As new members of the Quality Team, Knowledge Services was looking forward to seeing what happens in Quality week and how we could contribute to the events taking place.  Our week started with making sure that all of our libraries in Lanarkshire had the relevant materials displayed within the service.

As well as clinical books, we have a huge range of print books and eBooks on improvement methodology which staff can access in person and on their own devices.  This has proved popular and we hope that staff continue to access this wider range of materials from their local NHS Library.

Our NHS libraries also have high-spec working spaces which were perfect for the Quality labs that  took place across the service in Quality Week.   We have two Knowledge Hubs available in Wishaw and Monklands hospital libraries.

These are bookable rooms within the main libraries that have access to the latest IT, laptops, ipads and smart TVs for staff to use for training and development – perfect meeting places for your next quality improvement project.  Staff were able to pop in and meet the team and get some information on a range of topics.  To help support the teams leading the labs, we were also able to produce some evidence guides on these topic which you can access on Firstport. – Sepsis and the deteriorating patient and high risk medications.

As with the previous blog written by my colleague Jonathan, the highlight for myself and my team was the celebration event on the Thursday.  It allowed the wider team in Knowledge Services to meet with colleagues from within the Quality department and with those from around the board involved in their own Quality work/projects.

The day was the a great mix of staff talking about the improvement  work they are doing to improve and develop services in their own areas as well as the overview of the Lanarkshire Quality Approach.  The afternoon was a sleek and well organised (much like a well rehearsed wedding seating plan but moving to a new table every 25 minutes!) world cafe where experts from the various teams in Quality were highlighting other work going on and taking feedback on what we can do going forward.

However,  although there were many positives of the day, as the new lead for evidence, it was soon became clear to me that one of the areas we need to work on is letting people know what we can do for them.  A few staff had used Knowledge Services and were aware of the evidence searches and support we can do for all sorts of work like improvement projects, policy change, service development as well as looking at new evidence for patient care.  Yet the feedback from too many staff at the tables was a lack of awareness of the services Knowledge Services provide for them.

So, if it isn’t too early for a New Year’s resolution (this one will last past mid-January!), it will be to work with my new colleagues in the Quality department to make sure that Knowledge Services and the evidence services/searches in particular are highlighted to staff.  We will try to let as many staff as possible know what we can do for them and how they can access the service.  I know those of us in the new structure in Quality already see the links being made, and our challenge going forward is to make sure we get that information out to all of you.