Aintree Library and Information Resource Centre (LIRC) Strategy 2011-14 Introduction The Aintree Library and Information Resource Centre (LIRC) is a multidisciplinary library facility based within the Clinical Sciences Centre at Aintree Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. The LIRC is available to all staff and students who are either working or studying on the Aintree site and Teaching PCT staff and students. The service is managed by Edge Hill University Learning Services (LS), on behalf of Aintree Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Edge Hill Faculty of Health, The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Liverpool. Mission Statement The Aintree LIRC s mission is to provide a multi-disciplinary, responsive and forward looking learning environment for all users. This responsive learning environment is based upon inclusivity and the proactive gathering of feedback from stakeholder groups to ensure a flexible and user focused approach to service delivery and development. Introduction to the Strategy The purpose of the strategy is to provide a framework for the development of library and information services at Aintree. The library currently has four partners and this strategy will ensure the service is able to provide appropriate and developmental services to support clinical practice, education and training, the quality agenda and research. This strategy has 6 key themes which are based on the operating environment of the LIRC and North West Health Care Library Unit s themes. It is intended that the strategy will take the service through the next three years and focuses on current practice and future developments. Environmental Factors Learning Services Learning Services is central support department with Edge Hill University. Higher Education library and information services work within a fast paced changing environment, however, we bring together teams and learning support areas to provide more holistic and effective services, resources, support and expertise for all users in order to meet and anticipate developing learning and teaching needs. 1
Learning Services key purpose is to support learning and to develop a responsive learning environment for all, through services and facilities, research and development, information and support. The service incorporates libraries and information provision, learning support, ICT user support for learning and teaching, e- learning development and support, media services, and dyslexia support. These services are currently provided in the University Library and Learning Innovation Centre (LINC) on the Ormskirk campus, at the Woodlands Centre Library, Chorley, and at the Library and Information Resource Centre (LIRC) at University Hospital Aintree, as well as remotely through service level agreements with partners and electronic services. We aim to help users make best use of our services, whether on site at Aintree or remotely through our extensive e-resources. As a service we work with a quality framework of reflection and planning, and use our Annual Monitoring and Review (AMR) process to continuous review our services and support and plan objectives that align to our partners and the national picture in terms of NHS library services. The AMR meeting involves the whole Aintree team and forms part of both our staffing and service objectives for the coming year. The AMR report is available as part of the LIRC Annual report. Health Care Libraries Unit Strategy (HCLU) 2009 2014 In 2009, the regional unit who has overall responsibility of the development of NHS library services in the North West, published their strategic vision to guide and support libraries for the next five years. The North West strategy underpins the development of services at Aintree LIRC. Central to all developments at NHS organisations is better patient care and best evidence underpins all effective and efficient clinical, commissioning and policy decision making 1 NHS Library Quality Assurance Framework England (LQAF) The framework was introduced in 2010, with a phased implementation and using self assessment. The NHS LQAF aims to support innovation and new service development by defining, recognising and rewarding innovation in NHS library and knowledge services 2. North West NHS Libraries undertook the self assessment in September 2010 with a requirement to provide evidence in eleven must have criteria. Following verification by the Health Care Libraries Unit, our service was 90% compliant with the national standards. We are above the percentage compliant rate of the North West and in relation to the rest of the North West s 1 HCLU Strategy 2 LQAQ 2
acute libraries; we are 9 th out of 26 th. It is our aspiration to improve this percentage and ranking using this strategy over the next three years. Key Aims To provide access to the information needed to support and develop safe, high quality patient care, learning, teaching and research, within the resources available to the service. To develop, monitor and evaluate services to match the changing information needs within the NHS and multi professional health education and support the NHS in the development of the workforce To enable the user to understand and utilise effectively the full range of information services and to foster the acquisition of skills for independence in lifelong learning. To provide a proactive and responsive outreach Clinical Information Service to support the specific information and training needs of healthcare professionals across the NHS partner organisations. To promote the library services and the national and local electronic resources available to all NHS staff across the partner organisations To operate and deliver services in a friendly and efficient manner according to the equal opportunities philosophy and policies of Edge Hill University, Learning Services Customer Services Excellence award and the values of our NHS partners To provide access to a wide range of information sources through ICT. To promote the Library and Information Resource Centre and our NHS partners at a local, national and international level, highlighting our innovation, services and reputation. To develop and maintain relationships with other library services and to facilitate co-operation and collaboration with them. To develop and maintain all service standards at the highest possible levels, with the emphasis on quality, customer care and cost-effectiveness. 3
