Written Question · S2W-11725 · Session 2
What plans it has to ensure equitable access to library services and ICT for all NHSScotland staff in the next five years, in light of chan…
The question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to ensure equitable access to library services and ICT for all NHSScotland staff in the next five years, in light of changes to the staffing for acute services.
The answer
The Executive is committed to providing a national supporting infrastructure to enable more effective delivery of knowledge support tailored to NHS needs in the local context. Responsibility for implementation rests with NHS Education Scotland.
NHS Education Scotland’s national strategy for NHS Scotland Knowledge Services, Exploiting the Power of Knowledge in NHS Scotland: a national strategy, sets out a three year plan for development of the system-wide infrastructure for NHS library and knowledge services. This strategy aims to empower and equip NHS staff with the knowledge they need to meet the challenges of workforce change and development, service modernisation, and implementation of the e-Health programme.
The primary vehicle for delivery of the knowledge management strategy is the NHS Scotland e-Library http://www.elib.scot.nhs.uk , which already offers access to the knowledge base, in the form of journals, books, databases, guidelines and alerting services for the full range of NHS Scotland staff, across all staff groups and geographic locations. Approximately 40,000 NHS Scotland staff have registered to use the e-Library since January 2003, and usage continues to increase.
The Staff Governance standard incorporated into the NHS Reform Act requires that staff be appropriately trained. Local NHS systems are required to have in place training and development plans for the whole system, and also Personal Development Plans for each individual employee. The necessary resources, including time and funding, should then be put in place and allocated to ensure that local training and development needs are met.
The performance of each NHS system in respect of their compliance with the Staff Governance Standard is assessed by auditors annually and included in the Accountability Review Process to be chaired by the Minister for Health and Community Care.
NHS Education Scotland’s national strategy for NHS Scotland Knowledge Services, Exploiting the Power of Knowledge in NHS Scotland: a national strategy, sets out a three year plan for development of the system-wide infrastructure for NHS library and knowledge services. This strategy aims to empower and equip NHS staff with the knowledge they need to meet the challenges of workforce change and development, service modernisation, and implementation of the e-Health programme.
The primary vehicle for delivery of the knowledge management strategy is the NHS Scotland e-Library http://www.elib.scot.nhs.uk , which already offers access to the knowledge base, in the form of journals, books, databases, guidelines and alerting services for the full range of NHS Scotland staff, across all staff groups and geographic locations. Approximately 40,000 NHS Scotland staff have registered to use the e-Library since January 2003, and usage continues to increase.
The Staff Governance standard incorporated into the NHS Reform Act requires that staff be appropriately trained. Local NHS systems are required to have in place training and development plans for the whole system, and also Personal Development Plans for each individual employee. The necessary resources, including time and funding, should then be put in place and allocated to ensure that local training and development needs are met.
The performance of each NHS system in respect of their compliance with the Staff Governance Standard is assessed by auditors annually and included in the Accountability Review Process to be chaired by the Minister for Health and Community Care.
In the Official Report
No contribution in the Official Report cites S2W-11725 by reference.