Showing papers on "White paper published in 2009"

White paper on standards and norms for hospice and palliative care in Europe : part 1.

Abstract: The modern hospice movement was introduced by Cicely Saunders with the opening of St Christopher’s Hospice in London in 1967. However, as early as 1975, Balfour Mount found a confusion of terms when he looked for a designation for his new inpatient unit in Montreal, as in French-speaking Canada ‘hospice’ was already used in a different context, leading to the introduction of the term ‘palliative care’. The struggle for a common language has been going on since then in hospice and palliative care throughout the world and has hampered the development of international standards and norms. Recently, the European Association for Palliative Care (EAPC) commissioned a survey on the development of palliative care in European countries. The Task Force on the Development of Palliative Care in Europe, led by Carlos Centeno and David Clark, has just published the results in the EAPC Atlas of Palliative Care in Europe, providing for the first time valid data for comparison of the state of palliative care across European countries.1,2 This evaluation showed some common structures, but also a wide variety in the structure of service development and care delivery. These differences are at least partly related to different understanding of the underlying concepts and the terms of palliative medicine. The development of a common terminology has been claimed as a prerequisite for meaningful comparisons.3 Following this lead, the EAPC is now putting forward suggestions for a common European terminology following a consensus process with the national associations. Norms will be defined on the basis of this consensual terminology. Guidance on norms and standards are necessary not only for healthcare professionals working in hospice and palliative care settings, but also for decision-makers in healthcare who are responsible for adequate access to palliative care for patients. With the ongoing development of palliative care throughout Europe, decision-makers are challenged not only to decide where and when palliative care services should be developed, but also how they should be equipped and configured. Adequate structural quality is a prerequisite for high quality of care. Administrative and political decision-makers will aim for cost-effectiveness, and try to reduce costs by allocating a minimum of staff or reimbursement. Care providers will negotiate for adequate staff resources necessary for high quality of care. In this conflict, both sides will seek guidance on structural quality. In this paper, the EAPC presents norms on structural quality for the provision of palliative care with inand outpatient services in different settings. This White Paper takes into account the different concepts in the European countries and regions. This is acknowledged by the description of norms rather than the definition of standards. Whereas standards would imply an absolute limit below which quality palliative care is not possible (minimal standards), norms represent a consensus on quality goals that have to be aimed for (aspirational norms). If (or White Paper on standards and norms for hospice and palliative care in Europe: part 1

Can green infrastructure promote urban sustainability

Abstract: In 2000, a UK government white paper promoted the prospect of an urban renaissance in the UK to be developed through a series of urban renewal initiatives to create better places for living, working and recreation. Eight years on, there continues to be a policy drive promoting better quality environments through integrative design, social inclusion and public participation. However, whether urban renewal can succeed without a progressive integration of multi-functional green spaces into the urban matrix is still uncertain. This paper proposes that green infrastructure can play a pivotal role in urban renaissance by providing a complementary green matrix of spaces that offer multi-level benefits for human populations. Green infrastructure can also be viewed as simultaneously providing natural resource sinks to assist urban climate control, water management and provide important green networks in an increasingly urbanised Britain. Due to the potential of green infrastructure to be ‘retrofitted’ into most en...

Development of student professionalism.

Abstract: In late 2007, the American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP) charged their National StuNet Advisory Committee to formulate tenets of professionalism, with the primary goal of introducing students to essential attitudes and behaviors of professionalism The committee's list of tenets served as a working document for the development of this White Paper This collaborative effort of the ACCP Board of Regents and the National StuNet Advisory Committee sought to complement other published documents addressing student professionalism The purpose of this White Paper is to enhance student understanding of professionalism, emphasizing the importance of the covenantal or "fiducial" relationship between the patient and the pharmacist This fiducial relationship is the essence of professionalism and is a relationship between the patient and the pharmacist built on trust This White Paper also outlines the traits of professionalism, which were developed after an extensive review of the literature on professionalism in medicine and pharmacy The traits of professionalism identified here are responsibility, commitment to excellence, respect for others, honesty and integrity, and care and compassion It is from these traits that student actions and behaviors should emanate Students, pharmacy practitioners, and faculty have a responsibility to each other, to society as a whole, and to individual patients whom they serve to ensure that their words and actions uphold the highest standards of professional behavior

