What were the most popular Cochrane Reviews of 2018? Find out in a Special Collection, now available on the Cochrane Library, which showcases some of the best work from Cochrane contributors worldwide. All of the included reviews are freely available for one month via the Cochrane Library website.

Monday, March 4, 2019

What were the most popular Cochrane Reviews of 2017? Find out in a Special Collection, now available on the Cochrane Library, which showcases some of the best work from Cochrane contributors worldwide. All of the included reviews are freely available via the Cochrane Library website.

Monday, February 5, 2018

Specifications:                               Full Time
Salary:                                                 Competitive
Location:                                           London
Application Closing Date:        18 February 2018

This role is an exciting opportunity to join Cochrane’s Senior Management Team as Head of our Knowledge Translation Department to make a difference in the field of health care decision-making worldwide. 

Cochrane is a global, independent network of health practitioners, researchers, patient advocates, and others, responding to the challenge of making vast amounts of research evidence useful for informing decisions about health. We do this by synthesizing research findings to produce the best available evidence on what can work, what might harm, and where more research is needed. Our work is recognized as the international gold standard for high-quality, trusted information.

This is a newly-created post offering the opportunity to lead Cochrane’s organizational implementation of its new Knowledge Translation (KT) Framework and Strategy, which seeks to maximize the dissemination, use, and impact of Cochrane evidence.  The Head of Knowledge Translation will manage the Central Executive Team’s own KT work, including the production of KT outputs (external and internal communications, dissemination, media outreach, multi-lingual strategies, brand marketing, and events); and facilitate and support the development of KT partnerships, ensuring that they are provided in an effective and efficient manner to support Cochrane’s strategic aims and operational activities. 

We are looking for a self-motivated and highly organized individual able to work effectively and collaboratively with a diverse range of contacts across the world. The successful candidate will also have:

• Significant leadership experience of working within a senior management team and in a similar role.
• An excellent understanding of Knowledge Translation approaches and methodology, particularly in relation to health/policy/science.
• An excellent understanding of communications and external affairs, particularly in relation to health/policy/science.
• Demonstrable experience of leadership and vision in designing, leading, and managing major knowledge management, communications, or external relations projects or initiatives, including online.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills (both verbal and written), and a collaborative management style.
• Demonstrable experience of change management, project management, and performance management, preferably with geographically-dispersed and multi-functional teams.
• Experience working with international cross-cultural teams and in languages other than English.
• Experience in developing communication and branding strategies and implementing them.
• Self-motivated and results-oriented, with excellent organization and time management skills, including the ability to work to deadlines and flexible hours as needed.
• Ability to travel internationally (approximately 3-4 times per year).

The majority of Cochrane Central Executive staff are located in London, UK; however, a flexible location would be possible for the right candidate.

If you would like to apply for this position, please send a CV along with a supporting statement to recruitment@cochrane.org with “Head of Knowledge Translation” in the subject line.  The supporting statement should indicate why you are applying for the post, and how far you meet the requirements for the post outlined in the job description, using specific examples.  List your experience, achievements, knowledge, personal qualities, and skills which you feel are relevant to the post.

For further information, please download the full job description.Deadline for applications: 18 February 2018 (12 midnight GMT)Interviews to be held on: Monday 26 February 2018 Thursday, February 1, 2018 Category: Jobs

Specifications:                               Full Time
Salary:                                                 Competitive
Location:                                           London (preferred)
Application closing date:         20 February 2018

This role is an exciting opportunity to join Cochrane’s Senior Management Team as Head of our Membership, Learning & Support Services Department to make a difference in the field of healthcare decision-making worldwide. 

Cochrane is a global, independent network of health practitioners, researchers, patient advocates and others, responding to the challenge of making vast amounts of research evidence useful for informing decisions about health. We do this by synthesizing research findings to produce the best available evidence on what can work, what might harm and where more research is needed. Our work is recognized as the international gold standard for high-quality, trusted information.

The Head of Membership, Learning & Support will lead their department in providing outstanding and inclusive learning and support programmes that enhance the skills, knowledge, and experience of Cochrane’s current and potential members and supporters, promoting high-quality participation in activities supporting the organization’s strategic mission and goals. The department will do this by leading and managing a contribution-based membership system; by coordinating, developing, and delivering learning programmes; and by providing first-class support so that Cochrane contributors always get the help they need.

We are looking for a self-motivated and highly organized individual able to work effectively and collaboratively with a diverse range of contacts across the world. The successful candidate will also have:

• Significant leadership experience of working within a senior management team and in a similar role.
• A Master’s Degree or higher in a health, education, or research-related discipline (or equivalent experience).
• Experience demonstrating leadership and vision in designing and managing complex learning or development programmes and collaborating with multiple stakeholder groups.
• An excellent understanding of systematic review methods, preferably Cochrane systematic reviews.
• A strong understanding of Cochrane structures and processes, and a commitment to Cochrane’s mission and values.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills (both verbal and written), including experience in working with people from a variety of cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
• Experience in managing a team, preferably in working remotely with geographically dispersed team members and stakeholder contributors, and a collaborative management style.
• Excellent skills and experience in strategic planning, project management, and prioritization.

The majority of Cochrane Central Executive staff are located in London, UK; however a flexible location would be possible for the right candidate.

If you would like to apply for this position, please send a CV along with a supporting statement to recruitment@cochrane.org with “Head of Membership, Learning & Support Services” in the subject line.  The supporting statement should indicate why you are applying for the post, and how far you meet the requirements for the post outlined in the job description, using specific examples.  List your experience, achievements, knowledge, personal qualities, and skills which you feel are relevant to the post.

