Achieving clinical excellence through evidence-based practice: report of an educational initiative.

We live in a political and professional climate which requires us to define, maintain and seek to improve the quality of all aspects of health care practice, not least via underpinning decisions and actions with robust evidence. In order to meet this challenge, staff must be clinically competent, reflective about their practice, committed to delivering a 'First Class Service' and able to work in a truly multidisciplinary way (as opposed to the unidisciplinary model frequently seen in operation). In addition, they need to be research 'literate' and able to contribute positively to the management and sustainment of planned change.