A first class knowledge service: developing the National electronic Library for Health

With the introduction of clinical governance and the move towards evidence-based practice, there is a growing need to provide health professionals and patients, and the public, with high quality information. Developments in the health service have added weight and urgency to this need. The National electronic Library for Health (NeLH) has a key role to play in providing health professionals with a core knowledge base of accredited and evaluated information. The Pilot NeLH was launched in November and this article outlines the progress and achievements made during this time. The NeLH is based around a central website featuring core resources and links to commissioned specialist collections. Over 70 information resources, including bibliographic databases and full text publications, are accessible via the NeLH, which aims to act as a one-stop shop to support evidence-based decision-making. Much work has been undertaken on national procurement and licensing, particularly in partnership with National Health Service (NHS) libraries. Partnerships as a whole are crucial to ensure true seamless access for health professionals. Key partners include NHS libraries, NHS Direct Online and the electronic Library for Social Care. A short glossary is included for those readers less familiar with current health service developments in the UK.     

Forward view: advancing health library and knowledge services in England

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.     

Opportunity for change in the future roles for the health library and information professional: meeting the challenges in NHS Scotland

BACKGROUND: NHS Education for Scotland (NES) is the Special Health Board responsible for supporting best practice in education, training and development for all staff groups within NHS Scotland. As part of its remit, the Knowledge Services Group within NES is responsible for the e-Library, a national electronic resource providing and supporting access to the evidence base. The Knowledge Services Group also supports the national development of library services to NHS Scotland. AIMS: This article aims to provide a reflective overview of some recent challenges within the health library and information field in Scotland, and the positive role opportunities these have afforded. METHODS: The information was gathered through extensive professional interaction with staff across the sector over the first year of establishing the new role of Librarian Staff Development Manager. FOCUS: New roles have emerged for health library and information professionals generally; for example, in response to new technology or new user groups. The development of the NHS Scotland e-Library provides examples of role development that emerges symbiotically from core skills applied to a new situation or applied in an innovative way. Role development among health library and information professionals operating at the local service level can be both reactive and proactive. Working together, the partnership between the national Knowledge Services Group and local library and knowledge services for NHS Scotland has resulted in the emergence of additional new roles, extending the role portfolio of the local professional (for example, the Librarian-Tutor role) and supported by other national infrastructures (for example, the competency framework initiative).     

All for one, one for all: collaboration between NHS and Higher Education in establishing provision of a multi-disciplinary, hospital-based library and information services

Developing multi-disciplinary library and information services is high on the agenda for many NHS trusts and this brings with it a climate of change for both those who manage and work in services today. The development of such new services needs to be carefully managed and developed, and this presents a challenge for librarians and service managers. In the UK during 1999 and 2000, Aintree Hospital Trust, in conjunction with Edge Hill College of Higher Education, established a truly multi-disciplinary service based at its hospital site and managed by Edge Hill. This paper outlines the key stages in the development of the Library and Information Service with the focus on the management of change, collaboration and the development of a unique partnership between Higher Education and an NHS trust. The case study example will provide an outline of strategic and project planning, with insights into staff management and development, delivering user expectations and developing stakeholder relationships in the health library setting.     

Towards a coordinated approach for management information in the NHS

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The Royal College of Nursing's information needs survey of nurses and health professionals

Aims: To find out about the nursing community's needs in the following areas: information or knowledge to improve practice in the clinical area; information to support lifelong learning and formal study. Methods: A questionnaire was circulated in summer 2004 containing questions on types of information source used for particular types of problem or question; specific sources used; ease of access to various information sources including computers and the Internet, and local health library; and workplace culture and environment. Results: A total of 1715 usable questionnaires were completed and returned. Significant numbers of the nursing community have currently no or limited access to computers. Nursing staff in the independent sector had less access to computers and the Internet than those working for the National Health Service (NHS). Workplace culture was as important as access to IT equipment. Conclusions: As a result of the survey, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) is working with the NHS and the independent health sector to improve access and provide complementary services for the whole nursing community.     

Staffing intelligence services: a survivor's guide

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Journal usage in NHS hospitals: a comparison report of total usage at an acute NHS Trust and a specialist NHS Trust in the North West of England

BACKGROUND: Health care libraries spend a large amount of their non-pay budgets on the purchase of scientific, technical and medical journals. In a typical hospital library in the National Health Service (NHS) North West Strategic Health Authority (SHA), this can represent between 80 and 90% of the collection development budget. METHODS AND RESULTS: Data were collected from 1 December 2005 to 30 November 2006 using COUNTER-generated usage statistics obtained from publishers' administration tools. Between the two trusts included in the study, 93 376 full-text article downloads were recorded; of these, 15 952 or 17.1% articles were downloaded from national core content journals via Proquest. Photocopies made by users for their own use were recorded whenever this data were available. CONCLUSIONS: NHS staff at the sites included in this study recorded a high volume of journal usage. There was a marked difference in usage patterns between the acute and specialist trusts in the study. The journals provided by national core content represented a much higher proportion of total usage at the acute trust (29.9%) compared with the specialist cancer trust (4.5%). This study supports the view that the local purchasing of journal titles is an important component of the overall journal-based information provision to NHS staff.     

