This course has been designed by Plymouth University and Devon County Council to benefit road safety practitioners who wish to enhance their skills in evidence appraisal. It will also benefit allied professionals, such as public health practitioners, who have an advocacy role in road casualty reduction.

Evidence based practice has had a major impact on healthcare by engendering good practice through sound judgement of scientific evidence and continued professional development amongst its practitioners. This course aims to combine the experience and skill of road safety professionals with an evidence based approach known to be successful within healthcare. It will present a critical overview of the evidence sources relevant for those professionals working in Road Casualty Reduction, and will review and develop the skills needed to interpret this research in their professional context.

2008 registration form (417KB - pdf help)

A Detailed Overview of the Course (420KB - pdf help)

Below are some examples of how this course impacted on participants and some of their comments on the course itself.

1. It was clear a number of participants had had little prior exposure to the research base:

"I have never considered research as a method of looking at a particular road safety issue. Whilst aware that obviously research was being undertaken, and from time to time hearing about it, I have never given it much credence or seriously looked at it as any more than general information"

2. Acquiring skills in evidence appraisal appears to make practitioners,

(a) more likely to want to consider research but more importantly (b) more likely to use it!

"I usually take it for granted as being 'gospel' - that has changed and I now feel more equipped to challenge and use that information"

"I am more likely to now search for research on a particular problem I will be dealing with. I hope I am now better equipped to easily identify quality papers"

3. Having been exposed to research, it changes attitudes towards practice:

"It questions what we all accept as good practice when in fact this might be flawed. But at least it makes us think, is there better practice?"

As part of its Beacon roll-out programme Devon County Council will be running further courses in 2007.  For the latest information on locations, dates, costs and whether or not you may qualify for discounts contact Jeremy Phillips, Road Safety Operations Manager, jeremy.phillips@devon.gov.uk

Links

• University of Plymouth