This document discusses a NHS library team's efforts to engage patients and the public by providing them with health information services. Traditionally the team only served clinical and non-clinical staff. To meet new requirements, they faced the challenge of also serving patients and the public. Their solution was to teach health information literacy skills to staff at public libraries, so they could help the public find the right health information. The NHS library team delivered training sessions to public library staff on useful health websites and the Health Information Standard. Feedback showed the training increased staff's ability and confidence to assist the public with health queries. Going forward, the NHS library team aims to foster partnerships with public libraries and provide direct training to the public.

1. Engaging with Patients and Members of the
Public – a New Challenge for NHS Libraries
Emma Child, Information Specialist
Knowledge and Evidence Service
@WHHKES @EmaChild

2. Who are we?
We are a small team of 4 staff – Library
Manager, 2 Information Specialists and
Knowledge Services Assistant
Traditionally we provide an information service
to all clinical and non-clinical staff at
Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS
Foundation Trust (WHH)
Recently we faced the challenge of also
needing to provide an information service to
patients and members of the general public

3. Why engage with patients
& the public?
Patients and carers
who are more
involved can make
decisions and
manage chronic
conditions meaning
less pressure on the
NHS
Key documents call
for patients to be
more health literate
so they can find the
right information and
become more
involved in their own
care
The UK has an
ageing and growing
population which
puts immense
pressure on the
NHS
It is now a requirement of the NHS Library Assurance Framework to provide an
information provision for patients and/or members of the public

4. An obvious solution would be to allow patients and members of the
public into the library, but there are certain barriers:
• IT restrictions – only WHH staff can log onto our PCs
• Confidentiality – clinical staff will frequently bring patient notes
into the library, view medical scans on the computers and take
phone calls discussing patients on the wards
• Lack of staff time to answer enquiries from patients and the public
• Cost of purchasing patient friendly resources such as books
Barriers to engagement

5. Our Solution
Teach health information literacy skills to public library
colleagues so that they can confidently answer health related
enquiries from members of the public and help them to find the
right information
Jan 2017
Pitched idea
to Halton
Lea Library
Manager
15th & 23rd
March
Two Information
Specialists delivered a
series of one hour
training sessions
Immediately
after session
Gathered
anonymous
feedback from
participants
6 weeks after
session
Captured
impact of
training via
online survey

6. Session Content
4 patient friendly health
websites:
NHS Choices
Patient
Health Talk
Quality Care Commission
Health Information Standard – a logo which
assures the user that the information they are
reading is from a reliable, trusted source

7. An initial survey was handed out immediately after training. Participants
placed completed surveys into an opaque envelope before they left the room
to ensure anonymous responses
100% said the
content was
relevant, that the
pace and level of
knowledge was
suitable and
handouts were
useful
100% said they would
recommend the
session to colleague
Immediate Feedback
23
members
of staff
taught
8
sessions
delivered
Across 2
sites:
Halton
Lea &
Widnes

8. 6 weeks after the training an online survey was sent to participants to see if they’d
had chance to use their new skills and knowledge. 7 people responded
How they used it..
 Enquiry about an eye condition so
directed user to Patient UK
 Library user was diagnosed with
an illness. He wanted information
so I showed him websites and
how to use them
Enquiry: “do you know where the
nearest doctors is as I have just
moved here with my son?” I looked
on NHS Choices to find their
nearest doctors
Impact
People had
used what
they had
learnt since
the session
said they had
shared what
they learnt
with a
colleague
“Perfectly organised, suitable for our job as
Library assistants to help those in need with
health sector advice”

9. Future Directions
Foster cross-sector
partnership with public
libraries
Deliver health information
literacy skills training directly
to members of the public
New Initiatives such as
patient information leaflets

10. NHS Five Year Forward View, NHS England, 2014
Knowledge for Healthcare: A Development Framework
for NHS Library and Knowledge Services in England.
Health Education England, 2015
References: