Case Study Of England Research Articles

Using the planning system to promote a healthier food environment: review of planning policies and appeal decisions in England for hot food takeaways

Local authorities are using their planning powers to manage hot food takeaways. The use of these powers is mediated by the Planning Inspectorate. A case-study approach was adopted to understand outcomes of takeaways policy and decision after the statutory policy examination and appeal stages. Eight case studies in England were selected and a documentary analysis was undertaken to determine how public health issues were considered by inspectors. The analysis identified challenges and strengths in inspectors’ approach and decisions. Understanding these factors can help the public health system navigate engagement with inspectors and secure successful outcomes when managing takeaways.

Inter-organizational mobilization in non-hierarchical settings: Bootstrapping information infrastructures for integrated care

In the realm of healthcare digitalization, the advancement of patient-centred care models hinges crucially on the establishment of inter-organizational information infrastructures (IIs): intricate “systems of systems” designed to facilitate efficient data sharing, consolidation, and utilization. However, closed and siloed health information systems often fragment patient data across multiple repositories, resulting in inefficiencies and limitations in inter-organizational access and decision-making at the population level. Bridging these divides demands the integration of loosely coupled information systems within and across organizations. The ongoing evolution of these IIs is intricately shaped by the complex sociotechnical installed base governing their development. It can be difficult to engage potential participants in building and using an II that spans organisational boundaries particularly in contexts marked by diversity of mission, high organizational autonomy and lacking a single authoritative actor. Through a case study in England’s National Health Service, this paper examines the intricate process of mobilizing autonomous organizations to collaborate in developing a shared II for integrated care. In non-hierarchical settings, lacking a clear organizing entity such mobilization requires strategic partnerships and a mix of skills. I introduce the term “collective mobilizer” to represent the collaborative coalition of entities with the capacity to garner sufficient interest among potential constituencies and align visions and resources. By unpicking the role of collective mobilizers, this paper offers insights into the challenges of bootstrapping II development in non-hierarchical contexts and how they may be overcome.

Land commoning in deagrarianized contexts: Potentials for agroecology?

Amid socially and ecologically failing food systems, land commoning has been proposed as a pathway to align food systems with agroecology and food sovereignty. This article aims to contribute to nascent understandings of land commoning movements in relatively deagrarianized contexts by presenting two distinct and complementary case studies in England and South Africa. We show how commoning imaginaries in both contexts are informed by racial justice politics. These movements offer some potential to change food provisioning yet are also limited by tensions with other strategies for both racial justice and agroecology that reinforce individualized property relations. We argue that the nuances and potentials of land commoning movements in deagrarianized contexts merit further research.

Does flood risk funding protect the most vulnerable? A case study of England

Not only has the frequency and severity of flooding increased under climate change, but which communities are at-risk and how those risks are distributed within communities has changed too. This realisation points to an important interplay between exposure (risk) and social vulnerability. Who is vulnerable? Answering this question is far from straightforward as different vulnerability indicators identify different groups across different scales. This paper addresses this issue. Using the empirical case of England, the spatial distribution of flood risk at different administrative scales is analysed in relation to the Environment Agency (EA) allocation of flood funding between 2015 and 2021. We find that Upper-tier Local Authority Districts with higher levels of both flood risk and social vulnerability received more funding in the period considered. Yet, that is not the scale at which flood scheme funding decisions are made. Flood schemes are decided at the local level, but funding data for smaller administrative scales is not available. Different understandings of vulnerability, the Modifiable Areal Unit Problem (MAUP), and issues around data transparency and availability in flood risk management, need to be urgently addressed.