For further information, please download the full job description.Deadline for applications: 20 February 2018 (12 midnight GMT)Interviews to be held on:  date TBC Thursday, February 1, 2018 Category: Jobs

Three Cochrane Reviews have been newly updated to incorporate the latest available evidence on vaccines for the prevention of influenza. These reviews, which focus on the prevention of influenza in healthy adults, healthy children, and in the elderly, form a long-running series by the same author team, and are available in full on the Cochrane Library:

Vaccines for preventing influenza in healthy adults

Vaccines for preventing influenza in healthy children

Vaccines for preventing influenza in the elderly

With this latest round of updates, the authors and the Acute Respiratory Infections Group editorial team have made some key decisions regarding the stability of the accumulated evidence and criteria which will guide further progress on updating. The authors have outlined their perspectives on the reviews to date, and the larger evidence picture, in a companion piece on the Cochrane Blog:

Why have three long-running Cochrane Reviews on influenza vaccines been stabilised?  

Thursday, February 1, 2018

While we’re almost at the end of January already, it is still well worth reflecting on Cochrane’s achievements in 2017 and what lies ahead for the organization. 2018 promises to be another exciting year of transformation and change as we increase still further our capacity to produce and disseminate high-quality evidence to impact health decision making around the world.

We can be enormously proud of our achievements in 2017. Use of Cochrane’s evidence from our organizational website, Cochrane.org, continued its phenomenal growth, with visits rising by another 49% to 15 million (from 10 million in 2016 and 5.7 million in 2015), peaking in Quarter 4 at 4.24 million indicating that further growth will be seen in 2018. Total demand for evidence from the Cochrane Library was up by 11.8%, with pdf downloads of Cochrane Reviews up by 23% from 2016. Review production again fell slightly (to 406 Reviews, 321 Updates and 426 Protocols) but analysis showed continued improvements in the quality and timeliness of priority titles and our new Rapid Review pilot was very successful. Of the ten 2017 strategic targets we set for ourselves over 12 months ago, nine were achieved – with only the launching of the new Enhanced Cochrane Library platform delayed until the end of March. We are seeing demonstrable success, therefore, in achieving our fundamental goals and in delivering our ambitious Strategy to 2020. I hope you can see and appreciate these changes; and there were many highlights in 2017 reflecting the transformation of Cochrane that is taking place.

Cochrane South Africa hosted the first ever Global Evidence Summit in September, which was a huge success attended by more than 1,300 people from 75 countries, marking the first time that Cochrane joined forces with multiple partner organizations to create a premiere event in evidence-based policy. Cochrane’s new membership scheme was launched, which will help us attract new supporters and members with a wider range of experience and skills into our work, allow us to recognize their contributions, and sustain and expand our global activities. New Centres and Affiliates were established extending Cochrane’s geographic reach and influence to new countries and regions. At the Global Evidence Summit, we held our first Annual General Meeting (AGM) under Cochrane’s new Articles of Association, with every member entitled to one vote, and led by our new-look Governing Board. At the AGM members of the community provided their own perspectives on what will define a successful Strategy to 2020. I encourage you to watch the wonderful video series from that event if you were not there in person, including the flagship presentation on success in 2017. 

In the same month the first phase of Cochrane Interactive Learning was launched, providing over 10 hours of self-directed learning on the complete systematic review process for both new and experienced review authors. The Governing Board approved the implementation plan for Cochrane’s new Knowledge Translation framework, with the aim of making Cochrane’s evidence more relevant and accessible to, and used by, users. And of course, the Cochrane Review Group Transformation Programme, perhaps Strategy to 2020’s most important change initiative, began its implementation phase, with eight new CRG Networks being launched later this month. The establishment and development of the CRG Networks will remain an important focus for the organization in 2018 and will feature prominently at the strategic session of Cochrane’s Governance Meetings in Lisbon in April. For those Cochrane members planning to attend, please make sure you sign-up to these meetings by 4 March 2018.

A full 2017 Annual Report and Dashboard of progress against our Strategy to 2020 targets last year will be released within the coming weeks. Against this background of organizational success, I wanted to remind you that you have the opportunity to celebrate individual achievement by nominating a colleague for the Chris Silagy Prize, which recognizes those who make an extraordinary contribution to Cochrane.

Looking ahead to 2018, I am delighted to let you know that the Governing Board has approved five Strategy to 2020 Targets this year. Together the Central Executive Team and Cochrane community will:

1. Form eight new Cochrane Review Group Networks, and begin implementation of Network plans and improved ways of working together.
2. Complete the new standardized technology workflow for Cochrane Review production.
3. Agree Cochrane’s future priority review types, methods and data sources through the development of a ‘content strategy’, and begin associated implementation activities.
4. Deliver more features and enhancements of the Cochrane Library after its re-launch.
5. Build capacity and engagement in Knowledge Translation activities across the organization.

You can read more about how the Targets will be delivered and access the supporting Plan & Budget for 2018 on the Cochrane Community website. We are three years away from the end of Strategy to 2020 and looking forward at what else we still need to do to achieve all of the defined measures of success that we have set for ourselves. We are introducing on 5th February a new look Central Executive Team structure that we think will better help Cochrane’s members and supporters meet those objectives in the coming years, and the exciting changes establish two new Departments focusing on Knowledge Translation, and Membership, Learning & Support. More details on the changes will be available soon.

Let me end by thanking, once again, all Cochrane collaborators for their contributions to our work over the last twelve months, and in the coming year. We are hugely grateful for your enthusiasm and willingness to change and adapt to new ways of working to make Cochrane’s evidence meet the needs of millions more patients, carers, clinicians, policymakers, researchers and others in 2018 and beyond.

