Effects of Agenda for Change on Psychologists

Effects of Agenda for Change on Psychologists What is Agenda for Change? What are the likely implications of Agenda for Change for clinical  psychologists and other healthcare staff working in  the UK? Agenda for Change, implemented in December 2004, is a comprehensive pay reform package for 1.2 million NHS staff. It has brought about improved correlation between career and pay, proving to be the biggest overhaul in this area for 50 years. As part of Agenda for Change, the NHS Job Evaluation Scheme has helped coordinate rates of pay with a hierarchy of job profiles. The Job Evaluation Group, a subgroup of the NHS staff council, has so far produced over 200 national job profiles. On a more personal level the NHS Knowledge and Skills Framework was introduced to advance the interrelation between education, development and career progression. This Framework will develop a culture of lifelong learning in the NHS, promoting annual development reviews and encouraging staff learning. Agenda for Change aims to boost morale and staff retention, as well as improving diversity and family-friendly flexibility. Furthermore, as a result of pay improvements, it is hoped that the system will precipitate long term improvements in every aspect of patient care and service delivery. These changes aim to include a reduction in waiting times, improvement in the quality of treatment/care, and upgraded working practises. NHS Job Evaluation Scheme Job Evaluation attempts to provide a systematic approach to determining the relative worth of jobs within a workplace. The Scheme makes provision for most NHS jobs to be matched to nationally evaluated profiles on the basis of information from job descriptions, person specifications and additional information. National job profiles additionally provide a framework against which to check the consistency of local evaluations. Job Evaluation itself does not determine the rate of pay it simply produces a hierarchy of jobs. It examines the demands made by the job and the value of the job in the organisation. In March 2005 Clinical psychologists profiles were reviewed profiles are intended to apply to all psychologist jobs in the Health Service, (Amicus the Union: 2004). At the end of March 2006, 99% of all NHS staff had been moved to the Agenda for Change terms and conditions, and since June 2006 the NHS has invested  £ 1.1 billion in staff. The new pay system The impetus behind Agenda for Change was the need to address pay inequality, Thus the new system aims to create equal pay for equal work, with a series of three pay spines: Doctors and Dentists Nursing and Other Health Professionals NHS staff, (excluding the most senior managers). (Agenda for Change: NHS terms and conditions of service handbook, January 2005) Both the second and third pay spine will be divided into nine pay bands, and within each band there will be a number of pay points. The Job Evaluation Scheme determines the correct pay band for each post and thus the correct pay. The NHS Knowledge and Skills Framework (KSF) and the development review process. KSF and the development review process is the core of the career and pay progression outlined in Agenda for Change. By October 2005 all staff had in addition to updated job descriptions a description of the knowledge and skills needed to do a job. KSF concentrates on how acquired knowledge and skills might be applied in certain areas. (Department of Health: 2004) Everyone has their own personal development plan, created jointly in discussion with their line manager. Each year there will be a joint review of the work where new targets for development are set. At the first one, the psychologist (or other NHS staff) agrees on a personal development plan with their line manager. The aim is to meet these targets and then move up one pay point. There are two points called â€Å"gateways† in each pay band. The first gateway takes place no later than 12 months after appointment to ensure that the appointee can meet the basic demands of the post. The second gateway is set at a fixed point towards the top of the pay band. Implications Positive In June 2004 the final draft for psychology job profiles, job evaluation, job descriptions and person specifications was ready. It was a thorough and detailed document, agreed to be beneficial for clinical psychologists. For example, it included a Job description and Personal specification suitable for newly qualified clinical psychologists called Band 7 8a, making it possible to move from band 7 to 8 within a couple of years. (Amicus: 2004). KSF encourages positive learning development and career progression, giving the individual more freedom and control over their career. The objectivity of the frameworks for reviewing and evaluating clinical work can be advantageous. However, evaluations will always be dependant upon the relationship between the persons involved, giving room for differences of opinions and idiosyncrasies. Negative The announcement in autumn 2005 of around 13000 job cuts for nurses in NHS was in part the result of hospital trusts’ efforts to balance the books in the aftermath of the hugely increased wages bill brought about by the implementation of Agenda for Change (The Guardian, 2006). Although no job cuts for clinical psychologists have been announced, there is a tendency to withdraw funding when vacancies arise. (Amicus: 2006) The reduced staffing level increases the workload for existing staff, perhaps to a degree that the increased pay doesn’t compensate for. Increased demand for back pay[1] Conclusion Although the implementation of Agenda for Change has been fraught with difficulties and economic unrest there are indications that the new system is bringing about positive changes in some areas. In the Agenda for Change Briefing (June 2006) NHS employers stated that †the reform has been a success story.