n line with our other library webpages, Resources for Nurses and HCAs, Resources for Doctors, Resources for Managers, Resources for AHPs, Resources for ODPs and Theatre Staff etc we have now created a page called "Resources for Patients". This signposts patients to our own patient information and quality health information which they can find on the internet as well as having a downloadable guide on how to identify reputable information. It also has links to information about what Shropshire Public Libraries have to offer in terms of health information.
Conclusion – Systematic searching for research evidence in social care requires considerable thought and development so that the search is fit for the particular purpose of supporting guidelines. This study highlights key challenges and reveals trends when utilising some commonly used databases.
Main Results – Overall, the 60 e-book titles were used more than the print versions, with the electronic versions used a total of 370,695 times while the print versions were used 93 times during the time period being examined.
Conclusions – The majority of studies included have reported positive learning outcomes following the implementation of academic skills and information literacy support strategies, irrespective of their mode of delivery (Embedded, Integrated, or Adjunct). Clear, rigorous evidence that embedded strategies offer superior learning outcomes compared to other delivery modes is lacking. However, because of poor student uptake of strategies offered outside curricula, embedded modes of academic and information literacy support are recommended for first year health science courses.
We’re holding a competition to write the spookiest tale, and it is open to all staff, students and volunteers in the organisations that we serve. Win an Amazon voucher worth £25!
The King’s Fund collection of publications has been the most requested addition to our index over the years. I’m very pleased to report that, as of the around the 20th September, their content will be searchable via Trip.
NLM should not have given its repository the name PubMed Central, it is confusing and just the name muddies the waters. But that ship has sailed. NLM needs to put some serious authority control on PMC quickly. Not only do articles in predatory journals water down what is already indexed in MEDLINE and within PubMed but it could be have significant problems for the treatment of patients and researchers.
The September issue of the HLG Newsletter is now available at: https://www.cilip.org.uk/health-libraries-group/newsletter/current-newsletter. The newsletter contains articles on knowledge management during crises, implementing new library management systems, library strategy, partnership working and lots more. Click here to read more.
Under the out-of-hours idea libraries would still be staffed for a core period during the day, for example from 10am to 5pm, but registered users could also access the building during certain periods outside those hours, for instance from 8am to 10am and from 5pm to 8pm. No library would be completely self-service and the option doesn’t apply to community managed libraries.
Conclusions: This study provides empirical evidence on the use of a coordinated social media strategy for the dissemination of evidence to professionals providing health services to children and youth. The results and lessons learned from our study provide guidance for future knowledge dissemination activities using social media tools.
In celebration of International Clinical Trials Day (19th May 2017) the Library & Knowledge Service and the Research Department co-hosted a hosted a Randomised Chocolate Trial.
Aiming to raise awareness of clinical trials and the importance of research in a way that was fun and accessible, we attracted nearly a hundred Trust staff and students to join our event.
This is a free mobile version of Lab Tests Online-UK, the award-winning, non-commercial website developed by doctors and healthcare scientists to help you better understand the laboratory tests that are part of routine healthcare, diagnosis, monitoring and treatment. Whether you are a patient looking for answers that might reassure you about your health or a healthcare practitioner seeking quick information regarding a particular test, Lab Tests Online-UK puts the knowledge into the palm of your hand.
The main principle behind our objectives is to make it as easy as possible for all RJAH staff
and students to draw on relevant evidence and knowledge within their day-to-day practice.
We also have an increased emphasis on supporting the provision of information to patients
and carers.
Diverse collaborative ventures have enhanced medical article quality and reach, and opportunities for partnerships are more available than ever. Nevertheless, Wikipedia’s medical content and community still face significant challenges, and a socioecological model is used to structure specific recommendations. We propose that the medical community should prioritise the accuracy of biomedical information in the world’s most consulted encyclopaedia.
Healthwatch Shropshire has welcomed the creation of the NHS Digital Apps Library that will help people find the best quality apps to use. The NHS tests apps and awards an ‘NHS approved’ stamp if they meet quality standards for clinical effectiveness, safety, usability and accessibility.
The slide deck from the recent Health Literacy Skills and Partnership Working for Public and Health Librarians (Health Libraries Group and Public and Mobile Libraries Group joint event) are now available here.
The BMJ published an investigation into the prevalence and impact of outcome reporting bias in randomised controlled trials included in Cochrane systematic reviews in 2010.1 It concluded that studies should not be excluded from reviews on the basis that there was “no relevant outcome data” (NROD) as failure to report review outcomes does not mean that the outcomes were not measured. Moreover, this recommendation is an expected methodological standard for Cochrane intervention reviews.2 Quality assurance screening of reviews by the Cochrane Editorial Unit has found that reviews still exclude studies on the basis of NROD. We investigated the proportion of Cochrane reviews excluding studies on the basis of NROD and whether the proportion …...To read the full article, log in using your NHS OpenAthens details.
