Editorial Comment:

Abstract: The integration of health and social care services, and the move towards a professionalized social care workforce, has stimulated interest in evidence-based social care. A literature review reveals a workforce, poorly equipped by professional education, relying heavily on personal communication and ‘gut instinct’ to deliver packages of care. A workplace culture of action, not reflection, and the absence of information resources and skills, make social care practitioners less likely to consult research to improve their practice. This study aimed to discover whether training in information and research skills training, as currently delivered in healthcare, is of interest to social care practitioners. A postal questionnaire was sent to 595 social care practitioners in the Trent region to determine their attitudes to evidence-based practice, access to information and their training requirements. Twenty-seven practitioners were subsequently interviewed to gain further insight into these issues. Seventy-one per cent of questionnaire respondents had taken a qualification during their career, and less than 50% of the respondents had received training in using research findings or the Internet. Even fewer had been taught to interpret research findings. Around 75% had had no instruction on searching literature databases. Just over 50% of respondents favoured evidence-based practice within social care, but many had reservations regarding its success. … The study concludes that training should be pitched at a pragmatic rather than an academic level, should support existing work activities, and be targeted at a diploma-equivalent educational level. Provision should also be made for those without a professional qualification.