Evidence checklist

Your helpful checklist for accessing and using evidence

• Identify the problem or question you are seeking to answer – and have an open mind about what the answer might be!
• Has an evidence review already been done on your topic? – check with local organisations such as Public Health, Library and other local services that may carry out evidence reviews such as an ICB
• Refine search question – use PICO (P – patient, population and problem, I – intervention, C – comparison, O – outcomes) as a framework to develop a focused question that you want the evidence to help you answer
• Identify alternative search terms for each element of the PICO, to help  you perform a thorough and reliable search
• Choose the most appropriate resource for your searching – do you want research evidence, policies, grey literature? Different types of evidence are accessed through different sources
• Search – apply the different search terms you have identified, to the various databases and resources you have selected
• Appraise the evidence you find – don’t accept it on face value: how well is it aligned to the context of your problem or question? Try to apply at least a basic set of appraisal questions or seek help with this step
• Too much evidence – refine your search; too little – review your search terms

Is your organisation embedding evidence informed decision-making?

Use these prompts to assess whether your organisation is embedding evidence informed decision-making:

• Is your organisation actively promoting the use of evidence to inform decisions about current services, patient care, future investment or making change?
• Are you planning-ahead and building in time for a thorough evidence search and appraisal, ready to inform decisions when they are being taken?
• Or are you falling into the trap of looking for evidence to validate a decision already made? Or looking for evidence to ‘prove’ something works? It might not!
• When talking to others about a change, a decision or investment are you referring to the evidence you have identified to add credibility and assure others that decisions are informed by evidence where relevant and available?
• Are you making full use of national and local support, such as public health teams and universities to provide high quality evidence reviews and appraisals?
• Are you reviewing evidence critically and ensuring it is valid and trustworthy before using it to inform decisions?