THE LLEGE OF RAD RAPHERS Radiography (1999) 5, 79-87 EDUCATION Clinical effectiveness: how much do radiographers know about it and what do they think of the concept? Dominic Upton Unmmi~y of W/de5 Tmtihc tr’. Cmfiff. Pr4rrlase: The dual concepts of evidence-based practice (EBP) and clinical effectiveness Westem Arwriw Llnidi~~f, Cnr-diff have become ever more important in the health service in recent years. In order that CF5 6YR, U.K. suitable initiatives can be derived and future policy shaped and evaluated it is (Rcccw~eif I 0 .‘vli~rc/~ 1998; mept~ti 2; F~II.III~Y~I 1999) important that the current level of knowledge and attitudes towards the concepts are recorded. The current study aimed to examine these in a representative sample of radiographers. Mr~Ms: A total of 138 individual radiographers selected at random from the population of radiographers within Wales were approached and requested to complete a postal questionnaire. Of those approached, 76 completed and returned the questionnaire. Res~4lfs: Individuals considered themselves to be lacking in certain key skills essential for evidence-based practice. Specifically, these appeared to be related to the more ‘technical’ research-related skills and there was limited evidence that individuals were undertaking many of these components. However, attitudes towards EBP and clinical effectiveness were, by and large, positive. Keywords: Attitudes; clinical Corzchsion: The current underlying culture provides a firm foundation for the necessary effectiveness; evidence-based practice; education and encouragement required for the fuller implementation of evidence based radiography; education. practice in radiographers. Introduction The concepts of clinical effectiveness and evidence- based practice have become increasingly common in health care in recent years [I]. Underlying this increasing interest is the assumption that the move towards evidence-based practice could have a profound impact on the health services and result in many patients receiving better care and enjoying better health as a consequence and, it has to be acknowledged, reduce the substantial sums spent on ineffective or unproven diagnosis and treatment [l]. The professions allied to medicine have had a relatively late entry into the evidence- based practice and clinical effectiveness movement [2], which can probably be traced back to the 1078.8174199/020079+09 $18.00/O traditional view of therapy as skill, rather than research based [3]. However, this perspective is largely considered outmoded and the concept of a research based profession is becoming more of a focus [a]. Indeed, Kitchen suggests ‘The integration of research and practice, which leads to practice-led research programmes and evidence based practice, is of paramount importance’ [3]. Within the radiography profession this has also become an issue with, for example, Paterson argu- ing that research should guide the profession [5]. Indeed, the exhortation is both frequent and determined and is a message that has been picked up by others. Challen ef- al. suggest that radiographers should ‘seize the opportunities to undertake and use research to underpin all 0 1999 The College of Radiographers