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Antenatal screening aims to identify genetic carriers of sickle cell/thalassaemia in order to provide prospective parents with "informed choice". Throughout the period January 2008-July 2013, the NHS in England has used a Family Origins Questionnaire in connection with sickle cell/thalassaemia screening derived from our research programme. The original policy issue concerned whether or not it is possible/desirable to target antenatal screening for sickle cell/thalassaemia by means of an ethnicity question. The policy problem was that socially constructed "ethnicity" categories correspond imperfectly and to an unknown degree with actual prevalence of genetic carriers. The screening question based on our research now guides the offer of initial screening and/or further laboratory tests for all pregnant mothers in England.
Contributing to the preservation of literary materials through innovative use of technology, DMU's Centre for Technology and the Arts (CTA) — subsequently renamed the Centre for Textual Studies (CTS) — pioneered new digital techniques for analysing, editing and presenting literary-historical manuscripts of international significance. These techniques revolutionized the scholarly task of capturing data about manuscripts, permitting new kinds of analyses, editing and dissemination, now widely practised to facilitate public access and cultural enrichment. In particular, the CTA/CTS invented a manuscript description standard taken up by major libraries across the world, the International Standards Organization (ISO) via the Text Encoding Initiative (TEI) and by commercial publishers.
This case study describes the development of best practice guidelines about the issues facing people from black and minority ethnic (BME) communities with sight loss who would benefit from vision services (as well as suggesting ideas to improve BME access to vision services); contributions to the development of the UK's Vision2020 strategy to transform the UK's eye health, eye care and sight-loss services; and involvement in/evaluation of a major (£6million+) investment programme by RNIB for a series of `community engagement projects' to address inequalities in eye health/care across the UK and affecting policy development in Wales & Scotland.
Ramsay Burt's research into histories of avant-garde and experimental dance performances during the twentieth- and twenty-first centuries has facilitated cultural enrichment through its impact on choreographers, dancers, dance audiences, administrators and policy makers. His publications have advanced understanding both of the general public and members of the dance industry into the ways in which dance is affected by and influenced socially and historically specific concerns or anxieties about changing notions of embodiment. He has received invitations to speak at major international dance festivals, given interviews for radio and television broadcasts, attended meetings with policy makers, and been invited to collaborate with artists involved in making new works based on historical avant-garde performances.
This Case Study describes, inter alia, the late Professor David Price's sustained research in the broad field of organ transplantation, from which a substantial knowledge base and research expertise was developed. Its principal focus was on the availability and supply of human organs and tissue for transplantation, the continuing shortages thereof and the implications of shortfalls on quality and loss of This work has led to demonstrable policy and practice developments at national and international levels. Collaboration with policy makers, academics and health professionals across Europe has resulted in legislative developments and changes to policies and professional practice.
This case study draws on work undertaken by the Centre for Social Action (CSA) to improve publicly funded services through service-user engagement in both research processes and service delivery. The centre combines applied social research with service and policy evaluation, consultancy, training and information services to the fields of youth work, community development and social and health care. The social action methodology for practice and research undertaken using this participatory approach has had an impact on services and policy internationally (e.g. classroom teaching in the US and the development of social work services in Eastern Europe), nationally (e.g. evaluations of national youth participation projects such as Participation Works and U R Boss for the Howard League) and locally (e.g. work with Leicester City Council). Impacts have been wide ranging, and include methodological innovation, development of training curricula and materials for practitioners, and policy changes which have a profound impact on people's lives.
Water distribution systems (WDS) are highly complex, spatially distributed networks comprising thousands of different components which deliver drinking water to customers. The impact described here has been achieved in areas of energy management, pressure control and burst detection in WDS. Some developed solutions, such as the model reduction method, model of pump stations and pressure control algorithms, have been widely accepted by the water research community and then filter down to industrial applications or implemented in a widely available shareware. Direct economical and environmental impacts have been achieved by projects for the UK companies with measurable benefits in pounds through reducing water losses and energy consumption as described in Section 4. These include South Staffordshire Water, Aquavent and Scottish Water in the pressure control area and Affinity Water (former Veolia) in the energy management and burst detection areas.
This case study draws on social research on endometriosis, infertility and assisted reproduction dating from 2002 to 2011, and encompasses several distinct research projects. This body of work has been directed towards: improving patients' understandings of these conditions (particularly among South Asian communities); facilitating access to appropriate healthcare services; enhancing the awareness of healthcare practitioners and policy makers around key issues affecting patients and communities in the field of reproductive technologies; and facilitating debate to inform policy in the regulation of such technologies.
Prof Tanner's research on surgical site infections (SSIs) has had a direct impact on both patient care and policy at local, national and international levels. It has resulted in a reduction in the number of SSIs, thus improving patients' quality of life, shortening lengths of stay in hospital and making substantial cost savings for the NHS. The research has led directly to the development of policy and guidelines for various bodies including the World Health Organisation, the Department of Health, NICE and the Joint Commission Accreditation Healthcare Organisations (USA), as well as locally in a number of NHS trusts. The post discharge SSI surveillance programme pioneered by Prof Tanner has led to an increase in the number of trusts in the UK undertaking post discharge surveillance.
This AHRC-funded research project examining the production and consumption of women's television in Britain between 1947 and 1989 has documented, for the first time, the development of programmes made explicitly for a female audience, their production culture and the responses of female audiences. Through dissemination to the profession, public engagement events, and media appearances the results of the research have had a demonstrable impact on cultural life and professional practice in the television industry. The project has highlighted the potential of feminist historical research and archiving practice to enhance women's understanding of their own histories.