Foot pain began affecting Donna’s tennis game, and she was determined not to let it keep her from the sport she loved.

The 47-year-old avid tennis player from Arizona tried to play through the pain and rest her feet between matches. But when the pain became too much, and even started affecting her everyday activities, she made an appointment with a foot and ankle surgeon. His diagnosis: Donna was suffering from plantar fasciitis and a neuroma.

According to Donna’s doctor, Kris DiNucci, DPM, FACFAS, a Fellow of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons, the conditions plaguing her are common among court-playing athletes. “Because playing tennis requires quick, repetitive foot movements and continuous forefoot pressure, neuromas, (a thickening of the nerve tissue in the foot from compression) are common,” DiNucci says. “In addition, those same movements can cause athletes to develop plantar fasciitis, an inflammation of the strong ligament that extends from the heel to the toes,” he added. “If treated early, both conditions can be resolved non-operatively. But as the condition progresses, surgical methods may be required to help patients get back to their sport and their everyday activities.”

Donna’s treatment regimen included stretching exercises, icing, a cortisone injection, an adjustment to her shoes and custom orthotics. “Within four months the heel pain from the plantar fasciitis had improved tremendously. But the pain in the ball of my foot from the neuroma was still bad and Dr. DiNucci recommended surgery,” Donna said.

“While surgery is not always needed to treat neuromas, in Donna’s case it was necessary because she wasn’t responding to non-surgical treatments,” DiNucci said.

Four weeks after surgery, Donna was back on the tennis courts and eight-weeks post-op, she was back to her normal three-to-four day a week tennis game.

Court-playing athletes, such as tennis and basketball players, are also susceptible to Achilles tendonitis, sesamoiditis, stress fractures, ankle sprains and posterior tibial tendonitis, which all can be brought on from the high-impact movements of playing on hard surfaces. “Players with existing foot maladies or structural abnormalities of the lower extremity also need to be extra cautious while playing since their conditions can put them at a higher risk for overuse injury,” says Dr. DiNucci.

No matter the sport, athletes must take preventive methods to protect their feet to keep themselves in the game. Supportive shoes tailored to the sport are vital, along with proper training and stretching before and after play. If athletes are injured or experience pain or discomfort in their feet or ankles, it’s best to be examined by a foot and ankle surgeon. Early intervention is the key to proper healing.

As for Donna, she’s back on her feet and has made modifications to her game, such as stretching before and after a match and wearing more supportive shoes with her orthotics.

Source: American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons Continue reading →

Several senators on Thursday introduced a bill (S 3695) that would limit the marketing of authorized generic drugs, saying the practice raises drug prices for consumers by reducing competition in the pharmaceutical market, the Los Angeles Times reports (Yi, Los Angeles Times, 7/21). Under the practice, brand-name pharmaceutical companies repackage and market their own products as generics as soon as the brand-name version loses a patent challenge. Critics say the authorized generic versions of the drugs are frequently more expensive than normal generic drugs and cut into the 180-day market exclusivity period for a generic drug company after it wins a patent challenge (Reichard, CQ HealthBeat, 7/20). Pharmaceutical companies that manufacture authorized generics “defend the practice, saying they are simply competing with generics at their own game and helping drive prices down,” the Times reports. However, Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), in a statement announcing the bill, said, “Authorized generics are wolves in sheep’s clothing.” The bill, which was cosponsored by Sens. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) and Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), calls for a ban on authorized generics during the 180-day exclusivity period of generics. According to the Times, the bill is likely to face significant opposition from the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (Los Angeles Times, 7/21).

