Professor Sally Redman AM, CEO of the Sax Institute, recently addressed a CIPHER forum to share how the SPIRIT trial is testing a program designed to increase the use of research in policy and programs. CIPHER, the Centre for Informing Policy in Health with Evidence from Research, is an Australian collaborative research centre managed by the Sax Institute, that is investigating the tools, skills and systems that might contribute to an increased use of research evidence in policy. For more information visit www.saxinstitute.org.au.

1. Sally Redman on behalf of the
CIPHER team
Perspectives: Early findings
from SPIRIT

2. SPIRIT
Stepped wedge trial in 6 agencies
• Agency for Clinical Innovation
• Clinical Excellence Commission
• Ministry of Health (Centre for Population Health)
• Justice Health
• Cancer Institute NSW
• A national agency
Testing a multifaceted program designed to increase the
use of research in policy and programs

3. Organisations are incredibly different:
Policy agencies value research
• 79% said in their organisation leaders believe it is important to use
research in policy or program development
• 95% believed it is valuable to use research in policy or program work
to decide about content or direction of a policy or program

4. Organisational approaches differ
Do your policies on how to develop
policies or programs encourage or
require research use?
Yes, very
much so
Yes, to
some
extent
No
Does your organisation provide access
to training for staff in how to access
research, appraise and apply research?
No Yes, very
much so
No
In the last 6 months, has your
organisation undertaken internal
research to support policy development,
implementation, evaluation?
No Yes, very
much so
Yes, very
much so

5. Staff views differ
% % %
It is usually or always expected that policies or
programs will be evaluated
89 93 34
Interaction with researchers or research
organisations is usually or always encouraged
96 25 44

6. Complex agencies, complex problem solving

7. Tailored solutions based on how each agency engages
with and uses research
Tools to measure and feedback current practice
- what do staff do
- what does the organisation do
- how is research used in policy products
Range of strategies that are highly flexible
Making research work will require….

8. • All agencies flagged evaluation as
a priority area for capacity
development
• Five of six agencies requested a
session to build staff skills in
evaluation
• 12% of staff very confident in
their skills in evaluation
Evaluation is a major priority

9. Bring together research and program expertise to
answer real questions within a real world context
Some excellent examples eg:
• RCT of screening women 40-49 Moss SM et al Lancet.
2006;368:2053–60.
• 7 separate evaluations of the Scottish smoke free laws
Haw et al, J Public Health 2006: 28; 24-30
• Feedback to publicans about alcohol related incidents
among their patrons Wiggers et al Drug Alcohol Rev 2004 Sep;23(3):355-
64
Embed research into policy &program rollout

10. • Identify opportunity early in program design
• Engage with research expertise early
• Seriously consider flexible roll out
• Stimulate community discussion about ‘trials’
• Strengthen rigour and knowledge of designs
beyond RCTs
• Faster funding models
Embed research into policy &program rollout

11. Priorities for action
• Enable agencies to understand how they use
research and opportunities for improvement
• Develop better approaches to embedding
research into the rollout of policies and programs
• Provide better incentives for researchers to work
with policy agencies through tighter recognition
in track record evaluation and funding