Exploring rapid evidence synthesis methods for policy: a case study of healthcare regionalisation

Quigley, Joan Mary (2026) Exploring rapid evidence synthesis methods for policy: a case study of healthcare regionalisation. PhD thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

Policymakers' need for evidence generation is becoming increasingly complex, and multifactorial, driven by the diverse, interconnected challenges within health systems and the dynamic context in which decisions are made. Evidence-based medicine (EBM) has developed a range of evidence synthesis methods to support decision-making, but it is unclear how fully these methods meet the specific requirements of evidence-informed policy (EIP), particularly in terms of timeliness, contextual relevance, and usability for policymakers. To address these issues, evidence synthesis must be conducted efficiently within available resources while providing insights that are accessible and actionable for policy stakeholders.

New and emerging synthesis approaches, such as rapid realist reviews and umbrella reviews, have the potential to enhance EIP by producing timely, context-sensitive evidence that aligns with policymakers’ needs. This thesis will investigate the application of rapid evidence synthesis methods to EIP. By investigating whether methods such as rapid realist reviews and umbrella reviews can provide timely, relevant, and context-sensitive evidence, the thesis seeks to explore their potential for improving decision-making processes. This thesis aims to evaluate the strengths and limitations of these methods in the context of real-world policy research, using healthcare regionalisation as a case study. The overall goal is to provide insights into how these methods might enhance the capacity of policy research groups to deliver robust, actionable evidence efficiently, thereby contributing to more effective policy development and implementation in complex and dynamic environments.

• Item Type: Thesis (PhD)
• Qualification Level: Doctoral
• Subjects: R Medicine > R Medicine (General); R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine
• Colleges/Schools: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Health & Wellbeing > Health Economics and Health Technology Assessment
• Supervisor's Name: Hawkins, Professor Neil and O’Donnell, Professor Kate
• Date of Award: 2026
• Depositing User: Theses Team
• Unique ID: glathesis:2026-85938
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 20 May 2026 10:35
• Last Modified: 20 May 2026 11:58
• Thesis DOI: 10.5525/gla.thesis.85938
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/85938

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