With my very best wishes,

Mark

Mark G. Wilson
Chief Executive Officer

Friday, January 26, 2018

Cochrane is delighted to announce the establishment of a new Cochrane Fertility Regulation Group based in Oregon.

The Cochrane Fertility Regulation Group was originally registered in 1997 but was led by Frans and Anja Helmerhorst until their recent retirement in 2016. Since then the Group has been under the care of Cochrane Gynaecology and Fertility. The new group will join the family of 52 Cochrane Review Groups, each of whom is responsible for supporting the preparation and maintenance of systematic reviews in a specific area of health research. The Group will produce systematic reviews on interventions in fertility regulation.

Professor Jeanne-Marie Guise has been appointed as the Group’s new Coordinating Editor. Professor Guise commented: “I am delighted to be appointed to the role of Coordinating Editor of the Fertility Regulation Group. I look forward to working with health researchers, practitioners and Cochrane authors in making a contribution to producing evidence in gynaecology and fertility.”

Cochrane’s Editor in Chief, David Tovey, also welcomed the news: “We are proud to officially welcome new leadership for the Fertility Regulation Group in Jeanne-Marie Guise. The Group’s scope fits perfectly with Cochrane’s mission of promoting evidence-based medicine for health decision-making across the world.”

• Find out more about the Fertility Regulation Group

Friday, January 26, 2018

Cochrane Gynaecology and Fertility Group in Auckland, New Zealand in collaboration with the Academic Medical Center of the University of Amsterdam, has established a new Cochrane Gynaecology and Fertility satellite. The satellite will start off with gathering, evaluating, and disseminating reviews on the effectiveness and safety of interventions in subfertile women undergoing intrauterine insemination and in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.  

The Netherlands Satellite is under the direction of Dr Madelon van Wely, who is a clinical epidemiologist and a long-serving editor with Cochrane Gynaecology and Fertility. Dr Elena Kostova will act as the managing editor. The satellite office is based in the Center for Reproductive Medicine of the Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam.

 

Cochrane Gynaecology and Fertility Satellite in the Netherlands; Dr Madelon van Wely and Dr Elena Kostova (right to left).

The Editorial Team behind the satellite includes Madelon van Wely (Co-ordinating Editor),  Selma Mourad (gynaecologist, editor of this Cochrane group and author of several reviews), Sebastiaan Mastenbroek (clinical embryologist, editor of this Cochrane group and author of several reviews), Jack Wilkinson (statistician, statistical editor of this Cochrane group, and author of several Cochrane reviews) and Elena Kostova (Managing editor) who is in charge of the editorial development and daily function of the satellite.

The group behind the satellite has been very active within Cochrane for the last 15 years and has contributed to many Cochrane Reviews.

“I am delighted to welcome the new Netherlands Satellite," said Professor Cindy Farquhar, Co-ordinating Editor of Cochrane Gynaecology and Fertility. "I am delighted with this new addition to the group. I am sure it will make a big contribution to moving along our priorities in gynaecology and fertility.”.  Professor Sjoerd Repping, head of the Center for Reproductive Medicine in Amsterdam, adds. “We are proud and honoured to host the Cochrane Satellite in Amsterdam. It fits perfectly with our long-standing efforts in promoting evidence-based medicine.”

• Visit the Cochrane Gynaecology and Fertility website

Thursday, January 25, 2018

Salary: £25,000 - £30,000 dependant on experience
Location: London, UK
Position: Permanent, full time
Application Closing Date: 9 Feb 2018

Cochrane is a global independent network of health practitioners, researchers, patient advocates and others, responding to the challenge of making the vast amounts of evidence generated through research useful for informing decisions about health. We do this by identifying, appraising and synthesizing individual research findings to produce the best available evidence on what can work, what might harm and where more research is needed.

Our work is recognised as the international gold standard for high quality, trusted information. We want to be the leading advocate for evidence-informed health care across the world.

The Knowledge Translation Co-ordinator will lead on the administrative support of Cochrane’s new Knowledge Translations (KT) department, which seeks to maximize the dissemination, use and impact of Cochrane evidence.

The successful applicant will work administratively within a range of project areas including support to co-ordination of KT activities across Cochrane, external and internal communications, dissemination, media outreach, multi-lingual strategies, brand marketing and events.

Key Tasks:

• Planning and administrative support for the implementation of Cochrane’s Knowledge Translation Framework including the co-ordination of the KT working groups meetings and project plans.
• Internal and external communications planning support.
• Provide administrative support to Cochrane’s multi-lingual activities aligned with Cochrane’s Translation strategy.
• Administrative support to Cochrane’s brand communications and annual events, including our Colloquia.
• Provide administrative support to Cochrane Fields in line with departmental priorities and coordination.
• Responsibility for departmental logistics including team meetings and diary management.
• Working with all members of our Knowledge Translations department to ensure smooth day-to-day running of our operational systems and processes.

If you would like to apply for this position, please send a CV along with a supporting statement with “Knowledge Translation Co-Ordinator” in the subject line to recuitment@cochrane.org.  The supporting statement should indicate why you are applying for the post, and how far you meet the requirements for the post outlined in the job description using specific examples.  List your experience, achievements, knowledge, personal qualities and skills which you feel are relevant to the post. Please apply before 9 Feb, 2018.

 For further information, please download the full job desciption. Tuesday, January 23, 2018 Category: Jobs

Cochrane Germany is delighted to announce the official launch of a new Foundation securing the future of using high-quality information to promote health decision-making in Germany.

Today sees the opening ceremony of the Cochrane Germany Foundation, (Cochrane Deutschland Stiftung, CDS), which was established in November 2017 by the Medical Center at the University of Freiburg.

