Nurses’ role in influencing policy debated at research conference

Nurses’ influence on policy making is under the spotlight at this year’s RCN International Nursing Research Conference, which has begun in Oxford. Debra Jackson speaking at the RCN International Nursing Research Conference. Picture: Andy Forman The three-day annual conference was opened on Wednesday by Oxford Institute of Nursing and Allied Health Research professor Debra Jackson. Professor Jackson told nurses: ‘It is so important we come together to share, reflect and consider how we as nurse researchers can influence policy and decision-making. ‘As researchers, we have a great social responsibility supported by taxpayers who are looking to us to provide solutions to the wicked and complex problems of our age.’ Middlesex University professor of nursing policy Michael Traynor explained the conference’s theme was how research may or may not influence government policy. ‘Exploring why it doesn’t is often more interesting than talking about it when it does,’ he said. Evidence-based policy In the keynote speech of the morning, University of Oxford professor of primary care health sciences Trish Greenhalgh discussed evidence-based policy. Professor Greenhalgh, who is based in the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, offered some examples of when government policy is at odds with academic evidence. She referred to the National Diabetes Prevention Programme, Let’s Prevent, which aims to identify people with pre-diabetes and educate them to live healthier lives. The reasoning is that education can reduce the chances of people with pre-diabetes developing Type 2 diabetes by almost 90%. In a BMJ editorial in 2015, Professor Greenhalgh and four other academics argued that the programme was ignoring key issues, such as the social determinants of health, and was therefore unlikely to succeed. Speaking today, Professor Greenhalgh said: ‘We backed up our points with references [to evidence]. ‘The condition is strongly predetermined by poverty – there are issues around people’s willingness and capacity to engage when living in extreme poverty.’ Last month, the National Institute for Health Research found the programme had not prevented people from developing diabetes. These results chime with Professor Greenhalgh’s earlier evidence-based predictions. Professor Greenhalgh then made the case for policy makers, academics and other stakeholders working together to create truly effective, evidence-based policy. She added: ‘I am absolutely sure that the easiest and best way to get evidence into practice is to co-create that evidence.’ Follow the conference on #research2017 In other news RCN makes urgent call for more clinicians on NHS 111 after allegations of poor service 200,000 nurses and midwives revalidated in first year, says NMC