Our CHI experience last November seems to have been fairly typical -
Close involvement with Trust-wide preparation and planning
Good representation from the Clinical Governance Co-ordinator (library user
and keen supporter)
One hour away from the library in which to demonstrate our online resources,
to one member of the visiting team
No actual visit to library premises.
End result -
An 'Example of good practice' mention of the Documents Library (though not
very accurate)
Commendation of the Practice Development Department, in which we maintain a
library and have weekly staff input
High praise for the Patient Information Centre, in the planning and
development of which we were also closely involved.
Consensus opinion at the Away Day follow-up for Trust staff indicated that
we could have 'managed' or even 'manipulated' the whole CHI experience more
positively, and that by letting it be self-directed and by allowing CHI to
set their own agenda, we had lost out. We'll know better next time.
(Although today's news about monitoring Trust activities in the future might
indicate that the goal posts have been moved .. again ...).
If health service librarians take their responsibilities within clinical
governance seriously then we must be closely involved in the CHI process,
proactively and determinedly. Shrinking violets tend to get trodden
underfoot. Bright yellow dandelions are a pesky nuisance but they get
noticed - or they keep coming back. I think that a bold presence is
required, however difficult it is at times to compete with clinical
priorities (although I would substitute 'alliance' for 'competition'). And
if we're being noticed then we have to be good - even for dandelions, egg on
face is not much fun. A positive accreditation is as good a standard as
any and it's worth waving when the Trust is searching for examples of good
practice locally.
Pam Kitch
Library Services Manager
Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust
Truro. TR1 3LJ
Tel: 01872 252610
Fax: 01872 222838
-----Original Message-----
From: Husband, Dorothy [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Wednesday, April 17, 2002 11:21
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: CHI clinical governance reviews.... library comments
Hello
I'm still looking at CHI reviews for the individual trusts as they come out.
It seems to me that the themes which were published on the HLG website in
the autumn last year, then in the HLG newsletter, are still coming out in
the reports, though the particular topics covered, and the depth of that
coverage, seem to vary greatly between trust. Important areas which tend to
be looked at are still Internet/intranet access to information, library
opening hours, training available and staff helpfulness.
I was wondering if it would be valuable to try to bring together people's
experience several months on - has a CHI report caused change (positive or
negative) in organisations, were the reviewers accurate in what they said,
and would those who have experienced a review and an action plan wish to
pass on the benefits of that experience to others?
It might be that someone knows of another way in which this information is
being put together. If so, I'd like to hear about it, as the alternative
might be that I volunteer to collate experience for future publication,
perhaps in another HLG newsletter.
Dorothy
PS Our review for Peterborough is due to be published at the end of this
month. I will soon have more personal experience.
Dorothy Husband
Library Information Services Manager
Laxton Library
Postgraduate Medical Education Centre
Peterborough District Hospital
Thorpe Road
Peterborough
PE3 6DA
01733 874662
Fax 01733 347142
"Unless expressly stated otherwise, the contents of this message represent
only the views of the sender as expressed only to the intended recipient, do
not commit Peterborough Hospitals Trust (PHT) to any course of action and
are not intended to impose any legal obligation upon PHT."
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