the role of welsh health libraries in supporting information provision to nhs users
DESCRIPTION
The Role of Welsh Health Libraries in Supporting Information Provision to NHS Users. Anne Cleves AWHILES Conference 14 th July 2009. “Development of improved health information to help people engage with their care in an informed way” (Wanless, 2002) Do health libraries have a role?. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
The Role of Welsh Health The Role of Welsh Health Libraries in Supporting Libraries in Supporting Information Provision to Information Provision to
NHS UsersNHS Users
Anne ClevesAnne Cleves
AWHILES Conference 14AWHILES Conference 14thth July 2009 July 2009
““Development of improved health Development of improved health information to help people engage with information to help people engage with
their care in an informed way”their care in an informed way”
(Wanless, 2002)(Wanless, 2002)
Do health libraries have a role?Do health libraries have a role?
BackgroundBackgroundKey DocumentsKey Documents
Improving Health in Wales: A plan for the NHS with its Improving Health in Wales: A plan for the NHS with its partnerspartners
(National Assembly in (National Assembly in Wales, 2001)Wales, 2001)
Designed for Life: Creating World Class Health and Social Designed for Life: Creating World Class Health and Social Care for Wales in the 21Care for Wales in the 21stst Century Century
(Welsh Assembly Government, 2005)(Welsh Assembly Government, 2005)
Securing Our Future Health: Taking a Long-Term View Securing Our Future Health: Taking a Long-Term View (Wanless, 2002)(Wanless, 2002)
Research QuestionsResearch Questions
What role do health libraries in Wales play in supporting What role do health libraries in Wales play in supporting information provision to NHS users?information provision to NHS users?
What methods and resources do health libraries in What methods and resources do health libraries in Wales employ in supporting information provision to NHS Wales employ in supporting information provision to NHS users?users?
What are health librarians’ attitudes to supporting What are health librarians’ attitudes to supporting information provision to NHS users?information provision to NHS users?
How can health libraries improve their services to NHS How can health libraries improve their services to NHS users?users?
ObjectivesObjectives Identify relevant literature on the role and methods Identify relevant literature on the role and methods
employed by health libraries to facilitate access to employed by health libraries to facilitate access to health information by NHS users. health information by NHS users.
Identify the arena of health libraries in Wales and the Identify the arena of health libraries in Wales and the population of NHS users that they serve.population of NHS users that they serve.
Conduct a survey of health libraries to assess the Conduct a survey of health libraries to assess the services provided to NHS users and the attitudes of services provided to NHS users and the attitudes of librarians to providing services to this user group.librarians to providing services to this user group.
Review the findings of the survey in the relation to the Review the findings of the survey in the relation to the findings of the literature review.findings of the literature review.
Draw conclusions on the findings to inform Draw conclusions on the findings to inform recommendations on how health libraries can improve recommendations on how health libraries can improve their services to NHS users. their services to NHS users.
DefinitionsDefinitions
NHS User: as a patient or member of the public NHS User: as a patient or member of the public who uses the services of the NHS, including who uses the services of the NHS, including those who are “well” and living in the community those who are “well” and living in the community e.g. people targeted by public health campaigns.e.g. people targeted by public health campaigns.
Health Information: information regarding Health Information: information regarding diseases, conditions, care services and support diseases, conditions, care services and support groups.groups.
Health Libraries: libraries that specifically deal Health Libraries: libraries that specifically deal with information related to health.with information related to health.
Literature ReviewLiterature Review
Main ThemesMain Themes
Reference ServicesReference Services Collaborative PartnershipsCollaborative Partnerships Patient Education RoundsPatient Education Rounds
IssuesIssues
FundingFunding Staff timeStaff time Appropriateness of resourcesAppropriateness of resources Librarians attitudesLibrarians attitudes TrainingTraining Electronic resource licensesElectronic resource licenses Computer accessComputer access
Welsh Health Libraries Welsh Health Libraries
Hospital LibraryHospital Library Academic LibraryAcademic Library Heath Charity LibraryHeath Charity Library Public Health LibraryPublic Health Library Government Health LibraryGovernment Health Library Professional Health Organisation LibraryProfessional Health Organisation Library
Pilot StudyPilot Study
Cancer Research Wales LibraryCancer Research Wales Library
National Leadership and Innovation National Leadership and Innovation Agency for Healthcare, Learning Agency for Healthcare, Learning LaboratoryLaboratory
QuestionnaireQuestionnaire
Section A: Library characteristicsSection A: Library characteristics
Section B: Libraries involvement with NHS Section B: Libraries involvement with NHS usersusers
Section C: Librarians attitudes to Section C: Librarians attitudes to information provision to NHS usersinformation provision to NHS users
Section D: Librarians attitudes to methods Section D: Librarians attitudes to methods for information provision to NHS users.for information provision to NHS users.
Reference ServicesReference Services
Only 3% of Welsh health libraries hold Only 3% of Welsh health libraries hold information resources for NHS users.information resources for NHS users.
83% of Welsh health libraries do not 83% of Welsh health libraries do not routinely allow physical access.routinely allow physical access.
Only 10% of Welsh health libraries allow Only 10% of Welsh health libraries allow NHS users to become members.NHS users to become members.
Direct AccessDirect Access
13% of librarians agreed that NHS users should be 13% of librarians agreed that NHS users should be allowed access to any health library.allowed access to any health library.
Question 38: Likert scale responses to statement 'NHS users should be allowed access to any health library'
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
2 1 0 -1 -2
Value attributed(2=strongly agree; -2=strongly disagree)
Fre
qu
ency
Physical ResourcesPhysical Resources
73% of librarians felt the resources held are not 73% of librarians felt the resources held are not appropriate for use by NHS usersappropriate for use by NHS users..
