There are a large number of high quality resources available via the web which are important when finding evidence to support the commissioning process.

 

Healthcare Databases

Core Resources for Evidence Based Practice  

A collection of core healthcare databases. Part of the Evidence in Practice toolkit used to support the evidence based discussion groups of the Quality: MK programme

[AG 200109]

 

Internet 

The internet is awash with information published by NHS Trusts, which you will not find using healthcare databases. 

 

Here are a few tips on searching the Internet:

• using language which you might expect to find in Trust documents such as Board Papers and Strategies will limit your search more effectively;
• when searching for information relating to specific popuations, use the term 'people with ......' before the name of the group.  For example, rather than search for ‘mental health’, try the phrase ‘people with mental health’.  This can be utilised for a wide range of population groups – ‘people with learning’, ‘people with physical’.  The truncation might sound awkward, but ‘people with mental health’ will retrieve ‘people with mental health problems / issues / difficulties’ etc;
• make use of abbreviations and jargon, thinking of the language the Department of Health, NHS Trust report writers, or NHS Trust communication specialists, are likely to use;
• adding ‘pct’ will help to focus a search.  This can be expanded to (pct OR “primary care trust") if preferred;
• be aware that the word order used makes a difference to the search results, as shown by the following searches on Google (October 2008)
  • ("health needs assessment" OR "hna") ("people with mental health") pct   - 551 hits
  • ("people with mental health") ("health needs assessment" OR "hna")  pct  - 842 hits 

 

 

Retrieving information about models of service from the net

The following search terms have proved useful in retrieving resources with a commissioning and quality focus from internet search engines (tried and tested on Google and Yahoo)

business plan*

Implement*

improving OR improvement

model / service model

reconfigur*

redesign

service delivery

service improvement

service planning

service redesign

specification*

strateg*

prioritis*

 

Retrieving information about care pathways from the net

The following search terms have proved useful in retrieving resources with a commissioning and quality focus from internet search engines (tried and tested on Google and Yahoo)

care pathway*           

pathway*           

protocol* 

 

Retrieving information about best practice from the net

best practice

case stud*      

innovat*

pathway*

protocol*

 

Retrieving information about health service quality from the net

benchmark*

clinical effective*

clinical governance

cost effective*

indicator*

outcome*

patient safety

quality improvement

quality of patient care

quality assurance

collaborat*

 

Useful broad commissioning terms

commissioning agenc*           

joint commissioning

lead commissioning

leadership

locality Commissioning 

personalised commissioning

practice-based commissioning / pbc

specialist commissioning

strategic commissioning

world class commissioning / wcc

Additional Useful Terms

contract*

engag* / consult*

health improvement

inequali*

needs assessment”

outcome*

priority setting

procurement

providing OR provider*

purchasing

social marketing

 

Limiting to NHS/PCT Documents in a search engine

nhs.uk

gov.uk

pct OR “primary care trust”

 

Limiting to PCT papers in a search engine

board paper

minutes / agenda

pct OR “primary care trust”