Your child, your schools, our future : building a 21st century schools system

Abstract: The proposals in this White Paper, "Your Child, Your Schools, Our Future: Building a 21st Century Schools System (Cm. 7588)", aim to ensure that every child enjoys their childhood, does well at school, and turns 18 with the knowledge, skills and qualifications that will give them the best chance of success in adult life. Pupils will go to schools that: have good behaviour, strong discipline, order and safety; teach in a way that meets their needs; have sport and cultural activities; and, promote their health and well-being. The White Paper puts forward a number of measures such as: every child will have a personal tutor; any child falling behind in Key Stage 2 will have an entitlement to 10 hours of one-to-one tuition; those behind at the start of secondary school will either have one-to-one or group catch-up tuition in Year 7; pupil and parent guarantees will be underpinned by legislation; schools will work in partnership with other schools and wider children's services to assist in tackling underperformance and extending best practice; the Academy programme will be extended; school accountability will focus on how well each child is progressing and developing, and take more account of the views of pupils and parents; and, a new School Report Card (SRC) for each school will provide a rounded assessment of school performance, and the SRC will be developed further with Ofsted. The White Paper also sets out the roles and relationships for schools, local and central government, with a strengthening of parental voice as a driver for improvement. The teaching and support staff and the governors in the schools are vital to the achievement of the aims. Measures will address teachers' professional development, leadership roles for heads across a partnership of schools, and training of support staff.

Long Way from Home?: Some Comments on 'the Road Home: A National Approach to Reducing Homelessness'

Abstract: Some of the more positive aspects of The Australian White Paper on homelessness - The Road Home are discussed. Some of the critical issues that have not been covered and should be are highlighted.

White paper: Strength training for the older adult.

Abstract: The aim of this White Paper was to review the current recommendations for strength training of older adults, to promote physical therapist best practice and achieve optimal functional outcomes. A secondary intent was to encourage prospective researchers to use published guidelines to establish an adequate strength stimulus for patients in their research, rather than perpetuating "usual or traditional" care.

Making a Difference: A Guide to Evaluating Public Participation in Central Government

Abstract: Public engagement is now a central element in public policy-making. Activities range from major events such as the Your Health, Your Care, Your Say initiative for public involvement in the health and social care White Paper, which gained over 40,000 responses, to a citizens’ jury on nanotechnology which involved just 12. The success of the initiative will depend on these three elements: — the purpose (what is it for? what do you want to achieve?) — the process (how should it be done - scale, resources, timescales, who to involve, methods?) — the context within which it is taking place (what else is going on? is there any history that needs to be taken into account?) All leading to a successful outcome, if the whole initiative is planned well.

Developing Inclusive Health and Social Care Policies for Older LGBT Citizens

Abstract: Creating anti-oppressive practices in service provision that successfully remove barriers to the social inclusion of older lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and transgendered (LGBT) citizens has proven thus far tremendously difficult. The White Paper, Better Care, Higher Standards: A Charter for Long Term Care, addresses the development of non-discriminatory services that treat users with dignity and respect, taking account of sexual orientation. Such government social policy holds out the hope that services will be designed to support senior LGBT people. This paper examines the unique oppression and marginalization faced by older lesbian, gay men, bisexual and transgendered citizens in homophobic and ageist societies, which often fail to acknowledge their existence. The research findings highlight strategies being created through social policy that aim to successfully achieve the inclusion of this group in the planning and delivery of their services.

CLIL across Educational Levels

Abstract: Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL), or the use of a foreign language for the instruction of content based disciplines, has existed in different forms for many years, mostly in countries with a bilingual or multilingual population. In the case of Europe, the need of a single market and the common policy of promoting multilingualism have led to the more and more widely spread adoption of CLIL in all levels of education. The Commission of the European Communities’ (1995) White Paper entitled Teaching and Learning: Towards the Learning Society marked the beginning of a series of educational experiences in different European countries, which helped the CLIL concept take shape. Since then, the increasing number of projects, thematic networks, stay-abroad programmes, publications and international conferences demonstrate its expansion and importance for all those involved in education, from parents and teachers to learners and policy makers.

