WCPT, as part of its programme of work on evidence based practice, has committed to further the development, endorsement and accessibility of clinical guidelines.
| Clinical guidelines are systematically developed statements which help the practitioner and patient make decisions about appropriate health care in specific circumstances (Field & Lohr, 1992) |
On this page you will find the following information:
WCPT publications
WCPT discussion forum
Databases of clinical guidelines
Clinical guidelines development methodology
Critical appraisal of clinical guidelines
International network
International clinical guidelines programmes
Further reading
WCPT Publications
WCPT has produced two Keynotes papers on clinical guidelines
- An introduction
- Developing the guidelines
Further Keynotes will look at practical experiences with using clinical guidelines.
WCPT Discussion Forum
WCPT has a discussion forum on evidence based practice and clinical guidelines is one of the topic areas. You can view messages, but will need to sign up if you want to post a message. This is a great way of sharing information, learning through peer support and building collaboration.
Databases of Clinical Guidelines
On our databases page you will find a number of links to relevant databases.
PEDro is a valuable source of physical therapy relevant guidelines. In the search options you can select “practice guidelines” under method.
Clinical Guidelines Development Methodology
GRADE - The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (short GRADE) Working Group began in the year 2000 as an informal collaboration of people with an interest in addressing the shortcomings of present grading systems in health care. The working group has developed a common, sensible and transparent approach to grading quality of evidence and strength of recommendations. Many international organizations have provided input into the development of the approach and have started using it. Information also available in español , français , deutsch , italiano , polski
National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (UK) clinical guidelines methodology resources
World Health Organization guidelines for developing guidelines
Critical Appraisal of Clinical Guidelines
AGREE instrument
Tool for assessing the quality of clinical guidelines.
AGREE stands for "Appraisal of Guidelines Research and Evaluation". It originates from an international collaboration of researchers and policy makers who work together to improve the quality and effectiveness of clinical practice guidelines by establishing a shared framework for their development, reporting and assessment.
AGREE Research Trust
This is the home of all resources concerning the AGREE Instrument and activities related to it.
The AGREE Research Trust (ART) was established in July 2004 to facilitate the distribution, maintenance and improvement of the AGREE Instrument and to encourage its development through collaborative research projects.
You can access the AGREE Instrument in 17 langauges, including French, Spanish, Portugese, Dutch, Finnish and Norweigan. Click here to access the translations.
International Network
G-I-N - The Guidelines International Network is an international not-for-profit association of organisations and individuals involved in clinical practice guidelines.
Founded in November 2002, G-I-N has grown to 67 organisational members and partners representing 34 countries from North and South America, Asia, Europe and Oceania - plus WHO.
G-I-N seeks to improve the quality of health care by promoting systematic development of clinical practice guidelines and their application into practice, through supporting international collaboration.
G-I-N's Guideline Library contains regularly-updated information about guidelines of the G-I-N membership. In March 2006 more than 3,300 documents are available.
Forthcoming Events
International Clinical Guidelines Programmes
Shekelle PG, Woolf SH, Eccles M, Grimshaw J. Developing guidelines. BMJ 1999;(318):593-6.
CBO. Evidence-based richtlijnontwikkeling. Handleiding voor werkgroepleden. Utrecht: Kwaliteitsinstituut voor de gezondheidszorg CBO; 2005. http://www.cbo.nl/
NHMRC. A guide to the development, implementation and evaluation of clinical practice guidelines. Canberra: National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC); 1998. http://www.health.gov.au/nhmrc
NICE. Guideline development methods: Information for National Collaborating Centres and Guideline Development Groups. London: National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE); 2004. http://www.nice.org.uk/
NZGG. Handbook for the preparation of explicit evidence-based clinical practice guidelines. The Terrace: New Zealand Guidelines Group (NZGG); 2003. http://www.nzgg.org.nz/
SIGN. SIGN 50 - A guidelines developers' handbook. Edinburgh: Scottish Intercollegiate
Guidelines Network (SIGN); 2004. http://www.sign.ac.uk/
CSP. Guidance for developing guidelines. London: Chartered Society for Physiotherapy (CSP); 2003. http://www.csp.org.uk/
Hendriks HJM, Ettekoven van H, Reitsma ER, Verhoeven ALJ, Wees PhJ van der. Methode voor centrale richtlijnontwikkeling en implementatie in de fysiotherapie. Amersfoort: Koninklijk Nederlands Genootschap voor Fysiotherapie (KNGF); 1998. http://www.kngf.nl/
Further Reading
Field MJ, Lohr KN (1992). Guidelines for clinical practice: from development to use. National Academy Press, Washington DC.
You can read this book free on-line at: http://fermat.nap.edu/books/0309045894/html/index.html
Field MJ (Editor) (1995) Setting Priorities for Clinical Practice Guidelines. National Academy Press, Washington DC.
You can read this book free on- line at: http://fermat.nap.edu/books/0309052475/html/index.html
Van der Wees PJ, Mead J. Framework for clinical guideline development. Brussels: European Region of World Confederation for Physical Therapy; 2004. http://www.physio-europe.org/
The British Medical Journal BMJ has collected series of papers including one on Guidelines
