Health policies &
health service research: resource guide
Bertha Yuen Man Low
West Midlands Library Services Development Unit
Email:
Health policies and health service
research are two key elements of evidence-based health management.
This section highlights several related resources in the two areas.
Health Policies
First ports of call for health
policies …
Health Policy Monitor
http://www.health-policy-monitor.org/en/index.html,
provided by International Network for Health Policy and Reform,
presents current health policy ideas about legislation in different
stages of preparation or implementation in various countries. By
searching the online databases, one can retrieve health policy issues,
health statistics and information specific to the UK.
Health Service Research
DH Policy Research Programme
http://www.dh.gov.uk/PolicyAndGuidance/ResearchAndDevelopment/PolicyResearchProgramme/fs/en
aims to provide, through high quality research, a knowledge base for
health services policy, social services policy and central policies
directed at the health of the population as a whole. Major strategic
research developments in seven key DH priority areas: cancer; mental
health; coronary heart disease (CHD); ageing and older people; public
health; genetics; and diabetes are listed.
NHS Service Delivery and
Organisation (SDO) Programme
http://www.sdo.lshtm.ac.uk/ is a national
research programme that has been established to consolidate and
develop the evidence base on the organisation, management and delivery
of health care services.
DH Policy Collaborative
http://www.modern.nhs.uk/scripts/default.asp?site_id=62
is an experimental change management programme which aims to improve
policy development through action learning. The programme was started
in spring 2003 and completed in March 2005.
Health Services Research Network
http://www.nhsconfed.org/influencing/health_services_research_network.asp
was established by the NHS Confederation and is supported by the
Department of Health, the National Co-ordinating Centre for Service
Delivery and Organisation, the Health Foundation and the Nuffield
Trust. It connects all universities, commercial and professional
organisations, charities and NHS bodies with an interest in health
service research. It aims to influence policy makers and managers to
support better use of research and will organise events to promote
health service research and provides opportunities for dialogue
between researchers and with managers.
Policy Hub
http://www.policyhub.gov.uk/, developed by
the Cabinet Office Government Social Research Unit, provides access to
initiatives, projects and tools supporting better policy making and
delivery, extensive guidance on the use of research and evidence in
the evaluation of policy, and links to a wide range of research
resources and tools from the UK and around the world. It has
extensive listings of resources from evidence research units and on
putting evidence into practice.
EvidenceNetwork
http://www.evidencenetwork.org/home.asp aims
to serve as a starting point for accessing social science research
publications relevant to policy and practice. It provides search
tools and a referable framework to enable users to pursue their
enquiries, and a forum for discussion of issues related to
evidence-based policy.
Kings Fund
http://www.kingsfund.org/ aims to shape
informed policy in health and social care through research, analysis
and debate. Its works include research on health policies, management
and leadership development programmes, and resource guides on health
issues.
Nuffield Trust for Research and
Policy Studies in Health Services
http://www.nuffieldtrust.org.uk/index.html
aims to promote independent analysis and informed debate on UK health
care policy. Its four main themes include: policy futures; role of
the state; quality in healthcare; and public health.
There are many academic health
service research units across the country. To name a few …
BMJ has topical collections on
health services research
http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/collection/health_serv_reasearch
and on health economics
http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/collection/health_economics.
Canadian Health Services Research
Foundation
http://www.chsrf.ca/home_e.php supports the
evidence-based management of Canada's healthcare system by
facilitating knowledge transfer and exchange. They provide separate
sections for researchers, decision makers and knowledge brokers. The
section, Mythbusters & Evidence Boost, provides summaries of research
evidence behind some of today's major debates in health services
management and policy.
Other Resources
Health Service Research for
Managers by Powys Local Health Board
http://www.wales.nhs.uk/sites3/docmetadata.cfm?orgid=501&id=40074&pid=8107
is a booklet providing
information on health service research for managers, produced by the
NHS Staff College Wales and the Institute of Healthcare Management
(Welsh Division).
National Library for Health (NLH)
Health Management Specialist Library
http://libraries.nelh.nhs.uk/healthManagement/
identifies quality information resources and compiles Management
Briefings on health management issues.
Health Management Online
http://www.healthmanagementonline.co.uk/index.asp
of Health Management Library, Scotland, is funded by the Scottish
Executive Health Department. The site provides access to UK health
policies and Management Briefings (Scotland).
Health Services Research Web Sites
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/nichsr/hsrsites.html,
compiled by National Library of Medicine, lists key US organizations
in relation to health service research, health policies and economics,
data sources and evidence-based practice.
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