This article is the fourth in a series on New Directions. The National Health Service is under pressure, challenged to meet the needs of an ageing population, whilst striving to improve standards and ensure decision making is underpinned by evidence. Health Education England is steering a new course for NHS library and knowledge services in England to ensure access to knowledge and evidence for all decision makers. Knowledge for Healthcare calls for service transformation, role redesign, greater coordination and collaboration. To meet user expectations, health libraries must achieve sustainable, affordable access to digital content. Traditional tasks will progressively become mechanised. Alongside supporting learners, NHS librarians and knowledge specialists will take a greater role as knowledge brokers, delivering business critical services. They will support the NHS workforce to signpost patients and the public to high-quality information. There is a need for greater efficiency and effectiveness through greater co-operation and service mergers. Evaluation of service quality will focus more on outcomes, less on counting. These changes require an agile workforce, fit for the future. There is a bright future in which librarians' expertise is used to mobilise evidence, manage and share knowledge, support patients, carers and families, optimise technology and social media and provide a keystone for improved patient care and safety.

Background The strategy lead for the National Health Service (NHS) knowledge and library services withn the NHS in England is held by Health Education England, working with 184 local NHS libraries based predominantly in hospitals Objectives As part of the strategic framework Knowkedge for Healthcare, the objective was to increase the role NHS knowledge and library services staff play in both indirect an direct support for evidence‐based information for patients and the public. Methods The study took an integrated multi‐level approach: encouraging local staff to share their expertise through Task and Finish groups, developing tools, offering training and reviewing levers available through Health Education England's quality assurance role. Results Between 2014 and 2019, the percentage of services supporting patient and public information increased from 27% to 78%. Qualitative evidence demonstrates a wide range of roles played by local services, working either indirectly or directly to ensure access to evidence‐based health information for patients and the public. Discussion The study shows the benefits of engaging people with local expertise in developing the skills and resources for system‐wide change. Conclusion Similar system‐wide change programmes should also consider an integrated approach, involving people, developing tools, offering training and drawing on incentive structures such as quality assurance measures.

High-quality healthcare information exists for patients and the public, but a high proportion of individuals do not have the skills to access, assess and use this information. Health Education England leads the strategic development of knowledge and library services in the National Health Service (NHS) in England. One of the goals of the Knowledge for Healthcare strategy is that staff, learners, patients and the public are better equipped to use evidence-based patient, health and wellbeing information for shared decision-making and self-care. This paper outlines a partnership approach to raising awareness of health literacy, and improving the health literacy awareness and skills of NHS staff and citizens, whilst meeting immediate needs to access trustworthy information on COVID-19.

Public policy changes, such as new legislation, can seem distant from health knowledge and libraries services. The changes can provide, however, opportunities for health libraries and information services across sectors to demonstrate their value, supporting their ongoing funding and integration. The Health and Care Bill 2022 is an example of a public policy change that has specific implications in England, but also demonstrates the elements to look out for in new legislation as opportunities for health libraries and information services.

The Department of Health published a new health information strategy in May 2012. The document provides a framework for health information in England over the next 10 years. Health information developments in England, however, do not mirror developments in other parts of the United Kingdom. This article is a personal reflection on the new health information strategy in England, including comparison with developments in the other UK nations.Keywords: health information, NHS, public policy, UKResponsibility for the NHS has been increasingly devolved to individual UK governments, following devolution of authority for the NHS from Westminster. The Department of Health determines the strategic direction for the NHS in England. In May 2012, the Department of Health published a strategy for information, The power of information: putting all of us in control of the health and care information we need. The strategy document states that it 'focuses on information in its broadest sense, including the support people need to navigate and understand the information available ' (2012: 5).