Over the last few years, the knowledge and information library service has innovated and evolved – and continues to do so today.
The service, based at the University Hospital of North Tees, started as a department for accessing books from. Since then, the offer has expanded – it is a place where resources can be accessed from across the world.
It is helping staff across the organisation to develop and to grow so that we continue to provide first class care to our population.
Dolon Basu is the Trust’s director of medical education. She said: “This knowledge and information service is a high quality facility run by a fantastic team.
“It’s accessed extensively by staff from across the organisation – offering expert resources 24 hours a day from across the world. It is also a place of study – staff have access to computers, iPads and a self service system.
“The service gets excellent feedback, surveys are always very positive. We are very proud of the team and the service.”
“There are also exciting plans to launch a similar service at our other hospital site in Hartlepool.
The Trust is marking NHS Knowledge and Library Services National Awareness Week. And to say thanks, staff are sharing their own experience of using the service.
The knowledge and information service is an amazing service. It has plenty of resources that are both relevant and useful for clinical staff for learning and continuing professional development and medical education.
Foundation year two doctor Irvin Yeoh and BMJ Best Practice Champion in the library
Clinicians would be ‘lost’ without the library
Consultant neonatologist Chidambara Harikumar uses the service to keep up to date with the latest medical developments
He said: “Our library service and especially the librarian Debbie have been very helpful to me. Medicine is so fast paced – so much so that unless you keep yourself up to date, you quickly become obsolete.
“A knowledge of the state of the art in your speciality is fundamental to safe patient care as well.
“This is where our library service comes in. The team have been extremely helpful in providing me the reprints of the latest articles not available, sending me list of contents of journals I’m interested in, and also a synopsis of interesting articles.
“I have also tasked the library with literature searches on subjects that I’m researching or updating trust guidelines and they have delivered each time with aplomb.
“It’s fair to say I, and many other clinicians like me, would be lost without them – the library helps us provide our patients with safe, state of the art, cutting edge treatment. Thank you to Debbie and the team.”
