World Health Congress 2027 Prague - 20-22 August

Dear Friends,

The World Health Congress 2027 Prague is a global professional gathering focused on traditional, complementary, and integrative medicine (TCIM/CAM) and evidence-based medicine (EBM).

Under the motto “Health Knows No Boundaries – Let Us Seek a Common Path,” the congress provides a platform for professionals to come together, share knowledge and experience, engage in professional dialogue, and foster international cooperation in healthcare.

The previous congress attracted more than 1,000 participants from 50 countries worldwide and brought together prominent experts and organizations.

If you are considering actively participating in the 5th World Health Congress 2027 Prague, to be held from 20–22 August 2027, and are planning to submit an abstract for your presentation, please give some thought to the following four questions. They reflect the direction envisioned for the upcoming Congress. This direction will also be embodied in the Congress’s concluding document, the Prague Declaration.

1. How can we build bridges between TCIM and EBM in healthcare?
2. How does your contribution help advance TCIM?
3. If you have participated in one of our previous congresses, what new perspectives does your presentation offer compared with your previous presentation?
4. What is the future of TCIM, and what strategies would you propose for the way forward?

Abstract submissions are now open. You can submit your abstract here:

ABSTRACTS

Warm greetings from Prague,

Tomas Pfeiffer
President of the 5th World Health Congress 2027 Prague
Soukenicka 21, 110 00 Prague 1
Czech Republic
www.whc2027prague.com 

Director
Institute for TCIM/CAM 

e-mail: info AT itcim.org
www.itcim.org

n.b. I have had some problems accessing the site - 'new domain'.

vi WCCS26: World Conference on Complex Systems 20-22nd April

April and WCCS26 seems an age ago, but the motivational impetus provided by this experience has been ongoing.

Luis Comolli - Best Paper Award 
for Emergence in Designed Agroecosystems:
Collective Dynamics in a Perennial Multi-Species 
Agroforestry Network

At the closing ceremony there was an award for the best paper which was awarded to Luis Comolli for:

Emergence in Designed Agroecosystems: 
Collective Dynamics in a Perennial Multi-Species Agroforestry Network

Sat by Luis, I offered to take his photo to which he agreed - so better late than never! And: Well done Luis!

My presentation on the 21st April was part of:

Parallel Session 2
Track 1 - Agent-Based and Social Complexity
Session chair: Helena Knyazeva

    ▪ Peter Jones
Presenting a Universal and Simple Conceptual Workbench to Situate and Encompass Complexity

    ▪ Nisrine Jarmoune and Bouchra Lebzar
The Ontology of Behavior: Formalizing the Institutional Project as a Complex System
    
    ▪ Lionel Scotto d’Apollonia, Florian Charvolin, Lise Verlaet, Deborah Nourrit, Dominique Deveaux, Elisabeth Sénégas and Nourdine Bara
Participatory Action Research with and for Society: The Case of “Oasis of Fraternity”

▪ Harvey Spencer Sánchez-Restrepo, Jorge Louçã, Martha Belén Carmona-Soto and Sofialeticia Morales-Garza
Topological Patterns of Academic Success: Insights from Complex Network Analysis

To be clear there was a great deal in all the sessions (see below!). I noticed in Nisrine Jarmoune's presentation, however, more specific conceptual overlap in terms of the individual, collective - groups, behaviour and institutions, with reference to ontology and philosophy. Several mathematical concepts also arose and since April online discussion has proved very interesting. In the near future I hope to report on how ideas develop and may be taken further, both for Nisrine's PhD studies and my work on Hodges' model.

We are considering, especially with the options to participate available -

https://www.measuringbehavior.org/

'The next Measuring Behavior conference will take place from 28 to 30 April, 2027, in Düsseldorf, Germany. Düsseldorf is in a region with a high concentration of behavioral research across a variety of fields both in universities and industry. It is easy to reach by international trains and flights. It is a city combining innovative modern architecture with a historic city centre. The conference will take place in the Clayton Hotel, which is in the Little Tokyo region of Düsseldorf, with its distinctive Japanese flavor. We will be hosted by the Heinrich Heine Medical University and the location is within easy walking distance of the central station.'

https://www.measuringbehavior.org/call-for-symposia-mb2027-2/

Going back to the Monday, the closing Keynote Speaker: Abdelmajid Ibenrissoul 

Public Decision-Making and Complexity: What Rationality for Evaluation?

- provided fascinating insights and economic history:

Abdelmajid Ibenrissoul - Public Decision-Making and Complexity: What Rationality for Evaluation?

There remains much to follow up, seek understanding and see how this relates to Hodges' model.

More details to follow.

I have noticed the main website for WCCS appears to be unavailable? I will check.

