REPORT ON THE LIBRARY ACCREDITATION VISIT TO UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUST which took place between 9 th 19 th June 2006 n.b. this is an edited version of the full report and contains information relating to the Rockefeller medical Library (NHNN/IoN) only. ASSESSMENT PANEL Judith Birch Sarah Connelly Louise Doolan Liz Fairlcough Richard Osborn Jane Williamson (Assessment Panel Chair) North Central London SHA North Central London SHA Imperial College Guy s and St Thomas NHS Foundation Trust North West London SHA North Central London SHA 30 th June 2006 1
CONTENTS Introduction 3 Accreditation awards 3 Management of visits 3 INTRODUCTION Accreditation process The accreditation visit was conducted in line with the Helicon national library accreditation framework. The framework was introduced in London in 2004. Each service is visited every 3 years. This is the first visit to UCLH NHS Foundation Trust. Evidence is gathered from written submissions, from discussions with library staff and with service users and from discussions with senior stakeholders. The accreditation framework consists of a core set of must have standards plus a larger number of standards where a grading is applied. Each library must meet all the must have standards to achieve a Basic accreditation award. The higher levels of award (Levels 1-3) are established by looking at the overall percentage of the graded standards which have been graded as excellent. Management of visits The visits, which assessed the library services across UCLH NHS Foundation Trust, reviewed four library services between 9 th -19 th June 2006: Bloomsbury Healthcare Library (managed by the Trust); the Cruciform Library (managed by UCL); the Eastman Dental Institute Information Centre ( managed by the Eastman Dental Institute) the Rockefeller Medical Library (managed by the Institute of Neurology). Meetings were also held with education leads, the Chief Executive and relevant Directors. Groups of 2-3 assessors visited each site for a day long visit. The assessors were: Judith Birch, Workforce Development Manager- Quality, North Central London SHA Sarah Connelly, Head of Medical Workforce Development, North Central London SHA Louise Doolan, Campus Library Manager for Charing Cross and Chelsea & Westminster Campuses, Imperial College Liz Fairlcough, Manager- Knowledge and Information Centre, Guy s and St Thomas NHS Foundation Trust Richard Osborn, Knowledge Resources Manager, North West London SHA Jane Williamson, Learning Infrastructure Development Manager, North Central London SHA (Assessment Panel Chair) 2
The Assessment Panel wishes to record its thanks for the hospitality shown by all the libraries on the occasion of the visits and to recognize the effort and time taken to prepare the required documentation. Presentation of the Report The outcome from each visit is a formal report which identifies the level of award achieved, areas of good practice and recommendations for future action. This report consists of an introduction with brief summaries of outcomes and Trust-level recommendations, followed by individual reports for each library service. The report is presented to the Chief Executive and senior managers on relevant sites and to the individual Library Managers. The report will also be available on the SHA website. Certificates are presented to each library service. Accreditation levels Basic where the service has fulfilled the essential criteria ( must haves ) Stage 1: the service has achieved all must haves plus up to 40% of graded criteria marked as excellent Stage 2: the service has achieved all must haves and between 40-80% of graded criteria marked as excellent Stage 3: the service has achieved all must haves and above 80% of graded criteria marked as excellent PART D: ROCKEFELLER MEDICAL LIBRARY AREAS OF GOOD PRACTICE The Assessment Team identified the following library activities as examples of good practice: Provision of a truly joint NHS/HE library service. The strong user focus of the library team, who demonstrate a can do approach. They are a capable and united team demonstrating significant knowledge and expertise. The strength of the specialist resources held in the Rockefeller Medical Library most of which are unique. Involvement of the library team in a range of wider activities: Managing the Guidelines database Managing the MSDecisions database Creating and maintaining the Patient Information database Leading on Freedom of Information for the site Acting as first point of contact for media queries for the site Minimizing barriers to electronic resources for NHS staff. Contribution to the development of the national electronic Neurology Specialist Library in conjunction with the Royal Free Medical Library. Working relationships with service managers from the other three libraries serving the Trust are being developed, and have led to the creation of a UCLH-wide library strategy and a further programme of work. 3
