PURPOSE:This study aims to explore the experiences of people in the UK who have supported a person in prison living with a serious illness, including family members, friends and staff working in third-sector prison support organisations. The authors' aim was to uncover systemic barriers to care, understand the challenges families face, highlight examples of good practice and use these insights to inform practical recommendations for improving prison health care and support. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH:Authors conducted semi-structured interviews in 2023 with 16 participants - 8 family members/friends of PiP and 8 staff from third-sector prison support organisations working across England and Scotland. Transcripts were analysed using Framework Analysis and interpreted in the context of the World Health Organisation's Healthy Settings framework, to illustrate how organisational, environmental, relational and cultural factors shape care for seriously ill people in prison (PiP). FINDINGS:Participants described resource shortages, poor communication and inflexible institutional rules that could compromise dignity and delay treatment. Families experienced emotional strain over a perceived lack of transparency and accountability. Positive staff efforts and peer support were emphasised, but better multidisciplinary collaboration and family-inclusive policies are needed. ORIGINALITY/VALUE:This is the first UK study to examine both family and third-sector staff perspectives on supporting seriously ill PiP. By combining lived-experience testimony with practitioner insight, authors outline actionable recommendations for policy and practice change.

Introduction: Bereavement affects individuals in diverse ways, and the support they require can vary significantly. For grief to be effectively recognised and addressed in both clinical and research settings, appropriate and validated assessment tools are essential. However, there is a notable gap in child-specific tools, particularly those that use non-verbal approaches to support young children and individuals with Special Educational Needs (SEN), who may have limited verbal communication.Aims: This scoping review aims to explore and map existing evidence on grief and mental health assessment tools that incorporate non-verbal methods. The focus is on tools used with children aged 11 and under, and with older children or adults who have additional learning or communication needs, in therapeutic and research contexts.Methods: We conducted a scoping review using Arksey and O'Malley's five-stage framework. Searches were carried out across five databases - CINAHL, Medline, PsycINFO, Cochrane Library and Scopus - from their inception to 7 December 2023. Data from eligible studies were analysed using descriptive statistics and content analysis.Findings: From 1498 screened papers, 22 articles were included. Most described mental health tools rather than grief-specific assessments. Five key themes emerged: tool development processes; language and item selection; use of visual imagery; response format design and psychometric properties, including feasibility and utility. These features illustrate how non-verbal methods can support communication and engagement in assessment.Conclusion: This review highlights current approaches to assessing grief and mental health in children and individuals with SEN using combinations of verbal and non-verbal methods. It provides a foundation for future development of accessible, structured grief assessment tools tailored to these populations and underscores the urgent need for such resources in practice.

OBJECTIVES:Older people with kidney failure often have a limited range of treatment options, with few being well enough to receive a transplant. Instead, they either start dialysis or have 'conservative kidney management' (CKM). CKM involves care that focuses on managing the symptoms of kidney failure and maintaining quality of life in the absence of dialysis. The relative ability of dialysis and CKM to make older people live longer and feel better is uncertain. This study aimed to describe how older patients understand and decide between dialysis and CKM, as evidence suggests they may not be fully supported to make informed decisions between these treatments. DESIGN:Qualitative study using semistructured interviews, analysed using inductive thematic analysis and constant comparative techniques. SETTING:Three UK specialist kidney units. PARTICIPANTS:Adults with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <20 and aged over 80 years, irrespective of comorbidity or over 65 if living with two additional long-term conditions or frailty. Participants were purposively sampled to maximise clinicodemographic variation, and recruitment was continued until no new major themes were arising in the analysis. RESULTS:Eight men and seven women with a median age of 81 (range 65-90), and a median eGFR of 12 were interviewed. Three themes were identified: (1) 'Do dialysis or die', where not having dialysis was equated with death; (2) The 'need' for dialysis, where haemodialysis was perceived as the default treatment and (3) Weighing-up quality and quantity of life, relating to the trade-offs made between treatment benefits and burdens. Participants appeared unlikely to recognise the uncertain survival benefits of dialysis.Our study took place in England and all the participants were white British. As culture and faith can play a large part in decisions involving life and death, our findings may not be applicable to those in other communities. Participants were recruited from three centres, limiting the breadth of approaches to kidney failure management. CONCLUSIONS:For older people who face short lives irrespective of treatment for kidney failure, unfamiliarity with treatment options, the desire to live and the 'do or die' notion conspire to cast haemodialysis as inevitable, regardless of whether this is the most appropriate treatment. To best enable shared decision-making, clinicians should present kidney failure treatment options in an accurate and balanced way, and respect and support older people who are deciding whether to have CKM or dialysis. This includes articulating uncertainty and supporting patients to make trade-offs in relation to what is important to them.

