Gretchen Bjornstad
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gbjornstad.bsky.social
Gretchen Bjornstad
@gbjornstad.bsky.social
150 followers 210 following 0 posts
Senior Lecturer | Research to improve support for children with disabilities and their families | University of Exeter Medical School and NIHR ARC South West Peninsula
Posts Replies Media Videos
Reposted by Gretchen Bjornstad
penarc.bsky.social
PenARC Knowledge Mobilisation Fellow Harriet Aughey presents an analysis of the NOAH project.

By giving babies with probable bacterial infection oral antibiotics, families can be at home earlier with an estimated NHS cost savings of 66.5k annually.

#ChildHealthImpact2025

@nihr.bsky.social
June 18, 2025 at 10:35 AM
Reposted by Gretchen Bjornstad
penarc.bsky.social
The final talk before lunch is from Prof Rachel Hiller on the ADaPT project - looking at getting the best-evidenced mental health support to care-experienced young people. 👏

#ChildHealthImpact2025

@nihr.bsky.social
June 18, 2025 at 11:33 AM
Reposted by Gretchen Bjornstad
penarc.bsky.social
🗣️ A round-up of the thought-provoking Patient & Public Involvement & Engagement (PPIE) sessions at #ChildHealthImpact2025.

👉 Find out more: bit.ly/4ndvsKa

@nihrarcs.bsky.social
bit.ly
June 18, 2025 at 1:10 PM
Reposted by Gretchen Bjornstad
penarc.bsky.social
🎉That’s a wrap on #ChildHealthImpact2025!

👏 Thank you to everyone who joined, contributed, & challenged us to do better for CYP & families.

🔍 Learn more about the research here: bit.ly/4jZJa0n

📌Stay tuned for highlights & resources.

@nihr.bsky.social
June 18, 2025 at 2:36 PM
Reposted by Gretchen Bjornstad
penarc.bsky.social
🎉 We're live today at the national #ChildHealthImpact2025 event, showcasing innovations in care for children, young people, and families.

Follow along for updates from the amazing researchers, projects, and public contributors shaping the future of health and care.

🧾 Read more 👉 bit.ly/4jZJa0n
bit.ly
June 18, 2025 at 8:27 AM
Reposted by Gretchen Bjornstad
arc-west.bsky.social
Children and teens in care have a right to access to high-quality, evidence-based mental health support. Yet too often, this need goes unmet. But change is possible.

Launching today: 20 actionable recommendations to improve mental health service provision
arc-w.nihr.ac.uk/new-national...
New national recommendations aim to transform mental health support for children and teens in care - ARC West
A major new initiative launched today sets out 20 concrete, evidence-informed recommendations to improve professional mental health support for children and teenagers in care across England. Developed...
arc-w.nihr.ac.uk
May 22, 2025 at 10:45 AM
Reposted by Gretchen Bjornstad
profkepickett.bsky.social
My new editorial, Professor David Taylor-Robinson:
A UK wealth tax for better health www.bmj.com/content/389/...
A UK wealth tax for better health
Revenue could reduce funding gaps and inequalities The UK’s health and social care services are increasingly strained by rising demands and widening health inequalities—in life expectancy, infant mor...
www.bmj.com
April 14, 2025 at 3:34 PM
Reposted by Gretchen Bjornstad
dcpcampaign.bsky.social
"As a parent you take it all on your shoulders. You are carrying the crisis." How children with special educational needs are being failed in England via @theguardian.com www.theguardian.com/education/vi...
How children with special educational needs are being failed in England – video
From anxious children unable to cope with school to those with more complex, profound disabilities, support for Send children in England is broken. The Guardian meets parents and children to get a sen...
www.theguardian.com
April 23, 2025 at 8:11 AM
Reposted by Gretchen Bjornstad
spcialndsjungle.bsky.social
On SNJ Today: What is good coproduction in research? A parent carer, & a researcher @griffinpsychology.bsky.social have written of their work collaborating on research & their new 7 golden rules of co-production guidance for researchers—that works in most situations www.specialneedsjungle.com/c...
image shows graphics of people in different earthy colours with a golden 7
March 28, 2025 at 7:25 PM
Reposted by Gretchen Bjornstad
penarc.bsky.social
Our BRUSH project w @arc-yharc.bsky.social continues to make headlines! Working to reduce the highest cause of children's hospital admissions, tooth decay. 🦷

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

@drpeterday.bsky.social @zmarshman.bsky.social @nihrarcs.bsky.social @gbjornstad.bsky.social @nihr.bsky.social
Schools asked to supervise toothbrushing for young children
School and nursery staff in the poorest areas will be asked to help young children brush their teeth
www.bbc.co.uk
March 10, 2025 at 9:57 AM
Reposted by Gretchen Bjornstad
arc-yharc.bsky.social
📢News! Funding announced for supervised toothbrushing programmes in schools tinyurl.com/5en44urh. Our evidence-based resource can help schools implement effective programmes. Learn more: tinyurl.com/ys76vm5h
@penarc.bsky.social @drpeterday.bsky.social @zmarshman.bsky.social @nihrarcs.bsky.social
Schools asked to supervise toothbrushing for young children
School and nursery staff in the poorest areas will be asked to help young children brush their teeth
www.bbc.co.uk
March 7, 2025 at 11:47 AM
Reposted by Gretchen Bjornstad
resolutionfoundation.org
The proportion of parents doing paid work has increased since the early-2000s.

