Title: HSDR Evidence Synthesis Centre: University of Exeter
Funder: Department of Health and Social Care

Abstract: BACKGROUND: People who make decisions about the delivery of health and social care need easy access to research evidence to help with their decision making._x000D_ _x000D_ AIMS & EXPERTISE: The NIHR HS&DR Programme wants to set up a team of researchers to produce summaries of research evidence (systematic reviews) quickly and efficiently. Summaries will be used by decision makers to improve organisation and delivery of health and social care services. Members of our proposed team have successfully worked together for more than 10 years and have published, together and individually, over 50 systematic reviews. We have expertise in many different ways of doing systematic reviews across different health topics. Depending on the questions and topic of the review, we have brought together research focusing on whether initiatives work or research focusing on the experiences of patients and care providers. We have produced reviews that provide a summary of the findings from different studies as well as reviews that describe the quantity and quality of existing research. We have a proven track record of working directly with communities, healthcare providers and policy makers._x000D_ _x000D_ PROCESS & METHODS: Each systematic review that we are asked to do will be developed in a process that consists of five broad stages._x000D_ 1. Assembling a team of experts: We will use our extensive networks to invite people with personal, practice and policy experience of the review topic to join a project advisory group._x000D_ 2. Planning the review: We will begin by defining the research question(s), the most appropriate review methods and the review timescale. The aim will be to understand the quality, quantity and relevance of available research to address the research questions._x000D_ 3. Preparing the review protocol: A review protocol describes how the researchers will find literature and how they will analyse it. The protocol will list the detailed methods we will use, and the timetable._x000D_ 4. Doing the review: We will choose the review methods that are most appropriate to the research question(s) and the time available. Our work will be rigorous, transparent and independent. Throughout the review process, we will communicate with the review customer and the advisory group to ensure that the review remains useful to them._x000D_ 5. Sharing the findings: With policy or service delivery experts we will develop a communication plan for each review. This will identify key messages, audiences for those messages, and how and where to publicise them. Our aim will be to ensure that review findings reach NHS managers and decision makers and impact on policy and practice in all relevant sectors._x000D_ _x000D_ USER INVOLVEMENT: Working closely with the people who will use the findings of the reviews in their decision making is essential. Regular discussion throughout the review process helps to identify relevant issues and ensure that the reports give easy access to key findings. We are committed to involving patients and/or the public in all our reviews, and have demonstrated this even in rapid evidence syntheses where time and resources have been limited. This end-user involvement means evidence is readily usable by NHS managers and decision-makers._x000D_ _x000D_ DISSEMINATION: We routinely produce briefing papers, podcasts, cartoons and blog posts to share the findings of our systematic reviews reach the people who can use them to make a difference to the delivery and organisation of health and social care services

Lay abstract: AIM: The aim of the Exeter HS&DR Evidence Synthesis Centre is to produce rapid reviews and evidence syntheses which will be of immediate use to health and social care decision makers in order to improve the quality, effectiveness and accessibility of services, including the delivery of those services._x000D_ _x000D_ EXPERTISE: We bring advanced skills in information science, quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods synthesis, combined with skills and experience in making use of a wide variety of evidence types, effective end-user engagement and a commitment to delivering useable and relevant evidence products to the people who can use them to make a difference. We have expertise in producing a range of evidence products from systematic reviews of effectiveness and cost effectiveness, implementation and patient experience, to overviews of reviews, evidence maps, scoping reviews, realist reviews, rapid reviews and a variety of creative dissemination outputs._x000D_ _x000D_ TRACK RECORD: Our proven track record of effective collaboration and impactful publications is built not only on the success of the past three years of the Exeter HS&DR Evidence Synthesis Centre but also on a diversity of experience gained delivering systematic reviews with a strong focus on policy and practice to a range of research funders and policy customers. Collectively we have conducted systematic reviews for many of the NIHR research programmes, National Institute for Health & Care Excellence, Centre for Public Health Excellence at NICE, Department of Health and Social Care, the Ministry of Defence, the Education Endowment Foundation, Welsh Government and voluntary sector organisations. Members of the team have successfully worked together for over 10 years and have published, together and individually, over 50 systematic reviews._x000D_ _x000D_ EVIDENCE OF ACCESS TO A NETWORK OF EXPERTS AND LINKS TO COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE: We have established networks of clinical, service delivery, commissioning and organisational contacts. To supplement this, we plan to convene an Evidence Synthesis Centre Advisory Group (ESC-AG). The ESC-AG will provide additional service organisation and delivery-relevant guidance and facilitate the efficient application of external expert knowledge and perspective at short notice._x000D_ _x000D_ FAMILIARITY WITH SERVICE ISSUES: A combination of established relationships with individuals working in health and social care settings and the experience gained working closely with them ensures familiarity with service issues._x000D_ _x000D_ A TRACK RECORD IN CO-CREATION: Close-working with target audiences, including the policy customer, is essential to interpreting emerging results, identifying novel and actionable insights and producing reports that give easy access to key findings. We have considerable experience of working with end-users throughout the review process and routinely produce briefing papers, podcasts, cartoons and blog posts in addition to peer reviewed journal articles in key journals and seminar and conference presentations, as guided by our target audience._x000D_ _x000D_ RESPONSIVENESS TO CHANGING DEMANDS: Production of useful evidence products relies on the ability of the review team to respond to changing demands either within the health and social care landscape or from the policy customer. We recognise the importance of flexibility and responsiveness and have successfully met the demands of a changing work programme over the past three years.

Research activity codes: 8.1 ORGANISATION AND DELIVERY OF SERVICES
Health categories: GENERIC HEALTH RELEVANCE