Key Themes 3 Align the service to the core NHS business of the partners Modernise NHS Library and Information Services through development and innovation Develop the NHS library workforce Develop systems for quality and evaluation Create effective partnerships Provide the right level of funding 3 Identified by the North West Health Care Libraries Unit and its stakeholders in 2009, they have been amended to the local situation of a joint HE and NHS library service. 4
Align the service to the core NHS business of the partners We have already: Contributed to providing the evidence base for the Chief Knowledge Officer (CKO) to underpin Trust service and financial developments Invested in a wide-range of evidence resources in addition to the National Core Content collection including e-journals and e-books We have a Clinical Information Service which provides a proactive and responsive literature searching and information skills training to support Evidence Based Practice and Research with the Trust Demonstrated the value and effectiveness of the Clinical Information Service to the work of Trust staff. The LIRC was part of the NW Clinical Librarian Impact Study and the service was also part of the Clinical Librarian Evaluation Systematic Review, the results of the study have been published nationally in the Health Libraries Information Journal which is a peer reviewed journal. Increased the visibility of the LIRC by attending Directorate/Departmental Meetings, Grand Rounds and Inductions, targeting and tailoring our library services to specific specialties/staff groups Collaborated with other NW librarians to produce a number of current awareness bulletins. The Horizon Scanning bulletins are circulated to relevant stakeholders and also available via the LIRC web site Mapped our Information Skills and Critical Appraisal Skills Training to the NHS Knowledge and Skills Framework Attend inductions days for new staff, junior doctors, and medical students. Support the visibility of research via using RSS feeds within the Aintree LIRC website We will: Demonstrate impact of the service on patient care and Trust objectives through involvement of the Clinical Information Specialist with the NW Clinical Librarian Impact Study and the NW Alignment Toolkit Aim to identify information needs and requirements of all Trust staff e.g. through involvement of healthcare professionals in the acquisition of journal and book stock Develop ways to assesst training needs for multi professional health staff Increase our visibility within the Trust with the development of a library webpage on the Trust intranet Continue to offer a first-class evidence-based information service to all Trust staff 5
Extend our presence at NHS partner organisation meetings for education, research, staff development and business intelligence Work with Research and Development to support and disseminate research both clinical and work based 6
Modernise NHS Multi Professional Library and Information Services We have already: A professional Clinical Information Service Developed a programme of information skills, critical appraisal skills and statistical training to encourage and enable NHS staff to locate and assess the best available evidence Increased accessibility to our journal collection by moving to e-journals A dedicated quiet Research Study room An IT room with 20 networked PCs available for Trust staff training Added 5 Trust networked PCs Increased the group study space for medical students Invested in new technology - RFID. (Radio Frequency Identification) We will: Explore the use of new technologies to deliver 24/7 information skills and critical appraisal skills training and support Work with partners to investigate e-learning and the development of mobile learning opportunities Disseminate good practice in the development of e-learning Work collaboratively both internally and externally to support development for the care pathways for the Map of Medicine Improve access to resources by reviewing and evaluating the LIRC website Work with Directorates and departments to improve the range of materials (both print and electronic) we provide, including using all available funding open to us Continue to promote the service via meetings, open days, and print and virtual media Continue to ensure that the library facilities provide a welcoming, well maintained and well equipped area for learning and study 7
Develop the NHS library workforce We have already: Supported in-house library staff development o Customer Care Skills o Learning Services Staff development events twice a year Host and deliver critical appraisal skills training to North West librarians. This training is organised via the very active network of NHS librarians in the North West (LIHNN - Library and Health Information Network Northwest) Encouraged staff to identify and meet their own professional development requirements through the annual performance appraisal Support staff in their pursuit of Continuing Professional Development and library Chartership o MA Information and Library Management, Clinical Information Specialist o Evidence Synthesis of Qualitative Research in Europe (ESQUIRE) (Sept 2010) Encourage evidence based practice within the library and information profession o Clinical Librarian Evaluation Systematic Review (Health Information and Libraries Journal, 2011) Support staff attending conferences o Health Libraries Group 2010 Provided the Chair of the LIHNN Clinical Librarians Group (2007-8) LIRC Manager is a member of the LIHNN newsletter Editorial Board We will: Continue to identify and support the CPD needs of library staff o PG Cert in HE Teaching and Learning, Clinical Information Specialist Continue to support and encourage evidence based practice within the library and information profession o NW Clinical Librarian Impact Study Provide further training in critical appraisal skills training to support the professional development of NW LIHNN Health Librarians Monitor and assess staffing levels and roles to ensure the service can support the needs of the partners 8
