Nonmalignant respiratory diseases (NMRD), such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), are a leading cause of morbidity worldwide. Research has shown that patients with NMRD in the UK, Canada and the US have less access to palliative care services than patients with other respiratory diseases such as lung cancer. Discussing preferences for end-of-life care in NMRD can be difficult for patients, carers and health professionals, however it is essential to ensure that the patient’s wishes are met, particularly when resources are scarce. Despite similar nationalised health care systems in the UK and Canada, a recent report by the Economist Intelligence Unit ranked overall quality of end-of- life care in the UK first out of forty, while Canada was ranked ninth out of forty. Therefore, it was deemed useful to investigate how end-of-life for people with NMRD is discussed between health professionals and patients in the UK and Canada and to develop an instrument allowing health professionals to determine constraints and opportunities for facilitating such discussions in each country as comparing care between countries is helpful to determine the best solutions for individuals and families with complex needs. This study was guided by the Medical Research Council guidelines for developing and implementing complex interventions, and the research process followed the requirements for the development phase of these guidelines. First, two systematic reviews were carried out to establish the evidence base regarding of end-of-life discussions. The first focused on how end-of-life is discussed in NMRD, while the second focused exclusively on end-of-life discussions in a single NMRD (COPD) in the UK and Canada only. The findings of the systematic reviews pointed toward the need for further training of health professionals to iii discuss end-of-life with this patient group, as well as the lack indicators that this patient group is ready or willing to discuss end-of-life. Then, a Delphi study was conducted with specialist respiratory nurses in the UK to determine expert opinion on how health professionals know a patient with NMRD is ready to discuss end-of-life, and to establish the key considerations and topics in such discussions. This study was replicated in Canada with health professionals working with patients with NMRD. Each Delphi study resulted in a country specific tool to assist less experienced health professionals discuss end-of-life with this patient group. Finally, the findings of these Delphi studies were compared to determine what health professionals in each country could learn from each other, as well as specific considerations in each country, and areas for future research. The findings from the comparison process demonstrated that the emotional intelligence of health professionals, the patient education context and the recognition of cultural issues were all important factors when approaching end-of-life discussions. Findings from each phase of the intervention development process resulted in a theoretical model of how end-of-life is discussed in the UK and Canada. This model identifies constraints and opportunities for such discussions from a systems level perspective including: end-of-life policies, prognosis in non-malignant respiratory disease, time, clinical indicators, initiation responsibility, the educational role of health professionals, emotional intelligence, cultural competence and readiness versus willingness to discuss end-of-life. Recommendations are made from the findings of this study for research, clinical practice, education and policy. A detailed plan for the next stage of the development of the intervention is included.

Magister Legum - LLM

Mediation has been regarded as one of the effective dispute resolving techniques. However, the issues pertaining to the development of mediation have been overlooked and are therefore less well known. There has been limited discussion about mediation and some of the theoretical explanations about its development in the construction industry were not well investigated or documented. The main purpose of this research was to investigate the development of mediation by focusing on investigating the barriers which impede the use of mediation in resolving construction industry disputes in the UK. Gaps in the literature were identified in the research but no hypothesis was generated. The interpretive research model was an ideal paradigm for this research as it assisted in structuring the whole process of the investigation. A grounded theory strategy was adopted as it helped to capture the overall mediation phenomenon in a construction environment. Semi-structured interviews, with sixteen leading mediators from around the UK, were used for this study. The interviews were recorded and transcribed. The interview transcripts were analysed using grounded theory analysis, through manual coding techniques. From the findings, two categories of barriers were identified: barriers arising from the public (lack of social awareness, disputatious culture, process barrier, insufficient planning, security and the introduction of adjudication) and barriers caused by the disputants’ legal advisors (ignorance, personal agendas and the conventional method of resolution). The study also explores some information on the mediation system such as financial issue was the main dispute in construction industry; facilitative mediation is the most appropriate mediation process and in appointing the mediator, excellence in mediating skills is more important than his or her professional background; also it is inappropriate/ counterproductive to impose mandatory mediation on construction disputes. The limited amount of literature dealing with mediation in the UK construction industry is one of the limitations of the research, as it complicated the process of designing the interview questions. Some potential sources of bias for the research are identified through the areas of data presentation and data interpretation. This research has provided theoretical and practical contributions to mediation development within the context of the UK’s construction industry. Further research is suggested to validate the research findings and to evaluate the quality of the mediation process, based on the gender and professional background of the mediator.

