Forward view: advancing health library and knowledge services in England

Abstract

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.

Factors influencing the success of knowledge management process in health care organisations: a literature review

“…They can play a pivotal role as knowledge brokers in health care organisations in mobilising knowledge and evidence effectively and supporting the health care workforces to provide high quality care. Library and knowledge staff can support health care practitioners to find and evaluate information that they need through managing and sharing knowledge, and optimising required technology (Davies et al, ; Lacey Bryant et al, ; Lacey Bryant, Stewart & Goswami, ).…”

“…In addition, by delivering knowledge in actionable formats, for example clinical decision support systems or decision aids, there will be more options to support KM processes. (Brice & Grant, ; Brice & Muir Gray, ; Davies et al, ; Keeling & Lambert, ; Lacey Bryant et al, ; Lacey Bryant et al, ; Plaice & Kitch, ).…”

A best-fit solution: transforming an NHS Library and Knowledge Service in readiness for a new hospital building without a traditional library space

“…It is important to acknowledge that service transformation is not without significant challenges. First, there is a need to upskill the LKS workforce in the UK to successfully perform embedded and clinical librarian roles [22]. Second, some traditional services may need to cease for small teams to have the ability to deliver on collaborative projects.…”

Making the most of public policy in health libraries and information services: Example of the Health and Care Bill 2022

“…In the case of health knowledge and library services, as a specific interest group, this involves demonstrating how NHS knowledge and library services enable the Secretary of State and local NHS organisations to be assured of the use of evidence from research. This forms part of activity to ‘ensure access to evidence and knowledge for all decision makers’ (Lacey Bryant et al, 2018).…”