Abstract

There is growing recognition of the need to employ a systems approach to address the complex challenges facing health and care systems. In the UK, for example, the Kennedy report in 2001 emphasised that avoidable child deaths were due to poor performance at a systems level. Although the value of a systems approach seems obvious at a conceptual level, the evidence-base for the practical impact of the approach has not yet been rigorously synthesised. The Engineering Design Centre (EDC) has a track record of research into both the process and practice of systems design. The centre has worked with industry partners that excel in the design and delivery of complex systems. The Healthcare Design Group is researching how similar gains could be made in healthcare using a systems approach. As part of this, the group is beginning to look into the existing evidence-base through this systematic review. This seminar will be in two parts: the first part will focus on the systematic review methodology. The second, will focus on the preliminary results. The aim is to encourage discussion and gather feedback from attendees, to enrich the final publication.