The Cochrane Germany Foundation is an exciting collaboration between Cochrane Germany, The Medical Center at the University of Freiburg and the Federal Ministry of Health which will secure future institutional funding for Cochrane’s work for at least the next ten years, and is one of its kind world-wide.

The Cochrane Germany Foundation will promote evidence-based health decision making by supporting and training new authors of Cochrane Reviews, as well as working with clinicians, professional associations, policy-makers, patients, and the media to encourage the dissemination and use of Cochrane evidence.

The Foundation is part of Cochrane, a global independent network of researchers, professionals, patients, carers, and people interested in health. Cochrane works with collaborators from more than 130 countries and in 14 languages to produce credible, accessible health information that is free from commercial sponsorship and other conflicts of interest.  Cochrane’s work is recognized as representing an international gold standard for high quality, trusted information.

Speaking last November, Germany’s Minster of Health, Hermann Gröhe said: “We need independent research, evaluating and updating the evidence regularly and by this means delivering reliable information for the best treatments. Thus, I committed myself that the German Federation is finally able to fund Cochrane in Germany sustainably through the Cochrane Germany foundation.”

The Foundation’s Interim Scientific Director, Professor Gerd Antes, says this is a hugely exciting opportunity: “The launch of the Cochrane Germany Foundation is very important. Producing and increasing the dissemination of the best available information on health care is critical for clinicians and patients everywhere in the world.”

Cochrane’s CEO Mark Wilson, attending today’s official opening ceremony, commented: “I am delighted to welcome the establishment of the Cochrane Germany Foundation, and this innovative new partnership between Cochrane, the German Federal Ministry of Health and the Medical Center of the University of Freiburg. Thanks to the generous funding and support of the Ministry and the University, Cochrane Germany’s work will increase the production, accessibility and use of the highest quality health evidence in Germany, promoting better health decision-making by patients, clinicians and decision-makers and improving the health outcomes for millions of people across the country.”

• Visit the Cochrane Germany Website; in English or German.

Tuesday, January 23, 2018

The 25th annual Cochrane Colloquium, to be held in Edinburgh 16-18 September, has now been officially granted ‘Patients Included’ status, appearing on the official list of ‘Patients Included’ accredited conferences.

The Patients Included conference charter provides conference organisers with ‘a means of demonstrating that their events are committed to incorporating the experience of patients as experts in living with their condition while ensuring they are neither excluded nor exploited’. Conference organizers must demonstrate that they are able to fulfil 5 criteria in order to be recognized as a ‘Patients Included’ event.

You can read about these criteria, and the steps being taken to meet them, on the Colloquium website.

Further details on how patients, carers and other healthcare consumers have been helping to shape the event so far can be found here:

• Cochrane for all: making our conference a Patients Included event
• What’s in a name? Patients, people and the power of words
• In with the new! Cochrane For All: the patients’ view

Further information

To keep up to date with plans for the Cochrane Colloquium Edinburgh, please visit colloquium.cochrane.org and follow on Twitter: @CochraneUK and #Cochraneforall.

Registration is scheduled to open in mid-February 2018, and the call for abstracts and workshops is now open.  We ask that all abstracts consider their impact on, and relevance to, patients and other healthcare consumers. We particularly welcome abstracts that are co-designed, co-produced and/or co-presented with patients or other healthcare consumers.

• Website: colloquium.cochrane.org
• Twitter: @CochraneUK #cochraneforall
• Facebook: facebook.com/CochraneUK
• Sign up for the newsletter

Wednesday, January 17, 2018

Specifications: Availability for the equivalent of one half day per week (0.1 FTE)
Salary: Around £8,000 or equivalent per annum
Location: Unlimited
Application Closing Date: 20th  Jan 2018

Context

As part of its Transformation Project, we are creating a new Editorial Board for the Cochrane Library. The Editorial Board will be responsible for developing and monitoring editorial and content strategy for the Library, and monitoring the performance of the Cochrane Library, in support of the Editor in Chief and his team.  We are now seeking an experienced methodologist to join the Board, to provide specialist guidance and support to the Board.

The Board will also include:

• Senior Editors leading the eight new Networks of Cochrane Review Groups (CRGs)
• Professor Sally Green representing and providing support for knowledge translation activities
• A representative of the decision maker or evidence user community (to be appointed)

Accountability and Responsibility

The Editorial Board will be accountable to Cochrane’s Editor in Chief (EiC). It will be responsible for supporting the EiC and overseeing development and implementation of an editorial strategy, the review production process for Cochrane Reviews, and monitoring the performance of the Cochrane Library.

The Senior Methods Adviser  role on the Editorial Board will include the following:

• Providing guidance to the Board on methodological issues, and advocating for methods that will guide evidence informed decision making
• Providing a communication bridge between the Board and the methods community, including the Methods Co-ordinator, Scientific Committee, Methods Executive and Groups
• Providing guidance to the Editor in Chief, CEU team and Methods Co-ordinator on methodological issues
• Leadership role as Executive Editor for the proposed Methods Supplement for the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
• Contributing to the development and implementation of a content strategy in respect of innovative and novel methods
• Supporting measures aimed at driving up quality, and overseeing monitoring functions that seek to hold contributors, groups and central executive teams to account. 
• Providing critique and solutions to continuously improve the experience for Library users.
• Contributing to the development of Key Performance Iindcators for the Cochrane Library, particularly in respect of methods innovation

Person specification

The Senior Methods Adviser on the Editorial Board will possess the seniority and experience that enables her or him to fulfil the role as described above, and to be a credible leader within the methods community.