Larger Effort To Promote Generic Drugs
According to CQ HealthBeat, the bill is part of a movement in Congress to lower the “obstacles” to generic drugs reaching the market. The Senate Special Committee on Aging on Thursday held a hearing that focused on so-called payoff settlements, in which brand-name drug companies pay their first generic competitor to delay the generic drug’s entry to the market. Federal Trade Commission Commissioner Jon Leibowitz said the economic implications of the agreements are “staggering,” noting that consumers and insurers spend over $100 billion annually on prescription drugs and generic versions of drugs can reduce the cost of a drug by up to 80%. Leibowitz said the number of payoff agreements began increasing after two U.S. appeals court rulings recognized them as legal. Leibowitz said legislation banning such payoffs “could provide a swifter and a more comprehensive approach” to addressing the issue than waiting for the Supreme Court to hear a case on it. Meanwhile, Sen. Herb Kohl (D-Wis.) has secured an additional $10 million in funding for the FDA Office of Generic Drugs to speed approvals of generic versions of brand-name products. However, Gary Buehler, director of the office, said an additional $16 million to $19 million per year is needed to reach equilibrium between the number of generics applications the office receives and the number it processes (CQ HealthBeat, 7/20).

“Reprinted with permission from kaisernetwork. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at kaisernetwork/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . © 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved. Continue reading →

Ford Motor union retirees on Wednesday asked a federal judge to reject an agreement between the automaker and United Auto Workers that would require retirees to contribute more to the cost of health benefits, the Detroit News reports (Hoffman, Detroit News, 6/1). Members of UAW in December 2005 ratified an agreement with Ford that would require union retirees to pay monthly premiums and annual deductibles for health insurance. About 51% of members voted in favor of the agreement. Under the agreement, retired UAW employees would pay monthly premiums and annual deductibles that could total up to $370 for individuals and $752 for families. UAW retirees currently pay no annual deductibles. In addition, UAW retirees would have to make copayments on prescription drugs (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 1/3). About 800 of Ford’s 150,000 retirees have filed formal objections to the deal. The deal requires court approval because UAW cannot negotiate on behalf of retirees (Detroit News, 6/1). If approved, the agreement would reduce Ford’s $35 billion health care liability by $5 billion, according to the company, the Detroit Free Press reports (Webster, Detroit Free Press, 6/1). Ford also said the agreement would increase pretax profits by $650 million and boost the company’s cash position by $200 million annually. U.S. District Judge Paul Borman asked attorneys representing retirees and those representing UAW and Ford to submit supporting documents by June 12. A ruling would come sometime after that date (Detroit News, 6/1). A different federal judge approved a similar agreement between UAW and General Motors earlier this year (Durbin, AP/Cincinnati Enquirer, 6/1).

Comments
Ford retirees have said that UAW had no grounds to negotiate a contract change and that they were not permitted to vote on the matter. They also alleged that the voting process and results are flawed and that they are being forced to pay for Ford’s mismanagement. Mark Baumkel, an attorney representing retirees who oppose the deal, said UAW does not have the legal authority to negotiate changes to retiree health care. He said Ford would be permitted to renegotiate terms of the deal in 2011 (Detroit Free Press, 6/1). Baumkel added, “The UAW negotiated this deal without the power to do so. The union can’t give away their rights without getting their consent — and that didn’t happen here.” UAW attorneys said the union acted appropriately (Detroit News, 6/1). Ford attorney Jonathan Abram asked Borman to approve the deal by July so the company can maximize its savings. He said, “Ford’s financial difficulties are dire. The plan that’s being presented here is an extremely fair and generous plan” (Detroit Free Press, 6/1).

“Reprinted with permission from kaisernetwork. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at kaisernetwork/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . © 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved. Continue reading →

Growing pains can mean one thing for a typical adolescent and quite another to an older teen with cerebral palsy attempting independence in an adult world. A unique program, the Indiana University School of Medicine Center for Youth and Adults with Conditions of Childhood (CYACC) is helping these youths spread their wings and live more independently.

IU pediatricians at Riley Hospital for Children have been at the forefront of innovative care for patients, including advances that over the past three decades have created new challenges for patients with special needs and their caregivers. Now, Riley physicians are leading the way to providing a solution.

CYACC provides interdisciplinary consultation in a health-care setting to specifically address transition and adult life issues regardless of the youth or adult’s diagnosis.