It's clear that since the last Labour Government crafted its child poverty strategy, employment patterns have evolved, and with them the challenges and opportunities for reducing poverty.
Chart showing the changes between economic activity status among working age parents in the UK in 2006 compared to 2022. Full-time employment has increased among single parents and coupled mothers.
January 14, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Reposted by Gretchen Bjornstad
louisemurphy.bsky.social
New PIP statistics released this morning show that the caseload is still rising fast...

In England and Wales, there were 3.6 million PIP claimants in Oct 2024, a 3 percent increase on July 2024.
December 17, 2024 at 10:05 AM
Reposted by Gretchen Bjornstad
penarc.bsky.social
[🚨Closes 22 Nov] New funding awards to support individuals across #Cornwall, #Devon & #Somerset developing NIHR Pre-Doctoral, Doctoral, or Advanced Fellowship applications!

Secure time and support to take the next step in your #NIHR career.

> tinyurl.com/33hd9kk3

@nihrarcs.bsky.social
Stepping stones across water.
November 7, 2024 at 11:04 AM
Reposted by Gretchen Bjornstad
penarc.bsky.social
We're delighted to see 2/3 ARC case studies in @nihr.bsky.social Annual Report 2023/24 were ours!

> Read the report: www.nihr.ac.uk/nihr-annual-...

Learn more:
- Routes to Wellness: tinyurl.com/48ubu47r
- iWHELD: tinyurl.com/4zha87pz

@nihrarcs.bsky.social
Routes to Wellness: A person-centred approach to research The NIHR-funded ‘Routes to Wellness’ project improves the mental health and wellbeing of refugees in the UK. Our people-centred investment in the Routes to Wellness project is a co-designed peer support model for improving the mental health and wellbeing of refugees. The NIHR Applied Research Collaboration South West Peninsula met with refugees and service providers to co-design the study. Their input helps identify and address key themes including the impact that being unable to work has on mental health. Early feedback has shown group members are already seeing benefits. Improving the quality of life for care residents with dementia The NIHR supported the development of a training programme for care home staff to improve the quality of life for people with dementia. The iWHELD programme provided weekly online coaching sessions to care home staff delivering personalised care to encourage meaningful social interactions. It led to a drop in the use of sedative medications and residents showed reduced signs of agitation. The 16-week trial included staff in 149 residential homes in the UK caring for more than 700 people. The study was part-funded by the NIHR Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre and the NIHR Exeter Biomedical Research Centre, and supported by the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration South West Peninsula.
November 7, 2024 at 11:47 AM
Reposted by Gretchen Bjornstad
leonoramerry.bsky.social
Miranda showed that there is a four-fold difference between the rate of children admitted to hospital with tooth decay between the most and least deprived tenth of the population

www.nuffieldtrust.org.uk/news-item/wh...
What is the scale of the challenge to address health inequalities affecting children and young people?
With many children living in poverty, understanding how health inequalities affect children and young people is vital in order for the NHS to meet their health care needs. Miranda Davies reviews child...
www.nuffieldtrust.org.uk
September 8, 2024 at 7:14 AM
Reposted by Gretchen Bjornstad
penarc.bsky.social
Right evidence. Right time. Right place.

New fully funded, part-time flexible Fellowships open to health & care professionals in #Cornwall, #Devon & #Somerset

Develop new skills, tackle a service problem & make meaningful evidenced change

arc-swp.nihr.ac.uk/news/kmob-fe...

@nihrarcs.bsky.social
Make meaningful change: Knowledge Mobilisation Fellowships now open! - PenARC
New fully funded, part-time Fellowships are open, offering the opportunity to develop new skills and make a meaningful change.
arc-swp.nihr.ac.uk
September 3, 2024 at 10:49 AM
Reposted by Gretchen Bjornstad
penarc.bsky.social
Brilliant opportunity to manage the GREENGAGE trial evaluating nature-based interventions for mental health & work with some superb people.

Research Trial Manager (0.5FTE)
#Exeter/#Cornwall (Hybrid)
£41.7k pro rata
Close: 22/9/24

jobs.exeter.ac.uk/hrpr_webrecr...

@nihrarcs.bsky.social
Research Trial Manager (0.5FTE) Close: 22/09/24
September 4, 2024 at 4:03 PM