1. Partnership work in the North East: provision of health and social care information to the public Dr Graham Walton, Janet Harrison and Suzanne Lockyer, Loughborough University Seminar on ‘Building partnerships for the future: health and public libraries working together’ : Queens' Medical Centre, 16 th June 2006

2. Background Funded by MLA North East (Formerly North East Museums Library and Archives Council (NEMLAC))Funded by MLA North East (Formerly North East Museums Library and Archives Council (NEMLAC)) Took place in 2005Took place in 2005 Focussed on public libraries, primary care trusts and social care departmentsFocussed on public libraries, primary care trusts and social care departments Purpose to collect good examples of health and social information provisionPurpose to collect good examples of health and social information provision Produce model for co-ordinated and sustainable provisionProduce model for co-ordinated and sustainable provision

3. Strategic review: 1: politics and funding Range of policies from DoH, MLA, DCMS produced environment where public will have increased access to health and social care informationRange of policies from DoH, MLA, DCMS produced environment where public will have increased access to health and social care information Policy for all local government services to be online by 2005 impacts on public libraries and social services providers of informationPolicy for all local government services to be online by 2005 impacts on public libraries and social services providers of information Some funding has been made available specifically for joint health and social care information projectsSome funding has been made available specifically for joint health and social care information projects

4. Strategic review: 2: public perception Traditional vs. unconventionalTraditional vs. unconventional Access: public vs. professionalsAccess: public vs. professionals Urban vs. rural/ affluent vs. poorUrban vs. rural/ affluent vs. poor Digital divide (information/ information technology literacy)Digital divide (information/ information technology literacy) QualityQuality

5. Strategic review: 3: providers Collaboration (medical libraries + other, public libraries + others, local community + others, NHS + others, academic institutions + others)Collaboration (medical libraries + other, public libraries + others, local community + others, NHS + others, academic institutions + others) Role of the voluntary sectorRole of the voluntary sector Changing role of public librariesChanging role of public libraries

6. Strategic review: 4: delivery Technology (digital interactive TV, kiosks, Internet)Technology (digital interactive TV, kiosks, Internet) Methods of delivery (libraries, Helplines, Community centres/ drop in centres, multi-purpose customer service centresMethods of delivery (libraries, Helplines, Community centres/ drop in centres, multi-purpose customer service centres

7. Methodology QuestionnairesQuestionnaires Focus groupFocus group InterviewsInterviews

8. Results: summaries from responses on key issues Current and changing roles: opportunities and barriersCurrent and changing roles: opportunities and barriers Targeting health and social care informationTargeting health and social care information TrainingTraining Evaluating servicesEvaluating services CollaborationCollaboration

9. Results: examples of best practice Electronic accessElectronic access Hitting the right targetsHitting the right targets Personal touchPersonal touch Maximising professional inputMaximising professional input Didn’t we do well?Didn’t we do well?

10. Conclusions: Barriers Various barriers exist:Various barriers exist: –IPs lack awareness of available resources both within and between organisations –Duplication of effort and information overload by IPs –Need to raise public awareness of where to go for information –Current lack of training in people skills and dealing with queries outside profession

11. Conclusions: Strengths Strengths of partnership workingStrengths of partnership working –Maximise resources Co-ordinated provision of informationCo-ordinated provision of information Use of specific staff skillsUse of specific staff skills –Training provision between sectors Dealing with queries outside professionDealing with queries outside profession

12. Recommendations (to move to a more coherent model where good practice is spread across Region) Develop the evidenceDevelop the evidence Provide appropriate direction and linkage for information professionalsProvide appropriate direction and linkage for information professionals Proactive project disseminationProactive project dissemination Resource allocationResource allocation Take ownership and responsibility for the recommendationsTake ownership and responsibility for the recommendations