NETS¹: Development of Core Outcome Sets

Background

A core outcome set is a group of outcome measures that have been deemed the most important in determining success of a particular treatment. Development of core outcome sets involves clinicians, researchers, and importantly, patients and their parents.  The views of these experts are obtained through online surveys, and a Delphi process is used to bring them to consensus as to which outcome measures are the most important. The use of core outcome sets helps to ensure that research is relevant to patients, free from reporting bias, and easy to meta-analyse.

The COMET initiative was set up to bring together people who were interested in the development of core outcome sets, and they provide a useful overview of the rationale behind using core outcome sets.

The aim of the NETS¹ programme is to develop core outcome sets for key paediatric surgical conditions.