Jitka Vseteckova's OpenLearn Profile

My role with the Faculty of Health and Social Care in the Open University is multi-faceted and enables me to be involvedin research, teaching, supervision and external collaborations. My research is oriented in four main directions: a) Health policy and planning: evaluation and improvement of health service delivery; and addressing the future health needs of communities. b) Public health / health of citizens and populations domain: improvement of outcomes for elderly persons & evidence base used for improving patient / student outcomes in health care. c) Education and improvement of skills, specifically, in mental health professionals. d) Development of evidence base in several areas of health and social care. Previous and current academic and management responsibilities include the development of teaching curricula and the co-ordination of teams teaching and administrative staff. I have undertaken a number of satellite responsibilities such as participating in Board of Studies, CPPD Advisory Board, Ethics Committees, Chairing academic committees, leading staff-student liaison committees, programme periodic reviews and employing external examiners and providing extensive pastoral care and academic support to BSc, Master and PhD level students. Research interests I have an on-going interest in ways via which we can improve health and quality of life outcomes in older adults. For the past 14years I have been teaching clinicians, allied health professionals and the public, abroad as well as in the UK,on how to do so. I have been presenting my ‘Ageing Well’ Lecture Series in collaboration with Third Age University and Free Time University overseas and more recently in collaboration with primary care practices in the UK. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPeKzzjKwmU&feature=youtu.be These lectures are also a component of an international online education platform for clinicians and allied health professionals via the UKeMED, based in Addenbrookes Hospital. I am regularly invited to give public lectures regionally, nationally and internationally and I am member of several committees at University and regional level such as the East of England Academic Health Science Network and the UKeMED network to which I act as advisor on ageing. http://www.ukemed.com/site/index I am delighted to announce thisseries of public talks with the title ‘Ageing Well’, will be offered at The Open University in Milton Keynes in the University Library from 11h30 am -1pm. See below for topics &dates: Are we prepared to live longer – October 22nd 2019 Ageing Brain – November 26th 2019 Nutritional needs while ageing – January 28th 2020 Pharmacotherapy while ageing – February 25th 2020 Move it and breathe – March 24th 2020 Standing tall – April 28th 2020 This work is accompanied by 5 mini lectures on specific topic relating to Ageig Well: Nutrition, Hydration, Physical, Social and Cognitive Stimulation. I have an ongoing interest in ways by which we can improve postural stability in older adults, living with or without dementia,through physical exercise interventions. See more athttps://www.keepmewalking.info/ I have been recently appointed as Academic Consultant on BBC Programme Series titled All in the Mind. https://www.open.edu/openlearn/search-results?as_q=all+in+the+mind I was recently involved as co-investigator in two mental health studies which are funded by the National Institute for Health Research (COCAPP and COCAPP-A). Both studies aim to identify the components that are most important to ensure that careful planning and coordination for people with severe mental illness is: recovery-focused, personalised & collaborative. I am externally collaborating with Imperial College London & Nanyang Technological University Singapore & Karolinska Institutet in developing the evidence base in the use of eHealth applications. I am currently contributing to Preceptorship study funded by East London Foundation Trust to evaluate their mentorship (Preceptorship) programme for newly qualified mental health nurses. I have an ongoing interest in ways by which we can improve postural stability in older adults through physical exercise interventions. In the past, I was also collaborating externally on HAPIEE study with University College London. The HAPIEE study was a cohort study that assessed the effects of dietary factors, alcohol consumption and psychosocial factors on the health of men and women aged 45-69 years in four countries of Central and Eastern Europe undergoing rapid social and economic transition. The HAPIEE study has received funding from the Wellcome Trust, the MacArthur Foundation and the National Institute on Aging. Teaching interests As a lecturer and researcher, I have always enjoyed working closely with students and being meaningfully challenged and challenging. I have taught a range of seminars on research methods (both qualitative and quantitative, including statistical workshops), systematic reviews methodology and critical analysis, subjects relating to diverse aspects of ageing, safeguarding of vulnerable adults, public health, epidemiology and health & society to doctoral, taught postgraduate and undergraduate students.I have recently accomplished PG certificate in Academic Practice and gained the HEA Fellowship. Health services research related subjects including literature reviews, qualitative and quantitative research methods. Biomedical (e.g. biomedical & neurological aspects of ageing, long-term conditions etc.), statistics and epidemiology subjects. I have been regularly lecturing abroad: Third Age University program at Charles University Prague & Free Time University Prague. I have recently accomplishedPG certificatein Academic Practice and gained the Senior Fellowship HEA.