Essential characteristics include:

• Leadership in the Cochrane methods community e.g. past or current convenor of a Cochrane Methods Group
• Experience of having led and published methodological research
• Educated to Doctorate level with a relevant qualification in research synthesis methods.
• Experience with the conduct and editing of Cochrane Reviews, and in depth, familiarity with both the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions and Cochrane’s MECIR Standards.
• Broad and deep understanding of current and emerging evidence synthesis methods
• Involvement in the Cochrane Review production process, as a review author and peer reviewer
• Critical thinking, creativity and problem solving
• Strong communication and influencing skills
• Strong commitment to Cochrane’s Strategy and Mission
• Management and supervisory experience, and the ability to work with people dispersed geographically.
• Capacity to devote the equivalent of one half day per week and to attend bi-monthly meetings of the Editorial Board via teleconference and in person as appropriate

Desirable attributes:

• Past or present experience of editing high quality systematic reviews
• Experience and expertise in developing strategy
• Experience of remote and distance working and management

Resources

The Senior Methods Adviser will receive an honorarium of 8000 GBP for the equivalent of at least one half day per week of activity.

Term of appointment

The Senior Methods Adviser will be appointed in early 2018. He or she will serve as a member of Cochrane’s Editorial Board for a period of three years, renewable for a further three years.

The successful candidate will be required to complete a conflict of interest disclosure.

Recruitment process

The Editorial Board is likely to function primarily as a virtual body, so that geographical location is not a barrier to appointment. We welcome applications from individuals based anywhere in the world.

The appointment process will consider the need for all aspects of diversity, including those of gender, age, experience, language and geographical location within the membership of the Editorial Board. Cochrane’s Editor in Chief aims to appoint a balanced Editorial Board that includes a wide range of content and methodological expertise.

We are open to job share applications that describe how the functions will be divided, and how continuity will be achieved.

All applications will be reviewed by the Editor in Chief, the Deputy Editor in Chief, and the Sustainability Project Team, who will jointly make the appointments.

To apply, please send a letter, Curriculum Vitae, and letter of support from your line manager in your primary role to recruitment@cochrane.org by Monday 20th January 2018.

Tuesday, January 16, 2018 Category: Jobs

An updated Cochrane Review, published in the Cochrane Library today, suggests that reminding people when their vaccinations are due or overdue increases the number of people being immunized.

Rates of immunization against infectious diseases in children and adults are improving, but under-vaccination remains a problem that results in vaccine-preventable deaths and illnesses. In Europe, 11,316 cases of measles were reported during 2012, and an estimated four to 50 million symptomatic cases of flu occur each year.

Reminders can be sent to patients, parents or guardians, or whole populations when vaccines are due, either because of age or other risk factors. Recalls are sent when vaccines are overdue. Reminders and recalls can be sent by letter, postcard, telephone call, computerized telephone call, or text message. They work by addressing the common reasons that immunizations may be missed, such as forgetting or missing appointments, not knowing immunization schedules, and having concerns about vaccinations. For reminders to be successful, vaccination records and contact information need to be accurate and up-to-date, the reminders need to be readable, and vaccination services need to be accessible.

A team of Cochrane researchers have updated a systematic review which summarizes the results of 75 studies from 10 countries including 55 studies involving 138, 625 children, adolescents and adults. Some studies contributed to more than one comparison in the review because they delivered interventions to more than one population of interest. There were 29 studies of reminders for routine immunizations in infants and children such as MMR and polio, 24 studies of influenza vaccination in adults, 12 studies of adolescent immunisations, 8 studies of routine immunizations in adults such as tetanus or hepatitis B, and 5 studies of influenza vaccination in children. Fifty-eight studies were performed in the US, the remainder were conducted in Australasia, Europe and Africa.

The studies looked at reminders sent by letter, telephone call, computerized telephone call, text message, or a combination of all these formats, and compared these with no reminders, media-based activities aimed at promoting immunizations, or simple general-practice-based immunization awareness campaigns.

The Cochrane researchers found that reminder and recall systems increase the number of children and adults receiving any kind of immunization. Reminding people that they have an upcoming vaccination probably increases the number of who receive vaccinations. Based on the results from combining studies in adults and children, about 8% more people received a vaccination following a reminder compared with no reminder. Similar results were found in children and adults when they were analysed separately. The researchers noted variation in the results of the studies and the difference in the effect of reminders could vary when used in different settings.

There is high quality evidence that postcards, text messages and computerized telephone calls are all effective methods for delivering reminders.

Lead Cochrane author, Julie Jacobson Vann from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Nursing commented: “The evidence shows that reminding people to have vaccinations increases the number of people who receive vaccinations. All types of patient reminder and recall are likely to be effective, and reminding people over the telephone was most effective. Even a small effect of patient reminders and recalls, when scaled to a whole population, could have a large beneficial effect on public health.

“We have the technology to incorporate patient reminders and recall into routine primary care. Reminder and recall systems need to be tailored to each health service setting to maximize their effectiveness, for example person-to-person telephone reminders are effective, but they may also be more costly than other methods.”

“As technologies develop we need to consider how they can enhance reminder and recall interventions. For example, we need to learn more about the characteristics of the most effective centralized and text message interventions.”

--END—

Full citation:

Jacobson Vann JC, Jacobson RM, Coyne-Beasley T, Asafu-Adjei JK, Szilagyi PG. Patient reminder and recall interventions to improve immunization rates. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2018, Issue 1. Art. No.: CD003941.
DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD003941.pub2.