â€Å" However, many organisations are only now coming to the end of the implementation period and it will take at least a year or two for success criteria to emerge. In conclusion, it is perhaps too early to fairly evaluate the implications for clinical psychologists and other health care staff. References Agenda for Change: NHS terms and conditions of service handbook, January 2005: Available from: ‘http://www.dh.gov.uk/PolicyAndGuidance/HumanResourcesAndTraining/ModernisingPay/AgendaForChange/fs/en’  [Accessed 7/11/06] Amicus, the Union,: Clinical psychologist and psychology assistant profiles, 2004:  Available from:  Ã¢â‚¬Ëœhttp://www.amicustheunion.org’  [Accessed 8/11/06] Amicus, the Union: Grading guidance for clinical psychologists,2004  http://www.amicustheunion.org/ Amicus, the Union, Press Release, September 2006: Available From:  Ã¢â‚¬Ëœhttp://www.amicustheunion.org/’ Department of Health :Agenda for Change What will it mean for you? A guide for staff, 11/10/2004: Available from: ‘http://www.dh.gov.uk/PublicationsAndStatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidanceArticle/fs/en?CONTENT_ID=4090842chk=djtkBc’  [Accessed 8/11/06] Department of Health: The NHS Knowledge and Skills Framework (NHS KSF) and the Development Review Process (October 2004): Available from: ‘http://www.dh.gov.uk’  [Accessed 8/11/06] The Guardian, April 24, 2006  Ã¢â‚¬ËœCumbrian nurses finally get equal pay cash’: Personnel Today, Jan 2006 Footnotes [1] See article in Personnel Today concerning the case of hundreds of nurses lodging equal pay complaints as a result of the new NHS Agenda for Change pay system (Personnel Today, January 2006).

Destination Marketing Report Essay

When selling a destination image is everything. A destination is all about image. If people can crack the motivation for a place as a destination they would make fortune. This answer will firstly discuss the image of what exactly a destination is. Perceived images such as those seen on a picture perfect postcard can generate money. Both urban and rural tourism try to recreate this and sell the destination as a product. This will be analysed secondly. Middleton (2001) defines a destination as the focus for a range of activities and a range of facilities required to support those activities. In other words the facilities in an area that act as pull factors to the tourist to attract them into the area. There are five main components to what destination is. The five components Middleton refers to are attractions and environment, destination facilities and services, accessibility of the destination and the price of the destination. Any person who comes into the destination whether it is for a day visit or overnight stay can be impacted by any of these components. Gibson and Neilson (2000) refer to assessing price based on the functional, quality, operational, financial and personal benefits. If a place is a certain price the tourist may view the destination as high status. The components that make up a destination can also act as the motivators for the destination. Natural attractions such as the sea and mountains which make up a destination can act as a physical motivator for the destination. The facilities and services which make up a destination can sell the destination as a cultural experience such as the restaurants and bars. Middleton (2001) refers that it is important to note that a destination is  not totally restricted to travel for leisure or pleasure. Other reasons include interpersonal reasons such as to be with friends and family or to escape, business reasons, conferences or union meetings and spiritual reasons. It can be noted that due to globalisation, distance is shorted and the world has shrunk therefore many destinations will all have the same assets and components this has led to the development of destinations as products. A destination as a product is trying to structure the tourist gaze otherwise the tourist may look the other way. Selling a destination as a product requires strong marketing strategies to be in place. However Middleton (2001) contradicts this statement when he suggests that not all visits to a destination are influenced by marketing activities. An example is people travelling by car privately to meet family and friends. Selling a destination as a product can give a place a competitive advantage. To do this Javalgi, Thomas & Rao (1992) suggest that it is important to market a destination based on how people will perceive the destination. As Pike (2005) refers to a place name by itself is not sufficient to sell a product as a destination. As a product a destination must try to appeal to everyone. There are many good ways a destination can be sold as a product. It can use the destinations assets the Physical motivators, cultural motivators, interpersonal reasons, business reasons, status and spiritual reasons. It can use symbols, infrastructure, growth and enterprise to market or the cultural cachet of throwing everything at the tourist. A destination as a product is multi dimensional. Middleton refers to a destination as not just one product but being based on three levels the core product, the tangible product and the augmented