P184 Geographical variations in delivery of intravenous treatments for ANCA-associated vasculitis

Abstract Background/Aims Timely access to intravenous immunosuppressant therapy is essential to effectively manage systemic vasculitis; however, significant variations in care and outcomes exists across centres. We systematically evaluated access to treatment for ANCA-associated vasculitis across the UK and Ireland. Methods This multi-method study included: a survey of 87 UK and Ireland Vasculitis Society sites and 11 Scottish Health Boards between Nov 2020 and June 2021; interviews with staff and patients with systemic vasculitis. Survey data was analysed descriptively. Interviews were audio or video recorded and analysed thematically. Results 59 responses from 51 Trusts/Health Boards across Scotland (n = 11), England (n = 33), Wales (n = 2), and Ireland (n = 5) included equal numbers of rheumatology and nephrology vasculitis services across diverse healthcare settings. 67 healthcare professionals across six case studies in Scotland (n = 3) and England (n = 3) and 32 patients with systemic vasculitis were interviewed. Services faced significant challenges in prescribing and delivering high-cost drugs to manage systemic vasculitis: balancing accountability versus bureaucracy, and tensions between different specialties looking after vasculitis patients when implementing access to high-cost drugs via multi-disciplinary networks. There was significant variation in how services delivered intravenous treatments: 10%(5/51) used inpatient beds; 35% (18/51) accessed another specialty unit or shared a daycase facility; 65% (33/51) used their own specialty daycase unit. Average wait time for urgent IV treatment was 2.67 days (range 1-10 days). 18% of services had waiting times >7 days, and of those 67% accessed intravenous treatments via another daycase facility. Specific challenges in accessing daycase facilities included availability of slots and staff, particularly in shared units, due to competition with other services and limited awareness of the importance of timely treatment for systemic vasculitis. This could impact on timing and treatment decisions e.g., prolonged steroid prescriptions. Staff training, competencies and governance to deliver cytotoxic drugs was problematic, particularly for smaller services, and 70% of services said national training modules would be helpful. Oncology units could provide workarounds but daycase nurses with vasculitis knowledge were a valuable source of advice and support for patients attending for treatments, identifying medical issues and arranging assessment if required. Conclusion There is significant variation in access to intravenous treatment for systemic vasculitis. Healthcare organisations should ensure timely access to urgent intravenous treatment for systemic vasculitis within 7 days and appropriately trained staff. National training modules for non-cancer chemotherapy could facilitate equitable access to training. Where treatment is delivered via other units, greater awareness of systemic vasculitis would help provision of information and support for patients. Disclosure W. James: None. A. Nicoll: None. L. Locock: None. L. Harper: None. M. Little: None. N. Basu: None. R.J. Hollick: None.

A collaboratively produced model of service design for children and young people with common mental health problems

BackgroundLittle is known about the effectiveness of, and implementation complexities associated with, service delivery models for children and young people (CYP) experiencing ‘common’ mental health problems such as anxiety, depression, behavioural difficulties and self-harm. This paper outlines how a model for high-quality service design for this population group was developed by identifying available services, their effectiveness, cost-effectiveness and acceptability, and the barriers and enablers to access.MethodsSequential, mixed-methods design, combining evidence syntheses (scoping and integrative reviews of the international literature) with primary research (a collective case study in England and Wales). Data from these two elements were collaboratively synthesised in a subsequent model-building phase.ResultsThe scoping review yielded a service model typology. The integrative review found effectiveness evidence only for four models: collaborative care (the only service model to also have cost-effectiveness evidence), outreach approaches, brief intervention services and an organisational framework called ‘Availability, Responsiveness and Continuity’. No service model seemed more acceptable than others. Three case study themes were identified: pathways to support; service engagement; and learning and understanding. The model-building phase identified rapid access, learning self-care skills, individualised support, clear information, compassionate and competent staff and aftercare planning as core characteristics of high-quality services. These characteristics were underpinned by four organisational qualities: values that respect confidentiality; engagement and involvement; collaborative relationships; and a learning culture.ConclusionsA consistent organisational evidence-base for service design and delivery in CYP’s mental health spanning many years appears to have had little impact on service provision in England and Wales. Rather than impose – often inflexible and untested – specific local or national models or frameworks, those commissioning, designing and delivering mental health services for CYP should (re)focus on already known, fundamental components necessary for high-quality services. These fundamental components have been integrated into a collaboratively produced general model of service design for CYP with common mental health problems. While this general model is primarily focused on British service provision, it is broad enough to have utility for international audiences.

