for Practitioners in Housing, Health and Social Services. Bristol: The Policy Press.

Ethics, power, knowledge and consent, 2004

Journal of Integrated Care, 2005

... Care at the End of Life in Old Age Liz Lloyd Ailsa Cameron ... Incontinence was a serious det... more ... Care at the End of Life in Old Age Liz Lloyd Ailsa Cameron ... Incontinence was a serious deterrent to going out, the general fear of social embarrassment exacerbated by lack of public toilets. Being able to continue carrying out responsibilities to others was also important. ...

Journal of Integrated Care, 2003

... team building Several studies suggested that one way to improve inter-organisational working ... more ... team building Several studies suggested that one way to improve inter-organisational working was to ... For example, anxieties about cost shunting between organisations could lead to the ... S. (1987) The Salford experiment: an account of the Community Alcohol Team approach. ...

British Medical Journal, 1996

The Howard Journal of Criminal Justice, 2009

Among the many studies of the crime of homicide there is little evidence of interest in the pract... more Among the many studies of the crime of homicide there is little evidence of interest in the practical management of those convicted. This stuaj sought to compare two groups, identtfied within entirely different services, each with a diJferent background of management. One was drawn from the probation service and the other from the balth service. A t the time of sentencing there were remarkably f e w group differences in demography, social or health status of the two groups of offenders, at least according to contemporaneous reports. The one significant difference was the higher rate ofpsychosis among those initially sent to hospital. Questions are raised about the diagnosis of personalify disorder at the time of the trial and its eflect on sentencing. Both hospital and probation staff seemed to be functioning on a dearth of important information. Closer liaison between probation and medical services, both within the prison and within the NHS, in assessing and planning the management of such people seems essential. Two case examples are included which illustrate the issues raised in the study. This s t u 4 also provides furiker evidence of the need to review the mandutorp. life sentence for murder.

Social & Legal Studies, 2008

This article in scrapbook form represents the endeavour of the eight authors to document a recent... more This article in scrapbook form represents the endeavour of the eight authors to document a recent, collective, academic journey. The project was one embarked upon as a means to explore tensions between the ideas of embodiment that connected our work, and the rigidities of ...

Scottish Geographical Magazine, 1994

The government is encouraging the establishment of community woodlands in Scotland. Reliance for ... more The government is encouraging the establishment of community woodlands in Scotland. Reliance for the implementation of this policy is being placed on the private sector, with the public sector fulfilling a facilitating role. This paper considers the factors which are likely to determine the private sector's response to this encouragement, including the opportunity cost, grant aid, commercial planting and the

Journal of Health Services Research & Policy, 2011

To increase understanding about how evaluations of health policy initiatives are commissioned, co... more To increase understanding about how evaluations of health policy initiatives are commissioned, conducted and used. A mapping exercise was conducted to identify evaluation of initiatives promoted by the White Paper 'Our health, our care, our say' in the English NHS. All evaluations were subjected to critical appraisal and 21 were purposively selected as case studies, involving documentary analysis and 60 interviews with those commissioning, conducting and affected by the evaluation. Variation in the types of evaluation being undertaken did not reflect the importance of the initiatives being evaluated. Most evaluations collected evidence about uptake, processes of care and users' perceptions. While some provided useful information about how initiatives could be improved, few provided robust evidence about the benefits or costs of the initiatives. Those who commissioned evaluations had similar concerns to those who conducted them. There was a commitment to the concept of evaluation but little clarity about how findings would be used. Evaluation was often commissioned too late to influence decisions about implementation. Compromises over research design and difficulties collecting data limited the potential to provide robust evidence about benefits. There were tensions between the desire of evaluators for methodological rigour and the needs of service providers for swift, contextually relevant findings. There were concerns about the transparency of methods and results. Considerable public resources are committed to evaluation, but this investment is less productive than it could be. This article specifies several ways in which the use of evaluation of initiatives in health and social care could be improved.

Health & Social Care in the Community, 2014

Health & Social Care in the Community, 2009

This paper reports the findings of an evaluation of the &... more This paper reports the findings of an evaluation of the 'Housing Support, Outreach and Referral' service developed to support people living with HIV who were homeless or at risk of homelessness. The service was set up as part of the Supporting People Health Pilot programme established to demonstrate the policy links between housing support services and health and social care services by encouraging the development of integrated services. The paper considers the role of housing support in improving people's health, and considers the challenges of working across housing, health and social care boundaries. The evaluation of the health pilot employed two main sources of data collection: quarterly project evaluation reports, which collected process data as well as reporting progress against aims and objectives, and semi-structured interviews with professionals from all key stakeholder groups and agencies, and with people who used services. Over the course of 15 months, 56 referrals were received of which 27 were accepted. Fifteen people received tenancy support of whom 12 were helped to access temporary accommodation. At the end of the 15 months, all of the tenancies had been maintained. In addition, 18 people registered with a general practitioner and 13 registered with an HIV clinic. Interviews with professionals emphasised the importance of the local joint working context, the involvement of the voluntary sector and the role of the support workers as factors that accounted for these outcomes. Those using services placed most emphasis on the flexibility of the support worker role. Importantly, interviews with professionals and those using services suggest that the role of support worker incorporates two dimensions--those of networker/navigator as well as advocate--and that both dimensions are important in determining the effectiveness of the service.

Defense Analysis, 1994

... 189 in Tehran in 1978, and the asset freeze and embargo against Iraq after the 1990 invasion ... more ... 189 in Tehran in 1978, and the asset freeze and embargo against Iraq after the 1990 invasion of Kuwait. As shown by statistical analysis, debt, particularly foreign debt, can be a lucrative target of non-lethal attack at many levels of GDP. ...

British Journal of General Practice, 2011