Conservative management of vestibular schwannomas of 15 to 31 mm intracranial diameter.

Objective: To study the natural course of vestibular schwannomas 15 to 31 mm in diameter.

Methods: A retrospective study of 45 patients conservatively managed with interval scanning was performed. Outcome measures were: changes in tumour size, clinical features and hearing.

The effects of heavy social drinking on executive function: a systematic review and meta-analytic study of existing literature and new empirical findings.

Background: Previous investigations of executive function in alcohol dependent and in social drinkers have not always produced consistent results and have not utilised key indicators of recent theoretical models of Executive Function (EF). The present paper reports the results of two studies that seek to address these limitations.

Method: Study 1 took the form of a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies examining EF in social drinkers.

The effects of 'ecstasy' (MDMA) on visuospatial memory performance: findings from a systematic review with meta-analyses.

To review, with meta-analyses where appropriate, performance differences between ecstasy (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine) users and non-users on a wider range of visuospatial tasks than previously reviewed. Such tasks have been shown to draw upon working memory executive resources. Abstract databases were searched using the United Kingdom National Health Service Evidence Health Information Resource.

An evaluation of an online numeracy assessment tool.

Aim: To evaluate users' perceptions of an online numeracy assessment tool in terms of improving their numeracy and confidence in mathematical calculation.

Method: A quantitative and qualitative survey evaluation was performed. An online questionnaire was sent to 695 users of the tool.

Working as a newly appointed consultant: a study into the transition from specialist registrar.

Practising for the first time as a consultant can be extremely challenging. This study explored the experiences of 45 physicians and surgeons who had made the transition from specialist registrar to hospital consultant.

Using questionnaires to determine whether medical graduates' career choice is determined by undergraduate or postgraduate experiences.

Background: There has been increased interest in the factors influencing the career choice of doctors. Feminization of the medical workforce, changing health care needs, reform of training has ensured that this is an important issue for workforce planners and educationists.

Aims And Methods: Questionnaires were distributed to graduates from the University of Liverpool 5 years post graduation requesting the most important influences on career choice.

Views of National Health Service (NHS) Ethics Committee members on how education research should be reviewed.

Background: A Local Research Ethics Committee (LREC) may not be appropriate for reviewing research projects involving trainees as participants.

Aims: This study aimed to obtain views of LREC members regarding education research being reviewed by LRECS.

Methods: A questionnaire describing six medical education research projects was sent to an opportunistic sample of LRECs.

Exploring the views of second-year Foundation Programme doctors and their educational supervisors during a deanery-wide pilot Foundation Programme.

Aim: To explore the views of second-year Foundation Programme doctors (F2s) and their educational supervisors taking part in a deanery-wide pilot Foundation Programme, in order to gain an understanding of their perceptions of the available learning experiences, support and supervision.

Methods: 20 semi-structured interviews were undertaken with randomly selected F2 doctors and educational supervisors participating in the deanery-wide pilot Foundation Programme.

Results: F2 trainees received appropriate and sufficient support and supervision from a variety of sources during their placements; however, it was believed that additional training of educational supervisors was required.

Preregistration house officer skill and competency assessment through questionnaires.

In 1996 the University of Liverpool reformed its medical course from a very traditional lecture-based curriculum to an integrated problem-based learning curriculum. This article summarizes the results of questionnaires sent to both traditional and reformed curricula Liverpool graduates asking them to assess their competencies.

The portfolio: how was it for you? Views of F2 doctors from the Mersey Deanery Foundation Pilot.

A study was conducted between August 2004 and August 2005 to explore the experiences of Foundation year 2 (F2) trainees who used the learning portfolio on the Mersey Deanery pilot scheme. Seventy-three trainees (77%) reported receiving their portfolio during their induction. In their first four-month placement, 90 trainees (96%) completed the two case-based discussions, 80 (87%) the three mini clinical examinations and 92 (97%) the two direct observation of practical procedures.

The role of Abrams percutaneous pleural biopsy in the investigation of exudative pleural effusions.

Introduction: Blind percutaneous pleural biopsy has traditionally been performed to investigate the etiology of exudative pleural effusion in which the initial thoracentesis has been nondiagnostic. In view of the increasing use of image-guided and thoracoscopic pleural biopsies, this study examines the role of blind Abrams pleural biopsy in the investigation of pleural effusion in a large urban hospital.

Method: Patients undergoing blind Abrams needle biopsy between January 1997 and 2003 were identified from the hospital pathology database.

Comparison of aspects of preregistration house officer training from traditional and new medical curricula.

As medical graduates from the new (problem-based learning) curriculum at University of Liverpool undertook their first post in the postgraduate clinical setting, this study investigated whether their views of preregistration training in the Mersey Deanery differed from the last cohort of preregistration house officers who had graduated from the traditional lecture-based medical curriculum at University of Liverpool.

Clinical audit indicators of outcome following admission to hospital with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Background: The 1997 BTS/RCP national audit of acute chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in terms of process of care has previously been reported. This paper describes from the same cases the outcomes of death, readmission rates within 3 months of initial admission, and length of stay. Identification of the main pre-admission predictors of outcome may be used to control for confounding factors in population characteristics when comparing performance between units.

Audit of acute admissions of COPD: standards of care and management in the hospital setting.

Despite publication of several management guidelines for COPD, relatively little is known about standards of care in clinical practice. Data were collected on the management of 1400 cases of acute admission with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in 38 UK hospitals to compare clinical practice against the recommended British Thoracic Society standards. Variation in the process of care between the different centres was analysed and a comparison of the management by respiratory specialists and nonrespiratory specialists made.

National benchmarking as a support system for clinical governance.

Audit of the management of acute asthma in hospital has developed in tandem with guidelines produced and updated by the British Thoracic Society (BTS), on the principle that agreed guidelines combined with systematic review of practice by periodic audit are more likely to result in improvements in practice than guidelines alone. A short audit data set was distilled from previous experience with more elaborate tools and made available nationally to audit departments and through letters to consultant members of the BTS. Hospitals have been able to contribute since 1990.

Comparison of the process of care of acute severe asthma in adults admitted to hospital before and 1 yr after the publication of national guidelines.

This study set out to assess the effect of publication of the British Guidelines on Asthma Management on the processes and outcomes of the inpatient care of acute severe asthma in the U.K. A criterion-based audit of all acute asthma admissions during August and September 1990 (immediately before) and in 1991 (1 yr after publication of the Guidelines) using eight criteria of process and outcome was performed.

National audit of acute severe asthma in adults admitted to hospital. Standards of Care Committee, British Thoracic Society.

Objective: To ascertain the standard of care for hospital management of acute severe asthma in adults.

Design: Questionnaire based retrospective multicentre survey of case records.

Setting: 36 hospitals (12 teaching and 24 district general hospitals) across England, Wales, and Scotland.