RECOMMENDATIONS 1.1 Access to undertake further work to identify and engage with non-user groups. Where appropriate, identify suitable services elsewhere and negotiate remote service provision. to carry out more assertive marketing of the wide range of library activity and contribution to Trust and site objectives. 2.1 Funding the National Hospital to identify a source of top up funding to ensure continuation of 50/50 funding between the Institute and the Hospital. 2.2 Staffing The Hospital and Institute to review the possibility of providing some additional staffing cover for 5-7pm each evening to overcome any risks to the single member of library staff on duty during those hours. The Institute and Hospital to seek to implement plans to provide an additional part-time library post in order to replace the hours lost, due to the Library Manager s responsibility for Institute computing services. 2.3 Information Technology the Library Manager and Deputy Librarian to be added to the Trust cascade list in order to be informed of Trust developments. 2.1 Accommodation to undertake a review of study capacity in the library if undergraduate numbers increase significantly. to consider the needs of the range of disabled users, not just those with mobility problems. 3.1 Stock to integrate nursing stock into the main sequence of bookstock. 3.2 Services to promote the patient information database to NHNN staff and to patients and carers. This may include provision of advertising leaflets in patient areas. 3.3 Induction and User Education to increase promotion and monitoring of training activity. to develop closer working with UCLH T&D department. DETAILED COMMENTS SECTION 1: LIBRARY PHILOSOPHY AND MANAGEMENT 1.1 Strategy 4
Both UCLH and UCL have recently developed/updated their respective library strategies. UCL Library services have a library strategy coverning 2005-2010, which includes consideration of services for the NHS. The Library Manager at the Rockefeller Library has contributed to the development of the current UCLH Library & Information Strategy. Core services to be provided to NHS users are also identified in the UCL Service Level Agreement which contributes to supporting the information needs of NHS staff in eight Trusts, including UCLH, in North Central London. Taken together these three documents provide an outline of services which NHS staff can expect to receive. The requirements of these documents are merged and implemented via a Rockefeller Medical Library annual Action Plan. The Library Manager meets regularly with other biomedical library managers in UCL and with other library managers serving UCLH staff. She is a member of the NHS/UCL Service Level Agreement Joint Working Group where there are opportunities to discuss the needs of NHS staff and to review the service Level Agreement. The Library manager also reports to the joint Library Committee at Queen Square. The Deputy Librarian regularly attends North Central London Library Managers meetings. 1.2 Access The Rockefeller Medical Library provides access to all staff employed in UCLH Trust, and through arrangements in the Service Level Agreement between UCL and North Central London SHA, to all staff from seven neighbouring Trusts. Access policies for library users are clear and well publicized via the library web pages and printed guides and via UCLH-wide publicity materials. Library staff also promote services via Library Information Bulletins which are produced three time each year. Users of the library highly value the service provided. However, more work can be done to extend understanding of the range of services provided. More assertive marketing will be necessary to highlight the wide range of library activity and the contribution it makes to achievement of Trust and site objectives. Library staff should additionally work to engage with non-user groups, particularly those working in non-clinical roles. It may be appropriate to negotiate and promote provision of services provided remotely by other libraries in the Trust. 1.3 Quality The Library is well supported by a Library Committee which acts as a formal route for consultation on strategy and policy development. Informal consultation takes place on an on-going basis through attendance at staff meetings and occasional user surveys. The Assessment Panel did not see any evidence of monitoring of the quality of services provided. From user comments, this appears not to be a major issue. However, some simple strategies to identify activity, on-going user views and facilitate benchmarking would be helpful. 1.4 Organisation and management 5
The Library Manager is responsible to the Director of the Institute of Neurology. Staff within the library team are managed by the Deputy Librarian, who reports to the Library Manager. These relationships appear to be helpful, supportive and valued by the team as a whole. Communication within the team is good. Staff are aware of legislation affecting library service provision. SECTION 2: RESOURCES 2.1 Funding The Institute and Hospital have an agreement to contribute equal funds to the Library service. Until recently the Hospital s contribution has been provided through the MADEL allocation. However this allocation has not incrased enough in recent years to allow the Hospital to maintain the agreement. The Rockefeller Medical Library is a very good example of a truly joint NHS/HE service, which the Assessment Panel wish to commend. It is recommended that the National Hospital seeks to identify sources of top up funding to ensure continuation of the 50/50 agreement. It may be appropriate to consider seeking some SIFT funding for the library, particularly as undergraduate medical student placements are increasing on site; also funding to support the non-medical workforce. 2.2 Staffing The team is a relatively small and all postholders (though not a requirement of all posts) have a professional library qualification. The professionally qualified Library Assistants expressed real job satisfaction and involvement in a wide range of activities which gave them a sense of obtaining very good experience. The responsibility of the Library Manager for Institute computing services has also allowed the Deputy Librarian to take on more responsibility for the library service, thus broadening her experience and skill base. All library staff expressed satisfaction with their opportunities for personal and professional development. It is understood that to date it has not been possible to backfill the time which the Library Manager now spends working in computing services. As undergraduate student numbers may be increasing and there are 3 new MSc courses planned, the Institute and Hospital are encouraged to implement plans to provide an additional part-time library post. The library team are clearly well valued and highly respected by users who expressed unanimous support and appreciation of the quality and range of work which they do. The team exhibit a can do approach to satisfying user needs. Current opening hours are acceptable within the constraints of the staffing available. However, the Assessment Panel felt some concerns that staffing levels only allow a single member of library staff to be on duty in the evenings between 5-7pm. The Hospital and Institute may wish to review the possibility of providing some additional cover for this short period each evening. 6
