How to build capacity to best use good/best practice

Abstract

Abstract In the Netherlands the best practice portals contains approximately 325 best and good practices with different levels of recognition (well described, theoretically sound and effective). Evaluations of the portal (2013 and 2018) show that the portal is well appreciated by professionals of municipal health services and stakeholders but the uptake of best practices can be improved. An implementation study (2014) to the uptake of interventions revealed that the RIVM had to work on dissemination strategies for policymakers, capacity building implementing best practices by professionals and incentive strategies for both groups. In this presentation the focus is on the capacity building of professionals. In order to support professionals and policymakers with evidence-based decision making the RIVM developed the online Manual Healthy Municipality, Healthy School and Healthy Kindergarten. In the manuals overviews of best practices are presented per theme (e.g. smoking), target group (e.g. elderly) or setting (e.g. neighbourhood) in combination with tools and instruments for intersectoral collaboration, citizens involvement and monitoring and evaluation. These manuals are well known and combine process information (how) with product information (what: effective programs and what works overviews). The implementation study showed also that professionals would like to have more support in the form of workshops and masterclasses. In order to get this the RIVM organizes workshops how to describe an intervention for recognition and how to adapt an intervention. The assumption that a recognized can't adapted to the local contexts was one of the inhibiting factors of the implementation of best practices. To ensure that the adjustments are made properly we have developed a checklist for the adaptation of interventions which is the base of the workshop. Professionals can also ask for a tailored work shop for example how to create support for the use of best practices.