The Bridge Building Model: connecting evidence-based practice, evidence-based research, public involvement and needs led research

Abstract

This paper describes a model that combines different concepts in healthcare research that the authors suggest belong together. The concepts are; Evidence Based Practice, where healthcare is based on the best research evidence, Evidence Based Research, where new research is developed in the context of what research already exists, public involvement in research, where service users, carers and health and social care professionals engage with research, and Needs Led Research, where new research addresses the needs of people that use healthcare services. Combining these important approaches in our model is new and we argue for and show a way of working that ‘builds bridges’ between health and social care needs, healthcare practice and research. The Bridge Building Model has been developed by a team of research and public involvement specialists, with a variety of backgrounds in health and social care research. These include education, healthcare leadership using evidence in healthcare and research funding.