2.2.1 Information technology The Library has a reasonable number of computers available for users, including a wireless network for users with UCL accounts. Improved access on Trust sites and the successful policy of making many electronic resources available at the workplace means that demand for computer access in the library is manageable at present. However, the library does have noticeably less computer provision than other libraries serving UCLH staff. As teaching activity on-site increases, demand may begin to outstrip supply. The Library Manager and Deputy Librarian both have Trust e-mail accounts, but do not have access to Trust e-mail cascade lists. It is recommended that this access is provided by the Trust in order that library staff can keep up to date with Trust developments and also have the opportunity to use cascade lists to promote library services and library training programmes when necessary. 2.3 Accommodation Library layout was last re-designed in 1995 and makes the good use of the space available. Study space is positioned as far away from noisier areas as possible. This may come under pressure as teaching activity increases and demand on the library rises. The Assessment Panel were pleased to note that plans for re-modelling the library have been drawn up and costed. It is noted that whilst plans will reduce the amount of expansion space for stock, this will still allow for five years of growth. The Library has recently been assessed for compliance with the Disability Discrimination Act requirements. The report had not been received at the time of the accreditation visit. It is expected that recommendations will include provision of support for users with a range of disabilities, including those with sight and hearing difficulties and conditions such as dyslexia, as well as users with mobility problems. Library staff are encouraged to meet as many of the recommendations as possible. Solutions may include arranging access through other service points in the Trust or elsewhere. SECTION 3: STOCK AND SERVICES 3.1 Stock The stock is a very specialised research collection, including an historical archive, and is recognised internationally. There is collaborative collection management activity with other UCL and associated libraries for the non specialist print material. 92% of the 20 th century monograph collection is unique. There are mechanisms in place for encouraging and responding to requests for new stock and a designated annual allocation for development of the nursing collection. Professional overview ensures a breadth of stock. The budget for book purchase is from income generation with the facility for rolling over funding. The Assessment Panel support the proposal for the integration of the small nursing collection into the general bookstock and the conversion to one classification system for all materials to simplify access for users. 3.2 Services 7
There is access to all collections, print and electronic, from the web site with HE and NHS resources listed with maximum transparency for users. Core users have advertised access to all services required with referral arrangements to associated libraries for the more general, non specialist material. An efficient and high quality mediated searching service is provided with the option of supported training sessions to enable subsequent independent searching where preferred. There are well developed communication processes for reference and enquiry services, including current awareness in person, fax, telephone and email. There is also a postal service available when required. However, it was noted that the excellent patient information database, although linked from the website, was not otherwise promoted and indeed, largely unknown to site staff spoken to by the Assessment Panel. It is strongly recommended that marketing strategies to staff, patients and relatives are developed to ensure wider benefit is obtained. Currently the database appears to be used as a library staff tool only. 3.3 Induction and user education All new staff receive information about the library services through collaborative programmes with associate libraries. All new members of the library are offered a tour of the resource and membership encouraged through a variety of marketing methods. There is an advertised permanent timetable of information handling skills which can be tailored to need. These tend to be individual sessions and the capacity for supporting group training should maybe be further explored where appropriate. Advanced critical appraisal training is offered through partnership work with the clinical librarian at Bloomsbury Healthcare Library. 4. SUMMARY The Rockefeller Medical Library team, who demonstrate a can do approach, provide an excellent service to Queen Square staff. The Library team now need to focus on marketing (as opposed to promoting) their contribution to organizational development and patient care. Liz Fairclough Jane Williamson Assessment Panel Chair 8