Claire Parkin - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Claire Parkin

International Journal of Evidence-Based Healthcare, 2007

Background A discipline which critically looks at the evidence for practice should itself be cri... more Background A discipline which critically looks at the evidence for practice should itself be critically examined. Credible evidence for the effectiveness of training in evidence-based healthcare (EBHC) is essential. We attempted to summarise the current knowledge on evaluating the effectiveness of training in EBHC while identifying the gaps. Methods A working group of EBHC teachers developed a conceptual framework of key areas of EBHC teaching and practice in need of evidence mapped to appropriate methods and outcomes. A literature search was conducted to review the current state of research in these key areas. Studies of training interventions that evaluated effectiveness by considering learner, patient or health system outcomes in terms of knowledge, skills, attitude, judgement, competence, decision-making, patient satisfaction, quality of life, clinical indicators or cost were included. There was no language restriction. Results Of 55 articles reviewed, 15 met the inclusion criteria: six systematic reviews, three randomised controlled trials and six before-after studies. We found weak indications that undergraduate training in EBHC improves knowledge but not skills, and that clinically integrated postgraduate teaching improves both knowledge and skills. Two randomised controlled trials reported no impact on attitudes or behaviour. One before-after study found a positive impact on decision-making, while another suggested change in learners' behaviour and improved patient outcome. We found no studies assessing the impact of EBHC training on patient satisfaction, health-related quality of life, cost or population-level indicators of health. Conclusions Literature evaluating the effectiveness of training in EBHC has focused on short-term acquisition of knowledge and skills. Evaluation designs were methodologically weak, controlled trials appeared inadequately powered and systematic reviews could not provide conclusive evidence owing to weakness of study designs.

This service impact evaluation was undertaken to define the views and opinions of the service del... more This service impact evaluation was undertaken to define the views and opinions of the service delivery teams and stakeholders in terms of the impact that the TIPS programme has had on patient care and safety, QI skills, culture, confidence and personal development. Focus groups and interviews with key personnel to collate their perceived views, also focussed on the successes, pitfalls and perceived sustainability of the TIPS programme

Being the editor of an open access academic journal is incredibly time-consuming and often frustr... more Being the editor of an open access academic journal is incredibly time-consuming and often frustrating, but in my case, I enjoy having this kind of role in my professional portfolio. The benefits of journal editorship outweigh the frustrations as the rewarding elements of sharing scientific and professional practice-related works of innovation are immense. This Editorial discusses my role further.

Acta Chirurgica Belgica, 2017

The version in the Kent Academic Repository may differ from the final published version. Users ar... more The version in the Kent Academic Repository may differ from the final published version. Users are advised to check http://kar.kent.ac.uk for the status of the paper. Users should always cite the published version of record.

Background: In recent times, there has been much interest in the worlds of Science, Technology, E... more Background: In recent times, there has been much interest in the worlds of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) over why a gender gap exists. The gap exists from as early as infancy and continues onwards through to secondary school where it has been shown to influence choice of ALevels. The result of this gender gap is therefore thought to influence future career options and the longer-term career trajectory. The objective of this study was to develop an instrument that measures overall gender bias, or genderness, within Key Stage 3 textbooks; Textbooks that may exert an influence on an individual’s choice of A-level study, and their subsequent career. Methods: Using descriptors that reflect different aspects of genderness, the Gender Bias 14 (GB14) tool was developed, piloted and tested for inter-rater reliability. The tool was then used to analyse the content of Key Stage 3 textbooks for genderness and a genderness score was generated for each chapter. Results: With h...

