What works

In order to decide on what services should be provided it is important that we learn from research, so that we know about what works to improve health and wellbeing. Outlined below are several websites that provide high quality information on research evidence. 

NICE (external link) is an independent organisation responsible for providing national guidance on promoting good health and preventing and treating ill health.

The National Library for Health (NLH) (external link)  provides access to a range of trusted health related knowledge resources providing authoritative evidence and best practice to support for health care in the NHS. 

Social Policy Research Unit- University of York (external link) has an international reputation for excellence in research in social policy, especially health and social care, poverty, social security and social work. 

Bandolier (external link) provides information about evidence of effectiveness of health and social care intervention, and put the results forward as simple bullet points of those things that worked and those that did not. 

Clinical Evidence (external link) is a database of clinical questions designed to help clinicians make evidence-based medicine part of their everyday practice. Hundreds of clinical questions cover the effects of treatments and interventions based on the best available research. 

Cochrane Library (external link)  is an electronic publication designed to supply high quality evidence to inform people providing and receiving care, and those responsible for research, teaching, funding and administration at all levels. 

The Evidence for Policy and Practice Information and Co-ordinating Centre (EPPI-Centre) (external link), conducts systematic reviews of research evidence across a range of different topic areas including Education, Health Promotion and Public Health. 

The Guide to Community Preventive Services (external link)  is produced by The Centre for Disease Control in the USA and summarizes what is known about the effectiveness, economic efficiency, and feasibility of interventions to promote community health and prevent disease.