A pilot intervention to improve uptake and equality of childhood influenza vaccination in an area of Wales, through the introduction of a mixed delivery model including nursery school immunisation sessions.

The schools-based influenza vaccination programme has seen consistently high uptake in Wales, however coverage in pre-school two and three-year olds is lower. One health board area (Cwm Taf University Health Board (UHB)) developed an intervention to offer live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV) for three-year olds attending nursery schools alongside the existing general practice (GP) programme. During the pilot, sessions were delivered by health visitors, working with school nurses.

Emotional modulation of the pupil in psychopathy: A test of the Response Modulation Hypothesis.

Some aspects of psychopathy may be underpinned by a deficit in processing emotional information, although there is evidence that this impairment only emerges when the affective cues are not central to ongoing goal-directed behaviour. However, this hypothesis has not been explored previously in relation to autonomic reactivity to emotional stimuli. The current study investigated this in a large (N = 174) community sample by examining changes in pupil diameter, a measure of autonomic nervous system activity, while participants viewed images that were either neutral in content or contained highly arousing/emotional content.

Antibiotic use and serious complications following acute otitis media and acute sinusitis: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: Most people with acute otitis media (AOM) and acute sinusitis (AS) do not benefit from antibiotics, and GPs are under increasing pressure to reduce antibiotic prescribing. Concern about the risk of complications can drive unnecessary prescribing.

Aim: To describe the incidence of serious complications following AOM and AS, and to determine whether antibiotics are protective.

Psychopathy and impulsivity: The relationship of psychopathy to different aspects of UPPS-P impulsivity.

Impulsivity is thought to be a major component of psychopathy. However, impulsivity is a multi-faceted concept, and different facets may have differential relationships to psychopathy. We measured impulsivity via the UPPS-P in a sample of prisoners and in patients in a personality disorder service resident in secure psychiatric care.

In their own words: a synthesis of the qualitative research on the experiences of adults seeking asylum. A systematic review of qualitative findings in forced migration.

Quantitative research indicates that some forced migrants have mental health needs. Asylum seekers are a group of forced migrants applying for asylum status in a host country, and are often subject to rights restrictions and threat of deportation, though little is known about subjective experiences of the asylum journey and process of claiming asylum. The current paper therefore describes a systematic review of the qualitative literature, examining asylum seekers experiences of asylum journey, from country of origin, to arrival and adaptation to host countries.

Risk taking and the triarchic model of psychopathy.

Introduction: High risk behaviors, such as aggression, criminality, sexual promiscuity, drug use, and gambling, are often associated with psychopathic traits. Such behaviors might arise due to a lack of fear of the consequences (boldness) or due to impulsive actions (disinhibition). We examined risk taking behavior in the laboratory setting using the Balloon Analogue Risk Task (BART), where an individual can inflate a balloon to earn a reward, but will lose this accumulated reward if the balloon bursts.

Report on the 2014 UKONS Annual Conference Belfast, 14-15 November 2014: focus on living with and beyond cancer, patient information and support, and innovations in treatment and care.

The UK Oncology Nursing Society's (UKONS) annual conference focused on three major themes. These were 'Living With and Beyond Cancer', 'Patient Information and Support', and 'Innovations in Treatment and Care'. It featured a wide range of presentations, industry satellites, exhibitions, poster discussions.

A study examining the relationship between alexithymia and challenging behaviour in adults with intellectual disability.

Background: Research suggesting that people with intellectual disabilities (ID) have difficulties in recognising emotions provides a rationale for studying alexithymia in this population. A number of studies have found a relationship between alexithymia and challenging behaviours in various populations and this study aims to discover if this is the case for people with ID.

Method: Cross-sectional data were collected from 96 participants with ID and 95 of their carers.

Attitudes of primary care team to diagnosing dementia.

Healthcare professionals in primary care are gatekeepers to specialist services and are important in terms of ensuring access to community support and appropriate referral for the sizable number of older people with mental health problems. This literature review explores the role of primary care professionals, particularly GPs and practice nurses, in diagnosing and managing patients with dementia. It recommends that education and training are required to raise awareness of the importance of accurate diagnosis and management in primary care.

Monitoring referrals to mental health services.