Education and Youth Services Ltd. (E.Y.S.) is a private training organisation in the United Kingdom which aims to engage challenging, disengaged young people into further education, training, or the open labour market. The employees on the frontline of this battle are the tutors. The purpose of this study was to explore the current support system of E.Y.S., as well as the tutors’ real needs, experiences, problems, and perceptions regarding a support system, in order to enable E.Y.S. to support their employees more effectively. The objectives for this study were: --To conceptualise tutorship and support systems in a work situation, from a theoretical frame of reference. --To determine the nature of the current support system available to the tutors in E.Y.S. --To investigate the needs and perceptions of tutors regarding the current support system and requirements for an effective support system. --To make recommendations regarding a more effective support system for the tutors of E.Y.S., based on the results of the investigation. The researcher used a qualitative research approach within an applied research strategy. Data were collected by using focus group interviews. This approach lent itself well to exploring the perceptions, needs, and struggles of the tutors of E.Y.S. and provided the researcher with a pattern of data, to explore the overall needs of the tutors, to enable the researcher to have a holistic view of the phenomena, and to explore how best to meet the needs of the individual tutors and of the organisation as a whole. The most important empirical results and conclusions that the researcher was able to make, based on the empirical study, can be summarised as follows: --- E.Y.S. has a unique and flexible, learner-focused culture. It offers an alternative learning style and experiences outside of the formal learning structure. This unique approach is successful, as already mentioned, but it does place a tremendous amount of stress on the tutors, and they constantly deal with the learners’ learning problems, social and personal problems, and daily copes with, and manages, potential violence towards them. --- The responses from the tutors indicated that the current support system is not sufficient, does not meet their needs, and is almost non-existent. They requested a company structure which will enable them to have sufficient supervision, advice, goal setting, and guidelines to perform their jobs more efficiently. --- The tutors reported feeling under-qualified to do their jobs effectively. They felt vulnerable and near burn-out. / Dissertation (MSD (EAP))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Social Work and Criminology / Unrestricted

The two decades preceding the global financial crisis of 2008 saw an increase in international migration flows. This development was accompanied by the relaxation of immigration entry controls for select categories of foreign workers across the developed world. The scale of labour immigration, and the categories of foreign workers granted entry, varied considerably across states. To some extent, these developments transcended the traditional classifications of comparative immigration politics. This thesis examines the reform process in two states with contrasting policy legacies that adopted liberal labour immigration selection and control policies during the abovementioned period. The instrumental role that immigration has played in the process of nation-building in Australia has led it to be classified as a 'traditional destination state' with a positive immigration policy legacy. By contrast, immigration has not been significant in the formation of national identity in the United Kingdom. It has a more negative immigration policy legacy and is generally regarded as a 'reluctant state'. Examining the reasons for liberal shifts in labour immigration policy in two states with different immigration politics allows insights to be gained into the processes of policy-making and the dynamics that underpin it. In Australia, labour immigration controls were relaxed incrementally and through a deliberative process. Reform was justified on the grounds that it fulfilled economic needs and objectives, and was consistent with an accepted definition of the national interest. In the UK, liberal shifts in labour immigration policy were the incidental consequence of the pursuit of objectives in other policy areas. Reform was implemented unilaterally, and in an uncoordinated manner characterised by an absence of consultation. The contrast in the manner in which reform was managed by the various actors, institutions and stakeholders involved in the process both reflected, and served to reinforce, the immigration policy legacies of the two states. Moreover, the Howard government used Australia's positive legacy to construct a coherent narrative to justify the implementation of liberal reform. This generated greater immediate and lasting support for its reforms among stakeholders and the broader community. By contrast, lacking a similarly positive legacy, the Blair government in the UK found it difficult to create such a narrative, which contributed to the unpopularity of its reforms. This thesis therefore argues that policy legacies had a significant impact on the processes and dynamics that shaped labour immigration selection and control decisions during the recent wave of international migration. The cases demonstrate that a nation's past immigration policy experiences shape its policy-making structures, as well as institutional and stakeholder policy preferences, which are core constituent components of a nation's immigration politics. The UK case shows that even when reluctant states implement liberal labour immigration policies, these characteristics tend to create feedback effects that make it difficult for reform to be durable. The relationship between immigration policy and politics thus becomes self-reinforcing. But this does not necessarily mean that states' immigration politics are rigid, since the institutions that help to make a nation's immigration policy and shape its politics will inevitably undergo a process of adaptation in response to changing contexts.

