Re: How things might change.

[Guest guest]

You ask how things might change. You seem surprised to learn that a large part of the work that GPs do could be done by a health visitor. The writings of thoughtful GPs ,and HVs who became Nurse Practitioners , have clearly not been printed in the health visiting journals. For many years now there have been three very clear ideas circulating within the GP community and amongst Nurse Practitioners in Primary Care . They are:

1. Patients attending a GP surgery very often prefer to see a nurse or nurse practitioner ( who could/should have HV training)

because the nurse has an approach to patients that differs in a fundamental way from the approach of the doctor. Doctors hunt for clues to" end organ damage" and "home in "on these . They look for kidney damage to skin by infection or cancer cells,damage to brain tissue and so on. Nurses look for the same but also look for damaged relationships at home and at work and give time and space for patients to talk about these .And if they can they advise and help on these aspects of the patients life .

Patients complain that doctors seem only interested in so called "diseases" and they praise nurses for being interested in patients as people not just diseased bodies.

Also nurses seem more approachable than doctors so making communication much easier. The reasons for this are social/psychological/cultural and are therefore very complex but at an obvious and simple level doctors work alone in early training and at exams whereas nurses work in teams on the wards and learn early on to notice things about patients other than the blood test results such as the number of" get well soon " cards ( or lack of them) on the patients bedside table and the meaning of this .

Nurses/HVs , because of the above, are in a stronger position to obtain truly "informed consent" from patients about every course of tablet,procedure and operation .( If they also had good quality "education resource material" for patients attending GP practice or hospital and time to use these then the NHS would save £millions . There would be less successful litigation by patients following episodes of poor or appalling communication and failure to obtain informed consent).

2.

The role of the GP is to make the diagnosis .Nothing more.

So in a case of asthma once the diagnosis is made then the patient is referred to the health visitor trained nurse practitioner / pharmacist team for the long term management of the condition. In Minnesota,USA this is already a reality . There the patients receive "pharmaceutical care services" from the pharmacy where the main activity is review of appropriate drugs , drug delivery systems ,patient understanding of the condition etc. In the UK I can see this work being done by the nurse/HV in partnership with the pharmacist ( who will need to be released from the "lick and stick" activity of counting pills and sticking labels on bottles so that they can consult with patients).

3.

The role of the GP in the future will be :

a) Assessment of the patients "genotype" at birth giving parents information,advice and guidance on the implications of this .This will be a very valuable but very time consuming matter. Re-assessment of this will be needed at important stages of life such as starting school, choosing a first career,beginning to "date" , planning a family, work-leisure balance , choice of second or even third careers and activities in old age.

Helping patients with difficult and complex decisions to make about possible medical or surgical interventions proposed by hospital consultants. This work will most often be undertaken at the practice in partnership with the nurse practitioner/HV.It will need a vastly expanded " IT based patient library service . This will ensure that patients give "informed consent" or sometimes "informed refusal" .

Community involvement in the Promotion of Health and Well Being in partnership with Health Visitors,Teachers,the Managers of Urban Green Spaces and Urban Foresters, Community Development Workers, Leaders of Faith Communities,Town Planners ,the Cultural Sector, Politicians and many others . This will require that the GP has "public health training and education"( provided by schools of Public Health ) and has learnt several public health skills in particular the skill required to "collaborate" and work with others on projects of shared interest.

NB

Sick notes/legal forms for not wearing seat belts in cars/exemption from jury service/mortgage insurance etc etc. must become a shared responsibility between all members of the professional "Health Team "

At present the existing pattern of GP work is not sustainable because most of the GPs over 50 want early retirement with many feeling "burnt out" but continuing at work .So many of the patients these days come in with personal or social problems for which the GP has no training and no enthusiasm to deal with . They work in practices where the practice manager has never been encouraged to make links with CAB, "meet a mum" , Samaritans, Time Banks, local "health and learning" initiatives and so on . The HVs knowledge of such social care groups and supports for people with personal problems is vital to the re-creation / re-birth of sustainable GP practice but of course we must not call it GP practice anymore because it wont be rather we must call it "Health and Social Care Practice " and ourselves all Health or Social Care workers/professionals where the health visitor / public health training is seen as of equal value to the medical training with parity of income. Already in some practices the practice manager is also a partner . Health Visitors /Nurse Practitioners need also to become partners in the future " Health and Social Care Practice".