Education for Primary Care, May 8, 2018

The aim of this study was to assess whether the absolute standard of candidates sitting the MRCGP... more The aim of this study was to assess whether the absolute standard of candidates sitting the MRCGP Applied Knowledge Test (AKT) between 2011 and 2016 had changed. It is a descriptive study comparing the performance on marker questions of a reference group of UK graduates taking the AKT for the irst time between 2011 and 2016. Using aggregated examination data, the performance of individual 'marker' questions was compared using Pearson's chi-squared tests and trend-line analysis. Binary logistic regression was used to analyse changes in performance over the study period. Changes in performance of individual marker questions using Pearson's chi-squared test showed statistically signiicant diferences in 32 of the 49 questions included in the study. Trend line analysis showed a positive trend in 29 questions and a negative trend in the remaining 23. The magnitude of change was small. Logistic regression did not demonstrate any evidence for a change in the performance of the question set over the study period. However, candidates were more likely to get items on administration wrong compared with clinical medicine or research. There was no evidence of a change in performance of the question set as a whole.

Background: Assistive Technologies (AT) in healthcare can increase independence and quality of li... more Background: Assistive Technologies (AT) in healthcare can increase independence and quality of life for users. Concurrently, new AT devices offer opportunities for individualised care solutions. Nonetheless, AT remains under-utilised and is poorly integrated in practice by healthcare professionals (HCPs). Although occupational therapists (OTs), physiotherapists and speech and language therapists (SLTs) consider that AT solutions can offer problem-solving approaches to personalised care, they have a lesser understanding of application of AT in their practice. In this paper, we report findings of a survey on AT knowledge and experiences of HCPs in UK and France. Training needs also explored in the survey are presented in a separate paper on development of online training for the ADAPT project. Method: A survey of 37 closed/open questions was developed in English and French by a team of healthcare researchers. Content was informed by published surveys and studies. Email invitations wer...

Background: Assistive Technologies (AT) in healthcare can increase independence and quality of li... more Background: Assistive Technologies (AT) in healthcare can increase independence and quality of life for users. Concurrently, new AT devices offer opportunities for individualised care solutions. Nonetheless, AT remains under-utilised and is poorly integrated in practice by healthcare professionals (HCPs). Although occupational therapists (OTs), physiotherapists and speech and language therapists (SLTs) consider that AT solutions can offer problem-solving approaches to personalised care, they have a lesser understanding of application of AT in their practice. In this paper, we report findings of a survey on AT knowledge and experiences of HCPs in UK and France. Training needs also explored in the survey are presented in a separate paper on development of online training for the ADAPT project. Method: A survey of 37 closed/open questions was developed in English and French by a team of healthcare researchers. Content was informed by published surveys and studies. Email invitations wer...

Background There has been a move to increase multidisciplinary working in primary care, driven b... more Background There has been a move to increase multidisciplinary working in primary care, driven both by policy changes and by workforce challenges. The perspectives of the General Practitioners have not been widely investigated. Aim The aim of this project was to explore what general practitioners (GPs) understand by ‘multi-disciplinary, primary healthcare team working’ in the current climate. Design, Setting and Methods A descriptive qualitative study, using semi-structured interviews was undertaken to explore the views of six GPs. Transcribed interviews were thematically analysed. Results Analysis of the interviews identified six broad themes. These were: practice team structure and function, GPs’ perceptions of their own role within the team, others’ roles within the team, communication issues, constraints impacting upon change and lastly, relationships with external organisations. Conclusions General practice multidisciplinary teams are at present in a considerable state of fl...

AbstractBackground: In recent times, there has been much interest in the worlds of Science, Techn... more AbstractBackground: In recent times, there has been much interest in the worlds of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) over why a gender gap exists. The gap exists from as early as infancy and continues onwards through to secondary school where it has been shown to influence choice of A-Level’s. The result of this gender gap is therefore thought to influence future career options and the longer term career trajectory. The objective of this study was to develop an instrument that measures overall gender bias, or genderness, within key stage 3 textbooks; Textbooks which may be exerting an influence on an individual’s choice of A level study, and their subsequent career. Methods: Using descriptors that reflect different aspects of genderness, the Gender Bias 14 (GB14) tool was developed, piloted and tested for inter-rater reliability. The tool was then used to analyse the content of Key Stage 3 textbooks for genderness and a genderness score was generated for each chapter...