WCCS26: World Conference on Complex Systems 20-22nd April

It was good that today I could relax a little sooner than I expected with my presentation delivered over lunch time instead of 1730. To recap, at the 6th edition conference theme of:

“Navigating Contemporary Complexity:
Transdisciplinary Approaches to Economic, Social, Political, and Environmental Challenges”

- my talk (I added "Hodges' model" in the slides):

'Hodges’ model: PRESENTING a UNIVERSAL and SIMPLE CONCEPTUAL WORKBENCH to SITUATE and ENCOMPASS COMPLEXITY'

This after arriving back from a conference dinner near Marrakech at 0100, but the event at Chez Ali was different and most enjoyable. 

I'm conscious that unlike other speakers I (still!) did not have 'data' to share and discuss. Equations have been necessary over the first two days. But overall all sessions have proved accessible. From comments received Hodges' model was understood and deemed relevant. One delegate noted how the visual nature of Hodges' model was apparent, the illustrations revealed the model more clearly than a verbal description the evening before.

There were two questions. I eventually recalled awareness of Franco Basaglia, the Italian pioneer of community mental health and mental health law in Italy. Another questions concerned were I though the arts, drama and culture sit, or fit in Hodges' model? I suggested a search of the blog for posts tagged 'art', 'theatre', or 'culture'; with a warning that it can be a bit of a rabbit-hole.

Discussion, in-sessions and outside have proved refreshing, and not just as a welcome change from 'world news'. There were reminders too of early career researchers, professionals, and policymakers and the need to phone home.

While I pack for a transfer to Marrakech tomorrow afternoon, I will reflect and look to add more here.

In adition to data, I need new angles so I am not self-plagiarizing; hence the attempt to see Hodges' model as a mathematical object.

Many thanks to the WCCS26 Committee for being able to participate and share this model made in the 20th century for the challenges of the 21st.

More to follow and in the meantime, you can read the programme yourself.

Book: 'Complexity in Health Care - A Paradigm Shift for Clinical Practice'

This book was published in 2023, so I am most grateful to Daniela and colleagues at SpringerNature for the review copy. My reading will also inform both the presentation I've to deliver, and the learning during the conference's three days and the rest of a visit to Morocco.

With a 15 minute talk and 5 minutes for questions, I have 15 slides. The final one, is a listing of sources, plus this book:

1. Estrada, E., Submitted (2026) Emergent Geometry in Complex Systems from Relational Dynamics. I. The Classical Setting.
https://ifisc.uib-csic.es/en/publications/emergent-geometry-in-complex-systems-from-relation/
2. Napoli, P.H., Fischer, B., Salati Marcondes de Moraes, G.H. et al. (2026). When complexity does not mean chaos: nonlinear dynamics of entrepreneurial ecosystems. J Technol Transf  https://doi.org/10.1007/s10961-025-10314-7
3. Hylin MJ, Kerr AL, Holden R. Understanding the Mechanisms of Recovery and/or Compensation following Injury. Neural Plast. 2017;2017:7125057. doi: 10.1155/2017/7125057. Epub 2017 Apr 20. PMID: 28512585; PMCID: PMC5415868.
4. Zanin, M., Papo, D. (2020) Assessing functional propagation patterns in COVID-19. Chaos, Solitons & Fractals 138, 109993
5. Braithwaite J, Ellis LA, Churruca K, et al. Complexity Science as a Frame for Understanding the Management and Delivery of High Quality and Safer Care. 2020
6. Bergström, J., & Dekker, S. W. A. (2014). Bridging the Macro and the Micro by Considering the Meso: Reflections on the Fractal Nature of Resilience. Ecology and Society, 19(4), art22. https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-06956-190422
7. Rickles, D., Hawe, P., & Shiell, A. (2007). A simple guide to chaos and complexity. Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, 61(11), Article 11. https://doi.org/10.1136/jech.2006.054254
8. Miller, K. (2007). From Fears of Entropy to Comfort in Chaos: Arcadia, The Waste Land, Numb3rs, and Man’s Relationship With Science. Bulletin of Science, Technology & Society, 27(1), 81-94.
9. Frankel, Steven & Thurber, Steven & Bourgeois, James. (2023). Complexity in Health Care: A Paradigm Shift for Clinical Practice. Cham: Springer. 10.1007/978-3-031-14949-8.

Also pointing to the bibliography in the sidebar and the template link. 

More to follow ...

WCCS26: Abstract 'Presenting a Universal and Simple Conceptual Workbench to Situate and Encompass Complexity'

ABSTRACT

Background

In health and social care there is, as yet, no universally recognised model, or framework applied and taught across all academia, fields of practice, professional disciplines and apprenticeships. At a time when ‘truth’ is challenged by information disorder, AI, and curricula are overload, this is both a stark and hidden problem. Medicine was quick to embrace complexity as an additional scientific tool. Complexity extends our understanding of epidemiology, demographic trends, the birth of modern bio-genomics, pharmacokinetics, public health, workflows, patient safety and more. The medical and bio-medical models are subject to critique, especially in psychiatry in terms of their conceptual scope and holistic bandwidth. Consider for example, the representation of patient and public engagement, human rights, climate change, poverty, refugees and natural disasters? The field of psychiatry extended these models to the bio-psycho-social model.