“Twenty to 30 years ago it was not unusual for children with serious congenital or developmental conditions to die before reaching adult life,” said Mary Ciccarelli, M.D., an assistant professor of clinical medicine and pediatrics at the IU School of Medicine and medical director of CYACC. “Today, the life expectancy of many of these children reaches well into adulthood yet there are few programs available to help them transition to independent lives with both the best health status and the fullest participation in their communities.”

Nationally, there are only a handful of programs that are beginning to address the need, Dr. Ciccarelli said. It is estimated that 4,000 Indiana youth with special health-care needs experience transition into adult life each year.

CYACC patients, who are between the ages of 11 and 22 years, are seen at the Wishard Primary Care Center on the IU Medical Center campus. Frequent diagnoses of patients served by the CYACC team are cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, autism, diabetes, rheumatologic disorders and spina bifida. Resources in many specialties and disciplines are involved to successfully integrating youth with chronic conditions into the adult world.

Psychosocial, educational, vocational and medical needs of the adolescents are addressed by the interdisciplinary team of physicians, nurses, social workers and community organization liaisons. Health-care coverage options and applications are made available. Family support and education are provided. While increasing numbers of community programs provide resources or accommodations for those with disabilities, many families are not aware of these opportunities in their communities. Collaboration is tailored for each individual with schools, employers, and agencies that can provide services for youth and their families.

Coordination of medical care also is one of the key issues the team addresses. With more than 300 unusual chronic conditions with onset in childhood, adult practitioners often have never provided care for individuals with the majority of these conditions. Pediatric doctors are trained to care for youth with childhood diseases but are not routinely familiar with addressing issues such as reproduction and other health issues common in adult life.

The team approach provides hands-on learning opportunities for IU School of Medicine physician residents in training. By involving the young physicians, CYACC extends its mission; these residents will take with them an awareness of the comprehensive medical, social and educational needs of this group of patients as they begin their careers in Indiana or elsewhere.

###

CYACC is currently funded by the Indiana State Department of Health and the Indiana State Division of Disability, Aging and Rehabilitative Services.

Source: Mary Hardin

Indiana University Continue reading →

The drug purchasing agency UNITAID is endorsing the formation of a panel of experts to examine the viability of a “patent pool,” the New York Times reports. The pool in theory would hold licenses on patented drugs, and the licenses could be used to produce the medicines at lower costs for developing countries, according to the Times. The pool initially would focus on pediatric HIV/AIDS drugs and medicines for adults who have developed resistance to first-line therapies.

The panel initially would have five experts in patent law and a budget of less than $2 million. “The panel might ask for licenses on second-generation drugs,” advocate James Love said, adding, “The patent holders will either say yes or no — but if they say no, it might raise some eyebrows.” Although patents have expired on many first-line HIV/AIDS drugs, patents on many second-line and pediatric medicines still exist. According to the Times, a “tiny fraction” of people taking HIV/AIDS drugs in developing countries have access to newer medicines (McNeil, New York Times, 7/8).

Reprinted with kind permission from kaisernetwork. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at kaisernetwork/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation.

© 2008 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved. Continue reading →

We all know that living a stressful lifestyle can take its toll, making us age faster and making us more susceptible to the cold going around the office.

The same appears to be true of neurons in the brain. According to a new Northwestern Medicine study published Nov. 10 in the journal Nature, dopamine-releasing neurons in a region of the brain called the substantia nigra lead a lifestyle that requires lots of energy, creating stress that could lead to the neurons’ premature death. Their death causes Parkinson’s disease.

“Why this small group of neurons dies in Parkinson’s disease is the core question we struggled with,” says lead author D. James Surmeier, the Nathan Smith Davis Professor and chair of physiology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. “Our research provides a potential answer by showing this small group of neurons uses a metabolically expensive strategy to do its job. This ‘lifestyle’ choice stresses the neurons’ mitochondria and elevates the production of superoxide and free radicals – molecules closely linked to aging, cellular dysfunction and death.”

The good news is preclinical research shows this stress can be controlled with a drug already approved for human use. By preventing calcium entry, the drug isradipine reduced the mitochondrial stress in dopamine-releasing neurons to the levels seen in neurons not affected by the disease.

