Intended for healthcare professionals

Letters

Collaboration with the Campbell Collaboration

BMJ 2001; 323 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.323.7323.1252a (Published 24 November 2001) Cite this as: BMJ 2001;323:1252

Campbell principles are applied in West Midlands through public health research forum

  1. John Middleton, director of public health (John.Middleton@leghorn.demon.co.uk),
  2. Elizabeth Reeves, specialist registrar in public health,
  3. Richard Lilford, former director, research and development,
  4. Frances Howie, programme manager, research and development,
  5. Chris Hyde, senior lecturer in public health
  1. Sandwell Health Authority, West Bromwich B70 9LD
  2. West Midlands Regional Research and Development, Birmingham B16 9PA
  3. Institute of Public and Environmental Health, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT
  4. Social Science Research Unit, Institute of Education, London WC1H 0NR

    EDITOR—We welcome the application of systematic reviews to the analysis of effective, healthy public policy.1 In the West Midlands we have applied Campbell principles through a public health research forum over the past two years. We have refined a shortlist of public policy interventions in education, criminal justice, and health fields through a series of in-depth reviews of evidence. We believe that these should be implemented systematically: if they were drugs it would be unethical not to use them.

    Strong and consistent evidence was found for preschool interventions and family support for families with children at risk of school failure.2 In Sandwell this has led to the implementation of a programme of training for nursery nurses and teachers, health visitors, and social workers funded through the Sandwell health action zone. Strong evidence was also found for a range of interventions for children with mild to moderate behavioural problems and their families. Cognitive behavioural …

    View Full Text

    Log in

    Log in through your institution

    Subscribe

    * For online subscription