A summary reportLink opens in a new window from the UK Commission on Bereavement (UKCB)Link opens in a new window was released earlier this week. Researchers in the UAPC were awarded a small grant from Marie Curie to provide a secondary analysis of the qualitative survey responses to contribute the commission report findings and recommendations.

The UKCB was set up to investigate and better understand the experiences of bereaved people and families, and how support and availability of support can be improved for them. This has become necessary due to the increase in number of people bereaved during the pandemic and the subsequent increased demand for bereavement support services. The UKCB was led by researchers and policy managers at Marie Curie but involved multiple charities, external researchers, and a PPIE advisory group with lived experience.

The report focuses on key challenges for both adults and children when experiencing a bereavement including practical death administration, communication with family and friends, and access to formal bereavement services. The report includes key recommendations for changes in policy and practice about how support for bereaved people could be improved, both now and in the long term.

The Data Science and Artificial Intelligence showcase will be held at Warwick this year and is open to anyone in the research teams and wider audiences active in Data Science and AI.
The two keynote speakers are directly aligned to Women in STEM, with Anne-Maire Imafidon almost confirmed as the closing plenary speaker.

There will also be a poster exhibition, and full details on how to enter can be found with this link Poster Competition - submissions just need to be a high-res PDF, all printing costs are covered and there are a few prizes up for grabs.
Register here and join us to debate  

Monday 11 July, 12.00pm, GLT3 - Please note change of date

Dr David Gregor-Kumar, the BBC West Midlands Science Correspondent, will be coming to talk to the network. Come along and learn how to speak about your research and teaching on the radio or TV and counteract the under-representation of women scientists who broadcast their findings. Please let Stephanie Smart (s.smart@warwick.ac.uk) know if you are planning on attending for numbers and catering purposes, along with any dietary requirements.

During the Covid-19 pandemic hospice care across the West Midlands fell below the “gold-standard” despite the best efforts of frontline healthcare professionals. This news has been revealed in a report from the end of life charity Marie Curie, based on research from WMS led by Dr John MacArtney. Read the university's press release hereLink opens in a new window and the full report and films explaining the study and findings hereLink opens in a new window.

New research at the University of Warwick will investigate whether many of the physical and psychological effects of ageing are already determined for us by the time we are born thanks to new funding of over 2 million euros.

Following the summer '21 launch of our new Annual Refresher course on Data Protection & Information Security, we have now completed production of a single new Induction course. It will be ready for launch and use by all new employees from 31 January 2022 as part of their mandatory new starter training.

New Induction Training for Data Protection & Information Security launches 31 January 2022 (warwick.ac.uk)

Read more about Liz's experience below:

I was awarded the British Empire Medal for two things, firstly the work I did as Staff Covid Swabbing Hub Lead with the Wolverhampton Quality Team, which is part of Black Country and West Birmingham CCG. This involved being day to day operational lead, and also taking a strategic lead on planning and the development of standard operating procedures and policies for staff swabbing. Secondly it was for leading on a Strategy and Retention Plan for General Practice Nursing across the CCG footprint, which was recognised by NHS England and Improvement.

Both of these projects were 100% team effort and couldn't have been achieved without the support of my clinical and non-clinical colleagues (from the CCG, general practice, acute trust and local authority) who worked on everything from policy development and co-design, to swabbing, security and marshaling, to booking patients in, chasing and recording results, to training, organising estate and the supply of equipment and PPE. I'm proud to share the award with them.

We unfortunately didn't win the HSJ Patient Safety Team of the year award but were shortlisted for the work we did around staff and care home swabbing, improving infection prevention procedures with the aim of reducing harm and safeguarding patients.

We are pleased to share news that eight members of the WMS community have secured Fellowships with the University's Institute of Engagement.

BMJ Article

Congratulations to Professor Felicity Boardman who has been made a Foundation Fellow of the Warwick Institute of Engagement.