BackgroundGrief is a natural process, and many people will adjust in time with support from family and friends. However, evidence suggests that around 40% of bereaved people may benefit from additional assistance, including support from bereavement volunteers. Despite the recognition that bereavement care is a public health priority, availability of bereavement support is inconsistent across the UK and internationally. The continuing expansion of online connectivity offers opportunities to develop digital health interventions to help address the needs of grieving individuals. To improve access to bereavement support, we developed an online intervention based on Acceptance and Commitment therapy-based Training (ACT) 'My Grief My Way' and trained volunteers to provide bereavement support in line with ACT-based principles.AimTo describe the views and experiences of bereavement support volunteers who undertook online ACT-based bereavement support training designed to help bereaved individuals cope with grief and improve quality of life.DesignSemi-structured interviews and focus groups were conducted with a convenience sample of bereavement support volunteers from two not-for-profit bereavement services in UK. Analysis was guided by the framework approach via NVivo-14.ResultsA total of 17 participants were recruited; age range 33-76 years, female, n = 15 (88%); ethnicity white, n = 17 (100%). Of these, 15 completed ACT-based My Grief My Way training. Nine participants took part in two focus groups (n = 7) or individual interviews (n = 2), Training was perceived positively, with resulting themes and subthemes indicating there was something to suit everyone's learning preferences. Participants described the benefits of incorporating ACT-based principles and strategies as valuable additional tools to current practice, underlining the model's relevance, compatibility and practical application, and was viewed as a good fit irrespective of which therapeutic approach they used with clients. Online ACT-based training and the delivery of ACT-based bereavement support was therefore, perceived as a valuable approach in this context.

Most older people with kidney failure choose between treatment with dialysis or conservative kidney management. The preferences underlying these decisions are poorly understood. Here, we performed a choice experiment, informed by qualitative research, to examine preferences for the characteristics of dialysis and conservative management among over-65-year-olds with eGFR of 20 mls or under/min/1.73m2. Mixed logit and latent class analyses quantified the trade-offs between frequency and location of treatments, survival, and capability (the ability to do important activities), accounting for participants' characteristics. Overall, 327 United Kingdom participants across 23 centers (median age 77 years, eGFR 14 mls/min/1.73m 2) needed 8%-59% absolute survival benefit two years after starting treatment to accept dialysis, with preferences for less frequent treatment and treatment at home. Significantly higher preferences for survival were seen amongst partnered participants (effect size 0.04, 95% confidence interval 0.02-0.06) and if better levels of capability were depicted (effect size 0.02, 0.01-0.03). Three latent classes were identified with divergent preferences for survival, capability, and location of care. Stated preferences indicated participants favored higher survival probabilities, but only if their capability was preserved and the location and frequency of care were acceptable. Subgroups may prioritize survival, hospital avoidance, or in-center care. Clinicians supporting people making kidney failure treatment decisions must explore their goals and values. Thus, investment in services that prioritize capability and ensure treatment is delivered at a frequency acceptable to people in their preferred location would enable provision of preference sensitive care.