Eliminating world poverty: Building our common future.

Abstract: The White Paper represents a fundamental shift in the way the UK delivers development aid refocusing resources onto fragile countries and for the first time treating security and justice as a basic service alongside health education water and sanitation. Fifty per cent of new bilateral funding will be committed to fragile countries. Key announcements in Building our Common Future include: A renewed commitment to 0.7 per cent of UK Gross National Income (GNI) for international development meaning a contribution of £9bn per year by 2013; Measures to reduce maternal mortality rates and potentially save the lives of six million mothers and babies by 2015; Plans to support over eight million more children in Africa to go to school; Doubling of funding to £1bn for African infrastructure including transport energy and trade in the region; A tripling of funding to support developing countries to recover stolen assets and new resources to Interpol as part of a major effort to stamp out corruption; Increased investment in the Central Emergency Response Fund for humanitarian aid at the UN.

Park, recreation, fitness, and sport sector recommendations for a more physically active america: a white paper for the United States national physical activity plan.

Abstract: BACKGROUND: The United States' first National Physical Activity Plan is now under development. This plan follows the release of new physical activity guidelines and seeks to address the nation's ongoing physical inactivity and obesity crisis. For this plan to be successful, all facets of American culture need to unify behind its recommendations and action steps. Guidance for this plan involves active participation from a variety of sectors, including the park, recreation, fitness, and sport (PRFS) sector. PURPOSE: In this white paper, we discuss the potential of the PRFS sector in addressing America's physical inactivity. Specifically, we provide a brief description, history, and scope of the PRFS sector; present evidence concerning linkages between this sector and physical activity; and discuss existing challenges and emerging opportunities for promoting physical activity. We conclude by suggesting PRFS recommendations to promote physical activity based on anticipated effectiveness, reach, scope, and sustainability. METHODS: Academic articles, professional reports, and physical activity plans were reviewed to summarize the evidence concerning PRFS sector strategies for increasing physical activity. Recommendations: Based on our review, we propose several sector-specific proximity, place, program, partnership, promotion, people, policy, and performance indicator recommendations for improving physical activity in the United States. Language: en

Aging with Chinese Characteristics: A Public Policy Perspective

Abstract: This article reflects on the meaning of aging in China by reviewing issues of population change centering on the baby boomer generation Family structure, living arrangements, and long-term care needs of the aged as well as societal responses are re-visited under the general public policy framework of an “economic state in transition” The development of income support, health care, and personal social services for the elderly is examined by reviewing the 2006 government White Paper and the research literature Employment, education, and lifestyle issues are further investigated under the United Nations policy framework on active aging Policy, practical, and theoretical issues in achieving the country’s articulated goals are discussed Adequate preparation for aging is emphasized by considering the roles of individuals, families, practitioners, and policy makers

Lessons from the UK on Urgency and Legitimacy in Energy Policymaking

Abstract: This chapter uses the recent history of UK energy policymaking to illustrate wider themes in this book. In the face of the urgency of climate change, the central question for policymaking is how to combine radical action with strengthened legitimacy and consent. The UK case shows how it may be possible to start travelling along this difficult road, but that subsequently it is easy to over-emphasise urgency at the expense of legitimacy and thus risk overall failure.

Motivating Carbon Reduction in the UK: the role of local government as an agent of social change

Abstract: In UK policy circles, there is a growing recognition that mediating the interface between policy making and the public through local government led initiatives is one way through which to provide a practicable means to deliver carbon reduction at an individual, household, and community level. Following on from the aims of Local Agenda 21 in creating the space for a more bottom–up policy infrastructure, the 2007 UK Energy White Paper is one of the latest political statements to highlight the way in which reaching UK targets on CO2 emissions will continue to involve a greater local response to climate change. This emphasis was given further weight through the introduction of a new local performance framework in April 2008. This new set of 198 national performance indicators (PIs) for local government and other local bodies are now the only PIs which Central Government will use to assess local government performance. Importantly, they include three PIs that specifically cover the issue of climate change and ...