Methods

Despite this ‘progress-ion’, profound legacy issues remain: 

• The dualities of INDIVIDUAL-GROUP and HUMANISTIC-MECHANISTIC
• Sustainable services and systems, change to emphasize prevention and education (not just cure)
• A lack of parity of esteem between mental illness and physical illness
• A complicated relationship between psychiatry and psychology

The 21st century demands we also factor in economics, technology, social media - especially AI, education and literacies, geopolitics, security and more. This paper argues that we need a bio-psycho-socio-political model stat! This paper introduces and demonstrate the generic conceptual framework known as Hodges’ model.

To date, Hodges’ model has been explained and studied by guided discovery through lectures, workshops, posters, show and tell, and discussion groups; plus descriptive means of case study, and in practice patient care assessments and case formulation. Journal papers include conceptual analysis and synthesis, concept mapping of issues, e.g. nutrition and the sustainable development goals, plus oral health and policy frameworks (in-process). This paper ‘workbench’ encourages and facilitates reflective practice and critical thinking on an individual and collective basis. The derivation of the structure and content of Hodges’ model through guided discovery will be shared.

Results & Discussion

The background to Hodges’ model and its creation is introduced. In health care delivery, evidence-based interventions are of course paramount to patient, and public safety. Work to ‘see’ Hodges’ model as a mathematical object has begun. Help and collaboration is welcome; especially with supervisors of early career researchers and scholars in LMICs. Examples of complexity will be mapped to the knowledge (care) domains of Hodges’ model, which can itself be embedded within the spiritual. This paper responds directly to WCCS26’s main theme; and the need to listen to the lessons of history and isolate, weigh, refine and seek to preserve the often hard-won values that sustain humanity, humanistic care and qualities at a time when these are under assault, e.g. assisted dying – a right to die, or a duty? A small but growing bibliography, a template, plus illustrations of Hodges’ model are provided. Background on Hodges’ model can be found in the blog ‘Welcome to the QUAD’ - https://hodges-model.blogspot.com

Keywords: Healthcare, Nursing, Hodges’ model, Humanities, Global health

Topic: Complexity in Health and Medicine

🔷

News of acceptance was received on 29th November: brilliant! The deadline for submission of full-papers is 25th December. Try as I might, I can't meet this date. 

Helpfully, a presentation based on abstract alone is acceptable. I am hoping to network and learn too. The draft notes on Hodges'model as a mathematical object (6k words) are helpful in framing thoughts about the presentation and a future paper as a writing project. All in, a marvellous end to 2025 and prospect for 2026.

AI, Nursing, Safety and presentation - 1st Aug 2-3pm

Hodges' model was not created primarily as a safety tool. It cannot claim to achieve or adhere to an ISO standard. ISO 45001 - health and safety management standard, for example. There is however a relation to clinical risk across healthcare professions, disciplines and clinical fields, including community and public (mental) health. To which of course we must now add planetary health. That said, the question of ISO safety and quality standards for Hodges' model has not been assessed. What exactly would certification entail? Would this process be appropriate for what is a generic - foundational tool?

What this means, however, is that as a situated model for reflection, reflective practice and critical thinking Hodges' model constitutes a deliberative step in the right (formal) direction. As noted previously, in template form, Hodges' model acknowledges the initial personal, professional and organisational standards that (must) shape our clinical encounters. That is, if assessed (as students - and our peers clearly are, and you would expect to be), unconditional positive regard would be observed, supported by the required standards of professional behaviour. 

There is another step here. The ethical and legal edict of 'do no harm' must also be central to care delivery, outcomes and evaluation. So from the outset, implicit in Hodges' model is the (NON-LEGAL) statement:

You, the practitioner - agent (student - and your mentor/supervisor) will not knowingly, or through professional ignorance, or neglect  cause physical, psychological, social (cultural), political (power), or spiritual harm to the patient - subject (or their carer - guardian/proxy).

There is no escape from AI and Large Language Models as I noticed in FTWeekend:

'Jilin University Hospital in the eastern city of Changchun has rolled out a diagnostic tool it claims can produce treatment plans through DeepSeek consulting the hospital's database, medical guidelines and drug efficacy results. Jinxin Women and Children's Hospital in south-western China said it had a tool for patients to track their ovulation cycles, with test results combined with the hospital's patient data to produce personalised fertility plans.

