Category Archives: News
Designing integrated care systems (ICSs) in England: An overview on the arrangements needed to build strong health and care systems across the country
Impact on library policy/practice:
MAP has already looked at the implications of ICSs for LKS in a policy briefing on Integrated Care Organisations – a reminder of the impact below.
- There may be an opportunity to deliver evidence and knowledge to managers, commissioners and transformation teams as health care services undergo this change.
- As organisational boundaries blur and take a ‘whole population’ approach, LKS may be required to adapt their service delivery models accordingly.
- If healthcare moves away from a competitive structure and towards a collaborative one, there will be many opportunities relating to knowledge management that could support the sharing and dissemination of good practice, innovation and organisational knowledge.
- LKS will have to consider how the negotiation and procurement of resources needs to adapt to reflect the changes in organisational structures.
- There is a clear role for technology in supporting the emergence of integrated care systems and Accountable Care Organisations that presents an opportunity for digitally enabled
- Highly likely that LKS in sustainability and transformation partnerships (STPs) and the wider region are already working together in partnership and can share experience of partnership working and collaboration
- Fabulous opportunity to showcase our health literacy skills
Source: NHS England
Publication format: PDF
Date of publication: June 2019
Summary of driver:
The NHS Long-Term Plan set the ambition that every part of the country should be an integrated care system by 2021. It encourages all organisations in each health and care system to join forces, so they are better able to improve the health of their populations and offer well-coordinated efficient services to those who need them. This overview is for all the health and care leaders working to make that ambition a reality, whether in NHS acute or primary care, physical or mental health, local government or the voluntary sector. It sets out the different levels of management that make up an integrated care system, describing their core functions, the rationale behind them and how they will work together.
There are three important levels at which decisions are made:
- Neighbourhoods (populations circa 30,000 to 50,000 people) – served by groups of GP practices working with NHS community services, social care and other providers to deliver more coordinated and proactive services, including through primary care networks.
- Places (populations circa 250,000 to 500,000 people) – served by a set of health and care providers in a town or district, connecting primary care networks to broader services including those provided by local councils, community hospitals or voluntary organisations.
- Systems (populations circa 1 million to 3 million people) – in which the whole area’s health and care partners in different sectors come together to set strategic direction and to develop economies of scale.
This overview recognises that each area is at a different stage of its journey and provides examples of best practice from all of these three levels. Regional and national support will be delivered by NHS England and NHS Improvement.
National survey of local innovation and research needs of the NHS
What does this mean for libraries?
- Libraries can actively look to disseminate information about national or local research and innovation projects to their users / organisation through current awareness services, literature searches or in specific focused events or activities to raise awareness.
- This could be an opportunity to establish links with local research & development departments to establish which subject areas are of interest so current awareness services or bulletins addressing those topics can be provided; and raise awareness within the research and development team of the library’s ability to assist with literature searches, access to information databases, and searches for grey literature.
- Libraries could host research coffee mornings or similar as meeting opportunities for researchers and those interested in innovation in their organisation to meet up and discuss potential projects, and lessons learned from failed projects.
- Libraries could find out about their local regional Academic Health Science Network and disseminate to their organisation / service users information about what projects the research network is currently running.
Source: AHSN (Academic Health Science Network)
Date of publication: April 2019
Summary of driver:
This report summarises the national findings from a survey to identify local NHS innovation and research needs in England.
The views of local health stakeholders, including clinical leaders, managers and directors, within each AHSN (Academic Health Science Network) were sought.
There were some differences in regional priorities, but common themes emerged that reflected wider challenges facing the NHS and align with the NHS Long Term Plan.
These include a need for innovation and research addressing:
- workforce challenges
- delivering mental health services and providing care for patients with mental health needs
- integrating services to provide effective care for patients with complex needs – including multi-morbidity and frailty.
- research into the needs for specific patient groups – people with mental health conditions, older people and socially-isolated people.
- using digital and artificial intelligence technology.
The survey also asked about respondents’ ability to access innovation and research in their region and confidence in implementing it.
