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NHS library and information services
underpin a wide range of NHS activity. They provide proactive information
management services to all Trusts, Health Authorities and a range
of other bodies such as Workforce Development Confederations. Libraries
are not about collections of books and journals; they are about
the delivery of knowledge management skills and services. At the
heart of the service is the qualified information professional,
skilled in identifying a wide range of information resources and
using them to meet information needs.
Library and information services support direct patient care (i.e.
clinical decision making), evidence-based health, lifelong learning,
management information and research and development. They cross
departmental and organisational boundaries within the NHS and link
across to higher education and the voluntary sectors.
NHS libraries have a number of stakeholders including their home
Trust or Health Authority, adjacent Trusts including Primary Care
Trusts, the Workforce Development Confederations and Postgraduate
Deaneries. This often makes the funding of NHS libraries complex.
Libraries in the North west are co-ordinated, developed and monitored
by the Health Care Libraries Unit http://www.lihnn.org.uk
, the Unit manages the north west's knowledge portal, ADITUS,
which provides access to a range of core databases and texts 24x7:
http://www.adutis.nhs.uk
and http://nww.aditus.nhs.uk
For more information on the National Electronic Library for Health
: http://www.nelh.nhs.uk
or http://nww.nelh.nhs.uk
Informatics Learning Networks (ILNs) - are the key fora for
information professionals and clinicians to share learning about
information in the National Health Service. Participants form a
cadre of champions, who support each other, share experiences, contribute
to health information plans and cascade learning to staff. By developing
their confidence and competence by using information clinicians
have a better understanding of what information will bring to their
business. Learners focus on subjects such as clinical governance,
care pathways, data security and clinical systems procurement through
local learning groups. ILNs have been in existence since 2001 and
have many fora in which to share and develop.
For more information please visit: http://www.ecommunity.nhs.uk
and look for information on your local ILN.
My Workplace - The NHS Information Authority is piloting
a project called the "My Workplace Project". It is designed
to allow every healthcare professional to have an individualised
web site which could be systematically informed from the National
Electronic Library for Health (NeLH) about relevant changes through
developing an NeLH electronic prompting service. It gives a personalised
desktop working area with email, diary, notes, notice board, document
storage, bookmarks, portfolio, links to clinical tools, evidence
based journals and the National Electronic Library for Health. There
is also a feedback facility and personal help and advice available.
For more information on the pilot please visit: http://www.nelh.nhs.uk/myworkplace/
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