So as always "constant change is necessary for stability"

People and organisations forever grow and develop.

Malcolm

I thought people might be interested in this.

Parents warned about “unhelpful teaching”

Parents who teach their pre-school children to read, write and add could be setting them up for mental health problems later in life, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health says. A report issued today (04/04/03) encourages patients to interact with their infants through informal play, but warns against adopting a formal teaching approach. The study investigates why so many children have emotional and behavioural problems at a time when they are healthier and better educated than ever. It blames “unhelpful parenting practices” and a lack of understanding among parents of child development.(The Times 04/04/03; p.19)© HMG Worldwide 2003http://www.health-news.co.uk/

Babies of divorced parents suffer

”Babies forced to spend nights in the separate homes of divorced or separated parents often suffer emotional and physical anguish, according to new research. Such infants have more tantrums, develop eating and sleeping disorders, and exhibit distress through symptoms such as raised heartbeats. They also fail to identify their mothers as a source of comfort because they are confused by her regular absences. The findings were made in the world’s first study of how infants’ attachment to their parents is affected by overnight stays.(The Daily Telegraph 04/04/03; p.13)© HMG Worldwide 2003http://www.health-news.co.uk/

[Guest guest]

Malcolm,

Thanks for this - very thought provoking.

Im still chewing over your response ...because it sounds a really sensible ( and exciting) way of working.

I'm not surprised that a large part of the work that GPs do could be done by a Hv - just that this idea is articulated when it doesnt seem to me that there is sufficient visionary leadership, or financial and human resources to facilitate such a transition.

What do others think?

-----Original Message-----From: M.Rigler [mailto:M.Rigler@...]Sent: 21 April 2003 14:52 Subject: Re: How things might change.

You ask how things might change. You seem surprised to learn that a large part of the work that GPs do could be done by a health visitor. The writings of thoughtful GPs ,and HVs who became Nurse Practitioners , have clearly not been printed in the health visiting journals. For many years now there have been three very clear ideas circulating within the GP community and amongst Nurse Practitioners in Primary Care . They are:

1. Patients attending a GP surgery very often prefer to see a nurse or nurse practitioner ( who could/should have HV training)

because the nurse has an approach to patients that differs in a fundamental way from the approach of the doctor. Doctors hunt for clues to" end organ damage" and "home in "on these . They look for kidney damage to skin by infection or cancer cells,damage to brain tissue and so on. Nurses look for the same but also look for damaged relationships at home and at work and give time and space for patients to talk about these .And if they can they advise and help on these aspects of the patients life .

Patients complain that doctors seem only interested in so called "diseases" and they praise nurses for being interested in patients as people not just diseased bodies.

Also nurses seem more approachable than doctors so making communication much easier. The reasons for this are social/psychological/cultural and are therefore very complex but at an obvious and simple level doctors work alone in early training and at exams whereas nurses work in teams on the wards and learn early on to notice things about patients other than the blood test results such as the number of" get well soon " cards ( or lack of them) on the patients bedside table and the meaning of this .

Nurses/HVs , because of the above, are in a stronger position to obtain truly "informed consent" from patients about every course of tablet,procedure and operation .( If they also had good quality "education resource material" for patients attending GP practice or hospital and time to use these then the NHS would save £millions . There would be less successful litigation by patients following episodes of poor or appalling communication and failure to obtain informed consent).

2.

The role of the GP is to make the diagnosis .Nothing more.