Northwestern Medicine scientists currently are conducting a clinical trial to find out if isradipine can be used safely and is tolerated by patients with Parkinson’s. Isradipine is already approved by the Food and Drug Administration for treatment of high blood pressure.

Parkinson’s disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disease in the United States, second only to Alzheimer’s disease. The average age of diagnosis is near 60. More than 1 million Americans currently have Parkinson’s disease, and this number is rising as the population ages. The symptoms of Parkinson’s disease include rigidity, slowness of movement and tremors. No treatment currently is known to prevent or slow the progression of Parkinson’s disease.

Although most cases of Parkinson’s disease have no known genetic link, Surmeier’s study in mice showed that the mitochondrial stress in dopamine-releasing neurons was worsened in a genetic model of early-onset Parkinson’s disease, suggesting a similar mechanism in rare familial forms of the disease and the more common forms.

Everyone loses dopamine-releasing neurons with age, Surmeier noted. “By lowering their metabolic stress level, we should be able to make dopamine-releasing neurons live longer and delay the onset of Parkinson’s disease,” he said. “For individuals diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, the hope is that this drug can slow disease progression, giving symptomatic therapies a broader window in which to work.”

The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health, United States Department of Defense, Thomas Hartman Foundation For Parkinson’s Research, Inc., The Picower Foundation and Dr. Ralph and Marian Falk Medical Research Trust.

Source:
Marla Paul
Northwestern University Continue reading →

Growing older is a fact of life, but people’s hopes, fears, pre-conceptions and experiences surrounding the ageing process are richly diverse. As part of the Festival of Social Science organised by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) to highlight how social science impacts on our daily lives, researchers from Swansea University are organising a unique exhibition of thoughts and reflections of younger and older people on what it means to grow old.

The event, entitled ‘Narratives of Ageing’, will show a succession of two-minute video clips – ‘digital stories’ – of a group of students and a group of older people reflecting on life and growing older.

“Often we think of ‘the elderly’ as simply a demographic section of the population,” says Dr Katharine Daneski, one of the event’s organisers. “But when you see people speaking about what it means to get old and reminiscing about their own lives, you realise that these are individuals whose own stories often challenge stereotypes about both youth and old age.”

By presenting the views of both young and older people, an interesting contrast is achieved, says Dr Daneski, with sometimes surprising experiences emerging. “For example while older people tend to agree that they had less freedom than the youths of today, they found ways around the restrictions imposed on them. By contrast, today’s youngsters realise they have a lot of freedom, but often choose to reign themselves in – they do not always fully exploit their freedom.”

The event will also allow members of the public to record their own digital stories on ageing. In addition there will be an exhibition of posters describing the research that is being done at Swansea University into ageing.

“We want to encourage people to think about ageing and reflect on some of the themes that will be presented,” says Dr Daneski. “We also hope they will get a better idea of how social sciences are active in this field, and how researchers are addressing subjects that arise within the area of ageing.”

Digital video recordings are widely used in fields such as community arts, and the Swansea research team is investigating whether this type of technology and approach could have a role in the social sciences. “It is a potentially interesting research tool, because participants have total freedom to explore the topic thus reducing any bias from being led by a researcher’s questions,” Dr Daneski says.

Notes:

1.’Narratives of Ageing’ will be staged at the National Waterfront Museum in Swansea on Tuesday 10 March between 10 am and 4 pm, and at the Arts Centre in Aberystwyth on Saturday 14 March between 10 am and 4 pm. Members of the public are invited to drop in during these times, with free admission.