product. The view of the destination as one of these products will be relevant when establishing which way to market the product. This answer examined the notion of a destination as a product. It concluded that five elements make up a destination. A destination as a product must aim to be innovative, creative, proactive and competitive. It noted as a product it must try to appeal to as many people as possible and give the destination a competitive advantage. Part B Limerick city has many merits in terms of destination marketing. The area has a major asset with the river Shannon. The bridges in the city act as an area for viewing this scenery. The city has many well known landmarks and history which we saw while on the walking tour such as King John’s castle, Kings Island and the Georgian house and garden. The city has many hotels which are high in quality. The tangible aspect of this is the design of the hotels and the intangible aspects include the quality of service they provide, their reputation and their image. Limerick provides a range of different brochures to promote themselves and each contain picture perfect photos. The majority of these are free to tourists. The tourist office is open all year round to provide these and provide tourists with information. The use of branding and slogans seem to have a positive effect or the region. The slogan the spirit of Shannon for the time of your life is effective for overseas visitor as it makes reference to the river Shannon which is well known world wide. Branding helps link identity overtime. Limerick has a number of cultural merits to the location. The Hunt museum helps understand how people lived years ago form the different art and antiquity located there. Locals can also benefit form the Hunt museum as it is very educational. A major merit to the area is Shannon airport. This provides tourists with accessibility to the destination easily. The city has successful  infrastructure in and out of it with roads, airport, railway and marina. Transport is plentiful in and out of the city itself with numerous buses and trains accessing it. Taxi’s are also readily available. There are also a number of demerits in terms of destination marketing in Limerick. The signage in the city is quite poor. The tourist may have difficulty finding attractions. There is only one major built attraction the hunt museum. This is the cities main attraction which would only appeal to a certain number of people. It has an emphasis on education and heritage. This appears to be a problem with Limerick that it is over dependant on history and folklore there is no real main social attraction. They could put more emphasis on other facilities such as sports school, craft course, cycle hire and language schools to market the destination. Heritage is becoming mire old stream it i s no longer the power player that it used to be to attract people to a destination. A major demerit with Limerick city is the mental pictures created of Limerick city as a rough destination. It is in the news on a regular basis due to anti social behaviour, gang land violence and gun crime. In neighbouring Nenagh I was told in the cafe â€Å" They’d shoot you in Limerick† This gives a representation of the way some people view Limerick. This host of little images can turn people away Perceived images of Limerick can build up a bad image of a place that you may never have been to.

Brief Biography and their Styles

Born in 1905, Christian Dior was a French designer whose destiny to be a fashion designer was in his blood. His grandfather, Louis-Jean Dior, first established the Dior fortune, although it was nothing related to fashion. The grandfather established the business of producing char from oxidized roots and then importing guano from Chile and Peru. The business was then expanded by the cousins Lucien and Maurice Dior, the latter being Christian Dior’s father (Pochna 8). His mother who was the most influential person in his life; he was never interested of his father’s work.Madeleine, his mother, longed for beautiful things to compensate for the â€Å"less appealing nature of her husband’s profession† (Pochna 12). Eventually, Christian studied political science at Paris and created costumes for the annual carnivals back at his hometown. But his journey to success was not smooth sailing. His mother died, the family’s business went broke, and Christian dev eloped tuberculosis. It was only in 1946 when he was given a break to be a designer (â€Å"Christian Dior’s Luck†). The name Christian Dior became one of the top-of-the-line brands in the fashion world.Today, he is known for introducing a collection of feminine clothes with soft rounded shapes, flowing skirts, and nipped-in waists. He envisioned creations that are â€Å"luxurious, exquisite and very womanly. † For this reason, he won the hearts of many women around the world (â€Å"Christian Dior’s Luck†). In addition, Dior is known for creating wonderful dresses called â€Å"Venus† and â€Å"Junon. † Jeanne Lanvin The year 1867 witnessed the birth of another future couturiere. Despite poverty, Jeanne Lanvin rose to being a famous designer. At the young age of 16, she learned how to make hats.Later on, she conducted an on-the-job training at Suzanne Talbot’s fashion house and became a young milliner. Her training taught her the right skills in dressmaking. After a few years, Lanvin set up stalls to sell her hats. Later on, she opened her very own boutique. She became famous among Parisian mothers when she made a dress for her sister and her niece. Lanvin