So in a case of asthma once the diagnosis is made then the patient is referred to the health visitor trained nurse practitioner / pharmacist team for the long term management of the condition. In Minnesota,USA this is already a reality . There the patients receive "pharmaceutical care services" from the pharmacy where the main activity is review of appropriate drugs , drug delivery systems ,patient understanding of the condition etc. In the UK I can see this work being done by the nurse/HV in partnership with the pharmacist ( who will need to be released from the "lick and stick" activity of counting pills and sticking labels on bottles so that they can consult with patients).

3.

The role of the GP in the future will be :

a) Assessment of the patients "genotype" at birth giving parents information,advice and guidance on the implications of this .This will be a very valuable but very time consuming matter. Re-assessment of this will be needed at important stages of life such as starting school, choosing a first career,beginning to "date" , planning a family, work-leisure balance , choice of second or even third careers and activities in old age.

Helping patients with difficult and complex decisions to make about possible medical or surgical interventions proposed by hospital consultants. This work will most often be undertaken at the practice in partnership with the nurse practitioner/HV.It will need a vastly expanded " IT based patient library service . This will ensure that patients give "informed consent" or sometimes "informed refusal" .

Community involvement in the Promotion of Health and Well Being in partnership with Health Visitors,Teachers,the Managers of Urban Green Spaces and Urban Foresters, Community Development Workers, Leaders of Faith Communities,Town Planners ,the Cultural Sector, Politicians and many others . This will require that the GP has "public health training and education"( provided by schools of Public Health ) and has learnt several public health skills in particular the skill required to "collaborate" and work with others on projects of shared interest.

NB

Sick notes/legal forms for not wearing seat belts in cars/exemption from jury service/mortgage insurance etc etc. must become a shared responsibility between all members of the professional "Health Team "

At present the existing pattern of GP work is not sustainable because most of the GPs over 50 want early retirement with many feeling "burnt out" but continuing at work .So many of the patients these days come in with personal or social problems for which the GP has no training and no enthusiasm to deal with . They work in practices where the practice manager has never been encouraged to make links with CAB, "meet a mum" , Samaritans, Time Banks, local "health and learning" initiatives and so on . The HVs knowledge of such social care groups and supports for people with personal problems is vital to the re-creation / re-birth of sustainable GP practice but of course we must not call it GP practice anymore because it wont be rather we must call it "Health and Social Care Practice " and ourselves all Health or Social Care workers/professionals where the health visitor / public health training is seen as of equal value to the medical training with parity of income. Already in some practices the practice manager is also a partner . Health Visitors /Nurse Practitioners need also to become partners in the future " Health and Social Care Practice".

So as always "constant change is necessary for stability"

People and organisations forever grow and develop.

Malcolm

I thought people might be interested in this.

Parents warned about “unhelpful teaching”

Parents who teach their pre-school children to read, write and add could be setting them up for mental health problems later in life, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health says. A report issued today (04/04/03) encourages patients to interact with their infants through informal play, but warns against adopting a formal teaching approach. The study investigates why so many children have emotional and behavioural problems at a time when they are healthier and better educated than ever. It blames “unhelpful parenting practices” and a lack of understanding among parents of child development.(The Times 04/04/03; p.19)© HMG Worldwide 2003http://www.health-news.co.uk/

Babies of divorced parents suffer

”Babies forced to spend nights in the separate homes of divorced or separated parents often suffer emotional and physical anguish, according to new research. Such infants have more tantrums, develop eating and sleeping disorders, and exhibit distress through symptoms such as raised heartbeats. They also fail to identify their mothers as a source of comfort because they are confused by her regular absences. The findings were made in the world’s first study of how infants’ attachment to their parents is affected by overnight stays.(The Daily Telegraph 04/04/03; p.13)© HMG Worldwide 2003http://www.health-news.co.uk/

[Guest guest]

Well I don't know, but I think that this discussion is affecting me quite oddly.........

Last night I dreamt that I was appearing in 'Health Visitor- the Musical' ! !!

Malcolm's arts conversation and the need to promote the diversity of our role achieved in one fell swoop!

