The concept of knowledge translation is often misunderstood. Terms such as knowledge transfer (Lavis et al, 2003) and knowledge exchange (www.chsrf.ca/keys) have also been developed to describe the ‘use’ of research in policy and practice. For the purposes of this programme we are using the term knowledge translation in two ways, firstly the translation of concepts / evidence / innovations relating to safety, quality and risk from fields outside the health sector to the health sector; and secondly the translation of findings from research into practice tested through the use of pilots. There will be two main ways of pursuing this (see figure 1 below):
a) Top-down
We will bring together experts in each theme from within the health sector and outside e.g. defence studies to review the evidence/knowledge from all disciplines on safety and quality. From this, we will develop pilot innovations to be tested in the Trust and its partners (e.g. Primary Care Trusts). Pilots will be developed in particular service areas such as maternity, stroke, fall prevention etc. These pilots will be evaluated, using expertise from king's College London (KCL). Effective interventions will be implemented within the Trusts, and findings will be disseminated/developed into future grant applications (e.g. NIHR Programme grants, SDO) to test on wider scale (in partnership with SDO’s network of research trusts, see 4.2 below).
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KNOWLEDGE INTEGRATION FOR KNOWLEDGE TRANSLATION
(TOP-DOWN)
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KNOWLEDGE INTEGRATION FOR KNOWLEDGE TRANSLATION
(BOTTOM-UP)
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Review evidence - Bring experts from outside health sector e.g. defence together with those from health to review evidence on quality and safety issues relating to each particular theme
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Disseminate - Disseminate findings and develop grant applications to test on wider scale.
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Develop Pilots - From this integration of knowledge, develop pilot innovations to test in KCH and other partner organisations
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Modify - Modification of innovation based on findings of evaluation and implementation
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Evaluate Pilots - Use evaluation expertise at KCL to evaluate pilots.
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Evaluate - Use evaluation expertise at KCL to evaluate pilots.
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Modify - Modification of innovation based on findings of evaluation and implementation
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Develop pilots - From these, develop pilot innovations in Trust and its partners.
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Disseminate - Disseminate findings and develop grant applications to test on wider scale.
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Test - Test service-specific findings against wider evidence.
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Generate -Generate ideas from on-going research on safety and quality in a particular service e.g. maternity.
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b) Bottom-up (see table attached)
Findings from current research (e.g. in field of maternity) relating to risk and quality will be used to test against wider evidence/literature and to develop pilots in the Trust and its partners. As before, these will then be evaluated and findings disseminated/developed into future grant applications (eg. Programme grants, SDO) to test on wider scale (in partnership with SDO’s network of research trusts see 4.2 below).
Of particular note here is the ESRC UK Centre for Evidence Based Policy and Practice (EBPP), based at KCL, which works to increase effective utilisation of the existing body of social research by government and non-governmental bodies, specifically through identifying and retrieving that research, and developing proven routines for reviewing it and communicating its findings. The EBPP Centre will provide expertise in searching and synthesising research literature within our knowledge integration for knowledge translation strategy.
In addition, knowledge translation and exchange will also occur across the four proposed programmes within the Centre; across the interface between KCL researchers and KCH practitioners (professionals and managers); and between the partnership and our strategic partners.
