Title: Reviews facility to support national policy development and implementation
Funder: Department of Health and Social Care

Abstract: Background The decisions of professionals and policymakers should be informed by rigorous, transparent and up to date evaluations because their actions can do harm as well as good. Systematic, up to date reviews of research are required, because individual research studies can be atypical and subject to bias and chance (4). The Policy Research Programme (PRP) s work with Department of Health (DH) policy customers supports England s strategic investment in research. Robust, timely and relevant evidence syntheses, in dialogue with policymakers and in consultation with local users, can inform the development and implementation of national policy. To support the PRP in its role to facilitate evidence-informed policymaking, a review facility is required that is both independent and methodologically innovative. Aims We propose a bespoke reviews service for the PRP that will: 1) facilitate the use of research evidence by undertaking rigorous reviews; and 2) continue to develop the theoretical, methodological and organizational foundations for identifying, synthesizing and communicating research evidence for policy (and practice). Research plan/Methods of investigation A collaboration between three leading organisations in the areas of evidence synthesis (including systematic reviews, scoping reviews and evidence mapping), policy and practice in health and social care, and research methodology is proposed: The EPPI-Centre, Institute of Education, London; the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination (CRD) at the University of York; and the Policy Innovation Research Unit (PIRU) at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Led by the EPPI-Centre, its objectives are to: Maintain an efficient and responsive review facility that delivers timely, rigorous, relevant and appropriately packaged research to policy customers Develop and maintain an interdisciplinary team which utilises and develops appropriate methodologies Engage with stakeholders and other users in order to ensure our reviews reflect a range of perspectives and are cognisant of the context of their intended application. Research team The team assembled is exceptionally strong in terms of its experience in: conducting reviews; developing methods; and engaging with policymakers and other stakeholders. The team has worked across health and social care, public health, policy analysis, evaluation, and public involvement and is involved in a range of networks spanning each domain. The PI will be responsible for the programme of work as a whole, including liaison with the Department and policy teams. A management team of named co-investigators will meet regularly to discuss progress and emerging issues. Experienced researchers will lead reviews and user engagement activities, with specialist input from members of other organisations when required. Information technology support and publications, marketing and communications (e.g. website) will be managed through the EPPI-Centre. Finances will be managed by Faculty and central professional support staff at the IoE. The project will be overseen by a steering group, composed of academics, representation from the DH and other organisations (e.g. NICE, PHE), which will meet annually. Ad hoc advisory groups for individual reviews will be formed when needed. Potential impact Research is only one piece of the evidence jigsaw that informs decisions, however we expect that national policy will be informed and impacted by the results of our work. Our key audience will be the policy customers , with whom we engage directly. Successful dissemination of outputs also requires focusing the research in terms of setting, audience, and timeliness. Our work in patient and public involvement, our steering group, and ad hoc advisory groups will all be valuable means of communication. In addition, all three collaborating organisations are well known in the Cochrane and Campbell Collaborations and other international networks. These networks offer opportunities for impact both in terms of review findings, and the methodological developments they engender.

Lay abstract: The current move towards evidence-informed public policy in the UK requires a national programme of systematic review work in health promotion and public health (HP&PH). Systematic reviews use systematic and explicit, accountable methods to identify, describe, appraise and bring together the findings of existing research studies. The Programme team conducts reviews in response to requests from policy teams within the Department of Health. Recent questions range from a testing of whether intiatives work (e.g. effectiveness of schemes to promote cooking skills in adults), through exploration of influences on health (e.g. tobacco sources used by young people in the UK), to developing insights into perspectives (e.g. children’s views on obesity and body size). There are challenges in producing and using reviews in HP&PH including the need to draw on diverse types of evidence from across the health and social sciences. For example, evidence about what works to improve health and reduce inequalities is needed as well as qualitative and other types of evidence on people’s needs and intervention processes. As part of the Evidence Informed Policy and Practice Information and co-ordinating (EPPI) Centre, the Programme team is known internationally for its development of innovative research methods and tools that can be tailored to fit the full range of review purposes, questions and resources. The team’s methodological research is the basis for teaching and support activities for reviewers Internationally, with activities provided face-to-face and at a distance, using online technologies. The Programme also maintains three freely-available specialised registers of research, providing a unique source of research for the field.

Research activity codes: 8.3 POLICY, ETHICS AND RESEARCH GOVERNANCE
Health categories: GENERIC HEALTH RELEVANCE