Purpose of this Strategic Plan
The appraisal and synthesis of clinical and health research evidence has a well established role in supporting policy development and the delivery of healthcare. In view of the specialist skills required to undertake these activities, it is appropriate that many of these are undertaken once for Scotland by a national organisation.
Evidence-based outputs include clinical guidelines, health technology appraisals and clinical standards, aimed at practitioners and policy makers at both local and national level. A range of factors needs to be considered in respect of effective implementation of evidence-based advice in policy or practice. These include the central role of patients or service users in decision making about their treatment and the need for advice to be timely and responsive in the increasingly dynamic healthcare environment. There are known to be many challenges in supporting effective uptake and implementation of advice in the health service and the integration of health and social care adds a further level of complexity.
This strategic plan outlines how the work, working arrangements and outputs of the Evidence Directorate will be developed to support patients, service users, clinicians, other health professionals and social care practitioners, as well are other teams in Healthcare Improvement Scotland to ensure we are maximising our resources in the support of the delivery of high quality care.