Background: Grieving is a natural process, and many people adjust with support from family and friends. Around 40% of people would benefit from additional input. Online bereavement support interventions may increase access to support. Evidence regarding their acceptability and effectiveness is emerging but needs to be synthesised. Aim: To synthesise evidence on the feasibility, acceptability, effectiveness, impacts and implementation of online interventions to improve wellbeing, coping and quality of life after bereavement. Design: A rapid review of evidence regarding online bereavement support. We appraised study quality using AMSTAR 2 and the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. Data sources: English language articles published 1 January 2010 to 4 January 2024, using Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid Embase and APA PsycINFO. Eligible articles examined formal and informal online interventions to improve bereavement outcomes. Results: We screened 2050 articles by title and abstract. Four systematic reviews and 35 individual studies were included. Online bereavement support was feasible, acceptable and effective in reducing grief intensity, stress-related outcomes and depression. Where reported, participant retention was typically >70%. Positive impacts included: access to a supportive community at any time, reduced isolation; opportunities to process feelings; normalisation of loss responses; access to coping advice and opportunities for meaning-making and remembrance. Negative impacts included upset due to insensitive comments from others via unmoderated online forums. Conclusion: Online interventions can widen access to acceptable, effective bereavement support and improve outcomes for bereaved people. National policies and clinical guidelines relating to bereavement support need to be updated to take account of online formats.

Background: Festivals play an important role in improving death and grief literacy, enabling members of the public to engage with these often-sensitive topics. Good Grief Weston festival was co-designed and delivered with the community in Weston-super-Mare, a coastal town in South-West England with high levels of socioeconomic disadvantage but rich community assets. It was held in person over 8 days in May 2023. Objectives: To evaluate the reach and impact of Good Grief Weston festival and gather data to inform future festivals. Design: Mixed methods evaluation (survey and focus groups). Methods: Online and paper surveys assessing participants’ characteristics and experiences were administrated during and after the festival. Survey participants who indicated their willingness to participate were invited to attend a focus group. Focus groups were recorded, transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis. Data were collected by trained community co-researchers. Results: Approximately 3000 people attended the festival. Of 204 completed surveys, 64.5% were from women, age range ⩽15 to ⩾75 years; 88.2% identified as White; 14.9% deaf, disabled/with a chronic condition; 18.9% neurodivergent; 9.0% gay, bisexual or queer. Festival participants were entertained (70.9%), inspired (68.5%), felt part of a like-minded community (54.3%), talked to someone new (49.2%), learnt about grief/bereavement (34.3%), shared or expressed experiences (30.3%) and found out about local support (19.7%). 71.3% reported that they felt more confident talking about grief after attending. Median experience rating was 5 (IQR 0; possible range 1 = poor to 5 = excellent). In free-text comments, participants expressed appreciation for the festival and described benefits in attending. Two focus groups were conducted ( n = 8 participants, all women), lasting c.1.5 h. Focus groups added rich descriptions of the festival’s value, and data to inform the next festival. Conclusion: Findings suggest festivals of this nature can play a central role in a public health approach.

Abstract Background and Aims For people over the age of 65 with comorbidities and/or poor performance status, and for patients over the age of 80, the choice between receiving conservative kidney management (CKM) or receiving dialysis can be complex, and involves weighing possible benefits, risks and effects on quality and length of life. Patients often rely on information resources from renal units, to support their decision-making. We describe how information resources present living with and dying of kidney disease in relation to CKM, haemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis, and consider implications for patients’ treatment decision making. Method Information resources were collected between June 2021 and January 2023 from four UK renal units with varying CKM treatment rates, as part of the OSCAR study (Optimising Staff-Patient Communication in Advanced Renal Disease). Physical and digital copies of information resources were collected from outpatient waiting areas, consultation rooms, and group patient education sessions. We included resources which focused on the treatment options of CKM, haemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis and transplant. Documents were categorised as: Direct Treatment Option Information Resources, focusing specifically on treatment options, either individually or in comparison (category A); Indirect Information Resources, focusing on broader contextual information related to treatment options, such as lifestyle, holiday and diet guidance, and the logistics of receiving treatment, e.g. transport (category B). Document analysis of the information resources was conducted, informed by critical discourse analysis. We examined how documents describe and explain living and dying with kidney failure in relation to treatment options, and how treatment options were placed in context, identifying themes, ‘frames’ and discourse. Results 72 resources were identified across the four renal units, with 46 documents included after deduplication and screening (Fig. 1). Analysis identified three global themes (see Table 1 for illustrative data extracts): Conclusion UK information resources typically present unbalanced explanations of dialysis and CKM, and equate CKM with death and dying. Despite the focus on patients’ “right” to choose a treatment option, it may therefore be challenging for a patient to choose CKM, even when this treatment choice is the best fit for their goals and values. Furthermore, for patients who choose dialysis, information resources often exclude important end-of-life information, limiting their opportunity to consider and participate in advance care planning.