2.The Festival of Social Science week is run by the Economic and Social Research Council which runs from the 6th to the 15th March 2009, alongside National Science and Engineering Week. It celebrates some of the very best British social science research, as well as highlighting the ways in which social science makes a difference to everyday lives. Press releases detailing some of the varied events are available at esrcfestival.ac

3.The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) is the UK’s largest funding agency for research and postgraduate training relating to social and economic issues. It supports independent, high quality research which impacts on business, the public sector and the third sector. The ESRC’s planned total expenditure in 2008/09 is ??203 million. At any one time the ESRC supports over 4,000 researchers and postgraduate students in academic institutions and research policy institutes. More at esrcsocietytoday.ac

Source: Kelly Barnett

Economic & Social Research Council Continue reading →

The Washington Post on Monday examined how recent political developments could help SureScripts, a company founded by the National Association of Chain Drug Stores and the National Community Pharmacists Association, with “its mission to make the barely legible doctor’s prescription a thing of the past” through electronic prescribing. SureScripts operates a network that allows physicians to send prescriptions to pharmacies through the Internet for a processing fee of up to 21 cents per transaction. According to SureScripts officials, the company will process 35 million prescriptions this year and 100 million prescriptions next year.

Lawmakers and HHS last week took several actions to encourage e-prescribing, which experts consider a “key component in a long-discussed national system of electronic health records.”

Four senators proposed a bill that would require physicians who participate in Medicare to use e-prescribing by 2011 or face financial penalties. In addition, the legislation would provide physicians with a bonus each time that they transmit a prescription electronically and funds to help cover costs associated with the adoption of the technology. The bill also would authorize the HHS secretary to provide physicians with one- or two-year hardship waivers if they cannot afford to adopt e-prescribing.

In addition to the legislation, HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt sent a letter to lawmakers that asked them to prioritize efforts to encourage e-prescribing.

Concerns
Experts maintain that e-prescribing can reduce medication errors, decrease costs and improve convenience. However, e-prescribing currently accounts for only about 2% of the estimated 1.5 billion prescriptions written annually in the U.S., according to SureScripts. Cost, state regulations and privacy concerns have limited broader use of e-prescribing, according to the Post.

E-prescribing software can cost physicians as much as $25,000, and some states until recently banned the use of the technology. In addition, some patients have raised privacy concerns about e-prescribing, although experts maintain that “such concerns are no greater than with paper prescriptions,” the Post reports (Goldfarb, Washington Post, 12/10).

Reprinted with kind permission from kaisernetwork. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at kaisernetwork/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation© 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved. Continue reading →

Biotechnology must be applied more intensively in a wider range of uses, in order to keep up and to strengthen the competitiveness of German industry in the international arena – this is the outcome of a broad study by the Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research (Fraunhofer ISI) and the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW) Berlin. The study was commissioned by IG BCE (Mining, Chemical and Energy Industrial Union), DIB (German Association of Biotechnology Industries) and the foundation Hans B?¶ckler Stiftung, with the aim of providing the first scientifically substantiated, overall picture of biotechnology in Germany today and in the future.

Germany must use the potential of this new technology in a more decisive manner and improve relevant framework conditions, so that this industry location is not left behind in dynamic international developments. Ms Edeltraut Gl?¤nzer, board member of IG BCE, emphasizes: “This is about looking ahead. The core issue is what vision we have for living and working in Germany in the next decade and beyond. Innovative forces – such as biotechnology – strengthen our economy, create jobs and secure our standard of living. To benefit from this potential, we must further focus on our strong points – for example, in industrial biotechnology -, and we must do some catching up where this is necessary. This holds true especially for plant biotechnology.”

According to the study, already now between 258,000 and 443,000 jobs are influenced directly by biotechnology (persons employed directly in biotechnology, by users of biotechnology and suppliers). Depending on how fast or how slowly this future-oriented technology is accepted in the market, more than 100,000 jobs will be added over the next years. By 2020 biotechnology can secure or create between 369,000 and 596,000 jobs. Bernward Garthoff, chairman of DIB: “By 2020 the number of people in a workplace connected with biotechnology will be higher than the number of persons currently employed in the entire German chemical industry where the present staff total is around 440,000. It is essential for Germany as an industry location to drive forward the use of this potential and to benefit from the entire range of possible applications”.