The survey identified where research existed in the respondents’ priority areas, using it and implementing the research were identified as potential problems.
Improvements in communication and dissemination of information were identified as improvements needed to raise awareness of research and innovation; whilst sharing knowledge was identified as important for improving the application of innovation and research.
NHS Constitution
What does this mean for libraries?
- Library & Knowledge Services are clearly aligned with principle 3: “The NHS aspires to the highest standards of excellence and professionalism” as we continue to train and support staff to deliver high-quality, evidence-based healthcare. Identifying and appraising evidence to inform service development means that good practice and learning are incorporated into the planning and delivery of NHS services. LKS are committed to developing people; we support academic endeavours, enable NHS staff to employ effective knowledge management behaviours and promote critical thinking. LKS work closely with research practitioners and departments to assess and grow the evidence base to improve health care for the future.
- That the NHS is patient-centric is a key theme of the Constitution. There are opportunities for LKS to ensure patient information is communicated plainly, accurately and in an accessible way, whether through supporting the development of patient information leaflets, or helping healthcare staff to translate evidence in a meaningful way.
- LKS professionals are skilled in building relationships, harnessing technology and networking to enable effective knowledge transfer across healthcare systems. This expertise clearly supports principle 5: “The NHS works across organisational boundaries and in partnership with other organisations in the interest of patients, local communities and the wider population”.
- Ensuring that effective, evidence based decision-making is employed across the NHS is crucial to achieving principle 6: “The NHS is committed to providing best value for taxpayers’ money and the most effective, fair and sustainable use of finite resources”. LKS can accelerate effective decision-making by harnessing evidence, learning and knowledge for health care systems to apply.
- The values of equity, openness and partnership working described in the Constitution are echoed in the principles that underpin the delivery of Library and Knowledge Services, as outlined in Knowledge for Healthcare.
Source: Department of Health and Social Care
Date of publication: Published March 2012, updated October 2015
Summary of driver:
The NHS Constitution establishes the principles and values of the NHS in England.
Seven key principles guide the NHS in all it does:
- The NHS provides a comprehensive service, available to all
- Access to NHS services is based on clinical need, not an individual’s ability to pay.
- The NHS aspires to the highest standards of excellence and professionalism
- NHS services must reflect the needs and preferences of patients, their families and their carers.
- The NHS works across organisational boundaries and in partnership with other organisations in the interest of patients, local communities and the wider population
- The NHS is committed to providing best value for taxpayers’ money and the most effective, fair and sustainable use of finite resources
- The NHS is accountable to the public, communities and patients that it serves.
The Topol Review: Preparing the healthcare workforce to deliver the digital future.
Impact on library policy/practice:
- The review makes a strong assertion that effective knowledge management is essential for a digitally ready NHS, with a specific recommendation (OD5 p.70) that “NHS Boards take responsibility for effective knowledge management to enable staff to learn from experience (both success and failures) and accelerate the adoption of proven innovations.”
- It makes clear that the adoption of digital healthcare technologies should be based on evidence, of both clinical and cost-effectiveness, and knowledge of new technologies needs to be spread throughout the NHS (p.20). Librarians are well-placed to help access the evidence-base, to encourage the development of the knowledge base (for example through support for research and writing for publication) and to help ensure knowledge is disseminated (OD6, p.68)
- LKS staff are ideally placed to train, support and engage healthcare professionals in engaging with the technology (OD3, p.66, E6 and E8, p.78)
- Knowledge management opportunities are abundant – the review specifies that an increase in knowledge specialist posts to support healthcare professionals is required (DM4/AIR5, p.49 and 57)
- LKS can provide support via digital and healthliteracy/needs based targeted education and support upskilling of current workforce (OD3, p.66 and E6 and E8, p.78)
- LKS are well positioned to link up with local community via GP surgeries and community events/local libraries/education to support both patient/public and healthcare professional education (P2, p.25 and HI1, p.25)
- There’s an opportunity for LKS staff to be the champions and create the collaborative networks required to support workforce with lifelong learning/continuing professional development
- A culture of learning is recommended as an educational recommendation to support a digitally enabled health system, something that LKS enhance in multiple ways across NHS Trusts (E1, p.74)
- As training and educational programmes evolve to address digital technologies; to adequately support these programmes LKS may need to review and / or expand on their provision of resources covering the areas of genomics, artificial intelligence, robotics, and digital technologies. Or should see how they can facilitate access to such resources e.g. via inter library loans.