Develop systems for quality and evaluation We have already: Achieved a Stage 3 accreditation on three occasions (HELICON library accreditation introduced and actively used in the North West from 2001 to 2009) The service was 90% compliant with the new LQAF national standards. Full compliance with the national audited standards for Customer Service Excellence (Awarded November 2010) LIRC Advisory panel involves stakeholders in the development of the library services and resources Undertaken user surveys to inform the development of the library services and resources We will: Encourage and increase Trust engagement with the development of the library services and resources. We will do this via improved communication with senior managers, more frequent meetings of the LIRC Advisory Panel, full dissemination of the results of the recent customer survey and actions taken where we have received feedback, and improvements to the LIRC web site. Implement the new national standards for library services (LQAF) and provide evidence against all domains by September 2011. Aim to improve our compliance rate with the LQAF national standards. The 2011 submission requires we submit extensive evidence and we hope to improve to being in the top 5 for acute libraries in the North West. Continue to gain feedback from our customers to inform future developments. 9
Create effective partnerships We have already A commitment to HE and NHS partnership and collaboration o SLA with NHS Sefton o Developed strong links with University of Liverpool and medical students Collaborated and co-operated at local and regional level to improve access to knowledge and information resources o Joint purchasing of resource with Cheshire and Mersey Librarians o Cheshire and Mersey Access Agreement Play an active role in LIHNN groups o LIHNN Clinical Librarians Group (Chair 2007-8) Provide critical appraisal training consultancy to other local NHS Trusts o Critical appraisal training delivered by Clinical Information Specialist to Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital Contribute to the development of national resources o Feedback on HDAS developments Member of North West NHS/ HE Health librarians group Learning Services is an active member of NOWAL We will: Continue to strengthen and develop our partnership working and identify new opportunities for partnership working Develop partnerships with educational managers and clinicians involved in education and training to further promote our roles and services Work to develop partnerships with the new Liverpool Community Trust and clusters Develop stronger links with the Teaching PCT to support students on placement and staff within the organisations via the SLA with the Health Care Libraries Unit 10
Provide the right level of funding and management We have already A clearly defined budget for Aintree LIRC which is costed and reviewed during the budget process at Edge Hill University each year A designated member of Aintree Hospitals finance team who is the named liaison person for the LIRC Seen an increase in the proportion of funding provided by Aintree University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Successfully utilised funds and bids from HCLU Successfully utilised Edge Hill University for the procurement of e-resources where licensing permits ensuring value for money for our partners The Aintree LIRC Advisory Panel has representatives from all partners and meets twice a year Present all partners and HCLU with an annual report each year providing both statistical and qualitative data and details of actions for the coming year We will Strengthen the communication with partners Review current funding streams and identify future sources of funding to secure the future of the LIRC service Develop more skills within Aintree LIRC of costing and pricing of library services 11
Aintree LIRC Team Aintree LIRC Manager: Managing the service, staff, resources, budgets and the strategic development of the service and relationships with partners. Clinical Information Specialist: Managing the delivery of a clinical information service for all partners, delivering information and research skills sessions, one to ones, and information at inductions for new staff and students. Aintree LIRC Supervisor: Managing the day to day running of the service, health and safety of staff and users, help desk services and attends all Aintree staff inductions. Aintree LIRC Help Desk Advisor: Providing help and support via phone, email and in the library. Maintaining and developing the LIRC website and access to e-journals via our A-Z. Liaising with Edge Hill University IT Services department to manage our PCs, ICT and the network. Information Assistants: Supporting users in the LIRC at the issue and returns desk, document supply services, ordering of print books and journals and e-resources. Saturday Team: Supporting users in the LIRC at the issue and returns desk and at the help desk and document supply services. 12
Glossary HCLU Health Care Libraries Unit. A regional unit responsible for NHS libraries in the North West. Operates at a strategic level and liaises closely with Strategic Health Authorities to secure funding for health libraries. ICT Information and Communication Technology LQAF Library Quality Assurance Framework England LIHNN Library and Health Information Network Northwest LIRC Library and Information Resource Centre LS Learning Services NoWal North West Academic Library group, representing Higher Education libraries across the region. PCT Primary Care Trust SLA Service Level Agreement. Rachel Bury Michelle Maden-Jenkins August 2011 13