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American Public Health Association
133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition
December 10-14, 2005
Philadelphia, PA
APHA 2005
 
3154.0: Monday, December 12, 2005 - Board 8

Abstract #96841

Can’t change, won’t change, might change, will change: Developing evidence based child health programmes in Ireland

Sean Denyer, MBChB MPH MFPHMI, Programme of Action for Children, Health Service Executive, Dept. of Public Health, Rockwood Parade, Sligo, Ireland, +353719174780, sean.denyer@nwhb.ie

Following a comprehensive review of the evidence in relation to child health screening and surveillance in Ireland a revised programme, ‘Best Health for Children' was developed. The recommendations of the review called for a radical change in the current way of doing things and posed considerable challenges for professionals working in the area who both recognised the need to change and were afraid of what this may mean. This presentation will concentrate on describing the change process gone through to put the revised programme into practice. It will focus on some of the key barriers that emerged in this process and outline how these were overcome. Changing practice on the basis of evidence is a complex task, which requires an active change management process. Common issues that are likely to emerge in any programme looking to develop evidence based practice will be discussed, and suggestions made for avoiding or minimising potential pitfalls.

Learning Objectives:

Keywords: Child Health, Evidence Based Practice

Related Web page: www.hebe.ie

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Public Health Strategies for Child Health Promotion

The 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition (December 10-14, 2005) of APHA