Reducing duplication: an example of collaboration between guideline developers and Cochrane Collaborative Review Groups

Article type
Authors
Parnham J, Coren E, MacLehose H
Abstract
Background: The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is an independent organisation that is part of the NHS. Seven National Collaborating Centres (NCCs) are commissioned by NICE to develop clinical guidelines for the NHS in England and Wales. In writing guidelines, the NCCs seek to answer evidence-based clinical questions about specific diseases or conditions. Many of the questions are the subject of completed Cochrane reviews or ongoing protocols. Guideline development includes up-to-date literature searches, critical appraisal (undertaken by one author), and construction of evidence tables for included studies and systematic reviews. Hence there is some overlap between the work of the NCCs and particular Cochrane Collaborative Review Groups (CRGs) in relation to certain questions. This potentially represents duplication of effort. Collaboration might enable reduction of such duplication.

Objectives: To explore areas of potential collaboration between the National Collaborating Centre for Chronic Conditions (NCC-CC) and CRGs.
Methods: Representatives from the NCC-CC, Cochrane Infectious Diseases Group, and the UK Cochrane Centre will meet to explore the possibility of collaboration around two main areas:

1. The NCC-CC may identify Cochrane protocols during the guideline development process for which the guideline subsequently answers the same question.
2. The NCC-CC may also conduct a recent search for some Cochrane reviews identified during the guideline process. Trials newly identified by the NCC-CC would contribute to updating the Cochrane review.
In order to reduce duplication of effort the NCC-CC could make the literature searches, critical appraisal, and evidence tables available to relevant CRG for both area 1 and 2 above.

Results: We will present examples of different ways that NCC-CC and CRGs can collaborate, with particular reference to a pilot collaboration between the National Collaborating Centre for Chronic Conditions (NCC-CC) and the Cochrane Infectious Diseases Group on protocols and reviews on the prevention and management of tuberculosis. Following the pilot, consideration can then be given to whether such a model can be rolled out across other CRGs and NCCs.