Before It's Too Late: A Digital Game Preservation White Paper

Abstract: Over the last four decades, electronic games have profoundly changed the way people play, learn, and connect with each other. Despite the tremendous impact of electronic games, however, until recently, relatively few programs existed to preserve them for future generations of players and researchers. Recognizing the need to save the original content and intellectual property of electronic games from media rot, obsolescence, and loss, the Game Preservation Special Interest Group of the International Game Developers Association has issued a white paper summa­ rizing why electronic games should be preserved, problems that must be solved to do so, some potential solutions, and why all these issues should matter to everyone interested in electronic games and play in general. In the white paper, the editing of which was partially supported by the Preserving Virtual Worlds project and by funds from the Library of Congress, its editor and six authors (Rachel Donahue created a survey for IGDA members not included in this article) issue a call for heightened awareness of the need to preserve electronic games—endangered by relatively rapid electronic decay and intellectual neglect alike—for play scholarship and for the culture of the twenty-first century.

Adapting Standards of Care Under Extreme Conditions

Abstract: The filing of criminal charges against a group of clinicians in New Orleans for failure to meet expected standards of care following the hurricanes of 2005 made the growing concern among health professionals about care provided during extreme emergencies or disasters all too real. Questions about what may lead to censure, penalties from licensing boards, or lawsuits have come from nurses, physicians, and many other licensed health professionals. A panel convened by the American Nurses Association that included representatives of medical, public health, hospital, and government agencies considered the ethical, professional, and practical aspects of meeting standards of care in such circumstances. Clinicians are reminded that in emergencies, it is only the circumstances that change (perhaps radically); neither the individual's professional competency nor the basic professional standard of care is different. In making prioritized decisions under such circumstances, the individual's ethical framework is utilitarian, and there are 3 areas for action, even when some routine tasks are set aside: maintain worker and patient safety; maintain airway, breathing, and circulation; and establish or maintain infection control. Policy recommendations such as state legislation for the adoption of comprehensive immunity for volunteer health care workers, and the establishment of a medical review panel as arbitration board are also suggested. The resulting white paper summarizes the issues and provides guidance to individual professionals, institutions in which they work, and emergency planners.

The practice of physical and rehabilitation medicine in sub-Saharan Africa and Antarctica: a white paper or a black mark?

Abstract: Introduction: the medical specialty of physical and rehabilitation medicine has had a proven impact on people with disabilities and on healthcare systems. Documents such as the White Book on Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine in Europe have been important in defining the scope of practice within various regions. However, in some regions the practice has not been well defined. Objective: t o explore the practice of physical and rehabilitation medicine in Sub-Saharan africa and antarctica. Methods: Medline searches, membership data searches, fax survey of medical schools, internet searches, and interviews with experts. Results: the continents are dissimilar in terms of climate and government. However, both Antarctica and Sub- Saharan africa have no physical and rehabilitation medicine training programs, no professional organizations, no specialty board requirements, and no practising physicians in the field. Since there are no known disabled children on Antarctica and adults are air-lifted to world-class healthcare, the consequences of this deficit are minimal there. However, the 788,000,000 permanent residents of Sub-Saharan Africa, including approximately 78 million people with disabilities, are left unserved. Conclusion: Antarctica is doing fine, but Africa is in a cri sis. Local medical schools, hospitals doctors, and people with disabilities, along with foreign volunteers, aid groups, and policy makers can have an impact on the crisis. However, governments, specifically national ministries of health, are ultimately responsible for the health and well-being of their citizens.

Reading and creating critically leaderful schools that make a difference: the post‐apartheid South African case

Abstract: My interest in critical leaderful educational practices emanated from my experiences as a researcher in a South African National Department of Education project that piloted the White Paper on Inclusive Education Policy from 2001–2003 and in 2006 when I worked as a volunteer consultant with Twenty30, an independent, not for profit organization that works with schools in disadvantaged communities in Johannesburg, South Africa. Based on my work with the National Department of Education and Twenty30, in this paper I briefly sketch the profiles of Sunshine Primary and Dullsville Primary, two schools which operate within similar contexts of social fragmentation but which display two very different sets of behaviours. I sketch the legacy of racial segregation in South African schools and the resource infrastructural climate that characterized apartheid South African education. The sketch is meant to serve as a contextual background to understand the behavioural patterns of Sunshine Primary and Dullsville Primar...