One doctor at public hospital in Hubei province in central China said the institution's leadership had issued a directive that DeepSeek should be used as a third-party arbiter if two doctors have differing views on treatment.

 
There have been rollouts in public hospitals in Chengdu, Hangzhou and Wuhan for less complex applications, such as digital nurses directing patients to the right consulting room or explaining complicated medical reports.

 
Several industry insiders warned against taking all the announcements at face value, as some companies were trying to capture investor enthusiasm around DeepSeek without meaningfully deploying its models. Meanwhile, government bodies are also under political pressure to be seen as aligned with China's AI darling.

 
The SOE tech supplier said "much work still needs to be done to make these models useful" for more complex work such as medical diagnosis. "It must be trained on enough medical data to produce good results. This will take time and needs collaboration from leading AI companies. It is not something hospitals can buld on their own."

Another doctor described a move to deploy DeepSeek last week at a hospital in eastern Zhejiang as a "publicity stunt".

Even if some announcements should be treated with scepticism, experts say the willingness to test out its models still marks a step change.'

Edited for formatting, some text is emphasised. A vast array of conditions can be substituted (parametrised) for 'fertility'. While nursing is mentioned there is little on testing, but for 'plans' we can read nursing assessment, plans, and evaluations. 

Returning to safety. Following an online chat yesterday, I've an online presentation to the Patient Safety Management Network [Patient Safety Hub] pencilled in for 1st August 2-3pm. Comprised of 40 minutes with questions following - I will, as discussed - focus upon:

• Introduction to the model
• How it can be applied in different situations – safety/risk/improvement
• Examples of its use

This is progress - a step to develop Hodges' model and reveal the limits of the bio-psycho-social model.

^soe - state-owned enterprises.

Olcott, E., Ding, W. AI challenger DeepSeek spreads rapidly across China with the blessing of Beijing, FTWeekend, 1-2 March, 2025. p.13.

Conference 2023: Religious Experience and the Phenomenology of Nature

Society for the Phenomenology of Religious Experience

The Theme of the Conference

Faced as we are with climate change, mass extinctions of species, global pandemics, there is probably no more pressing theme today than that of nature. It is, however, not at all clear what we mean by ‘nature’, and whether discourse about nature is even meaningful today. Many speak of the ‘death of nature’ while at another extreme we find the exhortation toward a ‘re-enchantment’ of [by] nature. What the conference aims to explore is the place of religious experience within this our current situation.

Nature philosophy, including environmental ethics, but also the revival in Schellingian themes and the rediscovery within Phenomenology of the question of nature (Merleau-Ponty, Heidegger, Husserl), questions any unidirectional subject/object relation to nature. Nature is that in which we find ourselves as human beings and despite our molding of our environments, according to such a view, the human engagement with the world itself embodies nature. The emphasis on embodiment shows not alone the limits of dualisms, but also the commonality of the human with the natural world in which we are and breathe. The inter-subjective experience of such being in nature and the inter-corporeal being with animals and plants around us is reflected in the sacramentality of religious observance from totemic rituals to the Christian Eucharist.

Inspired by the overcoming of dualisms of body and mind and nature and freedom deriving from the Phenomenology and Schelling, we can re-examine the religious sense of nature as containing sacredness. This religious sense can be understood metaphysically as an intuition of reality appearing as unapproachable. Phenomenologically, the question as to the source of this sense of the inapproachable and sacred can be understood in terms of feelings of awe (e.g., Otto). Not alone can nature be a source or locus of religious experience, but it may also be the case that religious affectivity gives us access to nature beyond the objectifying and instrumentalizing tendencies of Modernity. In this respect, we can think of the phenomenologies of life (Bergson, Tymieniecka, Henry), which explore modes of appearance of nature beyond the dualities of mechanism and vitalism. These accounts draw on – explicitly or implicitly – religious motifs such Christian notion of life as Christ, Vedantic life as Sat (Truth of Being, identical with self-consciousness and fullness), or Islamic God as truth or reality (al-Haqq), as well as other concepts across many traditions which are connecting life and nature. These motifs can be understood as compatible with the growing movement of panpsychism in the philosophy of mind (Strawson, Goff, Chalmers, Nagel) and the philosophy of life in biology (Varela, Maturana, Wilson).

Living through a pandemic it is important to hear [here?] attend to the core meaning of the word – pan demos, concerning all the people. Just as nature is everywhere, so any discourse about dwelling in nature (eco-logy) must be seen to concern the totality of human experience, in the sense of the full richness of its diversity. One manner in which such diverse experience can be understood is the way in which nature is experienced as a temporal phenomenon. This is clear already in the experience of the cyclicality of the seasons. It is also manifest in the current sense of ecological crisis which draws on a religious sensibility that has remained present in different guises through Modernity, namely the eschatological. In attempting to think nature with respect to religious experience, we are thinking within the intersection of temporal strands: mortal time, conscious time, cyclical, indefinite time, eternal, creative ‘time’. Understood eschatologically or messianically this relation is one in which ending is woven into the fabric of time: time as ending, transforming of past in the present and the opening up of a new future, time of forgiveness, repentance, grace and judgement (kairos)."

