Latest news with #UniversityOfBrighton
BBC News
20-07-2025
- Health
- BBC News
University of Brighton nursing students to care for Lourdes pilgrims
Nursing students from Sussex will join a week-long pilgrimage to Lourdes, supporting people living with serious health needs and disabilities as part of a international year, between four and six million pilgrims visit Lourdes in south-west France, one of the world's most significant Catholic pilgrimage sites, many while living with illness, disability, or students from the University of Brighton will accompany The Catholic Diocese of Arundel and Brighton's pilgrimage, offering hands-on care to support more than 700 Ryan, from the university, said: "Opportunities like this offer students life-shaping experiences." The pilgrimage, taking place from 25-31 July, will be part of a new clinical placement for the university's nursing students. According to the university, the programme offers rare professional experience in delivering round-the-clock, holistic care to people with complex needs in a deeply personal, faith-based will support pilgrims with daily personal care, medical needs, and emotional support throughout the Hao, a third year nursing student, said: "As someone who isn't religious, I was curious to understand what this journey means to others."After the training day, I realised it's about belief, faith and hope – qualities that help people face life's biggest challenges. That resonated with me, reminding me of my own journey through nursing." Natalie Timmerman is one of the seven nurses travelling to Lourdes, said it was a "privilege'. "As nurses we provide holistic, person-centred care for our patients, that includes spirituality and emotional wellbeing alongside their physical wellbeing," she added. The initiative is part of a wider drive by the University of Brighton to diversify placement opportunities for health students. Alongside established NHS and community partnerships, the university is expanding its international placement offer – including programmes in Kenya and other Moon, chief nurse for the Arundel & Brighton Lourdes Pilgrimage, said: "Nursing on pilgrimage is a truly rewarding experience – offering care to those who might not otherwise be able to travel."
BBC News
17-07-2025
- Science
- BBC News
Sussex barn owls face 'worst breeding season in decades'
Barn owl conservationists in Sussex say they are worried about a drop in population numbers as they aim to find out what has caused the "worst breeding season in decades".Volunteers say they have seen fewer than 10 chicks in nest boxes across the county so far this year, a marked decline on previous breeding seasons which had generally seen a recovery in barn owl from the University of Brighton are trying to discover why numbers are so low. They are monitoring what the barn owls eat to help study their Hallahan, founder of the Sussex Barn Owl Group, said: "It's the worst year I have ever experienced in the 34 years I have been monitoring barn owls." Each breeding season, trained volunteers check the health of young owls before putting rings on their legs so the birds can be 90% of barn owls in Sussex are now nesting in the 300 bird boxes spread across the county, Mr Hallahan Flores, a licensed bird ringer working with the volunteers, said the team had been sent images of barn owls hunting where they can identify the bird "right down to the individual, which chick they were and what nest they were in".He added: "That's really positive and helps us start to map the population of barn owls in Sussex." Volunteers are now teaming up with the University of Brighton to study the barn owl's habitat through owl pellets – the regurgitated remains of their prey which the birds are unable to Maureen Berg, an ecologist at the university, said that from the pellets researchers can begin to gauge how healthy the habitats are for the barn owls, helping them to spot issues which could be leading to the decline in numbers.