Question 39: Likert scale responses to statement 'The physical resources held in the library are not appropriate for
use by NHS users'
0
5
10
15
20
2 1 0 -1 -2
Value attributed(2=strongly agree; -2=strongly disagree)
Fre
qu
ency
70% of librarians agreed that are not funded to 70% of librarians agreed that are not funded to provide information to NHS usersprovide information to NHS users..
FundingFunding
Question 46: Likert scale responses to statement 'Health libraries are not funded to provide information to NHS users'
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
2 1 0 -1 -2
Value attributed(2=strongly agree; -2=strongly disagree)
Fre
qu
ency
TrainingTraining
60% agreed that health library staff are not trained 60% agreed that health library staff are not trained to give information directly to NHS users.to give information directly to NHS users.
Question 41: Likert scale responses to statement 'Health library staff are not trained to directly provide information to
NHS users'
02468
101214
2 1 0 -1 -2
Value attributed(2=strongly agree; -2=strongly disagree)
Fre
qu
ency
Collaborative PartnershipsCollaborative Partnerships
42% of libraries said they had provided health 42% of libraries said they had provided health information to public libraries.information to public libraries.
54% of libraries said there was no patient 54% of libraries said there was no patient information service within their organisation and information service within their organisation and a further 33% said they didn’t know.a further 33% said they didn’t know.
32% of libraries conduct mediated searches to 32% of libraries conduct mediated searches to inform the production of resources for NHS inform the production of resources for NHS users.users.
Other SectorsOther Sectors
77% of libraries agreed that libraries from other 77% of libraries agreed that libraries from other sectors should work togethersectors should work together..
Question 45: Likert scale responses to statement 'Libraries from different sectors should work together to provide
access to high quality resources for NHS users'
0
5
10
15
20
2 1 0 -1 -2
Value attributed(2=strongly agree; -2=strongly disagree)
Fre
qu
ency
Collaborative Partnerships with Collaborative Partnerships with Public LibrariesPublic Libraries
50% of librarians 50% of librarians agreed with the agreed with the scenarioscenario
Question 49: Likert scale responses to statement A and statement E
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
2 1 0 -1 -2
Value attributed(2=strongly agree; -2=strongly disagree)
Freq
uenc
y
Statement A
Statement E
Collaborative Partnerships with Collaborative Partnerships with Patient Information ServicesPatient Information Services
75% of librarians 75% of librarians agreed with the agreed with the scenario.scenario.
Question 47: Likert scale reponses to statement A and statement E.
0
5
10
15
20
2 1 0 -1 -2
Value attributed(2=strongly agree; -2=strongly disagree)
Freq
uenc
y
Statement A
Statement E
Patient Education RoundsPatient Education Rounds
97% of Welsh libraries have not assisted 97% of Welsh libraries have not assisted NHS users with their information needs NHS users with their information needs away from the library environment.away from the library environment.
Patient Education RoundsPatient Education Rounds
38% of librarians 38% of librarians disagreed with the disagreed with the scenarioscenario
35% of librarians 35% of librarians were undecidedwere undecided
27% of librarians 27% of librarians agreed with the agreed with the scenarioscenario
Question 48: Likert scale responses to statement A and statement E
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
2 1 0 -1 -2
Value attributed(2=strongly agree; -2=strongly disagree)
Fre
qu
ency
Statement A
Statement E
ConclusionsConclusions
Welsh health libraries do not play Welsh health libraries do not play significant role in information provision to significant role in information provision to NHS users.NHS users.
Welsh health libraries do not have Welsh health libraries do not have resources specifically aimed at NHS resources specifically aimed at NHS users.users.
Welsh health librarians overall displayed a Welsh health librarians overall displayed a negative attitude to developing a role in negative attitude to developing a role in information provision to NHS users.information provision to NHS users.
BarriersBarriers FundingFunding
““Would be a fantastic service to offer but where does the Would be a fantastic service to offer but where does the funding for staff time and resources come from?”funding for staff time and resources come from?”
ResourcesResources““I think librarians could provide an excellent, professional I think librarians could provide an excellent, professional
service to the public, but we are not resourced for it.”service to the public, but we are not resourced for it.”
TrainingTraining““Library staff are not trained to give information directly to Library staff are not trained to give information directly to
the public. They may provide inappropriate information, the public. They may provide inappropriate information, not knowing details of the patient’s condition”not knowing details of the patient’s condition”
RecommendationsRecommendations
Take a more proactive role in partnerships with Take a more proactive role in partnerships with other sector libraries.other sector libraries.
Take a more proactive role with other Take a more proactive role with other stakeholders.stakeholders.
Liaise with health professionals on the Liaise with health professionals on the information needs of NHS users.information needs of NHS users.
Establish a more cohesive policy nationally on Establish a more cohesive policy nationally on health libraries role in information provision to health libraries role in information provision to NHS users.NHS users.
Future ResearchFuture Research
Assessment of information provision Assessment of information provision provided by other services across Walesprovided by other services across Wales
Health professionals views on libraries Health professionals views on libraries involvement in information provision to involvement in information provision to NHS usersNHS users
The Way ForwardThe Way Forward
??
Discuss!Discuss!54% of libraries said there was no patient information 54% of libraries said there was no patient information service within their organisation.service within their organisation.
33% didn’t know.33% didn’t know.
Is this any of our business?Is this any of our business?
What (if anything) should we do about What (if anything) should we do about it?