The referral of patients with dementia from primary care professionals to specialist mental health services can fluctuate markedly. This article examines referrals to a mental health service for older people and the role of an education facilitator in primary care. Evaluation and analysis of the data collected from a single point of referral highlight possible delays in referrals by primary care professionals, failure to recognise mental health needs in older people or a tendency to refer initially to medical services instead of specialist mental health services.

Prediction of violence and self-harm in mentally disordered offenders: a prospective study of the efficacy of HCR-20, PCL-R, and psychiatric symptomatology.

The efficacy of the Historical, Clinical, and Risk Management Scales (HCR-20; C. D. Webster, D.

The influence of evil on forensic clinical practice.

As the medicalization of criminal behaviour expands through forensic psychiatric practice it is reliant upon a therapeutic ideology based on clinical assessment and effective application of treatment strategies. When such criminal offenses are particularly heinous the perpetrators are often referred to as evil by non-professional accounts. However, the extent to which the concept of evil affects the perceptions of mental health professionals working with such offenders is little understood.

Multi-disciplinary working in a forensic mental health setting: ethical codes of reference.

This paper reports on a small research project on multidisciplinary team-working within a medium secure forensic unit in the United Kingdom. Although multidisciplinary team working is widely accepted as an effective strategy for the delivery of healthcare services in modern society it is also recognized that interdisciplinary problems can also occur. This study developed two questionnaires, one being delivered to a number of groups and teams in the secure unit, whilst the second one was geared to individuals.

Towards a 'forensic lens' model of multidisciplinary training.

This paper reports on research undertaken to identify if common areas of multidisciplinary training exist in the literature. The literature that specifically focused on training issues in forensic practice (mental health) was located and reviewed by coding analysis. Thirteen common areas were identified and approximately 250 content items were acknowledged.

Forensic psychiatric nursing: a literature review and thematic analysis of role tensions.

This literature review was undertaken to explore the emergent issues relating to the difficulties encountered in forensic psychiatric nursing. The rationale for the study revolved around the paucity of research undertaken to identify the constituent parts of this professional practice. The aims included both a thematic analysis of the literature and the construction of a theoretical framework to guide further research.

Phobias: nature, assessment and treatment.

Phobias are anxiety disorders that can have a significant impact on a person's lifestyle, due to the distress and symptoms suffered. This article discusses the characteristics, assessment and treatment of the three classified phobias, as well as self-help interventions.

Some specific problems of secluding female patients.

This paper reports on a study of secluded female patients in a special hospital. A random selection of seclusions occurring within one week of initiation were chosen and data were collected by a structured interview, involving nurses who had made the decision to initiate the seclusion. The interview schedule contained 18 items and the analysis utilized chi square test for categorical data and Speraman's rank coefficient for correlation on the scores on two variables.

Managing protest behaviour: from coercion to compassion.

The compulsory detention and involuntary treatment of mentally disordered offenders is fraught with conceptual difficulties relating to liberty and the protection of others from harm. It is often the case in forensic psychiatry that patients consider themselves unjustly treated and unfairly judged, which may result in some engaging in protest behaviour. This paper is concerned with setting out some philosophical positions in relation to such loss of liberty and forced treatment, and views the protest scenario as a form of hostage situation.

Behavioral treatment of PTSD in a perpetrator of manslaughter: a single case study.

Studies of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have predominantly focused on victims of trauma. Some studies have examined the after-effects of a person's own violent actions in combat or police situations. However, there is a sparsity of literature examining the development of PTSD in convicted perpetrators of violent crime, and there is no literature concerning the treatment of PTSD in such perpetrators.

Male rape: the impact of a legal definition on the clinical area.

Recently the awareness of the issues surrounding male rape has received increased attention by both mental health workers and the general public following the introduction of the Sexual Offences Act 1994, and the recent case at the Old Bailey where a historical breakthrough was made in June 1995 following the first conviction for male rape under the new law. However, most of this attention has not resulted in many clinical breakthroughs in helping male rape survivors overcome the post-assault impact. Little is known about the prevalence, types of assault, consequences facing survivors and therapeutic options.

Male rape victims referred to a forensic psychiatric service.

A series of male victims of rape are presented who were identified following referral to a Forensic Psychiatric Service. In addition to being victims they were also offenders in their own right. The 22 male rape victims represent 12.