Journal of Orthodontics, Vol. 29, No. 1, 74,
March 2002
© 2002 British Orthodontic Society
The Eurocleft Project 1996–2000, Standards of Care for Cleft Lip and Palate in Europe
W. Shaw, G. Semb, P. Nelson, V. Brattström, K. Mølsted and B. Prahl-Andersen IOS Press, Amsterdam, 2000 236 pp., £25 hb ISBN 1 58603 058 2
R. G. Oliver
This is essentially a resource book for anyone who needs to know about the management of cleft lip and palate around Europe. The information contained within this book is derived from two European funded programmes: BIOMED II and INCO COPERNICUS.
The book is divided into seven parts. Part 1 is a short general overview of the diversity of delivery of cleft care, the creation of the Network, and ways of improving the research infrastructure. Part 2 contains recommendations for Policy Statements, Practice Guidelines, and Record Taking. The bulk of the book (some 236 pages) is made up of a useful country by country list of general demographic information and a list of registered cleft centres (Parts 3 and 4). Part 5 is a collection of Tables that summarize the diversity of management approach across Europe. The final two parts are references and appendices.
For anyone who has an interest in comparative studies of cleft management, this book will be invaluable in giving them a snapshot of the current situation, and useful contact names and addresses of co-ordinators of care in most countries in Europe. The information for the 43 United Kingdom centres listed will clearly be out of date fairly quickly as the rationalisation of cleft care proceeds (or am I being naive?), but that does not detract from the value of this book.