Quantification of Plastics in Agriculture and Fisheries at a Regional Scale: A Case Study of South West England

The use of plastics in agriculture and in fisheries has been vital to increase food production and meet the demands of an increasingly growing global population. However, there are several drawbacks to the use of plastics in these industries. Most plastics used in agriculture are disposed of after one single use and are highly susceptible to weathering. Abandoned, lost, or discarded fishing gear cause considerable damage to marine life. Quantification of plastic waste generation in these industries is scarce or non-existent in the case of fisheries. In this paper, we estimate the amount of plastic waste generated by agriculture and fisheries at a regional scale, considering the South West of the UK as a case study. We followed a mass balance approach to quantify the potential plastic waste generated by these industries. We find a generation of 49 kt of plastic waste in agriculture, 47% of which has an unknown fate. We estimate 454 t/year of fishing gear waste, with unclear end-of-life pathways. A detailed quantitative understanding of plastic waste generation per sector at a regional scale is fundamental for tracking plastic waste flows, locating hotspots of pollution, and planning actions to reduce the amount of plastic waste along the chain of end-users.

Accuracy of Local Authority Population Forecasts Produced by a New Minimal Data Model: A Case Study of England

The preparation of forecasts for small and local area populations involves many challenges. Standard cohort-component models are problematic because of small numbers, which make estimation of rates unreliable. Because of this, the Synthetic Migration Population Projection (SYMPOPP) model was designed to forecast local populations without need for detailed area-specific information. This model had been used successfully for small area forecasts in Australia. The objective of the paper is to assess its performance when applied to local areas in England. The model uses a bi-regional structure based on a movement population account. Sub-models of total population change are employed to control future change. Fertility, mortality and migration rates are borrowed from national statistics, constrained to small area indicators. The model uses an Excel workbook with VBA routines and is relatively easy and quick to use. Model inputs were calibrated for 2006–2011 and used to forecast for 2011–2021. Results were tested against the census-based 2021 mid-year populations. A new error statistic, Age Structure Error, was used to evaluate Basic and Refined model versions against official projections. The two versions of SYMPOPP posted lower errors. The simple models had fewer areas with errors of 10% or more (12.3–12.6%) compared with the official projections (14.5% of areas). Investigation revealed that these errors occurred in local authorities with high military, student, prison, or ethnic minority populations, influenced by factors not captured in a projection model for the general population.

Municipal solid waste management using multiple disposal location-arc routing and waste segregation approach: a real-life case study in England

ABSTRACT In the realm of municipal operations, the effective management of municipal solid waste (MSW) stands out as a pivotal undertaking. It necessitates substantial allocations of fixed and variable resources and financial investments. The bulk of these expenditures are associated with the operational facets encompassing waste collection, transportation, and disposal. This research delves into the examination of multiple Disposal Location Arc Routing Problems (LARP) while considering vehicle capacity limitations and the incorporation of waste segregation. The LARP model is designed to identify the optimal locations for depots and three waste disposal sites. The optimization objectives and constraints applied to the LARP model are geared toward enhancing waste collection efficiency and minimizing costs. Additionally, a triangular fuzzy parameter is introduced to represent the demand. To put this model to the test, a real-world case study in the UK is explored to evaluate its performance and practicality. Finally, a series of sensitivity analyses are conducted, offering valuable managerial insights under varying conditions. The inclusion of waste segregation in this waste management model holds considerable significance for managers. This is particularly relevant because it proposes a more effective strategy for waste management when dealing with diverse types of waste.

