title: Vocational rehabilitation: facilitating evidence based practice through participatory action research.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Improving vocational rehabilitation in line with the current evidence base is an area of considerable interest. Aims To describe the strategies used by a multidisciplinary team in the initial stages of a participatory action research (PAR) approach to improving a vocational rehabilitation service.
  
  
  METHODS
  A literature review and PAR process were completed. One hundred and fifteen participants engaged in multifaceted data collection and analysis, building consensus around key principles for a new vocational rehabilitation service.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A synthesis of our literature review and PAR process was developed into a set of principles for practice which we plan to implement across the service.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We have developed methodologies in interdisciplinary collaborations spanning statutory and non-statutory services. We have developed a set of principles for practice and detailed plans for implementation are being drawn up to inform provision in the future.
authors.affiliation: School of Health Sciences, Queen Margaret University Edinburgh, Scotland EH21 6UU, UK.
authors.forename: Donald
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Maciver
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Prior
authors.forename: Kirsty
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Forsyth
authors.forename: Mike
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Walsh
authors.forename: Allison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Meiklejohn
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Irvine
authors.forename: Duncan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pentland
mesh_terms: D055317:Evidence-Based Practice / Q000379:methods*; D017144:Focus Groups; D006302:Health Services Research / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D012050:Rehabilitation, Vocational / Q000379:methods*