Table 1 The degree of flexibility in SPIRIT intervention components and subcomponents
Intervention components (fixed) | Subcomponents | Targeted participants | Degree of flexibility in form and contenta |
|---|---|---|---|
1. Audit, feedback and goal setting | a. Feedback forum | Senior leaders and other key managers, as determined by each agency | Partial: Tailored presentation based on agency’s audit data. Informal discussion shaped by participants’ interests. |
b. Intervention selection | |||
c. Identification of other strategies | |||
d. Mid-intervention feedback | |||
e. SPIRIT newsletter | All agency staff involved in policy/program work | Partial: Tailored to each agency based on their audit data | |
2. Leadership program | a. Supporting organisational use of evidence | Senior leaders and other managers depending on size and configuration of agency | Partial: Standardised presentation determined in consultation with providers, but with agency-specific case examples. Discussion shaped by participants’ interests. |
b. Leading organisational change | |||
3. Organisational support for research | a. Quarterly email endorsement of SPIRIT from agency’s CEO | All agency staff involved in policy/program work | Partial: Proforma text that CEOs can adapt |
b. Access to WebCIPHER (an interactive research portal) | Limited: Web CIPHER is an online knowledge exchange community providing news, events, research, reviews and resources relevant to health policy. | ||
c. Resources for improving the agency’s use of research | None: Agencies were given the same generic resources. | ||
4. Opportunity to test systems for accessing research and reviews (brokered services) | a. Brokered commission of: Â a rapid systematic review OR Â an evaluation plan OR Â an analysis of linked data | Primary: Agency-selected staff who would benefit from experience commissioning a service. Secondary: all staff working in the topic area addressed by the commissioned product | Extensive: Standard brokerage processes are used but agencies choose the product, and specify the topic and how it should be approached to best meet their needs. |
5. Research access | Three occasions of research access from two modes: | All policy/program staff working in the topic area covered by the forum | Extensive: Agencies choose the topic. They can nominate a particular provider and negotiate the form of the session. Providers shape the delivery details. |
a. Interactive forums with researchers AND/OR | |||
b. Summary of systematic reviews | All policy/program staff working in the topic area covered by the review | Partial: Agencies choose the topic | |
6. Educational symposia for staff | a. Valuing research symposium | All agency staff involved in policy/program work | Limited: Agencies can nominate case examples |
b. Two symposia from:  Access to research  Appraising research  Evaluation  Working with researchers | All policy/program staff who might benefit from enhanced skills in the techniques covered | Partial: Agencies select symposia topics from the menu. They can tailor the focus, nominate case examples and providers, and negotiate the form of the session. Providers shape the delivery details. |