Details continued ...

Attending online, presentation to follow and suffice to say I'm out of my comfort zone - which is good.

I inquired at first whether introducing Hodges' model might be of interest, as ever, related to the conference's themes. To help establish my context, for the event organisers I attached the paper: "Exploring Serres’ Atlas: Hodges’ Knowledge Domains and the Fusion of Informatics and Cultural Horizons". 

There was delay in my hearing more and acceptance being confirmed. I wish I could attend in-person, but am grateful for the opportunity - both to participate and be green. The paper's title is listed in the programme under: Anthropology and Informatics on the first day. Although the paper isn't the session, it fits well as a starting point. More to follow ...

Information design: Tufte & Raskin

Art & Science

"Every major field of human activity is a mix of art and science. Theoretical physicists and professional mathematicians speak of the aesthetics of their work and are driven by concerns about elegance and beauty. Is a painter any less an artist for knowing perspective, understanding Josef Alber's elegant experiments and demonstrations about color, or being aware of chemical incompatibilities between various kinds of paint?

Designing the presentation of information, by the same token, partakes of the nature of both art and science. Edward Tufte's books reflect such a blend of knowledge. In one of them he outlines his five principles for designing graphics (1983: 105):" p.346.

[see below ...]

"The first four principles are (mostly) science-based. But the last, "revise and edit," tells us not only to check repeatedly that the first four conditions are met, but also apply our aesthetic judgement to the final work." p.347.

 INDIVIDUAL

|

  INTERPERSONAL    :     SCIENCES               

HUMANISTIC --------------------------------------  MECHANISTIC   

SOCIOLOGY  :   POLITICAL 

|

GROUP

5.revise and edit	above all else show the data maximize the data-ink ratio erase non-data ink erase redundant data ink *
5.revise and edit	5.revise and edit

N.B. Take note of the potential significance of 'revise and edit' in the Political domain, and its consequences socially and personally (and spiritually within the 5th domain). 

*In terms of #5 revise and edit, and as I work to complete a draft paper on:

Reflecting Society, Technology, COVID19 and Information Disorder within Hodges' Model

- the ability to create and generate deep fakes using technology and generative AI, presents a major SOCIO-POLITICAL challenge. When public trust in media is fractured then everything can be denied - 'The Liar's Dividend' (Gregory, 2022).

Gregory, S. (2022). Deepfakes, misinformation and disinformation and authenticity infrastructure responses: Impacts on frontline witnessing, distant witnessing, and civic journalism. Journalism, 23(3), 708–729. https://doi.org/10.1177/14648849211060644

Raskin, J. (2000). Presenting Information. In R. Jacobson (Ed.), Information Design (pp. 341-348). Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press. 

See also: (The link below may time out, but 'Try again' works here.)

https://web.archive.org/web/20010710223205/http://www.jefraskin.com/forjef2/jefweb-compiled/published/NursingTheoryForSite.html

Webinar: ‘Global Remote and Rural Healthcare – how can we do it better?’

Following a successful online event last November Ms Jackie Aldridge got in touch, seeking speakers and attendees for a further webinar next month.

If you can suggest a speaker, present yourself, or are interested in attending please contact Jackie as per her [edited] message below.

Many thanks

Peter J.

-----------------------

Hello Mr Jones

We were so pleased that you agreed to be a speaker at our conference last November on the subject of ‘Global Remote and Rural Healthcare – how can we do it better?’.

As part of our follow up after the conference we decided it would be a good idea to try and run a short webinar a few times a year to keep this important subject under discussion. We are planning to run our first one on Tuesday 18 May.

I am hoping you may be able to help us by suggesting another contact who works in the field of remote and rural healthcare, who you think may be interested in giving a short presentation (no more than 20 minutes) about their specific field of expertise.

All I would need is their name, contact details and a short indication of what their specialism is.

I hope you can help and I look forward to hearing from you with your suggestions.

Best wishes

   Jackie 

 Jackie Aldridge

Programme Delivery Coordinator 

jackie.aldridge AT bridge2aid.org

Working part time, usually on Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Fridays

UK office: Bridge2Aid, The Keepers, Symn Lane, Wotton-Under-Edge, GL12 7BD

Tel: 01453 546776.   Registered Charity No: 1170578

Global Remote and Rural Healthcare - How Can We Do It Better?

Unfortunately, I am working during the day, but I look forward to sharing Hodges' model on the 18th evening (UK) session and an opportunity for discussion and feedback:

Global Remote and Rural Healthcare - How Can We Do It Better?