Health InfoNet of Jefferson County: collaboration in consumer health information service.

Health InfoNet of Jefferson County is a new collaborative consumer health information service of the Jefferson County public libraries and the UAB Lister Hill Library of the Health Sciences. Working with the input and cooperation of local voluntary health agencies, health care professionals and other health information providers, the intent is to improve the efficiency with which consumers might access such information while avoiding duplication of effort on the part of the information providers. Various considerations in InfoNet's mission include providing service not only to established library and Internet users, but also those on the other side of the "digital divide" as well as those with low literacy skills or English as a second language. The role of health care professionals in guiding their patients to the best consumer health information resources is emphasized.     

Book Review

Digital cable is a technological innovation featuring interactivity, which is still in its infancy. This study identifies a profile of early digital cable subscribers based on a telephone survey. The study results indicate that digital cable subscribers are more likely to watch television, subscribe to premium services, perceive their cable operator to be technologically progressive, and express greater satisfaction with current cable service compared to analog-only subscribers. It was also found that the more people watch television, have premium channels, and evaluate their cable operator as innovative toward technology, the sooner they can be expected to upgrade to new cable services. Implications for cable service structuring and marketing behaviors are also discussed.     

Collaborative accountability for sustainable public health: A Korean perspective on the effective use of ICT-based health risk communication

The sustainability of public health practices requires collaboration between the government and its citizens. On the government's side, social media can provide a conduit for communicating health risk information in an effective and timely fashion, while also engaging citizens in informed decision-making. On the citizen's side, information communication technology (ICT)-based practices cannot function unless citizens recognize and act on their responsibility to actively engage with government social media platforms. Despite an increasing interest in understanding the adoption of ICT practices and e-government services for health risk communication, there remains a crucial need for a comprehensive framework to explain which factors determine citizen use of digital government resources. The purpose of this study is to investigate how to increase government accountability for motivating citizens to engage in ICT-based health risk communication, thereby attaining sustainable public health practices through collaborative governance.By integrating trust and health risk information into the e-government adoption model (GAM), this research examines factors that influence citizens' likelihood of using government social media resources. Survey data from 700 Korean citizens were analyzed using structural equation modeling. The results indicated that individuals with higher social media competency are more likely to (a) seek risk information through social media and (b) perceive the government's social media sites as easy to use. Consistent with the GAM, intentions to use the government's social media sites for information and interactions appear to increase as citizens perceive more value in using them regarding information quality, ease of use, functional benefit, and security. Furthermore, perceived trust in the government's social media resources appears to function as a mediator of this process. Initial trust in the government is an important determinant of perceptions of its digital resources. Citizens who trust the government tend to evaluate new initiatives positively and are more likely to accept and make use of them.The results of this study can inform policy design and implementation by elucidating the mechanisms that determine citizens' adoption and usage of digital government services. Theoretically, this work expands the GAM to include health risk communication and adds empirical evidence to the small yet growing body of knowledge of e-government initiatives. These findings also highlight the importance of public trust in the government, as this encourages citizens to seek health risk information and assistance from the government. Overall, the data and model generated in this investigation represent an important step toward the successful and sustainable modernization of public services.     

Government Digital Transformation: Understanding the Role of Government Social Media

Government social media has been integrated as part of the government administrative tools to improve public service and promote public goals. However, the current government information literature is limited to understanding government social media adoption and its purpose for political marketing. The present study seeks to understand the role of government social media in promoting government digital initiatives (i.e., government-backed digital currency). The study validated the inter-relationships between government social media effort, privacy concerns, trust in technology, reachability, and citizens' participation in government-initiated digital innovations. A total of 505 responses from Chinese citizens were collected through an online self-administered questionnaire survey, and the data was submitted to a two-stage Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling-Artificial Neural Network analysis. The analytic results revealed that privacy concerns, trust in technology, and reachability positively influence digital participation. In addition, the information quality and perception of trust in government social media have significant positive influences on government social media engagement. The study provides strategic practical suggestions to government agencies in effectively utilizing social media as a communication platform to foster citizens' participation in government's digital initiatives.     

Information management in a District Health Authority*

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Libraries and the R&D strategy: a way forward

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Evaluating the impact of library user training programmes across Thames Valley Strategic Health Authority in the UK

BACKGROUND: This study was undertaken to provide evidence that library outreach projects in the NHS in the Thames Valley Strategic Health Authority area were effective and could justify continued funding. Objectives: The object was to assess whether information literacy skills training taken up by health professionals impacts on their confidence and skills in using electronic sources of health information. METHOD: A total of 487 health professionals taking up training on a voluntary basis were assessed by completing a self-assessment questionnaire prior to and after training to establish their information literacy skills and confidence levels. Of these, 223 trainees (46%) also returned 6-week follow-up questionnaires. RESULTS: Results showed that 464 trainees (95%) intended to apply what they had learnt in a variety of ways; use of specific resources greatly increased after training and confidence in using them increased substantially. Use of search techniques increased considerably overall, whereas use of Google decreased. CONCLUSIONS: The major findings of this research are that training health-care personnel in the use of electronic resources impacts positively on their information literacy skills and confidence, and that the information available to them is considered to have potential value across health-care practice.     