Application of high-dimensional uniform manifold approximation and projection (UMAP) to cluster existing landfills on the basis of geographical and environmental features

Due to extreme conditions, which are influenced by the location of landfills, the release of pollutants has been recently proven to be more severe in estuary landfills, as these landfill locations are affected by both sea-water and river-water interactions. To identify geographic and environmental features linked to the extreme conditions of certain landfills, a high-dimensional clustering method combining Uniform Manifold Approximation and Projection (UMAP) with the Louvain algorithm is proposed.A case study was conducted using 17 noteworthy features that transform to Landfill Suitability Index (LSI) applied to hundreds of landfill sites in Taiwan. This study clustered landfills into 10 clusters and identified several clusters with significant extreme locations, including estuary landfills (7.9 %), fault-water-body landfills (8.2 %), and densely-populated-water-body landfills (17.6 %). Furthermore, a critical discovery of endangered Platalea minor habitats near these estuary landfills was made. Additionally, this work identified “healthy” landfills (11.2 %) that are minimally affected by the considered features. These findings demonstrate the promising potential of our framework for managers to systematically improve landfill management strategies. Moreover, our framework was tested by incorporating rainfall and flooding features in relation to climate change scenarios. To address the demand for land release from occupied landfills in Taiwan, there is a pressing need to expedite the transition to a circular economy, and our framework can provide further assistance in this regard. This approach is promising, as it provides a new method to evaluate the environmental risks linked to landfills and also identifies potential opportunities related to landfill mining.Finally, this work was extended to include a case study in England, which has 19,801 landfills and a dataset containing 15 relevant landfill features; in this case study, our framework identified 110 landfill clusters, and several placed in extreme locations, demonstrating that our framework is flexible for use in other regions outside of Taiwan.

Investigating correlates of personal and freight road transport energy consumption: A case study of England

In most countries worldwide, the transport sector is responsible for a large proportion of energy consumption, the emissions of which have adverse effects on the environment and human health. It is therefore important to understand the determinants of road transport energy consumption in an attempt to minimise these adverse effects. This paper examines the association which road transport energy consumption, for both personal and freight uses, has with a number of area-level factors, covering a host of socio-economic, built environment and travel mode choice variables. We considered England as our case study, using local authority level data. A random parameters multilevel regression model was utilised in order to accommodate the hierarchical structure of the data, with local authorities nested within major areas of England, and to address unobserved heterogeneity more fully. We paid a particular attention to understand the association between levels of active travel and road transport energy consumption, as this is less-understood. Most notably, gross disposable household income per capita had a positive association with personal road transport energy consumption, and the proportion of walking and cycling had a negative association with both personal and freight consumption. The analysis presented here may be useful in modelling the effect that anticipated changes might have on road transport energy consumption, for instance, new transport developments. In particular, local authorities may consider making a concerted effort at promoting active travel as this was found to be highly negatively associated with road transport energy consumption. As well as this, an insight into the disparity in transport energy consumption between geographical areas is provided, which may otherwise go unobserved.

Using e-petition data to quantify public concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic: a case study of England

ABSTRACT The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on society and many governments and politicians were required to make quick decisions to protect public health. In reaching these decisions they needed to weigh advice from experts in many fields and then “sell” these decisions. However little was known at the time about the desires and aspirations of their electorates. Here we identify one such source of public opinion, signatures to various COVID-19 related Parliamentary e-petitions Whilst there were over 1,500 such e-petitions, we identify 27 common and meaningful topics and show how the strength of these topics varies between individual parliamentary constituencies. Using a measure of support for each topic in the constituencies we identify five constituency groupings. There are two Conservative voting groups, “Middle England” and “Equity of Support”, the former are located largely in southern England whilst the latter are in the midlands and northern England. The groups that show strong support in Labour voting constituencies are ones around education and funding issues. This article shows how a targeted range of e-petitions can be grouped into topics and the popularity of topics established, and thereby function as a useful way of augmenting democracy and democratic institutions.

Sustainable positive psychology interventions enhance primary teachers’ wellbeing and beyond – A qualitative case study in England

Positive psychology interventions (PPIs) have become an influential approach to foster teacher wellbeing; however, little research addresses the critiques and sustainability of PPIs. This study investigated teacher experiences of PPIs and the impact on their wellbeing in professional and personal contexts. Qualitative data were collected using multi-methods in a primary school in two settings: staff-meetings with 21 teachers and a self-interest group with 9 teachers. Results showed practising PPIs enhanced teachers' wellbeing multidimensionally and produced positive impacts on others. The challenges experienced and plans for sustainable actions were identified. Insights into sustainable teacher wellbeing programmes and professional development are offered.

