A pharmacy workforce survey in the West Midlands: 3 primary care pharmacists

In a study to quantify the extent of current and planned employment of primary care pharmacists (PCPs) and to explore the experiences of PCPs and the perceptions of other pharmacists who aspire to become PCPs, it was found that the satisfaction experienced by primary care pharmacists appears to offset to some extent the dissatisfaction expressed about traditional pharmacy work in community pharmacy. The high level of interest in PCP work may also be a proxy for pharmacists' dissatisfaction.

The West Midlands road transport industry

The object of this project was to identify those elements of management practice which characterised firms in the West Midlands Road Transport Industry. The object being to establish the contents of what might be termed a management policy portfolio for growth. The First Phase was the review of those factors which were generally accepted as having an influence on the success rate of transport firms in order to ascertain if they explained observed patterns. Secondly, if this were not the case, to instigate a field work study to isolate those policies which were associated with growth organizations. Investigation of the vehicle movements for the entire West Midlands Fleet over a complete licence cycle suggested that conventional explanations could not fully account for the observed patterns. To carry out the second phase of the study a sample of growth firms were visited in order to measure their attitudes on a range of factors hypothesised to affect growth. Field data were analysed to establish management activities over a wide range of areas and the results further investigated through a Principal Components and Cluster Analysis programme. The outcome of the study indicates that some past attitudes on the skills and attitudes of transport managers may have to be re-examined. As a result, the project produced a new classification of road transport firms based not on the conventional categories of long and short haul, or the types of traffics carried, but on the marketing policies and management skills employed within the organization.

Planning for cycling in the West Midlands

The issues involved in planning for pedal cyclists are examined with reference to the West Midlands County. Working with a local cycling campaign group, the researcher uses action research methods to investigate and influence the campaign. Development of cycle planning is traced through the literature, focusing on bicycle ownership, bicycle use and cycling policy. UK practice is contrasted with the integrated approach of other countries. An extensive bibliography is provided. Local authority cycle planning through the TPP process is systematically assessed over three years. This provides a context for the information regarding cycling in the West Midlands. Existing data is presented from the 1981 Census and local police road accident and bicycle theft records. The developing relationship between the local authority and the cycle campaign group is narrated in detail, explaining the problems that can beset efforts to improve conditions for cyclists. The researcher was closely involved in this interaction, particularly with policy and a major public inquiry. A survey of the Cycle Campaign Network indicates that the local group was not atypical. To provide information relevant to the local campaign and for effective local planning, a survey of 3,500 West Midlands residents was conducted using a novel combination of questionnaires and interviews. It shows that 1) Bicycle ownership and use is considerably higher than indicated by the 1978/9 National Travel Survey 2) Cycling is most import to certain disadvantaged sections of the community, particularly the young, those without access to a car and in the lower SEGs. The broader issues of transport policy are discussed, concluding that cycling is regarded as a marginal activity and that changes in general transport policy, land use planning and fiscal arrangements are necessary conditions for cycle planning to succeed. An integrated package of cycling measures involving engineering, education, enforcement and encouragement is also required. Recommendations are made concerning central government, local authorities and cycle campaign groups. Subjects for further research are identified.

Access to start up finance for ethnic minority graduate entrepreneurs in the West Midlands: a gendered perspective

This aim of this paper, from a study funded by the National Council for Graduate Entrepreneurship (NCGE), is to explore access to finance for ethnic minority graduate entrepreneurs (EMGEs) with a particular focus on comparisons between different ethnic groups, and men and women. The authors interviewed selected individuals based upon a review of literature on finance for ethnic minority enterprise. A number of key results from the survey, in that EMGEs: • use external finance significantly (more so than non graduates) and encounter barriers in accessing finance at start-up, in particular those belonging to poor families. • rely excessively on personal savings and family finance, at the start-up and long after the start-up stage, that has implications for the optimal capital structure. • start up businesses that are, on average, larger than non-graduate enterprises and have the potential to reduce economic inactivity amongst the ethnic population. • have, in contrast to general graduate start-ups, a high level of unemployment, take a longer period of time to enter employment and there is a higher level of dissatisfaction with career progression. These findings raise the question whether the right financial advice is taken and whether this behaviour constrains EMGEs' expansion.

Identifying capacity building cluster impact in the West Midlands

specific themes in Energy, Health Technologies and Finance via KTP (6), CASE (18), Placement (6) and Voucher (3) projects across the themes. Through the analysis of responses to an assessment questionnaire, reports from and interviews with a number of researchers, academics and industry sponsors engaged in KTP, CASE, and Placement projects we attempt to identify, analyse and assess the impact of these research projects. We adopt the Research Councils UK (RCUK) definition of research impact as 'the demonstrable contribution that excellent research makes to society and the economy'. In addition to identifying academic impact, we identify evidence of social and economic impact, for example, that it has been taken up and used by policy makers, and practitioners and has led to improvements in services or business. Helpful and un-helpful factors, identified during the execution of the research projects, are also considered.

Health Inequalities Intervention Tool. East of England. Draft Spec - Autumn 2007

Pilot approaches that will be used in the Phase 2 of National Health Inequalities Intervention Tool, due to be launched early 2008.

Briefing 25: NCMP data 2008/9, East of England: Body Mass Index (BMI) thresholds

One in a series of six data briefings based on regional-level analysis of data from the National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP) undertaken by the National Obesity Observatory (NOO). The briefings are intended to complement the headline results for the region published in January 2010, at Quick Link 20510.

Briefing 26: NCMP data 2008/9, East of England: Ethnicity

One in a series of six data briefings based on regional-level analysis of data from the National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP) undertaken by the National Obesity Observatory (NOO). The briefings are intended to complement the headline results for the region published in January 2010, at Quick Link 20510.

Briefing 27: NCMP data 2008/9, East of England: Deprivation

One in a series of six data briefings based on regional-level analysis of data from the National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP) undertaken by the National Obesity Observatory (NOO). The briefings are intended to complement the headline results for the region published in January 2010, at Quick Link 20510.

Briefing 28: NCMP data 2008/9, East of England: Gender

One in a series of six data briefings based on regional-level analysis of data from the National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP) undertaken by the National Obesity Observatory (NOO). The briefings are intended to complement the headline results for the region published in January 2010, at Quick Link 20510.

Briefing 29: NCMP data 2008/9, East of England: ONS SOA classification

One in a series of six data briefings based on regional-level analysis of data from the National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP) undertaken by the National Obesity Observatory (NOO). The briefings are intended to complement the headline results for the region published in January 2010, at Quick Link 20510.

Union Pacific Railway from Kansas City , Omaha, St. Joseph to Denver, San Francisco, Portland, Helena, Butte, Boise, Leadville, Durango, Deadwood and all cities and mining camps in the west schedule

Union Pacific Railway from Kansas City , Omaha, St. Joseph to Denver, San Francisco, Portland, Helena, Butte, Boise, Leadville, Durango, Deadwood and all cities and mining camps in the west schedule, Jan. 15, 1882.