Source: An independent report on behalf of the Secretary of State for health and Social Care
Publication format: PDF
Date of publication: February 2019
Summary of driver:
The Topol Review, is based around the following three principles which support the implementation of digital healthcare technologies across the NHS.
- Patients should be suitably informed about health technologies, with particular focus on vulnerable groups to ensure fair access
- The healthcare workforce needs knowledge and guidance to evaluate new technologies
- The adoption of technology should be used to give healthcare staff more time to care and interact directly with patients
Key features of driver:
- Patients need to be included as partners and informed about healthcare technologies, with a particular focus on vulnerable/marginalised groups to ensure equitable access
- NHS is to invest and upskill existing workforce
- The healthcare workforce needs expertise and guidance to evaluate new technologies
- The gift of time, adoption of new technologies should enable staff to spend more time to care
- The review covers the implications of these changes for both healthcare professionals and patients. New technologies will bring stronger patient-clinical relationships as well as improved accuracy of diagnoses and treatment and the efficiency of care and workflows for the healthcare professional.
- Although the workforce is changing, automation should improve efficiency but not replace human interaction
- Emphasis on that to deliver this change, investment in people is as important as the investment in technology. NHS organisations are expected to develop learning environments in which the workforce is encouraged to learn continuously.
- NHS Boards to take responsibility for effective knowledge management to support innovation and change
- Core training and lifelong training
- NHS IT will have to be updated to support the training resources and educational opportunities in digital healthcare technologies
- Apps and wearables – patient becoming more involved with self-management
Primary audience: Healthcare workforce, national and local government, educational institutions
Related document: CILIP response to the Topol Review of Technology in the Healthcare Sector https://www.cilip.org.uk/page/TopolReview
Date last updated: February 2019
Due for review: February 2020
Group member responsible: LK
General Practice Forward View
What does this mean for libraries?
- Opportunities to provide evidence to support redesign of services
- Delivery of training for staff based in practices
- Developing SLAs / Contracts with CCGs to deliver services to GP practices
- Assisting with the spread of good ideas through current awareness and KM activities
Source: NHS England
Date of publication: 21 April 2016 (Updated: 19 May 2017)
Summary of driver: An extra £2.4 billion a year will support general practice services to 2020/21, enabling improved patient care, access, and innovation. £500 million is invested support GP practices to aid struggling practices, reduce workload, expand the workforce, investment in technology and transform services. The plan was developed with the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) and Health Education England (HEE) and outlines steps to:
- Channel investment
- Grow and develop the workforce
- Streamline the workload
- Improve infrastructure
- Support practices to redesign services
Leadership in today’s NHS: delivering the impossible
A policy briefing is available for LKS staff to share in their organisations. Produced by the JET Library at Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Feel free to reproduce it (with acknowledgement).
What does this mean for libraries?
Opportunity to support the increasing demand for knowledge resources related to sustainable leadership.
Source: King’s Fund
Date of publication: July 2018
Summary of driver:
This report is based on a survey of NHS trusts and foundation trusts carried out by NHS Providers in 2017. Consisting of qualitative interviews and a roundtable event with frontline leaders and national stakeholders, the survey showed that leadership vacancies are widespread and that a culture of blaming individuals for failure is making leadership roles less attractive. The report also highlights the widespread challenges in meeting financial and performance targets as demands on services continue to increase. The challenges facing leaders of NHS trusts have changed and there is now a greater emphasis placed on working collaboratively as part of more integrated health and care systems.
New posts
MAP Community 