Economic analysis of early intervention for autistic children: findings from four case studies in England, Ireland, Italy and Spain.

Many autistic children experience difficulties in their communication and language skills development, with consequences for social development into adulthood, often resulting in challenges over the life-course and high economic impacts for individuals, families, and society. The Preschool Autism Communication Trial (PACT) intervention is effective in terms of improved social communication and some secondary outcomes. A previously published within-trial economic analysis found that results at 13months did not support its cost-effectiveness. We modeled cost-effectiveness over 6years and across four European countries. Using simulation modeling, we built on economic analyses in the original trial, exploring longer-term cost-effectiveness at 6years (in England). We adapted our model to undertake an economic analysis of PACT in Ireland, Italy, and Spain. Data on resource use were taken from the original trial and a more recent Irish observational study. PACT is cost-saving over time from a societal perspective, even though we confirmed that, at 13months post-delivery, PACT is more expensive than usual treatment (across all countries) when given to preschool autistic children. After 6years, we found that PACT has lower costs than usual treatment in terms of unpaid care provided by parents (in all countries). Also, if we consider only out-of-pocket expenses from an Irish study, PACT costs less than usual treatment. PACT may be recommended as a cost-saving early intervention for families with an autistic child.

Development of a system model to predict flows and performance of regional waste management planning: A case study of England

Significant loss of valuable resources and increasing burdens on landfills are often associated with a lack of proper planning in waste management and resource recovery strategy. A sustainable waste management model is thus urgently needed to improve resource efficiency and divert more waste from landfills. This paper proposes a comprehensive system model using stock-and-flow diagram to examine the current waste management performance and project the future waste generation, treatment and disposal scenarios, using England as a case study. The model comprises three integrated modules to represent household waste generation and collection; waste treatment and disposal; and energy recovery. A detailed mass and energy balance has been established and waste management performance has been evaluated using six upstream and downstream indicators. The base case scenario that assumes constant waste composition shows that waste to landfills can be reduced to less than 10% of the total amount, by 2035. However, it entails greater diversion of waste to energy-from-waste facilities, which is not sustainable and would incur higher capital investment and gate fees. Alternative case scenarios that promote recycling instead of energy recovery result in lower capital investment and gate fees. Complete elimination of the food and organic fraction from the residual waste stream will help meet the 65% recycling target by 2035. In light of the need for achieving a more circular economy in England, enhancing material recovery through reuse and recycling, reducing reliance on energy-from-waste and deploying more advanced waste valorisation technologies should be considered in future policy and planning for waste management.

A typology of responsibility for coastal flood risk adaptation

The management of coastal flood risk is adapting to meet the challenges and increased risks posed by population change as well as by climate change, especially sea level rise. Protection is being targeted to areas where the benefits are highest, while elsewhere there is a shift towards more localized “living with floods” and “resilience” approaches. Such decentralized approaches to flood risk management (FRM) require a diverse range of stakeholder groups to be engaged as “flood risk citizens”. Engagement of households in FRM is central to this process. Despite significant research on stakeholder engagement in coastal and flood risk management, there is less focus on the nature of responsibility in coastal adaptation. There is no framework by which to assess the different types of responsibility in hazard management and adaptation, and little research on the implications of expecting these responsibilities of stakeholder groups. In this paper, we identify five types of responsibility that are embedded throughout the disaster risk reduction cycle of managing coastal flooding. We build this “typology of responsibility” on existing work on the evolution of stakeholder engagement and stakeholder responsibility relationships in risk management processes, and a dataset of institutional stakeholder interviews and households surveys conducted across three case studies in England, the United Kingdom, in 2018 and 2019. We analyze the interviews using thematic analysis to explore institutional stakeholder perceptions of responsibility in coastal FRM, and analyze the household survey through descriptive and inferential statistics. By developing the first disaster risk reduction focused typology of responsibility for coastal flooding, we provide researchers and decision-makers with a tool to guide their planning and allocation of responsibilities in risk management for floods and other climate-driven hazards.