Distance learning involving both time-synchronous (telephone) and asynchronous media (email, podc... more Distance learning involving both time-synchronous (telephone) and asynchronous media (email, podcasts) has been used successfully in education and supervision of allied medical specialties over the years. However the poor social presence afforded by such electronic interfaces has, until recently, limited the application of distance learning to post- graduate medical education. High-quality real-time audio-visual communication software is now widely available and being used increasingly for social communication by more and more people. Could this technology be used to facilitate the educational development of remote learners? This paper offers the experience of senior GP Educators using remote, time-synchronous, audio- visual technology (namely Skype) to provide distance supervision to a peer educator.

Background: Long-term disabilities often result in loss of autonomy and social interaction. Accor... more Background: Long-term disabilities often result in loss of autonomy and social interaction. Accordingly, there is a demand for Assistive Technology (AT) devices to enable individuals to live independently for as long as possible. However, many people experience difficulties in obtaining and using AT. This paper presents findings from a narrative literature review undertaken as part of the development of AT training for healthcare professionals, one of the work areas of the ADAPT project (Assistive Devices for Empowering Disabled People through Robotic Technologies), funded by EU INTERREG France (Channel) England. The results of the review informed the design of a survey of healthcare professionals regarding their views and experiences of AT and the development of AT training. Method: The review sought to understand challenges encountered in the adoption and use of AT as well as how training of healthcare professionals in AT takes place. A narrative approach was adopted as the most a...

Social mediais a popular, technology-led form of communication. It has a developing but contentio... more Social mediais a popular, technology-led form of communication. It has a developing but contentious role in healthcare professional practice, attracting interest and opinion from official bodies, academic institutions and terrestrial and internet media. This project explored Health Education England Kent, Surrey and Sussex (HEE KSS) Foundation Dentists’ (FDs) perceptions of the influence of internet social media on their professional practice.

International Journal of Evidence-Based Healthcare, 2007

Background A discipline which critically looks at the evidence for practice should itself be cri... more Background A discipline which critically looks at the evidence for practice should itself be critically examined. Credible evidence for the effectiveness of training in evidence-based healthcare (EBHC) is essential. We attempted to summarise the current knowledge on evaluating the effectiveness of training in EBHC while identifying the gaps. Methods A working group of EBHC teachers developed a conceptual framework of key areas of EBHC teaching and practice in need of evidence mapped to appropriate methods and outcomes. A literature search was conducted to review the current state of research in these key areas. Studies of training interventions that evaluated effectiveness by considering learner, patient or health system outcomes in terms of knowledge, skills, attitude, judgement, competence, decision-making, patient satisfaction, quality of life, clinical indicators or cost were included. There was no language restriction. Results Of 55 articles reviewed, 15 met the inclusion criteria: six systematic reviews, three randomised controlled trials and six before-after studies. We found weak indications that undergraduate training in EBHC improves knowledge but not skills, and that clinically integrated postgraduate teaching improves both knowledge and skills. Two randomised controlled trials reported no impact on attitudes or behaviour. One before-after study found a positive impact on decision-making, while another suggested change in learners' behaviour and improved patient outcome. We found no studies assessing the impact of EBHC training on patient satisfaction, health-related quality of life, cost or population-level indicators of health. Conclusions Literature evaluating the effectiveness of training in EBHC has focused on short-term acquisition of knowledge and skills. Evaluation designs were methodologically weak, controlled trials appeared inadequately powered and systematic reviews could not provide conclusive evidence owing to weakness of study designs.

