Dilemma: Randomised, controlled and relevant?

Do recent evidence-based guidelines reflect practical realities of OH practice?

Summary:

Recent guidelines from NICE and the NHS Plus commissioned Occupational Health Clinical Effectiveness Unit demonstrate increasing commitment to evidence-based OH practice. But how can high quality guidance best be derived from the available evidence when workplaces are inevitably difficult arenas to conduct controlled research. Simon Pickvance and Ira Madan debate the issues.

SIMON PICKVANCE

Simon Pickvance believes that the evidence base for OH practice guidelines is too narrow. The increasing body of good practice recommendations confirms the place that evidence-based medicine now …

DR IRA MADAN

Ira Madan supports the rigorous evidence-grading approach adopted by NICE and the OHCEU. Evidence-based guidelines (EBGs) have a proven benefit in improving clinical outcomes and the quality of clinical

Simon Pickvance is senior adviser at Sheffield Occupational Health Advisory Service.

Dr Ira Madan is former director of clinical standards at NHS Plus

Author: Pickvance S, Madan I

Tags dilemma evidence based practice

Occupational Health at Work August/September 2009 (vol. 06/2) pp32-33

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