(Free) therapy offers welcomed............

best wishes,

Judy

-----Original Message-----From: Margaret Buttigieg [mailto:margaret@...]Sent: 24 April 2003 18:15 Subject: Re: How things might change.

My thoughts are that it will be the future world - general practice will look very different in five years time - it is different now to 5 years ago and will be even more different then.

What I thick as a health visitor is that we need to direct the agenda and not let others do it for us so that we get a model which is not based on our skills and is not preventative

Margaret

I thought people might be interested in this.

Parents warned about “unhelpful teaching”

Parents who teach their pre-school children to read, write and add could be setting them up for mental health problems later in life, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health says. A report issued today (04/04/03) encourages patients to interact with their infants through informal play, but warns against adopting a formal teaching approach. The study investigates why so many children have emotional and behavioural problems at a time when they are healthier and better educated than ever. It blames “unhelpful parenting practices” and a lack of understanding among parents of child development.(The Times 04/04/03; p.19)© HMG Worldwide 2003http://www.health-news.co.uk/

Babies of divorced parents suffer

”Babies forced to spend nights in the separate homes of divorced or separated parents often suffer emotional and physical anguish, according to new research. Such infants have more tantrums, develop eating and sleeping disorders, and exhibit distress through symptoms such as raised heartbeats. They also fail to identify their mothers as a source of comfort because they are confused by her regular absences. The findings were made in the world’s first study of how infants’ attachment to their parents is affected by overnight stays.(The Daily Telegraph 04/04/03; p.13)© HMG Worldwide 2003http://www.health-news.co.uk/

[Guest guest]

I completely agree..there is a virus far more dangerous than SARS...it is called the YAWN virus..

it's main sign in the sufferer is the repetitive declamation of statements such as "Seen it all before..seen

it all before; I can't make a difference..I can't make a difference and Why don't 'they' do something?

There is only one knwon antidote and that is to put the 'victim' in an oxygen tent full of people

offering mutual support and robust networking.

By the by...do we need a SARS Tsar?

-----Original Message-----From: Margaret Buttigieg [mailto:margaret@...]Sent: 24 April 2003 19:15 Subject: Re: How things might change.

My thoughts are that it will be the future world - general practice will look very different in five years time - it is different now to 5 years ago and will be even more different then.

What I thick as a health visitor is that we need to direct the agenda and not let others do it for us so that we get a model which is not based on our skills and is not preventative

Margaret

I thought people might be interested in this.

Parents warned about “unhelpful teaching”

Parents who teach their pre-school children to read, write and add could be setting them up for mental health problems later in life, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health says. A report issued today (04/04/03) encourages patients to interact with their infants through informal play, but warns against adopting a formal teaching approach. The study investigates why so many children have emotional and behavioural problems at a time when they are healthier and better educated than ever. It blames “unhelpful parenting practices” and a lack of understanding among parents of child development.(The Times 04/04/03; p.19)© HMG Worldwide 2003http://www.health-news.co.uk/

Babies of divorced parents suffer

”Babies forced to spend nights in the separate homes of divorced or separated parents often suffer emotional and physical anguish, according to new research. Such infants have more tantrums, develop eating and sleeping disorders, and exhibit distress through symptoms such as raised heartbeats. They also fail to identify their mothers as a source of comfort because they are confused by her regular absences. The findings were made in the world’s first study of how infants’ attachment to their parents is affected by overnight stays.(The Daily Telegraph 04/04/03; p.13)© HMG Worldwide 2003http://www.health-news.co.uk/

[Guest guest]

Margaret,

Do you think there are enough of us left to do it?!

-----Original Message-----From: Margaret Buttigieg [mailto:margaret@...]Sent: 24 April 2003 19:15 Subject: Re: How things might change.

My thoughts are that it will be the future world - general practice will look very different in five years time - it is different now to 5 years ago and will be even more different then.

What I thick as a health visitor is that we need to direct the agenda and not let others do it for us so that we get a model which is not based on our skills and is not preventative

Margaret

I thought people might be interested in this.