Contact Information:

Julie C. Jacobson Vann
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
School of Nursing
CB # 7460
Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-7460
Email:  jvann@email.unc.edu

For further information, please contact:

Jo Anthony
Senior Media and Communications Officer, Cochrane
M +44(0) 7582 726 634 E janthony@cochrane.org or pressoffice@cochrane.org

About Cochrane

Cochrane is a global independent network of researchers, professionals, patients, carers, and people interested in health.
Cochrane produces reviews which study all of the best available evidence generated through research and make it easier to inform decisions about health. These are called systematic reviews.
Cochrane is a not-for profit organization with collaborators from more than 130 countries working together to produce credible, accessible health information that is free from commercial sponsorship and other conflicts of interest. Our work is recognized as representing an international gold standard for high quality, trusted information.

Find out more at cochrane.org
Follow us on twitter @cochranecollab

If you are a journalist or member of the press and wish to receive news alerts before their online publication or if you wish to arrange an interview with an author, please contact the Cochrane press office: pressoffice@cochrane.org

Thursday, January 18, 2018

Cochrane is creating vibrant and robust Networks of sustainable, nimble, and connected Cochrane Review Groups (CRGs) which will become the focus for the efficient and timely production of high quality systematic reviews that address the research questions that are most important to decision makers. The creation of the thematic Networks provides an exciting opportunity for Cochrane to support a new generation of senior leaders within the organization.

Following its Governing Board decision in September 2017 to approve the creation of new thematic Networks, Cochrane started a recruitment process to appoint eight high-performing Senior Editors to lead the Networks.

We are delighted to announce we have appointed Professor Lisa Bero as the Senior Editor for the Public Health and Health Services Network, and Dr Nicole Skoetz as the Senior Editor for the Cancer Network.

The recruitment process for Senior Editors has been extended and we are now actively recruiting for the following Networks:

• Acute and Emergency Care;
• Brain, Nerves and Mind;
• Children and Families;
• Circulation and Breathing; and
• Long-term Conditions and Ageing (that includes two distinct Networks).

At this stage, we welcome applications from experienced leaders within Cochrane, including those who are only able to make a commitment of one year in the first instance, in order to initiate the development of the Network.  

General Description

Senior Editors will support and co-ordinate a wide range of activities within the thematic Networks, assisted by an Associate Editor. They will be primarily responsible for ensuring review quality within their networks, will oversee prioritization and coverage assessment activities, and support innovation that leads to reviews that are better able to meet the needs of end users.

Key areas of Responsibility

Within their individual Network, working with CRG teams and the Associate Editor, the Senior Editor’s main responsibilities are both strategic and operational:

• To ensure that the reviews produced and published by the CRGs within the Network are of high quality and meet Cochrane’s standards.
• To identify gaps in scope and coverage based on (at least) the global burden of disease or potential for health impact, and to lead and support prioritization processes within the Network.
• To lead and support the identification of shared priorities within the Network.
• To support communication between the Network and Cochrane community.

In addition, the Senior Editors will provide an important function by liaising between the Network and the Editor in Chief (EiC), Cochrane Executive Team (CET), and Centres with respect to issues of training, technology, knowledge translation, and innovations in Cochrane Reviews. This aims to ensure that the Networks and CRG community have a strong voice in decisions taken about review production and knowledge translation issues.

Senior Editors will have a strategic leadership role in the Network; and through their membership of the newly created Editorial Board. They will contribute to developing and overseeing strategy, and also to the monitoring the performance of the Cochrane Library.

Each Senior Editor will be responsible for one Network.

Resources

The Senior Editors will receive funding from Cochrane to support their work – scaled at about one day per week of activity.

Senior Editors will be able to draw on support from the Associate Editor allocated to their Network, and from the proposed Methods Support Team. The CET will also seek internal and external opportunities for attracting resources for additional support to Networks.

Accountability

Senior Editors are accountable to Cochrane’s Editor in Chief. Upon their appointment, Senior Editors will form an important part of the newly established Editorial Board for the Cochrane Library, along with colleagues representing methods, knowledge translation and end users. The Editorial Board will be responsible for supporting the Editor in Chief and overseeing development and implementation of editorial strategy, and in particular the review production process for Cochrane Reviews.

Person specification

Senior Editors should bring experience that enables them to fulfil the responsibilities of Networks and the Editorial Board, and expertise relevant to the operation of an organization such as Cochrane, operating as a not-for-profit charity in the research and publishing sectors.

Co-ordinating Editors are invited to apply for the role of Senior Editor, but they should step down from the role of Co-ordinating Editor during their term as Senior Editor. Where this is impossible to do immediately, they will be expected to have a joint Co-ordinating Editor, and demonstrate the means by which they will separate the roles to permit independent sign off of reviews produced within their CRG, to avoid the risk or perception of favouring their own CRG in their role as leader of the Network.

Senior Editors should also have substantial experience and expertise in key areas of review production and processes, and in addition should be able to work with:

• Sensitivity, openness and awareness of non-verbal communication
• Display critical thinking, creativity and strategic awareness
• An ability to identify potential problems and deal with risk
• Cross-cultural sensitivity and an awareness of issues of equity

Essential attributes:

• Leadership and strategy skills and experience
• Skills and knowledge in basic and advanced systematic review methods
• Recent experience of conducting and leading high-quality systematic reviews (Cochrane Reviews desirable)
• Advanced communication, influencing and negotiation skills
• Advanced problem solving and time management skills
• Strong commitment to Cochrane’s Strategy to 2020, the Transformation Programme, and the importance of high quality, relevant systematic reviews that impact on health care and policy
• Ability to support and lead innovation
• Ability to commit to providing availability for one day per week for at least a one-year period

Desirable attributes:

• Relevant content expertise
• Past or present experience of being a Co-ordinating Editor of a high performing CRG
• Past or present experience of editing systematic reviews

Term of appointment

Senior Editors will usually be appointed for a period of three years. At the end of three years, they will be eligible to stand for re-election.