The number of persons working in biotechnology as core sector (R&D, SMEs, plant breeding, outfitters) is clearly exceeded by the number of staff in the user sectors of food, agriculture, chemistry, pharmacy and environmental engineering:

– At present 169,000 – 350,000 persons are working directly in fields of application of biotechnology. By 2020 their number will rise to 272,000 – 483,000.
– Today 89,000 – 93,000 staff are active in the core sector. By 2020 their number will increase moderately to 97,000 – 113,000.

Add to this the enormous effects on upstream supplier industries (e.g. mechanical engineering, plant construction, service sector). In supplier industries clearly more staff benefit from biotechnology than in the direct fields of application:

– Today 217,000 – 471,000 people have jobs influenced by biotechnology in upstream industries.
– By 2020 their number can rocket to 369,000 – 682,000.

The study gives the first comprehensive overview of the present and future employment potential of biotechnology, because it covers more than just biotechnology as core sector (which includes universities, research establishments, biotech SMEs, outfitters of the biotechnology industry and biotechnology-based plant breeding).
Also included are major user industries (chemistry, pharma, food, agriculture, environmental engineering) and upstream effects in supplier industries, stemming from investment activities and spending of the core sector and user industries for purchased inputs and services. For this reason, employment figures are much higher than in other surveys.

– In the application of biotechnology, the food industry ranks first at present (staff working directly in food and supplier industries): 193,000 – 493,000 persons employed achieve 9 – 23 percent of current sales with the help of biotechnology.
Here, by 2020 staff figures will go up to 294,000 – 553,000 and the share in sales will increase to 17 – 32 percent. In agriculture, sales growth from currently 11 – 20 percent to 26 – 42 percent is forecasted for production influenced by biotechnology.

– The greatest growth leap for biotechnology is expected in the chemical industry. With novel products and improved processes the share in sales will triple from currently 4 – 6 percent to 9 – 18 percent. Employment figures will rise by up to 200 percent from currently 37,000 – 56,000 to 82,000 -164,000.
The share in sales of biotechnology in the pharma industry will rise from 11 – 18 percent to 18 – 40 percent.
In the environment industry the share will grow from 13 – 18 percent to 30 – 45 percent.

igbce.de
dib Continue reading →

Education experts are meeting in Cardiff this Friday to look at ways of reducing bullying in Welsh Schools. Bullying and declining social behaviour regularly feature in the news headlines and there are few people who work with children and young people who won’t have experience of the problem. Experts meeting at the one-day conference will look at initiatives that can change values across a whole school.

These include the “Rights, Respect and Responsibility (RRR) Initiative” which was said to have improved behaviour so much at schools in Hampshire that it was described as “a quiet revolution.”

Sarah Thomas said: ” A whole school approach to instilling shared principles and values into the structures and practices of our schools is a recognised way forward – the UNICEF Rights Respecting Schools Award provides a successful means to achieve this. The conference aims to introduce professionals to the Award and initiate positive change.”

Notes

1. Children in Wales is the national umbrella organisation for voluntary, statutory and professional organisations and individuals who work with children and young people in Wales. childreninwales. Children in Wales was established in March 1992 and became a registered charity in 1993. It aims to promote the interests of children, to improve services in Wales and to put children high on the Welsh agenda. We work closely with our members who comprise professionals, policy makers and consumer groups to improve the lives of all children living in Wales, but especially young children, those affected by family instability, children with special needs or disabilities, and those suffering the effects of poverty and deprivation. We collect and disseminate information about children and promote good practice in children’s services through research, policy and practice development, publications, conferences, seminars, training and access to an extensive library and information service. Children in Wales has offices in Cardiff and Caernarfon.

2. The conference “A Quiet Revolution”, will take place on 20th March 2009, at the Park Thistle Hotel in Cardiff. Key note speakers include:

- Jane Hutt AM, Minister for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills
- Dr Emily Lovegrove, Specialist in Anti Bullying Techniques
- Edward Waller, Head of Education, UNICEF UK
- Ian Massey, County Inspector for Intercultural Education, Hampshire County Council
- Janet Hook, Team Leader – Behaviour Management Development, Rochdale MBC
- Professor Ken Reid, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Swansea Metropolitan University

Source
Children in Wales Continue reading →