Category Archives: Uncategorized

The University of Oxford tells students that consent is “an essential foundation for a safe and respectful community of learning.”

It also requires all first-year students to complete Consent for Students training, and encourages all students to refresh that training annually: https://www.ox.ac.uk/students/welfare/supportservice/consent-training

That’s why the recent reporting by Al Jazeera English and Liberty Investigates is so troubling.

According to the investigation, University of Oxford was among several UK universities that paid Horus Security Consultancy Limited to monitor campus protest activity, including pro-Palestine student activism.

And here’s the part that should make University of Oxford especially uncomfortable: Al Jazeera reports that Horus was originally established in 2006 as a project within Oxford’s own security team.

So this isn’t just a story about universities outsourcing surveillance. It’s also a story about how a campus security function can evolve into a private intelligence service, then be sold back into the university sector.

There may be legal arguments about whether this was permitted. But legality is not the same as ethical legitimacy. If consent is central to a respectful learning community, then institutions must model it too. Monitoring students’ social media activity or protest involvement without their knowledge raises serious questions about transparency, trust, academic freedom, and the chilling effect on lawful political expression.

Learn more here: British universities paid security firm to ‘spy’ on pro-Palestine students. Investigation reveals how a company led by ex-military intelligence officials scanned social media use and undertook background checks on a Palestinian guest speaker: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/4/20/uk-universities-pay-to-spy-on-students-social-media-accounts.

“The Neuroscience of Learning: improving the effectiveness of people skills Technical know-how is always changing, and L&D departments have to adapt their training programs to fulfil a company’s relevant needs at any given time. We can never really know what the future holds for hard skills. Soft skills, on the other hand, are always needed, regardless of innovations in processes or technology. For example, active listening and leadership are critical people skills that are always needed, in addition to effective communication. Team members who can communicate effectively will be able to avoid unconscious biases and take on appropriate behaviors in the workplace. Other essential soft skills are respect, compassion and empathy. A team can demonstrate well-polished hard skills, but without the ability to cooperate and work together, those hard skills will be lost amidst a climate of misunderstanding and frustration.training.”

Learn more here via The Neuroscience of Learning: improving the effectiveness of people skills training.

What are your thoughts on AI companies hiring philosophers?
Personally, I love the idea. I think their inclusion may change the paradigm for how we view our relationship with technology. I would also challenge these companies to employ a few physicists to work alongside them. Physics explains, at every level, how things relate to, influence, and shape one another. I’m thinking of Newton’s Third Law of Motion, that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Bringing physics into the conversation also changes how we think about these dynamics.

Thank you, Lord John Alderdice, for reminding me of this during your lecture this morning. And thank you to the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences Global Centre for hosting the Academic Primary Care Alumni Retreat.

Lord John Alderdice’s lecture this morning left me thinking deeply about conflict, hope, and the relationships that shape both communities and institutions. These are difficult issues to navigate right now, and he did a beautiful job weaving his personal observations and experiences into what we’re witnessing today.

One idea stood out in particular: we often assume that political violence, social division, and destructive behaviour are driven by rational actors. But as he suggested, the deeper issue is often a damaged relationship saturated in humiliation, fear, exclusion, and compounded by the distortion of how communities see one another and themselves. And as he described, when a damaged and distorted history exists between communities and collectives, the feelings of anger and rejection can carry on for generations.

His reflections on Northern Ireland were especially powerful. Structural solutions matter, but they are not enough on their own. As he explained, you cannot simply design the “right” system or model and expect conflict to disappear. The first step is understanding the relationship and what events unfolded.

I see this clearly in our healthcare systems. We often think a new paradigm will change how people work together, when what is actually required is a much deeper dive into the transactional relationships among healthcare providers, the services rendered, and the patient. If people feel humiliated, dismissed, or treated unfairly, those experiences endure. And it is these emotions that shape the architecture of behaviour, identity, and trust.

I was also struck by his framing of what I keep thinking of as the physics between people: how human beings influence one another, how relationships create fields of meaning, and how the quality of those relationships can either deepen division or create the conditions for repair.

There was realism in his words, but not cynicism. Hope was not presented as naive optimism. It was something more disciplined: the choice to remain constructive, to engage across difference, and to build relationships even with those we disagree with. Disagreement is necessary in unpacking the different perspectives people bring to the topic. It also brought to mind the German-American psychologist Kurt Lewin, associated with field theory, who is often quoted as saying, “If you truly want to understand something, try to change it.”

In a time shaped by political polarization, social media distortion, and increasing intolerance, his message felt both timely and urgent: there is no replacement for human relationships. We may disagree deeply, but how we disagree matters.

For those of us in healthcare and medical education, that may be one of the most important reminders of all.

Interprofessional simulation is one of the most effective ways to strengthen team-based care. In 2020, through the British Columbia Simulation Network, I connected with Lee-Anne Stephen, Associate Professor and Director of the School of Health Studies at UFV, and together we launched an interprofessional simulation project bringing together the UBC Family Practice Residency Program and UFV’s Nursing Program.

One lesson stood out right away: communication between physicians and nurses cannot be assumed. It needs to be taught, practised, and intentionally designed. Working with University of British Columbia Family Practice residents and University of the Fraser Valley nursing students, we saw that strong simulation depends on clear expectations, skilled facilitation, thoughtful use of technology, and meaningful learner feedback.