 

Global Remote and Rural Healthcare - How Can We Do It Better?

 

An update papers, Hodges' model, website...

Here is an update on writing projects ...

WEBSITE - DRUPAL:

A few months ago I decided to cancel the web hosting. The same provider and for the second time. Lack of progress is nothing to do with them. Despite best intentions, the account was essentially redundant, apart from one occasion when I was ready to start transfer of a site including Brian Hodges' lecture notes, as part of what would be an archive. I still have the pages - HTML all ready to 'go' - somewhere... The host company were very good, offering to take me through the process. I will git back on the horse. The journey is still very enjoyable, even if frustrating.

Last weekend at the Northwest (England) Drupal User Group - NWDUG Unconference in Manchester, I gave an eleven slide presentation on the ultimate in vapour ware. Even with no site the day was very useful, the community great. At month end I will be following online DrupalCon Amsterdam. Really disappointed not to be there, but the currency situation nails it, on top of my not having earned the trip.

As posted last Tuesday -

Book: "The Empty Space"

- I've been crossing the Pennines and enjoyed visits to see Mr Hodges at his home. It would be marvellous to get to a point were I can 'demonstrate' some progress on the web front. The Drupal community continue to try to improve the migration and update processes. This can certainly help me. A Drupal developer questioned me a while ago if I'm being too loyal. Is Drupal the right tool? I am considering this ...

PAPERS:

As to papers I'm determined to try to clear the desks of draft papers. I'm not duty-bound to write, just learning-bound. In May a journal editor invited me to write about Hodges' model. The brief was more specific, write about the model but not in general terms. I was directed to relate the model to at least two public health themes.*

Trying to put a map on the map is challenging.
Everyone wants data, evidence, findings, method ...

Last month I arrived at a final draft and am now advised to answer my own queries and then submit. So sounds positive thus far. I really will diligently check the submission requirements.

The other paper is a bit of a saga, having started before the Part 1 - MRES studies at Lancaster in 2014. The paper overall concerns Hodges' model, threshold concepts and deprivation of liberty safeguarding. It is now in two-parts, feedback on part one has been favourable but still seeking people with time to read and critique- so hopefully on-track with this too.

*Public mental health is always also implied as far as I am concerned.

Talk @PHPNW Manchester 2nd April 7pm

Responding to a couple of tweets by @phpnw, I am now (happily) tasked with giving a talk on Tuesday evening:

Concepts, Spaces and Thresholds and why they matter

57 Thomas Street

Northern Quarter

Manchester

M4 1NA

Within the Drupal community and online I've heard frequent mention of imposter syndrome as reflected here. I'm no 'programmer', as much as I might wish and after stepping in to help with a quick editorial I'm also conscious of the risks of self-plagiarism - repeating myself yet again.

On Tuesday I'm pulling together threshold concepts, conceptual spaces and #h2cm in that order. I still believe there is a very worthy project here. Even if only having a sense that all the jig-saw pieces are present even if not quite 'correct'?

Recognising the expertise and professionalism of the audience I'm trying to make it relevant with an exercise too. I'm very grateful for the faith of the organisers as I fill a gap of sorts.

Thank goodness the talk is not a day earlier- which might be quite apt in respect of the 'new' site.

With changes in my full-time work status there will be more time.

Always good to see an excuse bite the dust...

UK Systems Society presentation: Missing the obvious...

individual

|

INTERPERSONAL : SCIENCES

humanistic --------------------------------------- mechanistic

SOCIOLOGY : POLITICAL

|

group

Psychological systems	Physical systems
Social systems	Political systems

Care pathways: 15 minutes on Monday - how far is that?

On Monday I have a quick visit for 15 minute slot on care pathways at an interprofessional study day for 2nd and 3rd year students.

After the short presentation I'll ask the question of what difference the students can make to the patient's care pathway. There may be value in continuing the 'journey' metaphor?

They can ensure the care pathway is well-documented (otherwise it doesn't exist, and travel on it never happened) they can check it is accessible (an achievable goal) and that it does not trip anyone up (we don't do - iatrogenic).

There are further tests: is it navigable, tried and tested, a safe (evidenced-based) route? As the student's contemplate a major step in their health career, we really need them to focus on the health career of the persons in their care.

[ There won't be time for this: but do we need to wait until the 'end' for the outcome and capturing that (feedback). Or can do we this verbally, incrementally (positive impact on quality)? ]

I could ask them all to stand and make like sign-posts, but for the risk of poked eyes. It's true though, sign-posting is an important job, but how we do that is another post (the value of self-discovery as learning).

Once medically fit the key thing should be checking the person's (not viewing them totally as patient) wayfaring skills.

OK, who took my care pathway?

