A GRiPPing yarn--getting research into practice: a case study

This article describes the GRiPP initiative in the (old) Oxford Region which set out to explore the potential role of purchasers or commissioners of health care in putting the findings of research into the practice of healthcare. A short account of the background to GRiPP is followed by a more detailed description of the GRiPP project carried out in Buckinghamshire and some of the lessons which may be useful to other health authorities. The final section of the article considers the role of the healthcare librarian in the context of 'Getting Research into Practice and Purchasing'.