The Evidence Synthesis Team

University of Exeter Medical School to host an NIHR HS&DR Evidence Synthesis Centre

A team of systematic review specialists from the University of Exeter Medical School's ESMI group, supported by PenCLAHRC, have been commissioned by the National Institute of Health Research Health Services & Delivery Research programme (NIHR HS&DR) to conduct evidence syntheses on the organisation and delivery of healthcare.

The work will involve appraising and synthesising research and other evidence relating to the effectiveness, cost-effectiveness and patient experience of healthcare, and the implementation of models and initiatives for improving the delivery of healthcare and NHS organisation.

This contract to support the HS&DR programme is worth half a million pounds over three years, and means the University joins the University of York and the University of Sheffield in hosting one of three nationally significant evidence synthesis centres.

Rob Anderson, Director of the new Centre, said: "The NIHR CLAHRC South West Peninsula is an important named partner of the Exeter HS&DR Centre. As a research team we intend to use our existing strong connections with PenCLAHRC, especially to involve NHS managers and commissioners as expert stakeholders, and to effectively disseminate our findings to relevant audiences in the South West and wider NHS.

"Also, where feasible we envisage some of our evidence synthesis projects having PPI input – directly building on the expertise of PenCLAHRC's Patient and Public Involvement Team."

The core team of systematic reviewers and information specialists includes Jo Thompson-Coon, Chris Cooper, Michael Nunns, Liz Shaw and Simon Briscoe. They will work with experts in health services, policy and management fields, including Andi Smart of University of Exeter Business School and PenCLAHRC’s Rod Sheaff, based at Plymouth University School of Law, Criminology and Government. The team will be sharing updates on their research via their blog - Sifting and sensemaking.

Professor Anderson commented: "This commissioned research stream builds perfectly on the established skills and experience of our research group since 2001. In particular, it complements our existing responsive high quality review work that informs NICE Guidance (health technology assessments by PenTAG) and our NHS- and user-driven systematic reviews conducted by PenCLAHRC’s Evidence Synthesis Team.

"The co-investigators of this programme of work bring over 30 years’ combined experience of conducting and leading responsive and innovative systematic reviews to inform health policy, practice and management."

For more information on the Exeter HS&DR Evidence Synthesis Centre's programme of work and the team formed to deliver this work, please see the Centre's webpage, follow the Sifting and sensemaking blog or follow the centre on Twitter: @ExEvidSC.

Date: 24 May 2017