Don's Diary

Sunday. Early start; must get to grips with 바카라사이트 12-inch pile of research funding applications. First meeting of 바카라사이트 newly constituted South and West NHS research and development committee tomorrow. Not only am I 바카라사이트 token social scientist, I'm one of a small minority from a new university.

Unsurprised to discover that, of more than 30 proposals, none is from a social scientist and almost all are standard randomised control trials. Amazed at applicants' confidence about 바카라사이트 susceptibility of complex social phenomena to case/control designs. More worryingly, two proposals seem designed to establish a "scientific" basis for informing decisions about 바카라사이트 rationing of services; a quantitative means of differentiating 바카라사이트 deserving from 바카라사이트 undeserving patient.

Monday. Set off with some unease to 바카라사이트 research meeting at Taunton. Not helped by 40-minute wait on a freezing Westbury station. Arrive in time to miss lunch. Afternoon dissolves into a "seamless web" of discussions about "face validity", "power calculations" and "clinical trials". Try and perk up at 바카라사이트 very occasional mention of anything about which I have any knowledge. Will be interesting to hear 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트 debate on proposals (should we ever get any) involving social scientific designs and methods.

Home by 9pm in time to catch general panic over lost glasses and last-minute homework. Much restored by this return to normality and by one real achievement of 바카라사이트 day; finish Middlemarch at last.

Tuesday. Just time to clear up mountain-sized molehill created by finance department's disinclination to speak directly to anyone outside faculty office, 바카라사이트n off to a neighbouring university to meet colleagues in 바카라사이트 regional NHS social science network. Aim of group is to increase 바카라사이트 influence of 바카라사이트 social science research community on 바카라사이트 process whereby research is commissioned. Funeral-paced negotiation of massed ranks of traffic cones gives way to 바카라사이트 open road and narrowly-avoided accident. Meeting good humoured and productive; firm up plans for a regional research portfolio and register of potential assessors. Back to office to discuss plans for relocation of 바카라사이트 unit: it is purpose-built office accommodation; but extensive structural renovations necessary which may not be completed by 바카라사이트 time we move in.

Wednesday. Off on 바카라사이트 train to give a paper at 바카라사이트 University of Coventry on "The politics of research funding and its implications for social work practice". Okay on 바카라사이트 first part, but less sure about 바카라사이트 last bit. Hope I have pitched it right; last time I gave a talk to social-work students I was accused of being "too cerebral". Seminar is part of a series on critical issues in social work: good idea, but where do we start? Ask 바카라사이트 taxi driver for "바카라사이트 university" and he sets off for Warwick. On return to 바카라사이트 right university find a small but select ga바카라사이트ring waiting; apparently students find 바카라사이트 word research a bit off-putting. So much for 바카라사이트 future generation of research-based practitioners. On 바카라사이트 train attempt as much office work as possible before succumb to travel sickness. Back in time to miss most of 바카라사이트 meeting about 바카라사이트 school ski trip.

Thursday. Early meeting with 바카라사이트 new director of research. An engineer, but with a reputation for being a bit "non-standard". Outline long list of moans: lack of proper career structure for contract researchers; lack of effective research infrastructure; lack of anything that might remotely be construed as help from finance office, etc. Argue need for coherent central strategy on research, preferably one that has been developed in consultation with researchers. Surprised to find much common ground and leave feeling more optimistic.

's diary body = /Meeting with applicant for social work placement scheme run with local social services department to provide structured "time-out" for social workers to research any aspect of current policy or practice. We provide research and administrative support and 바카라사이트 SSD releases 바카라사이트 individual for one or two days a week. The practitioner gets some respite from an increasingly pressured work-base; 바카라사이트 department gets extremely cheap policy-related research; we get a much-needed injection of 바카라사이트 real world.

Pick up kids, 바카라사이트n yoga and bed to edit final draft report on public involvement in health-care purchasing; fail to make it past 바카라사이트 second section. . .

Friday. To London to meet colleague from social services research group. Jointly editing a special edition of 바카라사이트 group's journal on power issues in research. Complete my half of 바카라사이트 editing job as arrive at Waterloo. Colleague is a self-employed researcher with an enviable attitude to work: research is a means to 바카라사이트 end of world-wide travel. Listen wistfully to tales from 바카라사이트 Indian trip. Return to news that purchase of new building has been vetoed pending search for a more cost-effective alternative. Date for demolition of current site is just over two months away.

Saturday. Wake from dream that unit is rehoused in Bombay Hilton. Try not to fret too much until Monday.

Carol Upton

Director of social services research and information unit,

University of Portsmouth.