Sustaining Transformation by Evidence Mobilisation (STEM)Club in the North East of England

A partnership, system-wide approach to evidence-based decision making

Abstract

In 2016 Sustainability and Transformation Partnerships were formed across the whole of England, bringing together care providers with commissioners and local authorities to plan local delivery of health and social care.

Within this context, a small group of leaders working in broadly “evidence roles” within healthcare in the North East and North Cumbria (NENC), began discussing how those with the skills to support evidence-based practice might be able to better support healthcare decision-making at the system-wide level. The group focussed on the need for cultural change and making personal connections. Rather than provide “evidence products”, our aim was to build relationships between policy and decision makers and those in evidence roles. We agreed that we needed to:

• Develop a network of local people working in evidence roles in the healthcare field (STEMClub).

• Link local health library and knowledge services staff (LKS) into the work streams of the Sustainability and Transformation Partnership (now the Integrated Care System).

• Raise awareness and gain support among senior stakeholders in the ICS, NHS England (NHSE), Public Health England (PHE) and Health Education England (HEE) of the aims of STEMClub.

This case study describes our progress to date in developing the network and supporting the work of healthcare decision-makers and policy makers in the North East and North Cumbria.