A doctor who tried to submit for publication two research papers written by others has been suspended for 12 months by a medical practitioners tribunal. To read the full article, log in using your NHS OpenAthens details.
Health care library and knowledge services (LKS) are now expected to contribute to the provision of Patient and Public Information (PPI). The challenges of an ageing population, prevalence of long-term conditions and the encouragement of patients to self manage give added impetus. The Knowledge for Health care PPI Task and Finish Groups developed strategic partnerships with national organizations and produced a suite of resources to support LKS staff. Outputs include guidance, workshop materials, an Ideas Bank and Guide to NHS Choices. The work of the PPI Task and Finish groups will continue to support staff as they develop activities and evidence its impact.
Public Health England plays a vital role in ensuring the health of the nation. The Knowledge and Library Service (KLS) is a key part of the organisation's evidence supply chain. KLS staff handle over 200 requests for literature searches per annum, and this number is increasing exponentially year on year. Searches are often complex and require specialist public health knowledge to complete effectively. Library staff who are new to the area of public health require support and training. In this article, Anh Tran, Knowledge and Evidence Specialist for Public Health England, discusses a peer supported literature search training course that has been developed in-house for the benefit of new library staff, and to increase the Knowledge and Library Service's literature searching capacity at Public Health England.
We have updated our Literature Searching Sites web page to include resources that you can use to find grey literature. You'll find links to help you to find reviews, guidelines, reports, clinical trials, and theses. You'll also find links to specific grey literature databases.
Findings suggest that decisionmakers are willing to accept some trade-off in validity in exchange for a rapid review. Nevertheless, they expect the validity of rapid reviews to come close to that of systematic reviews.
It is estimated that in many settings nurses provide 80 per cent of patient care and they are often the clinicians leading the way in utilising new technology, and creating innovative ways of improving care using new digital tools.
NHS Digital exists to improve health and social care in England by making better use of technology, data and information.
We hope to start a Trust book club for anyone who is interested. We will read a different book each quarter, covering a range of titles on clinical and working life as chosen by the group. We are thinking of choosing non-fiction books rather than novels. Anyone is welcome and you don’t need to be a clinician or a manager to come along.
The journal club will be held on the second Friday of the month beginning Friday 8th September in the Library Seminar room from 1-1.45pm. We encourage you to bring your lunch!!
Although likely to be primarily of interest to nurses/HCA’s/ODPs/students/aspiring nurses etc, all staff are welcome. Topics will vary and participants are encouraged to suggest ideas for papers for future sessions. Details of papers will be publicised ahead of sessions on Twitter/Facebook/email etc and can be found at U:\Group\Evidence Updates for Healthcare Professionals (Green Folders)\Articles for journal club. If you cannot access this please contact the library for copies.
Recently, a search filter was published in the Health Information and Libraries Journal by Lynda Ayiku et al of NICE that attempts to locate any articles that are about UK research, populations or practice in Medline, and exclude others.
The search filter is validated, meaning it has been tested against a gold standard set of references to make sure it works. The full search filter was designed for the Ovid version of Medline, but unfortunately does not work properly in the HDAS interface used by the NHS. However, there is a simplified version available, which we have adapted for use in the HDAS interface, and this can be copied and pasted into the search box on HDAS, and then combined with your subject search (uisng ‘and’) to filter your search to UK articles only.
The KConnect output is virtually ready for Trip to use and it will allow us (with decent, but not perfect accuracy) the following elements from a RCT or systematic review:
P – population/disease
I – intervention
C – comparison (if there is one)
Sentiment – does the trial favour the intervention or not
Sample size – is this a large or small trial
Risk of Bias – via RobotReviewer
Several tools have been developed to evaluate the extent to which the findings from a network meta-analysis would be valid; however, applying these tools is a time-consuming task and often requires specific expertise. Clinicians have little time for critical appraisal, and they need to understand the key elements that help them select network meta-analyses that deserve further attention, optimising time and resources. This paper is aimed at providing a practical framework to assess the methodological robustness and reliability of results from network meta-analysis. To read the full article, log in using your NHS OpenAthens details.
The aim of this systematic review is twofold: (1) to characterise the purpose and description of available social anxiety apps and (2) to review the evidence on the effectiveness of social anxiety apps. To read the full article, log in using your NHS OpenAthens details.
If you want to access our major resources via mobile devices, then check the Mobile Essentials for NHS page on our website.
Here you’ll find links and details about a range of information sources suitable for mobile devices – both apps and mobile-friendly websites.
Book review. To read the full article, log in using your SSSFT NHS OpenAthens details. To read a copy of the book in this review, please contact the library
From 25 May 2018, all health organisations and arm's-length bodies will need to demonstrate compliance with new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) requirements. GDPR will replace the Data Protection Directive (1995).
There are well over 150 000 health apps available in Europe1—from those designed to improve general wellness to apps that monitor medical conditions, apps for clinicians, and apps that function as medical devices. There have been more than 102 billion down-loads of health apps worldwide yet there is little regulation or guidance available for doctors or patients on quality, safety, or efficacy.