Introduction Grieving is a unique experience and people have different support needs and preferences. However, bereaved people experience significant difficulties getting the informal and formal support that they need, including limited knowledge of bereavement support options and how they can help, and a reluctance to seek help.1 2 Aim To develop a resource which widens access to bereavement support by helping bereaved people identify support that meets their needs and preferences. Method The Grief Support Guide was developed in partnership with the National Bereavement Alliance (NBA), Marie Curie, Good Grief Festival and Compassionate Cymru. The Guide was developed using research findings on the benefits of different types of bereavement support, including participant quotes,2–4 alongside a desk-based service-mapping exercise. Stakeholders participated in two consultation events: an initial online workshop with 33 professional and public stakeholders, and an in-person focus group with a bereavement support group (n=9). Results The Grief Support Guide is available on the NBA website5 in multiple languages. The Guide provides information on the variety of bereavement support that is available in the UK, from self-help resources and helplines to peer support groups and grief counselling. It describes the key features of each support type, how the support can help, and how to access it. The Guide also includes details of support for specific groups of bereaved people, such as widow(er)s, children, cultural and faith groups and people bereaved by particular types of death. Conclusion The project demonstrates how research evidence, close partnership working and stakeholder engagement can effectively co-produce resources with direct benefits for services and the public. Impact Useful signposting resource for bereavement professionals, volunteers and other people/organisations in contact with bereaved people. Improved public awareness of and access to different types of informal and formal support, empowering bereaved people to find support that is right for them. References Harrop E. et al. Support needs and barriers to accessing support: Baseline results of a mixed-methods national survey of people bereaved during the COVID-19 pandemic. Palliative Medicine. 2021 Dec;35(10):1985–97. UK Commission on Bereavement. Bereavement is everybody's business. 2022. https://bereavementcommission.org.uk/ukcbfindings/ Goss S, et al. Bereavement during COVID-19: findings from a UK-wide online survey on the use and perceived helpfulness of informal and formal support during the pandemic. BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care, 2023;13:A6. Harrop E, et al. The impacts and effectiveness of support for people bereaved through advanced illness: a systematic review and thematic synthesis. Palliative Medicine. 2020 Jul;34(7):871–88. https://nationalbereavementalliance.org.uk/support/

Introduction People dying in Britain spend, on average, 3 weeks of their last year of life in hospital. Hospital discharge presents an opportunity for secondary care clinicians to communicate to general practitioners (GPs) which patients may have a poor prognosis. This would allow GPs to prioritise these patients for Advance Care Planning. The objective of this study is to produce a critical overview of research on the communication of poor prognosis between secondary and primary care through a systematic review and narrative synthesis. Methods and analysis We will search Medline, EMBASE, CINAHL and the Social Sciences Citation Index for all study types, published since 1 January 2000, and conduct reference-mining of systematic reviews and publications. Study quality will be assessed using the Mixed-Methods Appraisal Tool; a narrative synthesis will be undertaken to integrate and summarise findings. Ethics and dissemination Approval by research ethics committee is not required since the review only includes published and publicly accessible data. Review findings will inform a qualitative study of the sharing of poor prognosis at hospital discharge. We will publish our findings in a peer-reviewed journal as per Preferred Reporting for Systematic review and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) 2020 guidance. PROSPERO registration CRD42021236087

