Evidence based practice updates - 7 February 2013

New guidelines, research and other tools and updates on evidence based techniques and processes from across the UK. For more information about this theme see Quality and Safety e-Bulletin: evidence based practice.

Some of the resources linked to are in PDF format - see how to access PDF files.

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Effective Health Care Program: The refinement of topics for systematic reviews: lessons and recommendations from the Effective Health Care Program. Systematic reviews that are accurate, methodologically rigorous, and as relevant and useful as possible for stakeholders require that topics be well refined. This report details guiding principles and methodological recommendations that may help investigators to better refine topics for systematic reviews, both within and outside of the EHC Program.

BMC Nursing: Leg ulcer nursing care in the community: a prospective cohort study of the symptom of pain. “Chronic wounds are managed almost entirely by community nurses. Almost all individuals with leg ulcers report acute pain usually related to dressing change. Little is known about pain after healing. The purpose of this study was to explore the course of pain from baseline to time of healing of leg ulcers (venous or mixed etiology)”.

DH: Topics for new NICE quality standards and guidance to improve the quality of social care: consultation. This 12-week consultation aims to establish a full set of NICE quality standards and guidance for social care. Views and ideas are being sought from care users, their families and carers, service commissioners, care providers and front line staff to help decide on future topics for NICE guidance and standards. The consultation ends on 26th April 2013.
NICE consultation document (PDF 205KB).

eGEMs (Generating Evidence & Methods to improve patient outcomes). A new open access journal produced by the Electronic Data Methods (Forum), which is supported by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). It focuses on using electronic clinical data to advance research and quality improvement. 

Make Research Matter (MRM). This American website provides researchers with tools to increase the dissemination and implementation potential of their products. The site includes five sections: planning tools, resources, narrative library, publications/presentations, and news.

National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE): Consultation on potential new indicators for the 2014/15 clinical commissioning group outcomes indicator set. This consultation seeks views and comments on the 32 CCG outcomes indicators which cover a broad range of topics, including chronic heart failure, cancer and hip fracture. The consultation closes on 1st March 2013.

NICE: NICE published guidance January 2013. New guidance this month includes autologous blood injection; diabetic macular oedema; varicose veins; long bone fractures; hyperplasia; percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation; psychosis and schizophrenia in children and young people; urothelial tract carcinoma; hypertension.

NICE: Have your say on NICE’s social care work. The Department of Health has launched a 12 week consultation to gather views on the topics for NICE's new quality standards and guidance for social care. From April this year, NICE will start producing guidance and standards on social care in adults and children. To reflect the move into social care, NICE will become known as the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.

NICE: Dementia, stroke and cancer among potential indicators for latest CCG Outcomes Indicator Set. Dementia, stroke, cancer, and end-of-life care are among 32 new indicators put forward for inclusion in the Clinical Commissioning Group Outcomes Indicator Set (CCG OIS). Formerly known as the Commissioning Outcomes Framework, the CCG OIS aims to support clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) and improve the quality of patient care across England.

NICE: Experts dismiss claims NHS drug decisions are "flawed". Leading experts have dismissed claims that the formula used by NICE to recommend which drugs are funded on the NHS is “flawed” and say that it is still the best available method for assessing drugs.

NICE: Key therapeutic topics - Medicines management options for local implementation. The NICE Medicines and Prescribing Centre (formerly the National Prescribing Centre) has been working since autumn 2010 to support the Department of Health QIPP medicines use and procurement work stream. The Key therapeutic topics – medicines management options for local implementation document summarises the evidence base on topics identified to support this work stream. The 2013 update has retained the 13 therapeutic topics from 2012, and added 1 new topic (omega-3 fatty acid supplements). The evidence context for all topics has been updated in the light of new guidance and important new evidence as appropriate.

Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN): SIGN/BTS British guideline on the management of asthma: asthma priorities: influencing the agenda (PDF 584KB). This reports on a series of three regional workshops held in May and June 2012 following on from the 2011 update of the SIGN/BTS British guideline on the management of asthma and related activities. The main objective of the workshops was to allow delegates the opportunity to identify regional priorities and discuss these in detail, as well as identify corresponding ‘measurements of success’ against which a national benchmark could be assessed. 
British Guideline on the management of asthma.