created dresses with charming pleats and trimmed with English embroidery (Sanderson). Lanvin also became famous for the â€Å"robes de style† clothing, characterized with tight waists and full skirts. Her creations were to be the precursors of Christian Dior’s â€Å"New Look† creations.In addition, she was also known for the â€Å"la chemise† dress. This was to become the â€Å"basic silhouette† for the 19th and 20th centuries. In addition, Lanvin was known for intriguing designs, such as her Riviera collection which featured Aztec-inspired embroidery. In 1922, her collection was added with a â€Å"Breton† suit. It consisted of a gathered skirt with a short and braided jacket. The jacket, in turn, has many tiny bu ttons and boasted a white organdy collar. The suit also came with a sailor hat (de Mesterton). Lanvin’s creations were in demand among actresses and royal personalities.Many people liked the way Lanvin designed her creations with embroidery, beading, and use of exotic embellishments. Not only these, but Lanvin also made sure that her dresses were of high quality. Additionally, she believed that women should wear clothes that are colorful and feminine. She created dresses with empire-waists, sleeves that were long and flowing, billowing skirts, and tight waists. She made use of luxurious fabrics in her creations and incorporated ruffles, lace, flowers, beading, and ribbons. The Lanvin style was also known to make use of applique, parallel stitching, and embroidery (de Mesterton).Madeleine Vionnet Madeleine Vionnet was another French designer born on 1876. Just like Lanvin, Vionnet learned from an early age the skills of dressmaking. When she was 11, she became an apprentice of a seamstress. By the age of 19, she became a premiere d’atelier. In 1902, she entered the House of Callot Soeurs and learned to make dresses through â€Å"impeovizational draping. † A few years later, she became a designer at the House of Doucet. This was where Vionnet was inspired to make clothes for uncorsetted bodies (Bissonnette). Vionnet worked for many dressmakers in London and Paris before launching her own house in 1912.She revolutioned the world of fashion when she developed the bias cut, characterized as sleek and graceful style. The bias cut enabled the clothing to cling to the body like a second skin. With this creation, Vionnet became famous, and many people would praise the way she combined geometry and anatomy to her dresses. Vionnet was also known to pay close attention to the medium and fabric she used. Furthermore, Vionnet took advantage of the knowledge that the body is a three-dimensional entity. Thus, she developed techniques such as pleating, twi sting, cutting, tucking, wrapping and looping fabric (Bissonnette).In addition, Vionnet made use of the bias cut by creating garments that did not use corsets and constricting undergarments. She was a popular designer in the 1930s when she introduced garments that sensually cling to the body. These creations were inspired by medieval styles including Greek and Roman. Aside from the famous bias cut, Vionnet was also the mastermind behind the creation of cowl neck, handkerchief dress, and the halter top (â€Å"Vionnet, Madeleine†). Vionnet was different from other designers in such a way that her creations were hard to copy.This was because she was afraid that others would copy her style and sell them cheaply (Condra 124). Victor Stiebel In the fashion world, Victor Stiebel is known for creating romantic evening gowns and flawless tailoring. This was later became Stiebel’s signature as a designer. Born in 1907, Stiebel studied architecture at Cambridge where he designed the costumes for a theatrical presentation. In 1927, the Victoria & Albert had two of Stiebel’s designs. One featured a black and white evening dress in Garconne style. The other one was a black and silver gown with an appliqued snake from hem to bodice (Conekin 147).Two years later, Stiebel trained at Reville where he learned the skills for creating evening garments. Three years was enough for Stiebel to fully learn the necessary skills for haute couture (Conekin 147). He opened his very own house in 1932. Despite the â€Å"diminishing role of the court dressmaker,† Stiebel chose to establish himself along this line. Surprisingly, his creations were acclaimed. Many considered his garments as â€Å"very striking creations. † In addition, the simple evening gowns he made were praised as â€Å"particularly suited to the Englishwoman’s figure.† Stiebel was also famous for cleverly using pleats and draperies that defined the body. His signature was the n known to be the artful use of striped fabrics (Conekin 148). Not only were these Stiebel’s creations that garnered praises from fashion magazines. He was admired for featuring slender cut and floral printed dresses. Specifically, Stiebel created an Empire line dress made from oyster satin which featured a silver-edged train. He also proved to be a resourceful and imaginative designer. He designed clothes that were appropriate for the season (Conekin 148).In 1942, Stiebel, along with other designers, founded the Incorporated Society of London Fashion Designers. The organization aimed to represent the interests of London fashion designers. During this time, some of Stiebel’s creations were gown in flowing Grecian styles made of silk jersey. He also designed and created a black gown with ostrich feathers trimmings. Many of his other designs were featured on fashion magazines (Conekin 151). Pauline Trigere Pauline Trigere is another Paris-born