While policy efforts to promote health through integration across sectors are not new, the 2022 UK Health and Care Act formalised Integrated Care Systems (ICSs) as legal entities with statutory powers in England. This includes a legal responsibility to commission adequate palliative and end-of-life care services, including bereavement support, for the communities they serve. Cross-sector partnerships that leverage community assets are recommended to tackle inequities towards the end of life and in bereavement. However, the nature of effective, equitable partnership remains unclear, and asset-based approaches have been criticised for neglecting issues of power and potentially transferring the responsibility for solving social and health injustices to communities. Aware of these debates, we critically explore the conditions that enable inclusive collaborative relationships and integration across sectors, as well as the barriers that prevent this, within the ecosystem of one coastal region in England. We conducted a system mapping study, drawing on theories of death systems, social capital, and service ecosystems, understood via Service-Dominant Logic (S-D L). Our three-phase participatory, qualitative study involved three community network meetings (attended by 35-55 stakeholders across sectors), a participatory digital mapping workshop (n = 19), and semi-structured interviews analysed using inductive thematic analysis (n = 15 stakeholders across sectors). Digital mapping showed weak or unstable bridging capital between sectors. Interviews highlighted that attending to the relational foundations of integration is essential but often omitted: opportunities and time to understand each other and co-create a shared vision, understanding differences and deepening connections, and, fundamentally, addressing power differentials. Failed attempts at generating bridging capital were linked to extractive relationships, widespread staff shortages and inadequate funding and resources, particularly in the VCSE. Understanding the nature of collaboration and social capital in a locality can support public health approaches which go beyond naïve calls for cross-sector collaboration to engender meaningful change.

Background: An ageing prison population with complex health needs combined with punitive sentencing practices means palliative care for incarcerated individuals is increasingly important. However, there is limited evidence regarding the models of care delivery in high-income countries, and their associated challenges and benefits. Aim: To develop a typology of models of palliative care provision for incarcerated individuals, synthesise evidence of their outcomes and describe facilitators of and challenges in delivering different models of palliative and end-of-life care in prisons. Design: Scoping review following Arksey and O’Malley, with narrative synthesis. The protocol was registered prospectively (reviewregistry1260). Data sources: MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, the Social Sciences Citation Index and grey literature were searched on 15th March 2023. The Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) was used for quality appraisal. Results: A total of 16,865 records were screened; 22 peer-reviewed articles and 18 grey literature sources met the inclusion criteria. Three models were identified: Embedded Hospice, Outsourcing Care and Community Collaboration. The Embedded Hospice model shows potential benefits for patients and prisons. Outsourcing Care may miss opportunities for comprehensive care. Collaborative Care relies on proactive prison-community relationships that could be formalised for improvement. Psychosocial and bereavement needs of those dying in prison and their caregivers lack sufficient documentation. Conclusion: Further research is needed to evaluate prison hospice costs and examine how prison hospices impact compassionate release usage. Beyond the USA, policies might formalise care pathways and recognise best practices. Further investigation to address psychosocial needs of people in prison with life-limiting illnesses and post-death bereavement support is required.

Abstract Background Choosing to have dialysis or conservative kidney management is often challenging for older people with advanced kidney disease. While we know that clinical communication has a major impact on patients’ treatment decision-making, little is known about how this occurs in practice. The OSCAR study (Optimising Staff-Patient Communication in Advanced Renal disease) aimed to identify how clinicians present kidney failure treatment options in consultations with older patients and the implications of this for patient engagement. Methods An observational, multi-method study design was adopted. Outpatient consultations at four UK renal units were video-recorded, and patients completed a post-consultation measure of shared decision-making (SDM-Q-9). Units were sampled according to variable rates of conservative management. Eligible patients were ≥ 65 years old with an eGFR of ≤ 20 mls/min/1.73m2 within the last 6 months. Video-recordings were screened to identify instances where clinicians presented both dialysis and conservative management. These instances were transcribed in fine-grained detail and recurrent practices identified using conversation-analytic methods, an empirical, observational approach to studying language and social interaction. Results 110 outpatient consultations were recorded (105 video, 5 audio only), involving 38 clinicians (doctors and nurses) and 94 patients: mean age 77 (65–97); 61 males/33 females; mean eGFR 15 (range 4–23). There were 21 instances where clinicians presented both dialysis and conservative management. Two main practices were identified: (1) Conservative management and dialysis both presented as the main treatment options; (2) Conservative management presented as a subordinate option to dialysis. The first practice was less commonly used (6 vs. 15 cases), but associated with more opportunities in the conversation for patients to ask questions and share their perspective, through which they tended to evaluate conservative management as an option that was potentially personally relevant. This practice was also associated with significantly higher post-consultation ratings of shared decision-making among patients (SDM-Q-9 median total score 24 vs. 37, p = 0.041). Conclusions Presenting conservative management and dialysis as on an equal footing enables patient to take a more active role in decision-making. Findings should inform clinical communication skills training and education. Clinical trial number No trial number as this is not a clinical trial.

