Lorna McKee has just returned from an interesting trip to the German Sport University Cologne furthering the collaboration with Professor Holger Pfaff of the Institute of Medical Sociology, Health Services Research and Rehabilitation Science (IMVR).
Professor Pfaff is an Honorary Senior Research Fellow in HSRU and has spent two extended periods in Aberdeen in 2014 and 2015 funded by a RSE/ Caledonian Visiting Fellowship. During her visit to Cologne, Lorna was attending the launch of a major project on Health Literacy in the Workplace 2015 - 2018 where she serves as a Member of the International Project Advisory Board. The project involves a novel partnership between the German Sport University Cologne, IMVR and the University of Cologne Health Economics Department, School of Medical Sciences. It is funded both by a consortia of private and public organisations and has a range of sub projects which include studies of managers’ support for health literacy; interventions for 'at risk' employees and web App advice for young office trainees. The ' Kick Off ' meeting involved over 120 project stakeholders, including major companies and was opened by the Minister for Health. It was held at the Cologne premier league football stadium. Lorna will be providing ongoing advice and support with a special focus on developing the group of independent young scientists involved in the project.
Lorna also spent time working with Professor Pfaff and his colleagues at IMVR on developing the full application of a shortlisted project bid on building research capacity networks with a focus on vulnerable patients. This project aims to identify and improve the care transitions of patients at the end-of-life and those with coronary disease with mental health risks.