Migration Responses to the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study of New England Showing Movements down the Urban Hierarchy and Ensuing Impacts on Real Estate Markets

As the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the United States, the media began reporting stories of people leaving cities for rural destinations, setting off frenzied real estate activity in receiving communities. This article builds a case study of New England using nonconventional data collected from mobile devices as a proxy for population to explore the temporal and spatial patterns of movement down the urban hierarchy since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Two research questions guide the analysis: (1) How have urban–rural migration systems in New England shifted since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic? (2) In what ways have real estate markets been affected by these apparent migration shifts? The analysis reveals shifts of population away from metropolitan core areas of the region and into micropolitan and noncore counties. These population shifts were most pronounced in late summer and fall 2020 with loosening travel restrictions. By the end of 2020, migration systems in New England once more resembled prepandemic patterns. Further, these places down the urban hierarchy consistently showed more substantial increases in real estate activity as reflected in rising prices, reduced inventories, and increased sales volume. These real estate dynamics suggest urban to rural migration during the COVID-19 pandemic might be initiating new waves of rural gentrification.

Teaching children and adolescents about mental wellbeing: an exploratory multi-site case study in England

ABSTRACT Attention on children and young people’s (CYP) wellbeing has increased internationally over the past two decades, particularly in the context of education. This small scale, preliminary study was conducted across four state-funded schools in England (two primary; two secondary) amidst a time of policy change that saw the introduction of Mental Wellbeing Support Teams in schools, and the mandating of statutory Health Education curricula. The study investigated whether psycho-informed lessons could be developed aligned to curriculum guidelines, and how pupils would engage with this learning content. Drawing on Positive Education (PE) theory, and Self-Determination theory (SDT) the researchers worked collaboratively to co-develop and deliver lessons to CYP (aged 9–11 years, and 14–15 years). This paper describes the theoretical underpinnings of the lessons, learning activities used, and critically reflects on pupils’ engagement. Implications for practice are considered and recommendations made regarding possible future teaching of mental wellbeing in England.

Mapping Building-Based Spatiotemporal Distributions of Carbon Dioxide Emission: A Case Study in England.

The spatiotemporal inventory of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from the building sector is significant for formulating regional and global warming mitigation policies. Previous studies have attempted to use energy consumption models associated with field investigations to estimate CO2 emissions from buildings at local scales, or they used spatial proxies to downscale emission sources from large geographic units to grid cells for larger scales. However, mapping the spatiotemporal distributions of CO2 emissions on a large scale based on buildings remains challenging. Hence, we conducted a case study in England in 2015, wherein we developed linear regression models to analyze monthly CO2 emissions at the building scale by integrating the Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research, building data, and Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite night-time lights images. The results showed that the proposed model that considered building data and night-time light imagery achieved the best fit. Fine-scale spatial heterogeneity was observed in the distributions of building-based CO2 emissions compared to grid-based emission maps. In addition, we observed seasonal differences in CO2 emissions. Specifically, buildings emitted significantly more CO2 in winter than in summer in England. We believe our results have great potential for use in carbon neutrality policy making and climate monitoring.

Meeting decision support requirements through natural capital accounts: a case study in England’s National Nature Reserves

ABSTRACT Natural Capital Accounts extend traditional balance sheets to include valuation of non-market environmental benefits and asset values. They aim to bring the often-overlooked value of nature into decision-making, thus providing an effective decision-support tool. We compare Natural Capital Accounts to UK decision-support guidance, which leads us to three innovations that we apply to a case study of the National Nature Reserves in England. First, we use a reporting format, which explicitly reports gaps in quantification and valuation. Second, we provide ‘traffic-light’, confidence level information for our value results. Third, we report on the ecological state of assets and incorporate this evidence into the headline results. These innovations address common weaknesses whereby partial monetary values may mislead decision-makers and confidence levels are highly variable, yet often ignored. Information on the ecological state of assets is often only partial, non-systematic and not presented with the summary results. Producing this account required ecological and economic evidence to be treated as equally important. These three innovations produce an account that is transparent and provides a useful snapshot of the condition of natural capital assets.