Background:Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) provides superior long-term outcomes to percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for complex multivessel coronary artery disease (CAD). People with chronic kidney disease (CKD) have increased prevalence of multivessel CAD, but also increased surgical risk. We investigated whether CKD predicted real-world use of CABG, versus PCI, in patients revascularized for acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Methods:Embase, MEDLINE, Scopus and CENTRAL were searched to identify articles referring to ACS and invasive coronary intervention in high-income countries (2012 - 2023). Articles were included if CABG rates were reported in ACS patients with and without CKD receiving revascularization. CKD was defined as an estimated glomerular filtration rate < 60 mL/min/1.73 m2; proxy definitions were accepted. Random effect meta-analyses were used to determine the average effect of CKD on odds of CABG, stratified by ACS type and dialysis use. Results:Searches generated 15,138 articles, of which 13 observational studies were included (n = 1,682,207). Amongst revascularized ACS patients, those with CKD were more likely to receive CABG than those without (pooled odds ratio (OR) = 1.50 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.30 - 1.72). This association was stronger following ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) than non-ST-elevation ACS (NSTE-ACS) (OR: 1.54 (95% CI: 1.23 - 1.93)) versus 1.16 (1.10 - 1.23), respectively). Conclusions:In high-income countries, revascularized ACS patients with CKD receive CABG (versus PCI) more frequently than those without kidney disease. However, accounting for lower use of coronary angiography in the CKD population removed this association following NSTE-ACS. Greater use of invasive angiography in those with NSTE-ACS and CKD might therefore increase access to revascularization, and thereby improve outcomes.

Abstract Background and Aims Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is common in the UK, especially amongst frail older people with multiple health problems. The survival benefit of kidney replacement therapy (KRT) for such patients is uncertain and the burdens significant, meaning patients make difficult decisions between planning for dialysis or opting for conservative kidney management (CKM). People close to individuals with advanced CKD are known to play an important role in treatment decision-making, but data exploring their perspectives are limited. This qualitative study aimed to explore older, comorbid patients’ and family members’ understanding of and views regarding treatment decision-making. Method In-depth interviews were conducted in person in 2018-2019 among older patients with advanced CKD (>80 years old or >65 with evidence of frailty or comorbidity) and least one family member (partner/spouse/child/grandchild) per patient. Interviews used open-ended questioning, supported by a topic guide based on patient input and the literature. Transcripts were analysed using inductive thematic analysis and constant comparison to identify concepts and meanings from participants’ views and reported experiences. Codes and interviews were discussed and compared among study investigators, with consideration of wider meaning, alongside reorganisation and recoding, and thematic development. Results Ten patients and 12 family members (6 spouses/partners, 5 adult children and 1 adult grandchild) were interviewed. Four themes were identified: (1) “whose decision is it anyway?”; (2) “facing uncertainty”; (3) “on death and dying” and (4) “caring and being cared for”. “Whose decision is it anyway?” speaks to perceived nuances around the ownership of decisions about kidney therapy. While some interviewees described the decision belonging solely to the patient, others described varying degrees of collaboration with and persuasion from family members (particularly partners/spouses). Clinician influence was also described by patients and family members. “Facing uncertainty” captures patients’ and their family members’ view that decisions are contingent upon largely uncertain future circumstances. “On death and dying” describes the pivotal role in treatment decision-making of patients’ and family members’ sense of life completion and feelings about death and dying. KRT was perceived as life-prolonging, while an acceptance of death and dying was seen to be important for consideration of CKM. “Caring and being cared for” elucidates the importance of caring roles between patients and their family members for decisions about the future, including the specific effect of loving relationships on the value patients and their family members assign to living. Conclusion We found both patients and family members influence treatment decisions, which they tend to view as flexible in the face of uncertainty. The desire to prolong important family relationships was a motivator for favouring KRT, in light of an understanding of KRT as life-prolonging. Kidney services should recognise the significance of family relationships to older patients’ treatment decision-making. Clinicians must ensure that patients and family members understand the implications of treatment choice for quality-of-life, prognosis, and end-of-life care. This is likely to include understanding which family members or close ones are important, involving these people in decision-making and recognising that changes in family situations may necessitate re-visiting previous decisions.