This service impact evaluation was undertaken to define the views and opinions of the service del... more This service impact evaluation was undertaken to define the views and opinions of the service delivery teams and stakeholders in terms of the impact that the TIPS programme has had on patient care and safety, QI skills, culture, confidence and personal development. Focus groups and interviews with key personnel to collate their perceived views, also focussed on the successes, pitfalls and perceived sustainability of the TIPS programme

Being the editor of an open access academic journal is incredibly time-consuming and often frustr... more Being the editor of an open access academic journal is incredibly time-consuming and often frustrating, but in my case, I enjoy having this kind of role in my professional portfolio. The benefits of journal editorship outweigh the frustrations as the rewarding elements of sharing scientific and professional practice-related works of innovation are immense. This Editorial discusses my role further.

Acta Chirurgica Belgica, 2017

The version in the Kent Academic Repository may differ from the final published version. Users ar... more The version in the Kent Academic Repository may differ from the final published version. Users are advised to check http://kar.kent.ac.uk for the status of the paper. Users should always cite the published version of record.

Background: In recent times, there has been much interest in the worlds of Science, Technology, E... more Background: In recent times, there has been much interest in the worlds of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) over why a gender gap exists. The gap exists from as early as infancy and continues onwards through to secondary school where it has been shown to influence choice of ALevels. The result of this gender gap is therefore thought to influence future career options and the longer-term career trajectory. The objective of this study was to develop an instrument that measures overall gender bias, or genderness, within Key Stage 3 textbooks; Textbooks that may exert an influence on an individual’s choice of A-level study, and their subsequent career. Methods: Using descriptors that reflect different aspects of genderness, the Gender Bias 14 (GB14) tool was developed, piloted and tested for inter-rater reliability. The tool was then used to analyse the content of Key Stage 3 textbooks for genderness and a genderness score was generated for each chapter. Results: With h...

Education for Primary Care, May 8, 2018

The aim of this study was to assess whether the absolute standard of candidates sitting the MRCGP... more The aim of this study was to assess whether the absolute standard of candidates sitting the MRCGP Applied Knowledge Test (AKT) between 2011 and 2016 had changed. It is a descriptive study comparing the performance on marker questions of a reference group of UK graduates taking the AKT for the irst time between 2011 and 2016. Using aggregated examination data, the performance of individual 'marker' questions was compared using Pearson's chi-squared tests and trend-line analysis. Binary logistic regression was used to analyse changes in performance over the study period. Changes in performance of individual marker questions using Pearson's chi-squared test showed statistically signiicant diferences in 32 of the 49 questions included in the study. Trend line analysis showed a positive trend in 29 questions and a negative trend in the remaining 23. The magnitude of change was small. Logistic regression did not demonstrate any evidence for a change in the performance of the question set over the study period. However, candidates were more likely to get items on administration wrong compared with clinical medicine or research. There was no evidence of a change in performance of the question set as a whole.

Background: Assistive Technologies (AT) in healthcare can increase independence and quality of li... more Background: Assistive Technologies (AT) in healthcare can increase independence and quality of life for users. Concurrently, new AT devices offer opportunities for individualised care solutions. Nonetheless, AT remains under-utilised and is poorly integrated in practice by healthcare professionals (HCPs). Although occupational therapists (OTs), physiotherapists and speech and language therapists (SLTs) consider that AT solutions can offer problem-solving approaches to personalised care, they have a lesser understanding of application of AT in their practice. In this paper, we report findings of a survey on AT knowledge and experiences of HCPs in UK and France. Training needs also explored in the survey are presented in a separate paper on development of online training for the ADAPT project. Method: A survey of 37 closed/open questions was developed in English and French by a team of healthcare researchers. Content was informed by published surveys and studies. Email invitations wer...

Background: Assistive Technologies (AT) in healthcare can increase independence and quality of li... more Background: Assistive Technologies (AT) in healthcare can increase independence and quality of life for users. Concurrently, new AT devices offer opportunities for individualised care solutions. Nonetheless, AT remains under-utilised and is poorly integrated in practice by healthcare professionals (HCPs). Although occupational therapists (OTs), physiotherapists and speech and language therapists (SLTs) consider that AT solutions can offer problem-solving approaches to personalised care, they have a lesser understanding of application of AT in their practice. In this paper, we report findings of a survey on AT knowledge and experiences of HCPs in UK and France. Training needs also explored in the survey are presented in a separate paper on development of online training for the ADAPT project. Method: A survey of 37 closed/open questions was developed in English and French by a team of healthcare researchers. Content was informed by published surveys and studies. Email invitations wer...