To read the full article, log in using your NHS OpenAthens details.
A faked peer review is a novel cause for retraction. We reviewed the characteristics of papers retracted due to a faked peer review. All papers retracted due to faked peer reviews were identified by searching the Retraction Watch website and by conducting a manual search. All identified papers were confirmed in published journals. To read the full article, log in using your NHS OpenAthens details.
Commentary. Academic fraud and research misconduct can manifest in many ways. In the olden days, we tend to think of research misconduct as falsifying or fabrication of data, or copying from other publications, including the author's own previous or simultaneous publications. In recent years, academic fraud has taken a more sophisticated turn.
In Postgraduate Medical Journal (PMJ), Qi et al reported on retractions related to faked peer reviews.1 To read the full article, log in using your NHS OpenAthens details.
The amount of available biomedical information is vast and growing. Natural limitations of the way clinicians and researchers approach this treasure trove of information comprise difficulties locating the information, and once located, cognitive biases may lead to inappropriate use of the information. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses represent important tools in the information age to improve knowledge and action. Systematic reviews represent a census approach to identifying literature to avoid non-response bias. They are a necessary prelude to producing combined quantitative summaries of associations or treatment effects. Meta-analysis comprises the arithmetical techniques for producing combined summaries from individual study reports. Careful, thoughtful and rigorous use of these tools is likely to enhance knowledge and action. Use of standard guidelines, such as the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, or embedding these activities within collaborative groups such as the Cochrane Collaboration, are likely to lead to more useful systematic review and meta-analysis reporting. To read the full article, log in using your NHS OpenAthens details.
Randomised trials are widely considered the ‘gold standard’ for causal inference... However, trials are not immune to random confounding, as well as selection bias and measurement bias... Here, we review some important methodological aspects of randomised controlled trials in the context of a recently published paper. To read the full article, log in using your NHS OpenAthens details.
Following the recent launch by the publishers of the British National Formulary (BNF) and British National Formulary for children (BNFC) of a new, faster, easier to use and access app, NICE has confirmed that its BNF app will be withdrawn later this year.
Visitors to Staffordshire libraries can now borrow from over 28 self-help titles to help them deal with common long-term health conditions.
At a time when over 26 million people in England report to have at least one long term condition, the new Reading Well scheme is supporting people with expert endorsed books available to borrow for free.
Several tools have been developed to evaluate the extent to which the findings from a network meta-analysis would be valid; however, applying these tools is a time-consuming task and often requires specific expertise. Clinicians have little time for critical appraisal, and they need to understand the key elements that help them select network meta-analyses that deserve further attention, optimising time and resources. This paper is aimed at providing a practical framework to assess the methodological robustness and reliability of results from network meta-analysis. To read the full article, log in using your NHS OpenAthens details.
NICE has developed a range of online learning resources in collaboration with partners and has identified a range of additional tools to support implementation of NICE guidance.
A validated geographic search filter for the retrieval of research about the United Kingdom (UK) from bibliographic databases had not previously been published.
CILIP, the library and information association, and KPMG have today, Thursday 6 July, announced that they are working together to publish a revised and updated edition of Information as an Asset: The Boardroom Agenda, originally written by a committee under the chairmanship of Dr Robert Hawley on behalf of the KPMG IMPACT programme.
There is a consensus that website design, clear layout, interactive features, and the authority of the owner have a positive effect on trust or credibility, whereas advertising has a negative effect. With regard to content features, authority of the author, ease of use, and content have a positive effect on trust or credibility formation. Demographic factors influencing trust formation are age, gender, and perceived health status.
NOTE only included in librarian update as may be quite US orientated. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice48.3 (Jun 2017): 199-210.
mHealth denotes the use of mobile devices within a health care context. One type of mHealth that has gained increased popularity is the use of mobile applications (apps). Despite a plethora of apps that are commercially available, the efficacy or effectiveness of these apps is largely unknown. This article reviews the literature on the use of mental health mobile apps in a psychotherapy context. The review focuses on the efficacy or effectiveness and common features of mental health apps. To read the full article, log in using your NHS OpenAthens details.
Public health nurses (PHNs) are challenged in obtaining opportunities to learn evidence-based practice (EBP). An interdisciplinary alliance was created between health sciences librarians and nurse educators to create a continuing education (CE) opportunity.
To determine whether calculation of a ‘Number Needed to Retrieve’ (NNTR) is possible and desirable as a means of evaluating the utility of a database for systematic review.
n June 2014, National Voices set out to explore and test how communities of practice could facilitate the spread of large-scale change across England’s voluntary sector working for health and wellbeing.
This publication reflects on our experiences over the last 3 years, and in the spirit of communities of practice, aims to share reflections in order that others can use our learning.
Paul Gooding describes a joint project looking at the impact of the expansion of legal deposit to include digital material and the challenges that these e-legal deposits pose for the academic sector and its interactions with institutional and regulatory systems.