Recruitment process

This position is open to anyone within Cochrane who meets the requirements described above. To apply, please send a letter outlining your suitability for the role, and a recent Curriculum Vitae. The closing date is Thursday 15th February 2018.

All applications will be reviewed by the Editor in Chief, the Deputy Editor in Chief, and the Sustainability Project Team, who will jointly make the appointments.

We invite job share applications that describe how the functions will be divided, and how continuity will be achieved.

The appointment process will consider the need for all aspects of diversity, including those of gender, age and experience, language and geographical location. We aim to appoint a balanced Editorial Board that includes Senior Editors who possess a wide range of content and methodological expertise.

Individuals who are interested in exploring this opportunity are encouraged to speak with David Tovey, Editor in Chief (dtovey@cochrane.org), or Karla Soares-Weiser, Deputy Editor in Chief (ksoares-weiser@cochrane.org).

To apply please submit your application including a covering letter, Curriculum Vitae, and letter of support to hrenquiries@cochrane.org by Thursday 15th February 2018.

 

Monday, January 15, 2018 Category: Jobs

Got a burning passion for health? Ready to make a difference? We’ve got you covered.

Join Cochrane Crowd, our partner platforms Mark2Cure and Stall Catchers and our collective global volunteer network for the CitSciMed Blitz. Together we can speed up medical research and make a difference.

Cochrane Crowd is Cochrane’s new citizen science platform. Our main focus is identifying studies that provide the best possible evidence of the effectiveness of a health treatment. Once identified by the Crowd the studies go into a central register where health researchers and practitioners can access them. The more studies identified by the Crowd, the more high-quality evidence is available to help health practitioners treat their clients. Watch this 2-minute video to learn more, and sign up to get started!

Mark2Cure is a citizen science platform that enables volunteers to help in the process of biomedical discovery. Volunteers extract information from biomedical abstracts in order to help researchers find clues on a rare disease known as NGLY1-deficiency. Take a look at the platform and sign up here.

Stall Catchers is a citizen science game speeding up Alzheimer’s research. In the game, you’re analyzing movies from a live mouse brain, and looking for signs of stalls - clogged blood vessels. By putting many eyes on the task, we can hope to find promising Alzheimer’s treatment targets in just a couple of years, instead of decades. Take a look at the platform and sign up here.

Importantly, no special knowledge is necessary to contribute to any of these platforms! Just a desire to help progress medical research and treatment.

• Read more about the challenges
• Follow Cochrane Crowd on Twitter

Monday, January 15, 2018

Cochrane Canada is the Canadian arm of Cochrane, an independent global network of over 30,000 healthcare practitioners, researchers, patient advocates and others, working to translate systematically reviewed evidence into useful information for health care decision making. The Managing Director is a high profile position for McMaster University. This role will represent McMaster in the global health sciences community and will be pivotal to advancing the aims of Cochrane Canada and, by extension, the global Cochrane network.

The Cochrane Canada Centre at McMaster will lead research on improving the systematic review process and the methodology of integrating different types of evidence and knowledge for optimal knowledge translation to health care and policy.

Specifically, as one of 17 Cochrane Regional Centres worldwide, the Cochrane Canada Centre at McMaster promotes evidence-based health care by:

• Acting as the central point of contact for Cochrane within Canada
• Promoting awareness, access and use of its main product, Cochrane Reviews
• Developing working relationships with relevant organizations, both governmental and non-governmental, in Canada to promote evidence-based health care
• Coordinating training activities across Canada on how to use and write systematic reviews
• Supporting Cochrane Review Groups located in Canada, and
• Implementing the findings of systematic reviews
• Leading research on integrating different types of evidence in evidence syntheses

Cochrane’s mission is to provide accessible, credible information to support informed decision-making in order to improve global health. The goal of interactions with stakeholders is to fulfill its mission.

Job Summary:

The position of Managing Director is responsible for the successful leadership and management of the Cochrane Canada Centre at McMaster based on the direction set by the Director. This leader has a Masters degree in Business, Health Research Methodology, Public Health or equivalent (PhD preferred) and thorough knowledge in health systems, political systems and international health agencies. Bilingualism (French & English) would be an asset.

The Managing Director requires a senior leader who can develop and execute the vision for strategic growth, champion the Centre on national and international platforms, act as a McMaster ambassador at global events to support the success of the Centre at McMaster. Furthermore, the Managing Director will also be responsible for supporting the development and oversight of large grants and fundraising efforts to secure future funding while taking primary responsibility for supervision of CCC staff, including maintenance of a positive work environment, performance appraisal, training, professional development, budget, recruitment, workload management and implementation of all relevant University HR policies and procedures.

The Managing Director, Cochrane Canada, requires a leader who has 5 - 10 years of senior program management experience and a proven track record of successful execution of multifaceted programs comprised of simultaneous, complex and often inter-dependent projects, in a research, knowledge-translation and/or healthcare environment. 

To learn more about this position, download the full job description.

To apply, find the job listing on McMaster University job board.

Thursday, January 11, 2018 Category: Jobs

Specifications: Full Time
Salary: Competitive
Location: London
Application Closing Date: 31st January 2018

Cochrane is a global independent network of health practitioners, researchers, patient advocates and others, responding to the challenge of making the vast amounts of evidence generated through research useful for informing decisions about health. We do this by identifying, appraising and synthesizing individual research findings to produce the best available evidence on what can work, what might harm and where more research is needed.

Our work is recognised as the international gold standard for high quality, trusted information. We want to be the leading advocate for evidence-informed health care across the world.

This is an exciting role for an individual who would relish the challenge of providing efficient and responsive administrative, organisational, and logistical support service to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO). This role will be 37.5 hours per week.

