The document summarizes the key points of the National Review of NHS Library Services report. The 122-page report includes 50 recommendations separated into strategic and operational categories. It calls for clinical decisions and health policies to be informed by the best available evidence. The core purposes of NHS health library and knowledge services are outlined as supporting clinical decisions, commissioning, lifelong learning, research, and changing the culture to view libraries as an essential part of the NHS. Implementation of the recommendations will involve strategic health authorities and their library leads influencing business planning at all levels.

1. A National Review of NHS Library Services:A National Review of NHS Library Services:
The Report: headlines andThe Report: headlines and
implementationimplementation
University Health & Medical Librarians GroupUniversity Health & Medical Librarians Group
Spring ForumSpring Forum
WoburnHouse Conference Centre, Tavistock Square, LondonWoburnHouse Conference Centre, Tavistock Square, London
Monday 10 March 2008Monday 10 March 2008
Professor Peter Hill
Associate Director, National Library for Health
Institute of Health and Society, University of Newcastle upon Tyne
Appointed Member of the Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board

2. www.library.nhs.uk/aboutnlh/reviewwww.library.nhs.uk/aboutnlh/review
122 pages122 pages
126 references126 references
50 recommendations:50 recommendations:
in order of appearancein order of appearance
by target audienceby target audience
separated into strategic and operationalseparated into strategic and operational
the report …the report …

3. context:context:
one of continuing changeone of continuing change
politicspolitics
the tooke report on clinical effectivenessthe tooke report on clinical effectiveness
the darzi reviewthe darzi review
challenges:challenges:
to provide the best possible patient careto provide the best possible patient care
to improve health and reduce inequalitiesto improve health and reduce inequalities
library and knowledge services actively supportinglibrary and knowledge services actively supporting
clinical careclinical care
context and challenges …context and challenges …

4. ““It is inconceivable that care should not beIt is inconceivable that care should not be
founded on the best available evidence.founded on the best available evidence.
Not to use the best available evidenceNot to use the best available evidence
risks harm to, or even the death of,risks harm to, or even the death of,
patients.”patients.”
headlines (1) …headlines (1) …

5. ““There’s a difference between information andThere’s a difference between information and
knolwedge. It’s the difference between Christyknolwedge. It’s the difference between Christy
Turlington’s phone number and ChristyTurlington’s phone number and Christy
Turlington.”Turlington.”
P J O’RourkeP J O’Rourke
(1947-)(1947-)
(Attributed)(Attributed)
the power of knowledge …the power of knowledge …

6. core purposes of nhs health library and knowledgecore purposes of nhs health library and knowledge
services:services:
clinical decisions informed by the best availableclinical decisions informed by the best available
evidenceevidence
commissioning and health policy decisionscommissioning and health policy decisions
informed by the best available evidenceinformed by the best available evidence
support for lifelong learningsupport for lifelong learning
support and inform researchsupport and inform research
headlines (2) …headlines (2) …

7. consequential issues (1):consequential issues (1):
being part of core business:being part of core business:
chief knowledge officerschief knowledge officers
““team knowledge officers”team knowledge officers”
training:training:
“…“… is the beginning of a relationship”is the beginning of a relationship”
an opportunity to advance the evidencean opportunity to advance the evidence
into practice agendainto practice agenda
headlines (3) …headlines (3) …

8. consequential issues (2):consequential issues (2):
the role of regulationthe role of regulation
quality at different levels:quality at different levels:
quality control in nhs organisations (local)quality control in nhs organisations (local)
quality management (sha level)quality management (sha level)
quality assurance (national)quality assurance (national)
headlines (4) …headlines (4) …

9. consequential issues (3):consequential issues (3):
changing the culture:changing the culture:
allall nhs staffnhs staff
health libraries and librarians as a modern andhealth libraries and librarians as a modern and
essential part of a service supporting the nhsessential part of a service supporting the nhs
performance development reviewsperformance development reviews
continuing professional developmentcontinuing professional development
personal development planspersonal development plans
headlines (5) …headlines (5) …

10. presented in a variety of wayspresented in a variety of ways
can be considered as strategic or operationalcan be considered as strategic or operational
broadly, cover:broadly, cover:
knowledge systemsknowledge systems
barriers to accessbarriers to access
procurementprocurement
quality and standards, including regulationquality and standards, including regulation
the recommendations …the recommendations …

11. the four purposes of nhs library servicesthe four purposes of nhs library services
more and better partnerships with heimore and better partnerships with heiss
research outputs and the public purseresearch outputs and the public purse
handling information older than 10 yearshandling information older than 10 years
joint procurementjoint procurement
copyright and licencingcopyright and licencing
recommendations particularly relevant torecommendations particularly relevant to
uhmlg …uhmlg …

12. publication and widespread distributionpublication and widespread distribution
meshing with:meshing with:
the darzi review and its outcomethe darzi review and its outcome
tooke and the clinical effectiveness agendatooke and the clinical effectiveness agenda
an overview by the national library for healthan overview by the national library for health
a key role for strategic health authorities,a key role for strategic health authorities,
and their library leadsand their library leads
influencing nhs business planning, at all levelsinfluencing nhs business planning, at all levels
i have agreed to help:i have agreed to help:
two days a week until 31 march 2009two days a week until 31 march 2009
appointment as associate director to nlhappointment as associate director to nlh
implementation …implementation …