1. Commissioning rapid responsive research reviews to inform health workforce policy Dr John Wilkinson Department of Health Doing the reviews in practice Dr Anne McBride University of Manchester

2. Department of Health Policy Research Programme a knowledge base for health, social care & central health policies informs policy decisions... on sometimes hot topics...

3. wholly externalised and independent open and transparent commissioning quality assured through peer review

4. The policy cycle policy issue scope and (re)appraise options evaluate seek consensus decide implement policy maintain

5. Research in the policy cycle consultation opinion polling surveys scoping, literature review desk-work evaluation summative methods cost effectiveness delphi techniques option appraisal, OR formative action research longitudinal surveys cohort studies (the best evidence)

6. Rapid review / scoping responsive reviews facility using research units extending existing projects limited tender

7. Completed Reviews Developing the concept of the Good Employer in the NHS 6 weeks Changing Skill Mix in the NHS2 months Factors influencing retention in the NHS3 months Implications of outsourcing HR for role of HR function and NHS workforce 4 months

8. Completed Reviews Understanding key psychological contract issues within the NHS 6 months Working time issues and interventions12 months

9. Reviews Methodology Team: Project Manager, Academic expert(s); librarian; Research Assistant Expert, PM, client: identify research issue Expert, librarian, RA, PM: identify literature sources, key words, search criteria Librarian searches databases

10. Reviews Methodology Expert, RA, PM: identify selection criteria RA: trawls abstracts, makes selection RA/ Expert: double-check selection RA: first draft of report Expert, RA, PM: finalise draft

11. Databases used MEDLINE CINAHL PsychINFO Cochrane Library HMIC Centre for Reviews and Dissemination Department of Health Research Findings Register SHRINE network ASSIA ProQuest ABI Inform Emerald CIPD FADE Web of Science IBSS EBSCO Cambridge Scientific Abstracts General Business File International ZETOC Sociological Abstracts WebSPIRS5 Embase Helmis

12. Mediation of model Good employer study 6 weeks Expert knowledge Limited searches Skill mix, 2 months Retention, 3 months HR outsourcing Other studies Review of reviews Consultants and midwives Limited data None, broad and lengthy

13. national experts wide range of expertise seen to be independent via peer review can be disowned high credibility with stakeholders  control? whose agenda? “inconvenient” findings? Independent research: tensions

14. More tensions... scientific quality vs policy relevance different paradigms research and policy cycles out of sync not every issue is a research issue