• CARPA Editorial committee agrees to the proposed plans, time lines and processes for development of the 4^th edition of the STM.
  
  
• Editorial committee agrees on the list of topics to be included, taking into consideration any new suggestions, particularly from the evaluation of the 3^rd edition.
  
  
• Authors are recruited to review topics, prepare background documents (see guidelines on background documents), draft new protocols (if changes are needed), also please make suggestions for who can review the drafts from a practical and from academic points of view. (Project officer can help with arranging reviews).
  
  
• Project officer offers assistance with formulating literature search questions, gathering appropriate literature and technical assessment of the literature (design issues, internal validity etc), as negotiated with individual authors.
  
  
• Background documents and protocol reviewed by a content expert(s) for adequacy of the literature review and the technical assessment of the evidence recommendations. Background document reviewed by remote practitioners for clarity, and ease of use.
  
  
• STM protocol and background document reviewed by relevant remote practitioners for clarity, applicability, appropriateness etc. In many instances they will be asked to try using the protocol for a while, with particular reference to how Drs, RANs and AHWs respond to the new protocol.
  
  
• Draft documents may go back to the authors for consideration of the implications of the suggested changes in light of practitioner comments and editorial committee comments if available. Project officer/ editor assists with interpretation of suggestions etc.
  
  
• Second draft goes to editorial committee which has the final say on everything.
  
  
• Authorship of specific background document work will be included. If required, the authorship of the literature review can be differentiated from the section on the application of local experience and wisdom as there is potential for disagreement between primary authors and the editorial committee on how much to be guided by on-the-ground practicalities rather than by the literature derived evidence. The editorial committee is mindful of the need and value for the protocols to be appropriate to the conditions where they will be used.
  
  
• Protocols in the STM will not have specific authorship but all contributors will be acknowledged as a group.
  
  
• Professional artwork, layout and proof reading is undertaken prior to printing.

The editorial committee is a volunteer group of Central Australian and Top End health professionals with considerable combined experience in remote area practice. They have seen many changes and developments in remote area practice and several have the experience of being involved in earlier editions of the manual. The committee meets every second Friday afternoon and will go through every protocol and topic in detail. This process has already started for some topics.

In the past editions the work load for the editorial committee has been great. Dan Ewald (half-time project officer- coordinating editor will try to streamline the work by helping to ensure that protocols are as ready as possible before they get to the committee).

CARPA will retail all the intellectual property rights for the manual and background document. CARPA will seek to make the material widely available but does not wish to see another organization or publisher use the material for profit.