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Health survey will help to shape city's services
The results of the Health Counts 2024 survey have now been published, and I want to begin by extending my heartfelt thanks to every resident who took the time to complete the survey, to the University of Brighton who led the research, and to all the partners and community organisations who helped us reach so many people across Brighton & Hove. Your voices, insights, and lived experiences are not just statistics in a report - they are a driving-force for change in our city and the foundation upon which we will build fairer, healthier communities. The findings are powerful, and in some cases, sobering. They tell us that health and wellbeing in our city continues to be deeply shaped by inequality. People in our most deprived neighbourhoods are more likely to face mental health challenges, long-term physical conditions, and barriers to accessing the support they need. Meanwhile, rates of social connectedness, unhealthy diet, and alcohol-use remain high across some areas of the city and for some communities, and issues such as housing insecurity and the cost of living continue to drive poor health outcomes. The Health Counts survey, carried out every ten years, is one of the most valuable sources of information we have about the lived experiences of health and wellbeing in our city. It offers far more than statistics; it provides the real-life context for the policies, strategies and services that we, as a council, are responsible for designing and delivering. But we're not starting from scratch. We are already delivering a wide range of targeted services, strategies and partnership work to address the very issues highlighted in this report. On smoking, we continue to invest in quitting smoking services, providing tailored support to people who want to quit, including free nicotine replacement therapy and specialist help for pregnant women and those with mental health conditions. When it comes to physical activity, our Healthy Lifestyles Team works across the city to support residents in becoming more active, with specific activities designed for people of all different ages, abilities and demographics. We're delivering community-based walking groups, such as the Healthwalks programme, which see more than 1,000 people walk with us each year. We're also supporting the development of more accessible green spaces and active travel infrastructure to make everyday activity easier and safer for all. Mental health continues to be a pressing concern, and the data reaffirms the importance of understanding how isolation, financial stress and housing insecurity impacts on people's wellbeing. That's why we work closely with the UOK partnership, which is made up of 20 community services, to support good mental health and wellbeing. Community safety and cohesion are also critical to how residents feel about where they live – and this survey has highlighted concerns around safety, discrimination, and belonging. Through our Community Safety Partnership, we are working with Sussex Police, the voluntary sector, and community leaders to reduce crime and disorder, improve community safety and reduce re-offending in Brighton & Hove. These are just a few of the ways we are already acting on the very issues residents have highlighted in this survey – but we know we must go further. Because, if there's one message we must take from this survey, it is that top-down approaches won't work. The health challenges facing our city are complex, and the solutions must be grounded in co-production. This understanding helps us design more effective, targeted, and inclusive services. But more than that, it helps us shape services with communities, rather than for them. In the coming months, we'll be using the insights from Health Counts to shape our future strategies and review key services across the city. We will prioritise tackling the structural and social determinants of health that we know are fuelling inequality – from affordable housing to access to mental health support, from employment opportunities to tackling racism and discrimination. We have work to do, but we do not face these challenges alone. Together, with our communities leading the way, we will build a healthier, more equal Brighton & Hove. The Health Counts 2024 survey is not the end of the conversation - it's the beginning of a renewed commitment to collaboration, compassion and change. I would like to thank the wide range of local partners who made this survey possible - from colleagues at the University of Brighton, NHS Sussex, Brighton and Sussex Medical School and Healthwatch to GP surgeries, community centres and grassroots organisations across the city. This was a true citywide effort, and it reflects the best of what we can achieve when we come together. Thank you again to everyone who shared their experiences and helped make the findings of this survey so insightful. Your voices are shaping the future of our city - and with your continued involvement, we can make that future fairer, healthier and brighter for everyone.
BBC News
22-05-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Brighton academics find ghosting and gaslighting cause depression
A study by university academics has concluded being ghosted or gaslit can cause depression and paranoia among young involves suddenly cutting off all contact, while gaslighting is the term applied when someone is made to question their perception of reality in order to control study was carried out by teams from the universities of Brighton in East Sussex and Coimbra in Rusi Jaspal, from the University of Brighton, said: "As the use of social media and dating apps grows, so too does the risk of encountering harmful behaviours." Prof Jaspal added: "The digital age has provided enormous opportunity for social connections but also comes with some risks. "Ghosting, in particular, is almost exclusively enacted in online settings."Younger adults, in particular, appear to be at greater risk and must be supported."The study attempted to explain why some people might behave in this way, concluding it could be to avoid suggested therapies such as cognitive behavioural therapy could help those who have been affected. Need help? If you have been affected by this story the BBC Action Line web page features a list of organisations which are ready to provide support and advice.
