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Mala Mann   MCILIP MIInfSc

Mala Mann MCILIP MIInfSc

Services Manager

Email
MannMK@cardiff.ac.uk
Telephone
+44 29206 87913
Campuses
Neuadd Meirionnydd, Room 602E, University Hospital of Wales, Heath Park, Cardiff, CF14 4YS

Overview

I am a Systematic Reviewer with considerable experience in undertaking a wide range of systematic reviews and other evidence synthesis projects in public health, clinical and social care over many years. I have worked on evidence review projects for a range of organisations including the Welsh Government, NICE, NSPCC and Public Health Wales. My particular expertise is in advanced literature searching and the development of systematic review methodologies. I have co-authored over 100 publications including Cochrane reviews and methodology papers. I provide advice, support and training for staff and students and have conducted workshops in UK and Europe.

 

 

Publication

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

2003

Articles

Book sections

  • Mann, M. and Bradbury, K. 2022. Chapter 17. Promotion and Preservation. In: Jewell, S. T. and Foster, M. J. eds. Piecing Together Systematic Reviews and Other Evidence Syntheses: A Guide for Librarians. Medical Library Association Books Series London, UK: Rowman & Littlefield, pp. 251-265.

Conferences

Monographs

Research

Research interests

  • Systematic review methodology
  • Evidence synthesis in health and social care topics
  • Evidence implementation

As a Systematic Reviewer, I specialise in working in partnership with clinicians and decision makers conducting a various range of evidence reviews. My role involves all aspects of the review process including protocol and question development, designing search strategies, critical appraisal, data extraction, and evidence synthesis.

Working in partnership with the Marie Curie Research Centre, I am involved in the following rapid reviews:

         Implementation of Cancer specific Holistic Needs Assessment (HNA) in adult clinical practice

         The information and communication needs of patients with advanced incurable cancer

Additionally, I work on evidence synthesis projects for Health and Care Research Wales Evidence Centre. We conduct reviews of existing evidence, to inform policy and practice needs.

 

 

Significant grants won:

NIHR Health Services and Delivery Research Programme funded - End of life care for people with severe mental illness: an evidence synthesis (the MENLOC study).  2018, Grant awarded £143,445

NIHR NIHR Health Services and Delivery Research Programme funded - A novel peer-support intervention using Motivational Interviewing for breastfeeding maintenance: a UK feasibility study. 2014, Grant awarded £293,310.00.

Scoping a National Nutrition Policy for Australia. Subcontractor to: Queensland University of Technology (Grant DOHA, Australia). 2013, Grant awarded £13,355.

NICE Public Health guidance for the oral health of adults in nursing and residential care homes. 2012, Grant awarded £109,378.

Teaching

 I lead the Cardiff Systematic Review Course and teach on the systematic review methodology across a number on postgraduate courses including:

  • MSc in Ageing Health and Disease
  • MSc in Palliative Medicine

I teach evidence-based methodologies on several internal and external programmes including Cardiff University Doctoral Academy, Cardiff Researcher programme and teach critical appraisal on the Critical Appraisal Training for Child Health (CATCH).

Biography

2022 to date   Cardiff University Specialist Unit for Review Evidence (SURE) - Services Manager

2000 to date   Cardiff University - Specialist Unit for Review Evidence (SURE), Information Specialist/Systematic Reviewer 

1996 - 2000     University of Wales College of Medicine, Health Evidence Bulletins Wales Project - Information Officer 

1995 - 1996     Velindre Hospital NHS Trust, Cancer Research Wales Library -  Acting Librarian - Acting Librarian 

 

Professional memberships

 

2002 Member of the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (MCLIP)

1999 Member of the Institute of Information Scientists (MIInfSc)

Methodological expertise

2023 to date: Member of the Health and Care Research Wales Evidence Centre Methodology subgroup

2019 to date: Member of the Evidence Synthesis Taxonomy Initiative

2018 - 2020 Member of the Cochrane Rapid Reviews Advisory Committee

 

 

Speaking engagements

2023: "Beyond the stacks: AI and UX in health libraries", NHS Wales Library Service Conference 2023, Thursday 6 – Friday 7 July 2023 The Metropole Hotel, Llandrindod Wells

2021: The Evolving Health Information Landscape Symposium: Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Distributed eLibrary, Doha-Virtual , December 2, 2021.

Committees and reviewing

 

2022 to date: Executive Board member - European Association for Health Information and Libraries (EAHIL) 

2019-2023: Co-chair - European Association for Health Information and Libraries (EAHIL) Public Health Information Group (PHIG)

2019-2022 Council Member - European Association for Health Information and Libraries (EAHIL) 

Member of the Judging panel of Thomas C Chalmers Award Committee . (2015, 2016, 2018, 2023)

2005 - to date - Member of the Cochrane Information Retrieval Methods Group

2016 - to date - Member of the Cochrane Rapid review Methods Group

Reviewer for: BMC Medical Research Methodology, Health Information and Libraries Journal, Research Synthesis Methods Journal

Specialisms

  • Evidence-based care
  • Evidence synthesis
  • Systematic reviews
  • Rapid review methods