In 2005 we continued to refine an environmental scanning tool kit (developed in 2001) to monitor and collect relevant information for our key stakeholders - primary health care policy advisors, researchers, and Divisions' staff. The toolkit consisted of automatic literature database searches, automatic individual journal searches, email alerts, membership of relevant list servers and organisations, automatic search engine searches and various media releases.

Research Associate Anne Magarey coordinates the environmental scanning which gives it consistency and a personal touch, so that stakeholders know whom to contact with, or for, information. The results of the scanning are compiled into email eUPDATEs and sent to approximately 270 subscribers. In 2005, 243 eUPDATEs were sent, always including a web link so recipients could access further information if they wished. Information included articles and reports of interest, conference notifications, positions vacant, funding opportunities, news from organisations and websites of interest.

Feedback, through surveys and by personal contact, has been very positive. People considered the eUPDATE very useful, saving them time and effort. One person commented that an article had been very timely, as she was just about to start a literature review on that exact topic.

In addition to the eUPDATEs, fortnightly compilations of the eUPDATE were sent out as PHC RIS eBulletin, via email to a further 789 subscribers including the Primary Care Division who disseminate it to all staff via their intranet.