Materials included within the CareSearch website are subject to various review processes for quality and relevance. Evidence and quality principles have also been used in the design and development of the website itself.
Regardless of the format of any given page, the quality processes ensure that all content is:
- Relevant to the project
- Written by an appropriately qualified and experienced person
- Of suitable quality.
Webpages in the clinical practice section provide an overview of the state of the evidence following an examination of systematic reviews relevant to the topic. From this basis, the key issues, limitations and contexts for practice are summarised. The systematic reviews were identified following a search of multiple literature databases.
Authors of all CareSearch pages follow specific guidance with regard to:
- A consistent writing and referencing style
- Readability
- Plagiarism
- Co-authors or contributors such as the writing support group members
- Whether there has been consumer consultation.
Content pages are provided to project staff or associates and community members for comment in the development stage before being formally assessed by an external reviewer. This engagement helps us develop strong and useful resources.
Those providing internal feedback include health professionals, consumers or representatives from the Knowledge Network National Advisory Group, depending on the specific content. Some of the contributions to this work come from allied medical areas such as oncology or geriatrics. Other knowledge is contributed by disciplines such as psychology, social work and occupational therapy. External reviewers are invited clinicians, academics, researchers or members of state and national peak bodies with knowledge and expertise in the relevant area. The core writing team comprised a palliative physician, oncology / palliative care nurse, medical librarian, researchers and social worker.
There is a mechanism for monitoring new literature and pages, which are updated on an ongoing basis. A formal review of content pages is carried out every two years. The date of the last update is noted on the page.
This page was created on 19 June 2007
Last updated 26 May 2008