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Understanding Best Practice Resources
Best Practice Resources (BPRs) provide contemporary and dependable information for psychiatrists, trainees, carers, and consumers. The term ‘Best Practice Resource’ covers a range of potential resource formats, such as clinical guidelines, reports, papers, standards, evidence reviews and other clinical tools. While the resources may vary in topic, format, and purpose, they must be evidence-based and relevant to the practice and improvement of psychiatry.
A Best Practice Resource can emerge from:
- A new resource developed by or in partnership with the RANZCP
- The adaptation of an existing resource by or in partnership with the RANZCP, or
- The RANZCP’s recognition of an externally produced resource.
Externally Produced BPRs
Externally produced resources may be recognised as ‘Endorsed Clinical Guidelines’ or a ‘Supported Resource’. These resources can vary in purpose, audience, recency, and level of developmental rigour. All users of these resources are advised to consider these issues with prior care, as a resource’s appropriateness for a particular use-case may require expert verification or supplementation.
Endorsed Clinical Guidelines
Resources labelled with the ‘Endorsed Clinical Guidelines’ badge are clinical guidelines that have been developed to the standards of the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) or a demonstrably equivalent method. Such guidelines are held in higher trust than a ‘Supported Resource’ for their systematic development methods that maximise transparency and limit the risk of bias.
Supported Resource
The ‘Supported Resource’ badge encompasses a broad range of evidence-based resources that support better mental health services and outcomes in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand. These can include resources outside the conventional guideline format, such as position and consensus statements, standards, reports, supportive point-of-care tools, and evidence reviews. This category also includes clinical guidelines that do not meet the ‘Endorsed clinical guidelines’ requirement, and as such, may not offer the same level of assurance as those supported by an NHMRC-equivalent development process.
The proposal, assessment and implementation of BPRs is under pilot with further revisions expected.
How Best Practice Resources are assessed
The Best Practice Resources (BPR) Framework -preliminary [PDF; 123 KB] details the process for assessment.
RANZCP documents published prior to the BPR Framework are assessed for inclusion during their standard periodic review.
Find Best Practice Resources
Resources introduced under the BPR Framework will be marked as Best Practice Resources and made available in our clinical library.
Propose a Best Practice Resource
Groups or individuals within or outside RANZCP may apply to have their resource assessed.
All proposals must demonstrate a clear and viable strategic direction on how it will be resourced and implemented to a high standard. Engage with relevant RANZCP expert committees, and ideally, secure their agreement to lead or support your proposal before you apply.
More about proposing a Best Practice Resource
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