The IDEAL Collaboration

"The IDEAL Collaboration is an initiative to improve the quality of research in surgery... IDEAL is a set of recommendations for the evidence-based practice of surgery. It is geared towards participants in all stages of gathering and using evidence for the ultimate goal of improving outcomes for patients."

Find out more here.

Organisational culture and post-merger integration in an academic health centre

"Our findings have important implications for the integration of health care
providers and the promotion of NHS/University partnerships that deserve further research. It
might examine staff engagement strategies and cultural interventions to manage cultural
diversity and expectations."

Organisational culture and post-merger integration in an academic health centre: a mixed-methods study
PV Ovseiko, K Melham, J Fowler, AM Buchan
BMC Health Services Research 2015, 15:25  doi:10.1186/s12913-014-0673-3

Read more here.

One person, one team, one system (The Oldham report)

"Lessons need to be learnt from examples of more coordinated models of care in action. We believe achieving a shift towards coordinated, person-centred care requires a fundamental shift in the way that health and care is delivered, and can’t be achieved within the existing fragmented system."

One person, one team, one system: report of the Independent Commission on Whole Person Care for the Labour Party (the Oldham report)
Chaired by Sir John Oldham
February 2014

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Systematic reviews for informing policy decisions

"This guide is a short introduction for decision-makers and researchers or anyone else considering whether a systematic review may be appropriate to fill a gap in knowledge or to use as a resource. It will help anybody planning on commissioning a review of what research is already out there. You may be an analyst, evaluator, policymaker or commissioner."

Learning from research: systematic reviews for informing policy decisions
D Gough, S Oliver, J Thomas
Alliance for Useful Evidence
EPPI-Centre, Social Science Research Unit, Institute of Education, University of London
December 2013

Read more here.

Use of evidence in implementing self-directed support in health care

"While ongoing research will always be important, this report draws attention to the importance of recognising the expertise of patients, focusing on outcomes and expanding traditional notions of innovation."

Doctor knows best? The use of evidence in implementing self-directed support in health care
J Glasby, V Alakeson, S Duffy
University of Birmingham Health Services Management Centre
September 2013

Read more here.

Research for universal health coverage

"Universal health coverage, with full access to high-quality services for health promotion, prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, palliation and financial risk protection, cannot be achieved without evidence from research."

Research for universal health coverage
World Health Organization
August 2013

Read more here.

Explaining health managers' information seeking behaviour and use

"Managers are overwhelmed with too much information of various types and quality, yet often cannot find the information they need."

Explaining health managers' information seeking behaviour and use: final report
C Edwards, R Fox, S Gillard, S Gourlay, P Guven, C Jackson, M Chambers, V Drennan
National Institute for Health Research Service Delivery and Organisation Programme
May 2013

Read the full report here.

Report of the Independent Expert Group on the future of European public health research

This report looks at the background European public health research, and suggests methods for getting the research into practice.

Report of the Independent Expert Group on the future of European public health research
European Commission
May 2013

Read more here.

Impact of clinical and health services research projects on decision-making

"Specifically, the relationships between managers and research teams and the mutual knowledge of their activity have shown to be effective in applying research funding to practice and decision-making."

Impact of clinical and health services research projects on decision-making: a qualitative study
M Solans-Domenech, P Adam, I Guillamon, G Permanyer-Miralda, JMV Pons, J Escarrabill,
Health Research Policy and Systems, 2013, 11:15

Read more here.

Delivering major improvements in dementia care and research by 2015

"The NHS routinely collects data on patients as they receive care, which is a rich source of information about how disease and treatments work. The information collected includes data on biomarkers, diagnosis, treatment and clinical outcomes. This information is vital to understanding how the NHS and Social Care system can improve outcomes for patients, yet it remains a relatively untapped resource."

The Prime Minister's Challenge on dementia: Delivering major improvements in dementia care and research by 2015: annual report of progress
Department of Health
May 2013

Read more here.

Impact of clinical and health services research projects on decision-making

"Specifically, the relationships between managers and research teams and the mutual knowledge of their activity have shown to be effective in applying research funding to practice and decision-making."

Impact of clinical and health services research projects on decision-making: a qualitative study
M Solans-Domenech, P Adam, I Guillamon, G Permanyer-Miralda, JMV Pons, J Escarrabill
Health Research Policy and Systems, 2013, 11:15

Read more here.

Using research to influence policy change and population health improvement

"By applying what we know from translation theory to new challenges for improving population health, we can overcome barriers to dissemination and translation, and support evidence-based decision-making, and practice, in public health."

Using health services research to influence policy change and population health improvement
Academy Health
March 2013

Read more here.

eGEMs (Generating Evidence & Methods to improve patient outcomes)

"eGEMs is an open access journal focused on using electronic clinical data to advance research and quality improvement, with the overall goal of improving patient and community outcomes."

Access the journal here.

Cumbria Partnership Journal of Research, Practice and Learning

The Cumbria Partnership NHS Foundation Trust publishes an academic journal, the Cumbria Partnership Journal of Research, Practice and Learning, in both print and electronic format. The electronic version is freely available on their website at this link:

The content is grouped under the following headings:

• Research reports
• Education and learning
• Quality/organisational change
• Reflective practice/case studies

Reporting guidelines for systematic reviews with a focus on health equity

"Increased use of these reporting guidelines will help improve the reporting of effects on both inequities in health outcomes and health care use across gender, socioeconomic position, and other characteristics, both in systematic reviews and eventually primary research, thus contributing to the global agenda to improve health equity."

PRISMA-Equity 2012 Extension: reporting guidelines for systematic reviews with a focus on health equity
V Welch, M Petticrew, P Tugwell, D Moher, J O'Neill, E Waters, H White,
PLOS Med, 2012, 9(10): e1001333

Read more here.

Factors influencing the development of evidence-based practice among nurses: a self-report survey

"Skills in evidence-based practice seem to reduce barriers to using research evidence and to increase use of research evidence in clinical practice."

Factors influencing the development of evidence-based practice among nurses
A Dalheim, S Harthug, RM Nilsen, MW Nortvedt
BMC Health Services Research, 2012, 12:367

Read more here.

Health Services Research Live

The NHS Confederation has created this place where everyone interested in innovation, evidence, and improvement for health services can connect. Click here to access the resource.

Standards for patient-centered outcomes research

"Better methods will produce trusted information and lead to better healthcare decisions, and ultimately to better health."

Our questions, our decisions: standards for patient-centered outcomes research
M Helfland, A Berg, D Flum, S Gabriel, SL Normand
Patient-Centred Outcomes Research Institute
July 2012

Read more here.

Advancing knowledge translation in primary care

"Now more than ever, there is a need to embed KT strategies within primary care practice and research to ensure application of relevant findings in practice, overcome the typically slow uptake of evidence into everyday care, and support primary care reforms."

Advancing knowledge translation in primary care
M Menear, K Grindrod, K Clouston, P Norton, F Legare
Canadian Family Physician, 2012, 58(6):623-627

Read more here.

Knowledge translation of research findings

"In this paper, we have attempted to briefly summarise some of the key concepts and evidence about the effectiveness of knowledge translation activities targeting different stakeholder groups."

Knowledge translation of research findings
JM Grimshaw, MP Eccles, JN Lavis, SJ Hill, JE Squires
Implementation Science, 2012, 7:50

Read more here.