The role of an NHS library service in the UK; the perceptions of clinical managers in Portsmouth, UK (original) (raw)

The impact of clinical librarian services on patients and health care organisations

Health Information & Libraries Journal, 2016

Background: Systematic reviews have found limited evidence of effectiveness and impact of clinical librarians (CLs) due to the poor quality of reporting, scale and design of previous studies. Objectives: To measure specific CL impact on organisational and patient outcomes using a robust approach that helps CLs develop research skills. Methods: Questionnaire and interviews. Results: Clinical librarians contribute to a wide range of outcomes in the short and longer term reflecting organisational priorities and objectives. These include direct contributions to choice of intervention (36%) diagnosis (26%) quality of life (25%), increased patient involvement in decision making (26%) and cost savings and risk management including avoiding tests, referrals, readmissions and reducing length of stay (28%). Discussion: Interventions provided by CL's are complex and each contributes to multiple outcomes of importance to health care organisations. Conclusion: This study is unique in taking a wide view of potential and specific impacts to which CLs contribute across health care organisations. It is the largest UK evaluation of CL services to date and demonstrates CLs affect direct patient care, improve quality and save money. Future researchers are urged to use the tools presented to collect data on the same outcomes to build a significant and comprehensive international evidence base about the effectiveness and impact of clinical librarian services.

Introduction: Good practice in NHS-funded library and knowledge services

Library and Information Research, 2020

Every CILIP President has a theme. In David Stewart’s Presidential year in 2019, one of his themes was the need to focus on our own evidence base in libraries and therefore research. In the NHS “evidence-based healthcare” has been an important driver for change since the 1990s. Evidence based healthcare led directly to evidence based librarianship and that too has been a powerful agent for change in NHS library and knowledge services. Nevertheless, there is much more to do – the power of evidence needs to be recognised across all our professional groups and we need a much more coordinated approach to its funding, development and dissemination.

Community outreach library services in the UK: a case study of Wirral Hospital NHS Trust (WHNT)

Health Information and Libraries Journal, 2007

Aims and objectives : The study evaluates the Community Outreach Library Service at Wirral Hospital National Health Service Trust (WHNT). It considers the information seeking behaviour and information needs of primary care staff, and service effectiveness in meeting those needs. Methods : A literature review established the current context and areas of best practice. The investigative case study used postal questionnaires to 250 primary care staff and an interview with the Community Outreach Librarian. Findings : Themes emerged from the literature regarding information seeking behaviour, information needs, and meeting user needs through effective service delivery. Outreach services have value in terms of improving information skills and providing services at point of need. Time is a major constraint for both users and service providers. Conclusions : Investment is needed from appropriate funding sources to support the provision and marketing of outreach library services. Librarians benefit from sharing best practice. The continued evaluation of outreach library services is recommended.

The value and impact of information provided through library services for patient care: developing guidance for best practice

Health Information & …, 2009

Objective : An updated systematic review was carried out of research studies looking at the value and impact of library services on health outcomes for patients and time saved by health professionals. Methods : A comprehensive systematic search was undertaken of the published literature to September 2003 in  ,  ,  ,  ,  , the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register and Google. Some handsearching was carried out, reference lists were scanned and experts in the field were contacted. Twentyeight research studies of professionally led libraries for health-care staff, including clinical librarian projects, met the inclusion criterion of at least one health or 'time saved' outcome. Papers were critically appraised using internationally accepted criteria. Data were extracted and results were summarised using a narrative format as the studies were heterogeneous and precluded a statistical analysis. Results : There is evidence of impact from both traditional and clinical librarian services. The higher quality studies of traditional services measured impacts of 37-97% on general patient care, 10 -31% on diagnosis, 20 -51% on choice of tests, 27-45% on choice of therapy and 10 -19% on reduced length of stay. Four studies of clinical librarian projects suggested that professionals saved time as a result of clinical librarian input, and two of these studies showed evidence of cost-effectiveness. However, the clinical librarian studies were generally smaller, with poorer quality standards. Conclusions : Research studies suggest that professionally led library services have an impact on health outcomes for patients and may lead to time savings for health-care professionals. The available studies vary greatly in quality but the better quality studies also suggest positive impacts. Good practice can be gathered from these studies to guide the development of a pragmatic survey for library services that includes the direct effects for patients among the outcome measures.