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This diploma thesis is analysing society in the United Kingdom during the '60s. The United Kingdom today is seen as multicultural society with open and positive approach to immigrants from all different parts of the World. The first wave of immigrants arrived right after the WWII. These first immigrants were coming to the United Kingdom from all parts of the British Empire. Mainly from India, Pakistan and Caribbean. The situation changed during the '60s. Despite the fact that number of the immigrants was not too high, the new laws were introduced to stop immigration from non-European countries. My initial hypothesis: In the post war period the UK impeded the free immigration to the country. How the United Kingdom treated the immigrants during the '60s? What was the proportion of immigrants of the total population? I would like to lay emphasis on the analysis of the government steps, the responsible ministries and mood changes in the society. One chapter is devoted to the analysis of the situation in London. Which is an exceptional area with a high number of immigrants. The situation in the UK will be a part of comparison with selected countries of Western Europe. This is to show the difference between the British approach during the period. The aim of this thesis is to look for the reasons why the United Kingdom applied a different approach to immigrants compare to Western Europe during the '60s and to highlight the main aspects of the changes in attitudes towards immigrants.

Bakgrund: Depression är en av de vanligaste psykiska sjukdomarna idag och att det är i lika grad stigmatiserat. Stigma kan kopplas till okunnighet om psykisk ohälsa. Detta gör det nästintill omöjligt för individer som lider av psykisk ohälsa, såsom depression, att kunna vara en del av samhället och yttra sina känslor utan att motta negativitet relaterat till sin sjukdom. Som ett tillägg till detta är individerna i fråga oftast ensamma, dvs de föredrar isolering än sällskapet av de som stigmatiserar dem. Detta i sin tur ger upphov till känslor av oro och hopplöshet, hämmad återhämtning och även vägran att söka hjälp och behandling. Syfte: Syftet är att undersöka hur upplevelser av stigmatisering kommer till uttryck i blogginlägg bland unga vuxna med depression. Metod: En kvalitativ metod med hjälp av textanalys utfördes. Åtta blogginlägg sammanlagt användes för att komma fram till ett resultat. Blogginlägg granskades efter relevans av vårt syfte och studie. Resultat: Tre teman uppkom under studiens gång. Dessa är: ”Rädslan att prata om sin diagnos”, ”Depression är ett skämt” och ”Stigma från professionella”. Konklusion: Individer som upplever stigmatisering från samhället som en följd av sin psykiska sjukdom upplever ovilja till återhämtning, känslor av förtvivlan, värdelöshet och illamående som kan leda till isolering och minskade möjligheter i samhället. / Background: Depression is one of the most common mental illnesses today and it is equally stigmatized. Stigma can be linked to ignorance of mental illness. This makes it almost  impossible for individuals suffering from mental illness, such as depression, to be a part of society and express their feelings without receiving negativity related to their illness. In addition to this, the individuals in question are usually alone, i.e. they prefer isolation rather than the company of those who stigmatize them. This in turn gives rise to feelings of anxiety and hopelessness, inhibited recovery and even refusal to seek help and treatment. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate how the experiences of stigmatization is expressed in blog posts among young adults with depression. Method: A qualitative study using text analysis was used. A total of eight blog posts were analysed to get the results. Blog posts were reviewed after the relevance for our purpose and study. Result: Three themes arose during the study. These are: "The fear of talking about their diagnosis", "Depression is a joke" and "Stigma from professionals". Conclusion: Individuals who experience stigmatization from society as a result of their mental illness experience reluctance to recovery, feelings of despair, worthlessness and malice that can lead to isolation and diminished opportunities in society.

Brexit represents arguably the most dramatic development in the history of the European Union (EU). For a third country such as Australia, the United Kingdom (UK) with whom it shares a Commonwealth connection, has generally been perceived as serving as a bridge between Australia and the EU. Thus, Brexit represents a conundrum for Australia in its grappling of how to approach its relations with the EU into the future. Perceptions of the EU from the Asia- Pacific region have been regularly studied since the early 2000s. However, there has been a shortcoming in specific focus of Australian perceptions of the EU since 2008, and specifically Australian elite perceptions. Brexit presents an opportunity to update the existing body of literature, thus this research analyses how the Australian elite perceive the EU following the UK's departure. This research utilises a two-tiered methodological approach in order to ascertain what the Australian elite perception of the EU is since the Brexit referendum in June 2016. The methods include a critical content analysis of Australian think tank outputs, and semi-structured interviews with Australian elite figures identified as having extensive knowledge of the EU. The research tests the notion of the UK's centrality to Australia-EU relations and finds that there...