Sport governance after the White Paper: the demise of the European model?

Abstract: In 1998 the European Commission introduced into the political arena the concept of a ‘European model of sport’ in the build up to the Helsinki Report on Sport, the Commission's first attempt to formulate a comprehensive approach towards sport in the ‘post-Bosman era’. In the recently adopted White Paper on Sport (July 2007), the Commission however considers it ‘unrealistic’ to define a single model of sport for Europe. This article argues that the Commission's departure from its previous position deserves attention because it is an explicit acknowledgement of the transformations in the governing structures of European sport over the last two decades. The article suggests two possible motives for the Commission's new understanding of European sport. First, the Commission is responding to the politicisation and redefinition of the concept of the ‘European Model’ by sport governing bodies, who are attempting to forestall legal intervention by the European courts and the Commission. Second, the Commission is ...

An analysis of Australia’s carbon pollution reduction scheme

Abstract: The authors review the decision‐making since the Labour Government came into office (November 2007). The Australian Government’s ‘Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme’ White Paper (15 December 2008) proposes that an Australian Emissions Trading Scheme (AETS) be implemented in mid‐2010. Acknowledging that the scheme is comprehensive, the paper finds that in many cases, Australia will take a softer approach to climate change through the AETS than the European Union ETS (EUETS). The paper assesses key issues in the White Paper such as emissions reduction targets, GHG coverage, sectoral coverage, inclusion of unlimited quantities of offsets from Kyoto international markets and exclusion of deforestation activities.

The practice of physical medicine and rehabilitation in sub-Saharan Africa and Antarctica: A white paper or a black mark?

Abstract: Introduction. The medical specialty of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) has had a proven impact on persons with disability and on healthcare systems. Documents such as The White Book on Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine in Europe have been important in defining the scope of practice within various regions. However in some continents the practice has not been well defined.Objective. To explore the practice of PM&R in sub-Saharan Africa and Antarctica.Methods. Medline searches, membership data searches, fax survey of medical schools, Internet searches and interviews with experts.Results. The continents are dissimilar in terms of climate and government. However both Antarctica and sub-Saharan Africa have no PM&R training programs, no professional organisations, no specialty board requirements and no practicing physicians in the field. Since there are no known disabled children in Antarctica and adults are airlifted to world-class health care, the consequences of this deficit are minimal there. ...

The education, rights and welfare of young people in professional football in England: some implications of the White Paper on Sport

Abstract: The central objectives of this paper are: i) to explore some of the implications of three issues that are to be found within the White Paper on Sport, namely, the protection of minors, free movement of players and the education and welfare of young athletes; and ii) to reflect upon the ways in which, and extent to which, the recommendations the European Commission makes in these areas may come to impact on the future welfare and employment and human rights of young people working in professional football Academies and Centres of Excellence (CoE) in England. In this regard, it is argued that, insofar as the Commission retains a commitment to ensuring the free movement of players and abolishing discrimination on the basis of nationality, this may do more to limit, than encourage, the willingness of professional football clubs to develop more young talented English players in their Academies and CoE. It is also suggested that while the White Paper places particular importance on implementing a range of strategies to tackle the abuse of young athletes and to protect the welfare of young people by, amongst other things, enhancing their education and training, in the context of professional football the efficacy of those strategies in bringing about desired change in young people's lives may be significantly constrained by the prevailing subcultures and values that surround the sport.

Information and advocacy: Forgotten components in the strategies for achieving inclusive education in South Africa?

Abstract: Commitment to a single, inclusive education system has been the aspiration of reform in education in a democratic South Africa as articulated in White Paper 6: Special needs education: Building an inclusive education and training system (Department of Education 2001). This article reports findings from a qualitative study which took place in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), which ascertained participants’ evaluation of the extent to which the policy ideals of inclusive education, as articulated in White Paper 6 were being achieved. Findings revealed that there was evidence of inclusive education beginning to be implemented in KZN in that barriers to learning for many students were being addressed and removed. The specific provision in policy documents directed towards children with disabilities was behind schedule, however, and there was little evidence of full inclusion of students with disabilities in regular education. One component that was furthest behind in the milestones was the implementation of the ...