Measuring and evaluating the library's contribution to organisational success

Abstract Purpose – This paper seeks to examine three types of measurement and evaluation currently used in the special library environment and to identify the relationships that must exist between the individual measurement processes to enable holistic and strategic evaluations of special libraries to take place. Design/methodology/approach – Looks at how responsible measurement and evaluation within the context of the special (corporate, government, hospital, etc.) library must reflect the ways in which the library uses its resources (budget, staff, buildings, collections, technology, equipment), how well it delivers its services and how well it satisfies its clients now and into the future. Findings – If these measurements and evaluations are to be understood, respected, supported and valued by management, it is also necessary to take it one step further and include the ways in which the information provided through the library services supports the achievement of organisational objectives. One needs to measure how well the services are seamlessly integrated into workflows, how they are prioritised according to their importance and how closely aligned they are with the strategic goals and objectives of the organisation. Originality/value – May mean a change of mindset on the part of the library managers to enable them to let go of the traditional services and resources and to approach service development and improvement with a strategic view. Keywords Special libraries, Performance appraisal, Information management, Library management, Strategic management Paper type Conceptual paper

Quality outcomes in NHS library and knowledge services

Performance Measurement and Metrics, 2021

PurposeThis paper aims to demonstrate the approach taken in delivering the quality and impact elements of Knowledge for Healthcare, the strategic development framework for National Health Service (NHS) library and knowledge services in England. It examines the work undertaken to enhance quality and demonstrate the value and impact of health library and knowledge services. It describes the interventions developed and implemented over a five-year period 2015–2020 and the move towards an outcome rather than process approach to impact and quality.Design/methodology/approachThe case study illustrates a range of interventions that have been developed, including the outcomes of implementation to date. The methodology behind each intervention is informed by the evidence base and includes professional engagement.FindingsThe outcomes approach to the development and implementation of quality and impact interventions and assets provides evidence to demonstrate the value of library and knowledge...

Clinical librarianship in the UK: temporary trend or permanent profession? Part I: a review of the role of the clinical librarian

Health information and libraries journal, 2004

This paper is the first of a two-part series of articles presenting the role of the clinical librarian (CL) in the UK today. It situates the CL concept historically, and specifically reports the findings from a study in 2002 (Skinner, The Role of the Clinical Librarian in the UK. MSc Dissertation. Loughborough University: Department of Information Science). The impetus for the 2002 study was the awareness of an increase in job advertisements within the NHS for roles seeking to enhance the practice of evidence-based medicine, which included elements of clinical librarianship. Therefore the research was undertaken to establish whether this increase was coincidental, or the beginning of a new professional role for librarians. A content analysis of CL job advertisements, examining job titles and duties was undertaken. Twenty-three advertisements were scrutinized, and these results are presented here. As a complementary investigation, a postal questionnaire was sent to a sample of practi...

Do NHS Libraries Have a Role in Providing Information to Patients, Carers and the Public?

2000

We are experienced researchers with a strong emphasis on real world research that addresses the needs of practitioners, service users and health and social care organisations. The centre objectives are: • To develop nursing and midwifery practice and education through collaborative research • To work with other stakeholders in identifying priority areas for research, evaluation and service development • To undertake research and scholarship of national and international standing Research expertise includes: • Children and families: evaluating services for children, women and families, preparation to work in these fields, and clinical research • Developing clinical practice through research: includes research into fundamental nursing care and development of practice in key areas of need • Information and evidence: develops approaches to the classification and use of nursing data, information and evidence based nursing science • Professional education: includes international projects in the study of education • Mental health care: focuses on research into mental health policy, education and practice, and the organisation of mental health care • Older people and rehabilitation: evaluating initiatives/services aimed at older people, exploration of people's experiences of ageing, diversity/inclusion in later life Enterprise and International Links • We engage in project and consultancy work and evaluation projects • We support new product and service initiatives in partnership with external colleagues and business communities • We have active and extensive international links • Partnerships have been forged between staff and students in Australia, Africa,

Developing a generic tool to routinely measure the impact of health libraries

Health information and libraries journal, 2018

Health libraries contribute to many activities of a health care organisation. Impact assessment needs to capture that range of contributions. To develop and pilot a generic impact questionnaire that: (1) could be used routinely across all English NHS libraries; (2) built on previous impact surveys; and (3) was reliable and robust. This collaborative project involved: (1) literature search; (2) analysis of current best practice and baseline survey of use of current tools and requirements; (3) drafting and piloting the questionnaire; and (4) analysis of the results, revision and plans for roll out. The framework selected was the International Standard Methods And Procedures For Assessing The Impact Of Libraries (ISO 16439). The baseline survey (n = 136 library managers) showed that existing tools were not used, and impact assessment was variable. The generic questionnaire developed used a Critical Incident Technique. Analysis of the findings (n = 214 health staff and students), plus c...