Parents warned about “unhelpful teaching”

Parents who teach their pre-school children to read, write and add could be setting them up for mental health problems later in life, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health says. A report issued today (04/04/03) encourages patients to interact with their infants through informal play, but warns against adopting a formal teaching approach. The study investigates why so many children have emotional and behavioural problems at a time when they are healthier and better educated than ever. It blames “unhelpful parenting practices” and a lack of understanding among parents of child development.(The Times 04/04/03; p.19)© HMG Worldwide 2003http://www.health-news.co.uk/

Babies of divorced parents suffer

”Babies forced to spend nights in the separate homes of divorced or separated parents often suffer emotional and physical anguish, according to new research. Such infants have more tantrums, develop eating and sleeping disorders, and exhibit distress through symptoms such as raised heartbeats. They also fail to identify their mothers as a source of comfort because they are confused by her regular absences. The findings were made in the world’s first study of how infants’ attachment to their parents is affected by overnight stays.(The Daily Telegraph 04/04/03; p.13)© HMG Worldwide 2003http://www.health-news.co.uk/

[Guest guest]

My thoughts are that it will be the future world - general practice will look very different in five years time - it is different now to 5 years ago and will be even more different then.

What I thick as a health visitor is that we need to direct the agenda and not let others do it for us so that we get a model which is not based on our skills and is not preventative

Margaret

I thought people might be interested in this.

Parents warned about “unhelpful teaching”

Parents who teach their pre-school children to read, write and add could be setting them up for mental health problems later in life, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health says. A report issued today (04/04/03) encourages patients to interact with their infants through informal play, but warns against adopting a formal teaching approach. The study investigates why so many children have emotional and behavioural problems at a time when they are healthier and better educated than ever. It blames “unhelpful parenting practices” and a lack of understanding among parents of child development.(The Times 04/04/03; p.19)© HMG Worldwide 2003http://www.health-news.co.uk/

Babies of divorced parents suffer

”Babies forced to spend nights in the separate homes of divorced or separated parents often suffer emotional and physical anguish, according to new research. Such infants have more tantrums, develop eating and sleeping disorders, and exhibit distress through symptoms such as raised heartbeats. They also fail to identify their mothers as a source of comfort because they are confused by her regular absences. The findings were made in the world’s first study of how infants’ attachment to their parents is affected by overnight stays.(The Daily Telegraph 04/04/03; p.13)© HMG Worldwide 2003http://www.health-news.co.uk/

[Guest guest]

Of course there are - it's quality not quantity that counts. I completely agree with margaret and am beginning to think that now I'm out of the system it's time to make a complete nuisance of myself!!

Ann

I thought people might be interested in this.

Parents warned about “unhelpful teaching”

Parents who teach their pre-school children to read, write and add could be setting them up for mental health problems later in life, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health says. A report issued today (04/04/03) encourages patients to interact with their infants through informal play, but warns against adopting a formal teaching approach. The study investigates why so many children have emotional and behavioural problems at a time when they are healthier and better educated than ever. It blames “unhelpful parenting practices” and a lack of understanding among parents of child development.(The Times 04/04/03; p.19)© HMG Worldwide 2003http://www.health-news.co.uk/

Babies of divorced parents suffer

”Babies forced to spend nights in the separate homes of divorced or separated parents often suffer emotional and physical anguish, according to new research. Such infants have more tantrums, develop eating and sleeping disorders, and exhibit distress through symptoms such as raised heartbeats. They also fail to identify their mothers as a source of comfort because they are confused by her regular absences. The findings were made in the world’s first study of how infants’ attachment to their parents is affected by overnight stays.(The Daily Telegraph 04/04/03; p.13)© HMG Worldwide 2003http://www.health-news.co.uk/

[Guest guest]

Bravo..that's the spirit..this is what is happening..then the 'system' of course will wish to incorporate you again and may listen far more intentll if you are on the inside of the tent?

-----Original Message-----From: Ann GIRLING [mailto:annieg@...]Sent: 25 April 2003 08:36 Subject: Re: How things might change.