designer who rose to fame b ecause of her own style in designing and creating clothes.She migrated to the United States and became an American citizen in the 1940s. She was the daughter of a tailor, and she longed to be a professional in the fashion world. Before opening her own house in 1942, Trigere worked for other design houses in New York. Armed with the skills she learned from her father and from the design houses, she created 11 dresses which her brother sold. Her clothes were sold because the boutiques liked the way Trigere created them (Ward & Ferguson). Her clothes were famously known for being feminine-fitting.Aside from this, the wealthy and famous personalities liked her style of exquisite tailoring. Trigere also made use of very expensive materials, thus driving the prices of her creations higher. One of her famous creations was the wardrobe of Patricia Neal in â€Å"Breakfast at Tiffany’s† (Ward & Ferguson). Trigere is known for many things, one of which is the creation of the firs t reversible coat. Coats were her most recognized garment, and she made various styles. She was also known for creating sleeveless coats and coats featuring detachable scarves. She also included her trademark turtle pins among her clothes (Ward & Ferguson).Additionally, Trigere was known for directly turning sketches into dresses because she herself did not know how to sketch. But this was not a disadvantage for the creative designer. What Trigere did was to â€Å"cut and drape from bolts of fabric† (Nemy 1). Even after death, Trigere is praised by her peers for beingan intellectual designer and creator of timeless fashion (Nemy 1). Works Cited Bissonnette, Anne. 2001. Vionnet. Kent State University Museum. 27 April 2009 . â€Å"Christian Dior’s Luck. † 2007. Articlesbase. 27 April 2009 . Condra, Jill. The Greenwood encyclopedia of clothing through world history. United States: Greenwood Publishing group, 2008. Conekin, Becky. The Englishness of English Dress. E ngland: Berg Publishers, 2002. De Mesterton, M-J. 2008. History of the House of Lanvin. Elegant Survival. 27 April 2009 . Nemy, Enid. 2002. Pauline Trigere, 93, Exemplar of American Styles, Dies. The New York Times. 27 April 2009 .

Rhamphorhynchus - Facts and Figures

Name: Rhamphorhynchus (Greek for beak snout); pronounced RAM-foe-RINK-us Habitat: Shores of Western Europe Historical Period: Late Jurassic (165-150 million years ago) Size and Weight: Wingspan of three feet and a few pounds Diet: Fish Distinguishing Characteristics: Long, narrow beak with sharp teeth; tail ending with diamond-shaped skin flap About Rhamphorhynchus The exact size of Rhamphorhynchus depends on how you measure it--from the tip of its beak to the end of its tail, this pterosaur was less than a foot long, but its wings (when fully extended) stretched an impressive three feet from tip to tip. With its long, narrow beak and sharp teeth, its clear that Rhamphorhynchus made its living by dipping its snout into the lakes and rivers of late Jurassic Europe and scooping up wriggling fish (and possibly frogs and insects)--much like a modern pelican. One detail about Rhamphorhynchus that sets it apart from other ancient reptiles is the spectacularly preserved specimens discovered at the Solnhofen fossil beds in Germany--some of this pterosaurs remains are so complete that they display not only its detailed bone structure, but the outlines of its internal organs as well. The only creature to have left comparably intact remains was another Solnhofen discovery, Archaeopteryx--which, unlike Rhamphorhynchus, was technically a dinosaur that occupied a place on the evolutionary line leading to the first prehistoric birds. After nearly two centuries of study, scientists know a lot about Rhamphorhynchus. This pterosaur had a relatively slow growth rate, roughly comparable to that of modern alligators, and it may have been sexually dimorphic (that is, one sex, we dont know which, was slightly larger than the other). Rhamphorhynchus probably hunted at night, and it likely held its narrow head and beak parallel to the ground, as can be inferred from scans of its brain cavity. It also seems that Rhamphorhynchus preyed on the ancient fish Aspidorhynchus, the fossils of which are associated (that is, located in close proximity) in the Solnhofen sediments. The original discovery, and classification, of Rhamphorhynchus is a case study in well-meaning confusion. After it was unearthed in 1825, this pterosaur was classified as a species of Pterodactylus, which at the time was also known by the now-discarded genus name Ornithocephalus (bird head). Twenty years later, Ornithocephalus reverted to Pterodactylus, and in 1861 the famous British naturalist Richard Owen promoted P. muensteri to the genus Rhamphorhynchus. We wont even mention how the type specimen of Rhamphorhynchus was lost during World War II; suffice it to say that paleontologists have had to make do with plaster casts of the original fossil. Because Rhamphorhynchus was discovered so early in the history of modern paleontology, it has lent its name to an entire class of pterosaurs distinguished by their small sizes, big heads and long tails. Among the most famous rhamphorhynchoids are Dorygnathus, Dimorphodon and Peteinosaurus, which ranged across western Europe during the late Jurassic period; these stand in stark contrast to pterodactyloid pterosaurs of the later Mesozoic Era, which tended to larger sizes and smaller tails. (The biggest pterodactyloid of them all, Quetzalcoatlus, had a wingspan the size of a small airplane!)