1. What are the differences between research, clinical audit and service evaluation?

2. Research Clinical Audit Service Evaluation
Designed to derive generalisable new knowledge
Designed and conducted to produce information to inform delivery of best care
Designed and conducted solely to define or judge current care
Designed to test a hypothesis
Designed to answer ‘does this service reach a predetermined standard’?
Designed to answer ‘what standard does this service achieve’?
Addresses clearly defined questions, aims and objectives
Measures against a standard
Measures without reference to a standard
Study design may involve allocating patients to intervention groups
No allocation to intervention
Normally requires Research Ethics Committee review
Does not typically require Research Ethics Committee review
Does not require Research Ethics Committee review

3. How does research differ from clinical audit?

4. Research Clinical Audit
Designed to derive generalisable new knowledge
Designed and conducted to produce information to inform delivery of best care
Designed to test a hypothesis
Designed to answer ‘does this service reach a predetermined standard’?
Addresses clearly defined questions, aims and objectives
Measures against a standard
Study design may involve allocating patients to intervention groups
No allocation to intervention
Normally requires Research Ethics Committee review
Does not typically require Research Ethics Committee review

5. How does service evaluation differ from clinical audit?

6. Service Evaluation Clinical Audit
Designed and conducted solely to define or judge current care
Designed and conducted to produce information to inform delivery of best care
Designed to answer ‘what standard does this service achieve’?
Designed to answer ‘does this service reach a predetermined standard’?
Measures without reference to a standard
Measures against a standard
No allocation to intervention
Does not require Research Ethics Committee review
Does not typically require Research Ethics Committee review

7. How does service evaluation differ from research?

8. Service Evaluation Research
Designed and conducted solely to define or judge current care
Designed to derive generalisable new knowledge
Designed to answer ‘what standard does this service achieve’?
Designed to test a hypothesis
Measures without reference to a standard
Addresses clearly defined questions, aims and objectives
No allocation to intervention
Study design may involve allocating patients to intervention groups
Does not require Research Ethics Committee review
Normally requires Research Ethics Committee review