Can they read the map (are they health literate)? Can they find a map? Do they have a stay-well, recovery and well-being ... compass (a conceptual framework, an app, care plan)? If there literally is no self-care pathway under the patient at present, then the student can help them and their carer if necessary to find or create this compass - across the required care domains.

THEN this person (potential future patient) can avoid having to step off their self-care pathway and onto the health care pathway. You see there's a risk and a cost in that particular transfer.




Image source: http://www.farlandgroup.com/customer-journey-mapping/

Jordanian Nursing Council 4th International Nursing Conference “The Tipping Point: Creative Solutions to Health and Nursing Challenges”

Well, I arrived in Amman for this conference at midnight and have not been this far east before. It is certainly different and there is much to look forward to.

I panicked slightly in Istanbul briefly reading the boarding time on my e-ticket as the flight time. So, I was looking for 1920, but the flight was 2020 and not yet displayed.

The hotel Le Meridien is excellent, my driver last night and the staff are very friendly. I was told on the 35 minute trip from airport to hotel that events nearby have impacted on tourism. People have had to seek other work as many tourist offices have closed. At breakfast it does give you pause to wonder about what is happening not all that far away.

I've not checked the conference venue yet. There's a reception this evening and workshops ongoing through today. I opted for:

4

15:00-18:00

Nicola McHugh, MSc, MA, RN

Understanding and Using Research in clinical Nursing Practice

In preparation we've been asked to read:

Seers, K. et al., (2008). A randomised controlled trial to assess the effectiveness of a single session of nurse administered massage for short term relief of chronic non-malignant pain. BMC Nursing, 7:10 doi:10.1186/1472-6955-7-10. http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6955/7/10

Two workshops are recorded - an approach to consider for the future - as with using Skype.

Although only two days long there are a great range of concurrent sessions, amongst them:

• Differences in Perception Between Nurses and Patients Related to Patients’ Health Locus of Control Ayman M. Hamdan-Mansour
• Fostering Global Citizenship in Nursing Education: The Role of the United Nations Mary E. Norton 
• Aptitude Towards Nursing: Is it Measurable? Maxie Andrade 
• Comparison of Structure, Process, and Outcomes of Healthcare Service Provision between Advanced Community Nurse Practitioner and General Nurse Practitioner Noppawan Piaseu
• Development of a Multimedia Computer -Assisted Learning with Integrated Content of Anatomy and Physiology for Enhancing Nursing Students’ Skills on Physical Examination in Adult: Head and Neck Examination Chularuk Kaveevivitchai
• Assessment of Nursing Students' of Azad Islamic University of Saveh' Perception about Importance of Caring Behaviors Based on Caring Model of Watson Lida Nikfarid

My presentation is tomorrow afternoon and on Wednesday I'm chairing a session.

More to follow on this and some reading ...

Conferences and studies (what's the date?!)

I don't know about 21.12.12 being a date of note. 12.12.12 has brought another addition to a string of  disappointing conjunctions this past week.

I posted in the summer - here - about the ICN Congress in Melbourne next May. My submission did not make it, being placed on the reserve list. If this journey was going to happen then I would need to make arrangements now. So a desire to visit Australia and share Hodges' model with the ICN community and possibly some academic centers there will have to wait for another time. The original idea of a symposium would have been marvellous, so perhaps there are partnerships still to be forged.

Next up: another possible speaking opportunity for April, admittedly provisional has not been confirmed. Quite a disappointment this as I would have repeated a workshop approach I've used.

And finally ... finding an avenue to study Hodges' model at a postgraduate level (part time PhD) is proving far from straightforward. I knew this would be the case, so I will continue to refine my preparations and make further enquiries and applications.

As this year comes to a close I'm pleased to have done the presentations to date. Great experiences and communities all. I understand that the preoccupations with the Mayan calendar and the end of the World are mistaken. It is the start of a new calendar - a new age. That (always) sounds good to me.

Slides from IPH Conference Belfast 11 Oct 2012

Here are the slides from the IPH Open Conference in Belfast. There were several very helpful questions from the floor. With fifteen minutes for the presentation and ten for questions, the 23 slides were ambitious but they were delivered in the allotted time. Many aspects could be developed further and emphasized. In particular the way that public health policy and practice has switched from needs based approaches to assets. This also reflects the trend in self-care and the recovery model in mental health. (I have added needs-assets to one slide.)

If any public health - public mental health practitioners are interested in exploring the possibilities then please get in touch. After several presentations the issue here is to extend this work so as to be able to test and apply existing and found knowledge to say something new... 

A Framework to facilitate Integrated Public Health from Peter Jones

I greatly appreciate the votes received for the abstract, the organisers for what was a free event to attendees, and the support and hospitality of Prof. Kernohan. 

Additional link: The Health Well

IPONS 2012 Leeds - presentation completed and 2013...

