• Everything you need to know about the legal high ban

    New laws to introduce a blanket ban on the sale, production, distribution and supply of legal highs have now come into force across the UK. The Psychoactive Substances Act attempts to close a loophole that has allowed legal high manufacturers to flourish by banning all psychoactive substances. All previously legal highs, including laughing gas, are…

  • Emergency services collaboration: role and future of the ambulance services?

    Collaboration between emergency services is neither novel nor new. Many emergency services are already working with each other and other public bodies to provide better services while improving efficiencies. It was however argued that the present levels of coordination and collaboration are uneven and not as well developed as they might be. In September 2015,…

  • Why we need to look for the creative spaces to be innovative

    Professor John Diamond (Director of the University’s I4P) welcomes Professor Carolyn Kagan’s lecture on ‘Disruptive Change’: The core message for me last night listening to Carolyn Kagan’s very informative reflection on the ways in which key policy initiatives in the areas of anti-racism, gender and disability have been constrained and limited, was how those advocating…

  • The importance of linking ideas, policy and practice when working with children

    Professor John Diamond (Director of the University’s I4P) argues for making explicit the links between ideas, policy and practice: Listening to Professor Tom Cockburn – who is Head of the University’s Social Science Department and has extensive experience of thinking about and researching childhood studies – give his professorial lecture, I was struck (again) by…

  • Author of The Spirit Level encourages people to think globally but act locally

    Professor John Diamond (Director of the University’s I4P) reflects on the 3rd I4P Annual Lecture given by Professor Kate Pickett last night: Kate Pickett (co-author of The Spirit Level) set out a powerful and insightful case that demonstrated the link between inequality and poverty, and the inter-connections with poor health, depression and social inequality. During the…

  • Interoperability between Emergency Services: A Missed Opportunity?

    Professor Paresh Wankhade (Business School) analyses the latest Interoperability proposals offered by the government: The governance of the emergency services in England is complex and the three main emergency services (ambulance, police, and fire & rescue) are structured differently, largely as a result of the relatively ad-hoc nature of their historical development. In September 2015,…

  • Under the radar conversations

    Under the radar conversations

    I have been struck by the growing gap between the election campaign as it appears in the media and the conversations and discussions I am having through my work with community based organisations and residents. Over the past two weeks I have sat and listened to people talk about their voluntary work in a community…