Guidance
The Research and Guideline Development Unit (RGDU) oversees the process for ensuring the quality of guidance produced by HSE Public Health: National Health Protection Office to support Health Protection practice in Ireland. The principal role of the unit is to encourage consistent high standards of Health Protection practice by promoting a multidisciplinary approach to the development of quality assured guidance.
There are several recognised standards for reviewing evidence and producing guidelines developed by leading organisations involved in the development of public health guidance (e.g. Cochrane Reviews, National Institute for Clinical Excellence [NICE], Scottish Intercollegiate Guideline Network [SIGN]).
Guideline methodology used in the RGDU (Grade Adolopment) is being further refined to provide a standardised approach to HSE Public Health: Health Protection guidance development, including EBG. This typically involves a seven-stage process:
- agreement on the topic selection and scope
- the formation of a multidisciplinary guideline development group
- identification and evaluation of evidence including planning and execution of a systematic literature search, followed by systematic evidence appraisal
- formulating recommendations and drafting
- consultation
- editing, approval, and publication (including assessment of needs for training to support implementation)
- dissemination, uptake, and implementation
For further information please contact the Research and Guideline Development Unit at: rgdu@hpsc.ie
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