A survey of the information management and technology training needs of doctors in an acute NHS trust in the United Kingdom

BACKGROUND: Doctors need information skills to deliver health care in the 21st century. There is concern that those who trained before the 'information age' will be inadequately equipped for their work. OBJECTIVES: To assess doctors' use of computers for clinical tasks, and their knowledge and skills in health information management and technology. DESIGN: Questionnaire survey. SETTING: An acute NHS trust in the UK. PARTICIPANTS: 96 (83%) of all doctors in the trust responded. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Proportion of respondents reporting the following: use of computer-based systems for clinical tasks, knowledge in eight health informatics topics, skills in using specific hardware and software applications. Also comparison of reported skills between senior and junior staff; proportion of doctors identifying specific training needs. RESULTS: All but one (1%) of the responding doctors used a computer regularly. Over three quarters of respondents reported they were semi-skilled or fully skilled in basic office applications, though the juniors scored significantly more highly than the seniors for some applications. However, 44% of doctors reported no skills in database software, identifying this as a training need. Around half of the doctors were unaware of health informatics topics, including electronic patient records, the Caldicott report and data protection law. In each case the senior doctors were significantly more aware than the juniors of the topic in question. CONCLUSION: Both junior and senior doctors have basic computer literacy, but nearly half of this population identify the use of database software as a training need. In addition, there are several health informatics topics of which a large proportion of doctors, particularly the juniors, have little knowledge, but which have not been identified as training needs. Some recommendations are made for provision of in-house health informatics education for doctors.     

Helping the public 'Discover Health' in their local library. Providing health information in public libraries: a partnership approach in Scotland

A partnership between the Specialist Health Promotion Service of NHS Tayside and Dundee City Council developed a project, 'Discover Health', to bring health information to the public. The two main formats used were traditional leaflets and Internet access via the People's Network, both available in public libraries. The steering group for the project was made up of staff from both organisations. The NHS side secured the funding; the Council side provided the accommodation and information and communication technologies. The partnership worked well, and the project is continuing, with expansion in the pipeline for other areas within Tayside. The various aspects of the functioning of the partnership are discussed. A literature review of similar initiatives is included.     

Bibliotherapy for mental health service users Part 2: a survey of psychiatric libraries in the UK

Aims and objectives: UK health policy advocates a patient‐centred approach to patient care. Library services could serve the rehabilitation needs of mental health service users through bibliotherapy (the use of written, audio or e‐learning materials to provide therapeutic support). Part 2 of this two‐part paper assesses the views of psychiatric libraries in the UK on providing access to service users and possible services provided. Methods: An e‐mail questionnaire survey of psychiatric library members of the psychiatric lending co‐operative scheme (n = 100) obtained a response rate of 55%, mostly from libraries based in hospitals. Results: At present, libraries funded by the health service provide minimal facilities for service users. Librarians are uncertain about the benefits and practicalities of providing access to service users. Conclusions: In order to implement change, information providers across the National Health Service (NHS) will need to work collaboratively to overcome attitudinal and institutional barriers, including the key issue of funding.     

云图书馆可信服务监督模型及关键技术研究

分析当前云图书馆所面临的安全威胁,总结目前图书馆行业安全技术的应用现状,通过引入信任管理机制,尝试构建云图书馆可信服务监督体系。建立可信服务监督模型,对云图书馆服务中动态信任评估所涉及的关键问题进行深入探讨。针对云图书馆服务模式下信任度信息无法有效共享的问题,设计一种云图书馆服务信任本体CLTM-Ont,对动态信任评估过程中的反馈信任度和信任上下文匹配等进行算法设计,以推动云图书馆可信服务环境的形成,保障数字资源安全及用户个人隐私。     

The UK's SMARTAL Project: St MARTin's College health students Access to Learning resources whilst on placement

BACKGROUND: St Martin's College pre-registration health students spend up to half their course on periods of placement, during which times they need to be able to access learning resources. The project aimed to replicate the Health and Education Northumbria Students Access to Learning resources (HENSAL) project. OBJECTIVE: To look at patterns of use and access to learning resources for health students on placement. METHODS: Questionnaires were distributed to students who had recently returned from a placement. Five Practice Placement Facilitators were interviewed to gain their views. RESULTS: There was a 60% return rate (n = 268) for the questionnaire. Most students thought access to learning resources was important yet these were not always available and varied according to placement type. Students still made regular use of the College library while they were on placement but had some difficulties. Students used electronic resources, tending to access them from home. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicated that there were issues which needed to be addressed by the College's Faculty of Health and Social Care, Library and IT services, the local NHS Trust libraries and the local Strategic Health Authority to improve access to and use of learning resources. The findings proved to be very similar to those of the HENSAL project.