Welcome

The UK Cochrane Centre was established at the end of 1992, by the National Health Service Research and Development Programme. The Centre hosted the First Cochrane Colloquium in October 1993, at which the international Cochrane Collaboration was launched. Following the UK Cochrane Centre's external review in 2003, the main objectives of the Centre relate to providing training and support to Cochrane entities and contributors in the UK, Ireland, Turkey and countries in the Middle East, and conducting a research/methodology programme.

Objectives

Following an external review of the Centre's work in 2003, the NHS Research and Development Programme decided that the Centre should receive continued funding until at least March 2010. The agreed programme of work focuses on the training and support of Cochrane entities and contributors based in the UK and other countries for which the Centre is responsible. The UK Cochrane Centre will also continue to carry out methodological research and other activities intended to help improve the quality of Cochrane reviews.

Tasks assumed on behalf of the Collaboration

Co-ordination of the work of the Collaboration's Methods Groups and maintenance of the Cochrane Methodology Register.

Countries for which the centre is the reference Cochrane Centre

UK and Ireland; Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Virgin Islands (British) and Yemen. A Bahrain Branch of the UK Cochrane Centre was established in March 2005 (www.cochrane.org/bahrain/).

For information on the latest Cochrane Gems see: http://www.cks.library.nhs.uk/knowledgeplus/gems_from_cochrane