We are looking for an experienced Executive Assistant to the CEO with a proven collaborative approach to assist CEO and support his department. The successful candidate will need to be extremely well organized to manage a high workload.

If you would like to apply for this position, please send a CV along with a supporting statement with “Executive Assistant to the CEO” in the subject line to recuitment@cochrane.org.  The supporting statement should indicate why you are applying for the post, and how far you meet the requirements for the post outlined in the job description using specific examples.  List your experience, achievements, knowledge, personal qualities and skills which you feel are relevant to the post.

 For further information, please download the full job desciption.

Deadline for applications: 31/01/2018 (12 midnight GMT)

Thursday, January 11, 2018 Category: Jobs

Specifications: Full Time
Salary: Competitive
Location: London
Application Closing Date: 31st January 2018

Cochrane is a global, independent network of health practitioners, researchers, patient advocates and others, responding to the challenge of making vast amounts of research evidence useful for informing decisions about health. We do this by synthesizing research findings to produce the best available evidence on what can work, what might harm and where more research is needed. Our work is recognised as the international gold standard for high quality, trusted information.

This role is an exciting opportunity to use your experience in office management, facilities and administration to support colleagues in making a difference in the field of health care research. 

The Office Manager will be responsible for providing the facilities management for Cochrane’s London Office, including acting as the first point of contact with the landlord and managing agents; managing the general administration requirements for the Central Executive Teams, and to help ensure that the best value is obtained for all office expenditure.

We are looking for a self-motivated and highly organised individual who is able to work effectively and collaboratively with a diverse range of contacts both within and external to the organisation.  The successful candidate will also have:

• Previous Office/facilities management experience.
• Excellent typing skills - speed and accuracy essential.
• Excellent IT skills, including MS Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
• Ability to prioritise and manage own workload amid conflicting demands and busy work periods.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Confident in problem solving and using initiative
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Ability to communicate confidently with people at all levels.
• Proven ability to work under pressure and to tight deadlines.
• Ability to exercise discretion and diplomacy in dealing with confidential or sensitive matters.
• Attention to detail/accuracy.
• Adaptability

Previous experience within the healthcare sector would be useful.

If you would like to apply for this position, please send a CV along with a supporting statement with ‘Office Manager’ in the subject line to recruitment@cochrane.org .  The supporting statement should indicate why you are applying for the post, and how far you meet the requirements for the post outlined in the job description using specific examples.  List your experience, achievements, knowledge, personal qualities, and skills which you feel are relevant to the post.

For further information, please download the full job desciption.

Deadline for applications: 31/01/2018 (12 midnight GMT)

Thursday, January 11, 2018 Category: Jobs

Specifications: Full Time Interim
Salary: Competitive
Location: London
Application Closing Date: 31st January 2018

Cochrane is a global independent network of health practitioners, researchers, patient advocates and others, responding to the challenge of making the vast amounts of evidence generated through research useful for informing decisions about health. We do this by identifying, appraising and synthesizing individual research findings to produce the best available evidence on what can work, what might harm and where more research is needed.

Our work is recognised as the international gold standard for high quality, trusted information. We want to be the leading advocate for evidence-informed health care across the world.

The successful candidate will need to be extremely well organized with demonstrable experience of managing a complex finance function. We are looking for a candidate with proven experience of managing a small team with a collaborative approach to support all aspects of Finance across Cochrane.

The principal accountabilities for the post include; Oversight of Financial ledgers; Production of Management Accounts, Business Performance metrics and cash flows; Support for the annual year audit process; Fundraising and restricted Fund support.

Candidates with both Commercial and Charity experience with an ability to operate with minimal supervision and quickly build strong working relationships are encouraged to apply.

If you would like to apply for this position, please send a CV along with a supporting statement to recruitment@cochrane.org with “Interim Finance Manager” in the subject line.  The supporting statement should indicate why you are applying for the post, and how far you meet the requirements for the post outlined in the job description using specific examples.  List your experience, achievements, knowledge, personal qualities and skills which you feel are relevant to the post together with salary expectations.

For further information, please download the full job description.

Deadline for applications: (12 midnight GMT) 31st  January 2018.

Thursday, January 11, 2018 Category: Jobs

We are looking for a new home for the Cochrane Colorectal Cancer Group (CRCG). In addition to the detection, treatment and monitoring of colorectal cancer, the Group’s scope also currently covers other abdominal surgery-related topics, including hernia and appendicitis.

The CRCG portfolio of reviews includes 116 active reviews and 65 protocols.

Applications are welcomed from individuals based anywhere in the world. Henning Keinke Andersen, the Group’s Managing Editor has indicated that he is willing to remain in post if appropriate.

We will accept applications from within the existing Cochrane community and beyond. Applicants should be aware of the following requirements:

1. The Co-ordinating Editor should have experience of authoring and editing Cochrane Reviews, in addition to relevant content expertise.
2. The Co-ordinating Editor will work with the current Editors for continuity with regards to securing funding for the activities of the Group, and completing the CRG re-accreditation process.
3. The Co-ordinating Editor will be required to sign the Collaboration Agreement, and will need to demonstrate their capacity to commit at least 0.1 FTE per week to the activities of the Group, and preferably more.
4. The Co-ordinating Editor will develop the Editorial Board for the group.

Read the guidance for the re-accreditation process.

Potential applicants should familiarise themselves with Cochrane’s Commercial sponsorship and Conflict of interest policies.

Individuals who are interested in exploring this opportunity are encouraged to speak with Karla Soares-Weiser, Deputy Editor in Chief (ksoares-weiser@cochrane.org).

To apply please send a cover letter responding to the numbered bullet points above, and a short Curriculum Vitae. The closing date for applications is 10th February 2018.

Wednesday, January 10, 2018 Category: Jobs