Of course there are - it's quality not quantity that counts. I completely agree with margaret and am beginning to think that now I'm out of the system it's time to make a complete nuisance of myself!!

Ann

I thought people might be interested in this.

Parents warned about “unhelpful teaching”

Parents who teach their pre-school children to read, write and add could be setting them up for mental health problems later in life, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health says. A report issued today (04/04/03) encourages patients to interact with their infants through informal play, but warns against adopting a formal teaching approach. The study investigates why so many children have emotional and behavioural problems at a time when they are healthier and better educated than ever. It blames “unhelpful parenting practices” and a lack of understanding among parents of child development.(The Times 04/04/03; p.19)© HMG Worldwide 2003http://www.health-news.co.uk/

Babies of divorced parents suffer

”Babies forced to spend nights in the separate homes of divorced or separated parents often suffer emotional and physical anguish, according to new research. Such infants have more tantrums, develop eating and sleeping disorders, and exhibit distress through symptoms such as raised heartbeats. They also fail to identify their mothers as a source of comfort because they are confused by her regular absences. The findings were made in the world’s first study of how infants’ attachment to their parents is affected by overnight stays.(The Daily Telegraph 04/04/03; p.13)© HMG Worldwide 2003http://www.health-news.co.uk/

[Guest guest]

Yes I'm sure there are! I have been meaning to contribute with an encouraging spring story. first a thank you to you and every one who has flagged up the issues around Agenda for Change.

Here in North Staffs 40 HV's attended the local Amicus AfC briefing meetings . Our regional rep was taken a back at the strenght of disquiet on the banding .He said it was the first meeting of 15 he had held where he had become aware of so many health visitors being so vocal ! Our last two centre meetings have had over twenty attendees and a number of individuals are currently working through the job evaluation and writing up where as practicing HV's we feel insufficent credit has been given to our role.

This is very encouraging to me because we have a good number of HV's who have qualified over the past 4/5 years and are, I believe trying to make a real difference.

Please keep up the information flow because I suspect there are many more listeners who use the information than daily contributers.

From an enthusiastic practitioner!

phine

>From: " Noy"

>Reply- >

>Subject: RE: How things might change. >Date: Thu, 24 Apr 2003 17:33:43 +0100 > >Margaret, >Do you think there are enough of us left to do it?! > > Re: How things might change. > > > > > My thoughts are that it will be the future world - general practice will >look very different in five years time - it is different now to 5 years ago >and will be even more different then. > > What I thick as a health visitor is that we need to direct the agenda and >not let others do it for us so that we get a model which is not based on our >skills and is not preventative > > Margaret > > I thought people >might be interested in this. > > > Parents warned about “unhelpful teaching” > Parents who teach their pre-school children >to read, write and add could be setting them up for mental health problems >later in life, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health says. A >report issued today (04/04/03) encourages patients to interact with their >infants through informal play, but warns against adopting a formal teaching >approach. The study investigates why so many children have emotional and >behavioural problems at a time when they are healthier and better educated >than ever. It blames “unhelpful parenting practices” and a lack of >understanding among parents of child development. > (The Times 04/04/03; p.19) > > © HMG Worldwide 2003 > http://www.health-news.co.uk/ > > > Babies of divorced parents suffer > > ”Babies forced to spend nights in the >separate homes of divorced or separated parents often suffer emotional and >physical anguish, according to new research. Such infants have more >tantrums, develop eating and sleeping disorders, and exhibit distress >through symptoms such as raised heartbeats. They also fail to identify their >mothers as a source of comfort because they are confused by her regular >absences. The findings were made in the world’s first study of how infants’ >attachment to their parents is affected by overnight stays. > (The Daily Telegraph 04/04/03; p.13) > > © HMG Worldwide 2003 > http://www.health-news.co.uk/ > > > > > > > > >

[Guest guest]

phine, I am pleased to hear that; it reminded me that Gerri Clay

emailed a similarly encouraging message, about Forester's help in

trying to make a case for moving the Practice Teachers into band 7 on

Agenda for Change, and I said I would pass on her experience.