We also learned that shared learning works best when we pay close attention to differences in professional training, language, and role preparation. This was not a one-time event. It was an iterative process that strengthened collaboration, mutual respect, and team-based thinking.

A valuable reminder that better patient care begins long before practice, it begins with learning how to communicate and work well together.

Learn more here “UFV nursing students learn with UBC medical residents”: https://blogs.ufv.ca/health/ufv-nursing-students-learn-with-ubc-medical-residents/

New AI-themed issue of The Lancet Primary Care 🤖

From generative AI chatbots to AI-based glaucoma screening, this issue explores the growing role of artificial intelligence in primary care.

The possibilities are significant, but important questions remain around regulation, patient safety, and the meaningful empowerment of both patients and clinicians.

This one looks pretty good: The mandate for clinical artificial intelligence education in primary care via Lancet.

OCHA Humanitarian Situation Report – 19 March 2026

Child Protection

• Between 8 and 15 March, child protection partners reached over 2,700 children with mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) and recreational activities.
• Case management services were scaled up to respond to increasing protection concerns, with 150 children newly registered and supported through tailored interventions, including follow-up and referrals for specialized services to ensure continuity of care.
• Over 800 caregivers participated in child protection awareness sessions, including explosive ordnance risk education, with awareness materials and protection messaging also distributed in displacement settings.
• Child protection services were complemented by assistance, including cash support to 661 families with children facing protection vulnerabilities, as well as clothing kits provided to 40 children.
• Between, 8 and 15 March, UNICEF also brought into Gaza 600 wheelchairs for children with injuries and disabilities.
• Partners report increasing violence against children, driven by overcrowded shelters, heightened caregiver stress, and the breakdown of family and community support structures. Many areas still lack adequate child‑friendly spaces due to congestion in shelters and displacement sites, and partners emphasize the need to integrate safe spaces when new sites are established. Ongoing fuel shortages and limited cash liquidity for transportation also continue to restrict staff mobility, hampering access to operational locations and the delivery of child protection services. At the same time, there remains a significant shortage of psychologists, counsellors and trained psychosocial workers, limiting the capacity to meet the growing mental health and protection needs of children.

Addressing Gender-Based Violence

• On 8 March and throughout the following week through 15 March, partners addressing gender-based violence (GBV) marked International Women’s Day through a range of activities, including workshops, art and painting sessions, bazaars and inclusive events for persons with disabilities. These initiatives reached over 2,000 participants and focused on promoting women’s empowerment, supporting vulnerable groups, and recognizing the contributions of frontline workers and women leaders.
• Multisectoral services addressing GBV continued to be provided through 68 safe spaces for women and girls, two safe shelters, and multiple case-management and awareness-raising points. Between 8 and 15 March, partners conducted more than 530 daily group sessions, reaching over 13,500 people with legal aid, sexual and reproductive health information and psychosocial support. Individual case management, including cash‑for‑protection assistance, was also provided. To address the growing intersection between mental health and GBV, a dedicated session was held for 22 partners, focusing on service linkages. The MHPSS Technical Working Group additionally shared an updated GBV referral map to strengthen integrated response and prevention efforts. Partners reported operational challenges due to rising costs of materials needed for group activities – such as handicrafts and pastry making – as well as increasing transportation costs.
• Eighteen partners distributed dignity kits to 15,000 vulnerable women and girls between 8 and 15 March.

Education

• During the reporting period, 64 Education Cluster partners continued efforts to maintain and expand safe learning spaces, support the delivery of structured learning and psychosocial support, equip and train educational personnel, and promote protective and inclusive learning environments for children. Particular attention was given to reaching girls, children with disabilities, and other vulnerable groups.
• However, the scale and quality of the response continue to be affected by the challenging operating environment in Gaza, including extensive damage to education infrastructure, overcrowding in displacement sites, limited space for learning, and restrictions affecting the entry of supplies and movement of personnel. Recent NGO deregistration measures are further constraining the Cluster’s ability to expand and sustain the education response, reducing technical capacity and limiting NGOs’ ability to bring staff, supplies, and learning materials into Gaza. These constraints continue to pose significant obstacles to meeting the education needs of all children across the Gaza Strip.
• By mid-March 2026, 494 temporary learning spaces (TLSs) were operational in Gaza, accommodating 300,243 students (54 per cent girls) currently attending classes, supported by 7,854 teachers (73 per cent female). Out of the enrolled students, 287,500 are school-aged children and 12,743 kindergarten-aged children. Of the total 1,923 are children with disabilities.
• Despite this progress, only about 39 per cent of all school-aged and kindergarten-aged children (ages 4–17) for the 2025–2026 academic year are enrolled in these TLSs, highlighting the significant gap that remains in access to education. In neighborhoods with high displacement, existing TLSs cannot meet the demand, leaving thousands of children unreached. If this gap is not addressed, children risk falling behind academically, losing critical psychosocial support, and facing long-term consequences for their development and future opportunities.
• Between 7 and 16 March, education partners brought into Gaza 428 learning kits, sufficient for approximately 17,000 learners.

朋友

Art: “A Lotus Pond” by Lin Yu-shan.

Applauding New York City hospitals recent move to design a system tailored to its own healthcare context while ensuring that their patient data remains in-house. The NHS and Canada should consider a similar approach. More on the topic below:

Ensuring the sovereignty and security of Canadian health data via CMAJ.

New York City hospitals drop Palantir as controversial AI firm expands in UK via The Guardian.