As planned I am in Leeds at the moment attending the International Philosophy of Nursing Society (IPONS). The keynotes and other sessions so far have proved really thought provoking, as with talking to other people in the evening.

My presentation was well received and well attended given the total attendees and three concurrent streams.

Two interesting points were raised in questions:

1. the value of a practical example of h2cm in use even in this forum.
2. the most interesting aspect of my 30 minute presentation was the potential research directions I have identified and am trying to pursue. These may extend beyond the model in terms of finalizing a research question. Would Hodges' model need to feature in the question? A very interesting point.

This is a small community, very welcoming and supportive. The conference next year is in Atlanta. There is plenty more to follow at 0900 on the main conference day, so I will add to this post shortly, or post another.

With the IPONS talk 'sorted', one thing that has me preoccupied is the closing date for abstract submissions for the ICN Congress: the 14th! It looks like it will be an individual effort, which was likely.

25th Int. Council of Nurses (ICN) 25th Quadrennial Congress: Equity and access to health care (seeking co-presenters & sponsors)

Copied below is news about the 2013 International Council of Nursing Congress. There are lots of details to follow including the cost of registration. The call for abstracts invites submissions - in ONLY ONE of the following categories:

• Concurrent session: A paper 15 minutes in length.
• Symposium: An 80 minute session with a minimum of three speakers presenting on a single theme from different perspectives. Speakers presenting a symposium must submit a single joint abstract.
• Poster: A visual presentation for display on a poster board.

I plan to submit an abstract but wonder if anyone reading this would be interested in a symposium presentation?

We would each cover our own expenses and so to this end I am now saving, seeking prospective financial support and sponsorship! I would of course be pleased to work with co-presenters in applying h2cm to their work and would relish the opportunity of learning from others.

As per the single joint abstract, the symposium would demonstrate Hodges' model in three nursing disciplines / care contexts, each related to the Congress theme:

Equity and access to health care

If you are interested in this possible adventure please get in touch h2cmng at yahoo.co.uk and then we can explore this further. I am especially interested to work with a student nurse and nursing colleagues working / teaching in a development context.

In February 2011 on the visit to Colombia I came my closest ever - within five degrees - of the equator. Australia would be an amazing journey not only because I have family there, but if in addition to furthering knowledge of Hodges' model I can share the experience with readers.

[This submission was unsuccessful.]

Many thanks
Peter J. @h2cm

Online abstract submission now open for the

2013 ICN Congress

Geneva, Switzerland, 16 April 2012 - The International Council of Nurses (ICN) is pleased to announce the opening of online abstract submission for its 25th Quadrennial Congress and CNR in Melbourne, Australia. Equity and access to health care is the theme of the conference, which will take place from 18-23 May 2013. Instructions for the submission of abstracts and details on the themes to be addressed can be accessed at .... ICN invites nurses and others around the world to share their ideas, research and expertise by submitting abstracts for the scientific programme. The deadline for abstract submission is

14 September 2012.

ICN is in the final stages of developing a rich four-day scientific programme, offering four plenary sessions, including a debate, and 18 main sessions with 54 international speakers confirmed to date. Key subjects for plenary and main sessions include gender equity, the epidemic of non-communicable diseases, the tension between personal and societal responsibility for health, wellness and prevention, the nursing workforce, ethics/human rights, clinical care and patient safety. The Council of National Representatives, ICN’s global governing body, will also convene in Melbourne just prior to the Congress, from 16-19 May 2013.

Key dates for the ICN 25^th Quadrennial Congress and CNR

•      16 April 2012 - Online submission of abstracts opens
•      14 September 2012 - Online abstract submission closes (midnight CET)
•      14 September 2012 - Registration opens
•      1 December 2012 – Notification of abstract acceptance
•      11 January 2013 – Registration deadline for abstract presenters
•      14 February 2013 - Early bird registration closes (midnight CET).

To keep up with all the latest information on the Congress programme and related events, visit the Congress website ...

Slides: Social Work Action Network SWAN Conference 31 March 2012

Here are the slides from the Social Work in Action - SWAN conference HOPE University in Liverpool 30-31 March 2012. The session was an introduction to the model. I've used the same template and some of the slides from Colombia last year adding a few new ones for this audience and to reflect the SWAN conference themes. The organizers have a copy of my slides which should appear on their site. The keynote session by Professor Danny Dorling from the University of Sheffield and the main speakers were also videoed and will be made available on the SWAN site.

It is a very difficult time for public services, the NHS and social care. This was a fascinating opportunity to witness the POLITICAL care domain as a 'living entity' not as some remote, abstract thing that other people engage in and appears on the news. This year and following ... the stakes are even higher in terms of possible cuts to follow.

Any questions, other opportunities to present Hodges' model please get in touch.

Social Work Action Network SWAN Conference 31 March 2012 Hodges model from Peter Jones