RoSPA Press Office : Press Release

September 22 , 2005
SAFETY FIRST FOR RoSPA STAFF IN SCOTLAND

Two managers with the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents in Scotland have become the first people in the United Kingdom to be awarded with the degree of Master in Safety Promotion.

Elizabeth Lumsden, Road Safety Manager, and Karen McDonnell, Occupational Training Manager, studied for nearly a year with the Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden, by using the internet.

The course involved regular on-line examinations on seven core topics. They also had to submit a thesis. Elizabeth’s subject was "the involvement and impact of road traffic accidents on the poor: an international perspective”. Karen chose “influencing the prevention of unintentional injury beyond the workplace”.

Their studies included examining the idea of Safe Communities, which have been advocated by their lead tutor, Professor Leif Svanstrom, Head of the World Health Organisation's Collaborating Centre on Safety Promotion.

A "Safe Community" can be a town, city or region working in safety promotion and the prevention of injury, violence and suicide. It covers all age groups and includes all areas such as the home, on the roads, at work and at leisure. There is an international network of accredited programmes where good practice can be shared.

Professor Svanstrom presented them with their degrees at the Scottish Accident Prevention Council's Annual Seminar at Crieff Hydro, Perthshire, where he gave delegates more information on the Safe Communities concept.

Both Elizabeth and Karen would be keen to see a town, city or region in Scotland, sign up to becoming a designated Safe Community. Further information on Safe Communities can be found at http://www.phs.ki.se/csp/index_en.htm

Elizabeth said: “We are both delighted with our degrees, which we feel will enhance our work in accident prevention with RoSPA. Safety promotion is about more than just the prevention of injuries. It is about empowering people to take control of their own health.”