Trinity House

The spoofing of Automatic Identification System (AIS) messages presents a hazard to safe maritime navigation. To prevent such spoofing, we present an authentication system based on Public Key Cryptography (PKC) that is both fully open source and backwards compatible with mariners’ existing use of the AIS. Using this, we have successfully demonstrated the ‘live’, over-the-air broadcast of authenticated AIS messages in a busy radio environment. The technique used is an improvement upon earlier work in that digital signatures are carried using the terrestrial VHF Data Exchange (VDE-TER) component of the VHF Data Exchange System (VDES). This prevents additional channel loading on the AIS and offers greater flexibility.

<h3>Background</h3> One in four UK adults are deaf, rising to 80% of the over 70s (Akeroyd, Munro. Int J Audiol. 2024;63(9):659-660) – therefore deaf people represent a high proportion of those interacting with our hospice services including patients and workforce. However, staff do not routinely receive any deaf insight training, leading to poorer access and outcomes for deaf people within hospice settings (Jobling. End of life research. [Newcastle upon Tyne]: Deaflink; 2016). <h3>Aims</h3> An education programme and service improvement project aimed to improve staff knowledge and skills when working with deaf people, and to ensure that they had resources to provide equitable care. We measured adherence to the NHS accessible information standard (NHS England. 2017 [internet]) to assess our improvement. <h3>Methods</h3> A regular teaching programme led by a deaf clinician for clinical and non-clinical staff aimed to improve their understanding of the needs of deaf people and to develop specialist communication skills. Clinical staff received training on working with sign language interpreters and using assistive technology. Through staff feedback and engagement with local deaf groups, equipment was invested in to ensure all areas of the environment were accessible to deaf people – staff and patients. All of this was integrated into staff induction and regular education programmes to ensure sustainability. <h3>Results</h3> The programme showed a significant improvement in adherence to the NHS accessible information standard. All patients were routinely asked about their communication needs and a diverse range of communication needs were met and supported. Staff felt more confident communicating with deaf people and also had their own needs met routinely. Deaf patients felt more involved and autonomous in their care. <h3>Conclusion</h3> Deaf insight is a poorly understood area within hospice settings, and the lack of insight has critical consequences. This quality improvement project shows that education and service improvement can significantly improve the outcomes and experience of all deaf people interacting with hospice services – allowing them to experience equitable care and access.

<h3>Background</h3> Caring for someone with dementia can be emotionally, physically, and socially demanding. Many carers face isolation, burnout and have limited access to consistent specialist advice. Traditional services often operate in silos, leaving families struggling to coordinate care and find emotional support. Those with lived experience highlight the value of peer support which offers mutual understanding. When combined with the clinical guidance of Admiral Nurse specialists in dementia, trained by Dementia UK, this dual support model addresses both emotional and practical challenges of dementia care. The Dementia Lounge represents a person-centred solution as described by Kitwood (Dementia reconsidered: the person comes first. Open University Press; 1997) to meet these needs in a relaxed, inclusive environment. <h3>Aim</h3> To improve the quality of life, confidence and resilience of dementia carers and their loved ones, through integrated peer support and specialist care access. <h3>Method</h3> Provide regular, direct access to Admiral Nurse and Admiral Assistant within a community setting, like Trinity Hospice, by facilitating peer support groups and carer led discussions. Offer stimulating, safe activities for people living with dementia and their carers. Create a welcoming, dementia friendly environment where families feel seen, supported and empowered. Reduce social isolation and carer stress through peer support, in a supportive safe space for all. Measured by completing Admiral Nurse ‘friends and family feedback’ forms and questionnaires to review the effectiveness of the sessions. Successful launch and ongoing Dementia Lounge groups, every second Tuesday of the month, hosted in a familiar, accessible community venue. Offering 1:1 Admiral Nurse clinics and participant activities, to bring about joy and a sense of purpose, such as music, art, and gentle exercise. <h3>Conclusion</h3> The Dementia Lounge represents a vital evolution in community-based dementia support. Bridging clinical expertise with the power of peer connection, this model offers a transformative experience, grounded in dignity, empathy and shared strength.

Ginger (Zingiber officinale) has a global use as a spice, an ingredient of beverages, food supplements (syn. dietary supplements), as well as herbal medicinal products. Since the last update of ginger in ESCOP Monographs in 2009 a significant number of papers concerning its bioactive constituents and clinical uses have been published. From this large number and selecting those references (almost 500) considered most relevant to clinical aspects and therapeutic indications, the following issues are considered to be potentially important to research on other medicinal plants: [i] quality assessment; [ii] pre-clinical (in vivo) studies; [iii] quality of clinical trials; [iv] ethnicity of clinical trial participants and [v] effects of sex-gender on activity and therapeutic indications.

The UK is currently debating legislation to allow physician-assisted suicide for competent, terminally ill adults. Though not explicit, it is likely to be delivered through the National Health Service (NHS). International evidence shows that integrating assisted suicide and euthanasia into mainstream healthcare increases uptake and rate of growth as well as broadens eligibility criteria. In this editorial, we argue that it should not be part of the NHS, since it is not a medical treatment, lacks a robust evidence base and fails to meet regulatory standards. The proposed framework for assessing decision-making capacity is unsuitable, and psychiatrists are not the right clinicians to be involved.

In recent years, De Montfort University (DMU) has made strides in enhancing its offer to students with the introduction of a block curriculum model. This was a major change programme for DMU across our campuses and over 80% of our students now study in Block mode. Student survey results point to positive gains across a range of measures. To date the focus of this change programme has been on the curriculum delivery. The university deployed curriculum sprints to revalidate our programmes, thereby ensuring our courses moved over to block mode in a timely way. More recently, the university has turned its attention to Block pedagogy as we recognised that a unified set of core teaching expectations has been lacking, leaving new academic staff reliant on peer support and communities of practice. To address this gap, DMU developed its Active Teaching and Learning Model informed by key academic literature. This model identifies seven principles of good teaching practice: building community and belonging, encouraging engagement and attendance, ensuring relevant and experiential learning, delivering prompt and useful feedback, offering diverse learning approaches, maintaining high expectations, and respecting diversity. The model serves as a practical framework to embed active teaching and learning to maximise the benefits of block curriculum.