It involved what was described as ' gruelling day' challenging the

proposed banding and wrote lots of testimonials with examples from

practice, accompanied by copious use of the term " highly complex " which

is key to band 7 criteria.

Gerri recommends that CPHVA member/colleagues in practice contact Colin

with concrete examples of what they do to justify higher recognition

within the framework, as apparently the decision-makers do not

understand too much about the complexity of health visiting practice:

this seems to accord with your views, as well phine.

I have also heard from an RCN member/school nurse that they have put

forward a very robust claim for school nurse team leaders to be in band 7.

Best wishes

phine Locke wrote:

> Yes I'm sure there are! I have been meaning to contribute with an

> encouraging spring story. first a thank you to you and every one

> who has flagged up the issues around Agenda for Change.

>

> Here in North Staffs 40 HV's attended the local Amicus AfC briefing

> meetings . Our regional rep was taken a back at the strenght of

> disquiet on the banding .He said it was the first meeting of 15 he had

> held where he had become aware of so many health visitors being so

> vocal ! Our last two centre meetings have had over twenty attendees

> and a number of individuals are currently working through the job

> evaluation and writing up where as practicing HV's we feel insufficent

> credit has been given to our role.

>

> This is very encouraging to me because we have a good number of HV's

> who have qualified over the past 4/5 years and are, I believe trying

> to make a real difference.

>

> Please keep up the information flow because I suspect there are many

> more listeners who use the information than daily contributers.

>

> From an enthusiastic practitioner!

>

> phine

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

They'll be lucky to get me back inside the tent!!

I thought people might be interested in this.

Parents warned about “unhelpful teaching”

Parents who teach their pre-school children to read, write and add could be setting them up for mental health problems later in life, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health says. A report issued today (04/04/03) encourages patients to interact with their infants through informal play, but warns against adopting a formal teaching approach. The study investigates why so many children have emotional and behavioural problems at a time when they are healthier and better educated than ever. It blames “unhelpful parenting practices” and a lack of understanding among parents of child development.(The Times 04/04/03; p.19)© HMG Worldwide 2003http://www.health-news.co.uk/

Babies of divorced parents suffer

”Babies forced to spend nights in the separate homes of divorced or separated parents often suffer emotional and physical anguish, according to new research. Such infants have more tantrums, develop eating and sleeping disorders, and exhibit distress through symptoms such as raised heartbeats. They also fail to identify their mothers as a source of comfort because they are confused by her regular absences. The findings were made in the world’s first study of how infants’ attachment to their parents is affected by overnight stays.(The Daily Telegraph 04/04/03; p.13)© HMG Worldwide 2003http://www.health-news.co.uk/

[Guest guest]

A good question - but maybe that is why we need direct entry - a new phase maybe

Margaret

I thought people might be interested in this.

Parents warned about “unhelpful teaching”

Parents who teach their pre-school children to read, write and add could be setting them up for mental health problems later in life, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health says. A report issued today (04/04/03) encourages patients to interact with their infants through informal play, but warns against adopting a formal teaching approach. The study investigates why so many children have emotional and behavioural problems at a time when they are healthier and better educated than ever. It blames “unhelpful parenting practices” and a lack of understanding among parents of child development.(The Times 04/04/03; p.19)© HMG Worldwide 2003http://www.health-news.co.uk/

Babies of divorced parents suffer

”Babies forced to spend nights in the separate homes of divorced or separated parents often suffer emotional and physical anguish, according to new research. Such infants have more tantrums, develop eating and sleeping disorders, and exhibit distress through symptoms such as raised heartbeats. They also fail to identify their mothers as a source of comfort because they are confused by her regular absences. The findings were made in the world’s first study of how infants’ attachment to their parents is affected by overnight stays.(The Daily Telegraph 04/04/03; p.13)© HMG Worldwide 2003http://www.health-news.co.uk/