Cochrane UK

Description

Cochrane is a global independent network of researchers, professionals, patients, carers and people interested in health. We are a not-for-profit organization working together to produce credible, accessible health information that is free from commercial sponsorship and other conflicts of interest.  We do this by producing reviews that summarise the best available evidence generated through research to inform decisions about health.  Cochrane Reviews are systematic reviews of primary research in human health care and health policy and are internationally recognised as the highest standard in evidence-based health care. Cochrane Systematic Reviews are published online, in full text, in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews in the Cochrane Library – www.cochranelibrary.com.

Cochrane UK is one of 14 Cochrane Centres around the world supporting the global work of Cochrane and maximising the use and impact of Cochrane reviews for the UK and Ireland.  Cochrane UK is funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and hosted by the Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust.  The centre supports the production of Cochrane systematic reviews through a learning and development programme for Cochrane authors and other contributors.  We aim to maximise the impact of Cochrane reviews by disseminating the findings widely to health professionals, researchers, commissioners, the public, charities and the media, through social media, events, presentations and partnerships. 

Public involvement in research

Many of Cochrane’s contributors work in research or healthcare institutions, but many get involved because they are interested in a particular area of health, or in Cochrane’s work generally. Cochrane contributors come from everywhere – more than 130 countries around the world.

Cochrane UK produces a weekly blog, Evidently Cochrane, which aims to make Cochrane evidence accessible, and encourage discussion about it. The blogs usually feature new or updated Cochrane reviews on a health topic and often include the patient or professional talking about what this evidence means to them in the context of a health care decision. Evidently Cochrane is for everyone who is interested in finding and using the best quality evidence to inform decisions about health.

We use social media to share and discuss the Cochrane evidence. Our series Evidence for Everyday Health Choices (#EEHealthChoices) is for anyone wanting trustworthy health evidence to help them make choices. Health and research information can be hard to access and to help with this we produce short summaries of the main findings and let you know where you can find out more if you want to. The core of Evidence for Everyday Health Choices is blogs and blogshots, images with key information and a link to where you can read more. You can find our blogshots on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and in a blogshot archive on tumble, where you can download and share them.