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Annex 8 Dissemination and learning
The National Heart Health Learning Network (
HHLN) based at
NHS Health Scotland is allied to Have a
Heart Paisley and has two key strands of work:
Strand 1. Dissemination of learning from the
national demonstration project Have a Heart Paisley
(
HaHP).
An internal Dissemination Group (containing
representatives from
HaHP Management and Evaluation teams and
the Heart Health Learning Network) steers this strand of
the work. The group identifies key outputs and lessons
emerging from the project, and coordinates the national
dissemination of these through a variety of mechanisms.
These include:
- HaHP library of outputs. This
collates all of the various outputs from the project.
To date this includes 71 reports, 13 peer reviewed
journal papers, 61 peer reviewed abstracts, 20
presentations, 2 external learning days (deaf
connections and "from the heart"), 43 posters, 6
videos, 3 annual reports and 1 national
newsletter.
- HHLN website. The
HaHP section of the site allows the
user to access all of the outputs given above. In
addition, it contains "learning templates" that
summarise the key lessons from each of the various
project strands and the "cross-cutting" project wide
lessons. Plans for Phase 2 are also available through
the site.
- A database of over 1000 individuals and
organisations. The database is routinely sent
information relevant to
HaHP and heart health.
The above activities will continue into 2005/2006 and
will be updated accordingly. They will also be augmented by
the provision of up to six project hosted "Learning Days".
Each learning day will consist of presentations by
HaHP staff and where relevant its users
and will combine site visits with more formal
presentations. The days will cover all elements of the
project from its commissioning, evaluation and methodology
and will combine lessons from Phase 1 with plans and
emerging lessons from Phase 2. A "menu" of programmes will
be developed, reflecting the projects diversity.
The
HHLN is also in the process of
commissioning a
DVD that will tell the story of the
first phase of the project. It will be split into relevant
chapters (corresponding to the projects programmes of work)
and will combine formal evaluation lessons with softer user
experiences.
Strand 2 - Combining learning from
HaHP with other local, national
and international evidence to inform future Heart
Health research, policy and practice in
Scotland
An Executive Group, containing representation from a
variety of relevant groups and organisations drives this
strand of work. It was agreed that the focus of the second
strand should be Heart Health primary and secondary
prevention through behaviour and lifestyle modification at
both an individual and population level. The specific
interest therefore lies in public health / health
improvement activity rather than clinical intervention.
The Executive Group agreed that an important role of the
network was to support the local production of primary
prevention strategies, recommended in the recent
CHD and Stroke Strategy for
Scotland. The group initially identified three Heart
Health risk factor areas that it deemed were priorities for
primary prevention. These were smoking, inactivity and poor
diet. Three Expert Groups were formed (one for each topic)
to review the evidence, identify areas of current practice
in Scotland and make recommendations for action at a local
level. The expert groups drew on the experience and
expertise of academics, policy makers and practitioners and
produced 37 physical activity recommendations, 20 smoking
recommendations and 16 diet and nutrition recommendations.
For each recommendation, a summary of the evidence was
presented together with any relevant local or national
policy and examples of current practice in Scotland. The
recommendations were circulated nationally for consultation
before being presented at the national Heart Health
conference in March 2004 through ten topic-based workshops.
Conference participants were able to volunteer for a
particular workshop, based on their experience and
interests. The workshops explored barriers and subsequent
levers for each of the recommendations.
The recommendations and their associated barriers and
levers and mapping of current policy and practice have been
collated in a central resource and are available on the
Heart Health website. They will be published and circulated
to
HHLN in May 2005.
In 2005/2006 the relevant section of the
HHLN website will be expanded. It will
focus on primary prevention (although it will overlap with
secondary prevention) and will be split into a high-risk
section and a population-risk section. For each section, up
to date evidence (and where relevant examples of practice)
will be presented / signposted demonstrating how to reduce
overall risk. The website will be updated regularly to take
account of new/emerging evidence, policy and practice.
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