Background There has been a move to increase multidisciplinary working in primary care, driven b... more Background There has been a move to increase multidisciplinary working in primary care, driven both by policy changes and by workforce challenges. The perspectives of the General Practitioners have not been widely investigated. Aim The aim of this project was to explore what general practitioners (GPs) understand by ‘multi-disciplinary, primary healthcare team working’ in the current climate. Design, Setting and Methods A descriptive qualitative study, using semi-structured interviews was undertaken to explore the views of six GPs. Transcribed interviews were thematically analysed. Results Analysis of the interviews identified six broad themes. These were: practice team structure and function, GPs’ perceptions of their own role within the team, others’ roles within the team, communication issues, constraints impacting upon change and lastly, relationships with external organisations. Conclusions General practice multidisciplinary teams are at present in a considerable state of fl...

AbstractBackground: In recent times, there has been much interest in the worlds of Science, Techn... more AbstractBackground: In recent times, there has been much interest in the worlds of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) over why a gender gap exists. The gap exists from as early as infancy and continues onwards through to secondary school where it has been shown to influence choice of A-Level’s. The result of this gender gap is therefore thought to influence future career options and the longer term career trajectory. The objective of this study was to develop an instrument that measures overall gender bias, or genderness, within key stage 3 textbooks; Textbooks which may be exerting an influence on an individual’s choice of A level study, and their subsequent career. Methods: Using descriptors that reflect different aspects of genderness, the Gender Bias 14 (GB14) tool was developed, piloted and tested for inter-rater reliability. The tool was then used to analyse the content of Key Stage 3 textbooks for genderness and a genderness score was generated for each chapter...

Distance learning involving both time-synchronous (telephone) and asynchronous media (email, podc... more Distance learning involving both time-synchronous (telephone) and asynchronous media (email, podcasts) has been used successfully in education and supervision of allied medical specialties over the years. However the poor social presence afforded by such electronic interfaces has, until recently, limited the application of distance learning to post- graduate medical education. High-quality real-time audio-visual communication software is now widely available and being used increasingly for social communication by more and more people. Could this technology be used to facilitate the educational development of remote learners? This paper offers the experience of senior GP Educators using remote, time-synchronous, audio- visual technology (namely Skype) to provide distance supervision to a peer educator.

Background: Long-term disabilities often result in loss of autonomy and social interaction. Accor... more Background: Long-term disabilities often result in loss of autonomy and social interaction. Accordingly, there is a demand for Assistive Technology (AT) devices to enable individuals to live independently for as long as possible. However, many people experience difficulties in obtaining and using AT. This paper presents findings from a narrative literature review undertaken as part of the development of AT training for healthcare professionals, one of the work areas of the ADAPT project (Assistive Devices for Empowering Disabled People through Robotic Technologies), funded by EU INTERREG France (Channel) England. The results of the review informed the design of a survey of healthcare professionals regarding their views and experiences of AT and the development of AT training. Method: The review sought to understand challenges encountered in the adoption and use of AT as well as how training of healthcare professionals in AT takes place. A narrative approach was adopted as the most a...

Social mediais a popular, technology-led form of communication. It has a developing but contentio... more Social mediais a popular, technology-led form of communication. It has a developing but contentious role in healthcare professional practice, attracting interest and opinion from official bodies, academic institutions and terrestrial and internet media. This project explored Health Education England Kent, Surrey and Sussex (HEE KSS) Foundation Dentists’ (FDs) perceptions of the influence of internet social media on their professional practice.