Integration of a clinical librarian into mental health services

To evaluate the feasibility of integrating a clinical librarian (CL) within four mental health teams. A CL was attached to three clinical teams and the Trustwide Psychology Research and Clinical Governance Structure for 12 months. Requests for evidence syntheses were recorded.

The perceived impact of individual evidence summaries on staff activities was evaluated using a brief online questionnaire. Results Overall, 82 requests for evidence summaries were received: 50% related to evidence for individual patient care, 23% to generic clinical issues and 27% were on management/corporate topics.

In the questionnaires 105 participants indicated that the most common impact on their practice was advice given to colleagues (51 respondents), closely followed by the evidence summaries stimulating new ideas for patient care or treatment (50 respondents).

Clinical implications The integration of a CL into clinical and corporate teams is feasible and perceived as having an impact on staff activities. A CL may be able to collate ‘personalised evidence’ which may enhance individualised healthcare. In some cases the usual concept of a hierarchy of evidence may not easily apply, with case reports providing guidance which may be more applicable than population-based studies.
  • ‘Personalised evidence’ for personalised healthcare: integration of a clinical librarian into mental health services – a feasibility study Rachel Steele, Paul A. Tiffin BJPsych Bulletin 38(1) 2014 DOI: 10.1192/pb.bp.112.042382
  • Published outputs from Rachel's work: Boredom among psychiatric in-patients: does it matter? Rachel Steele , Paul Henderson , Frances Lennon , Donna Swinden BJPsych Advances 19(4) 2013 DOI: 10.1192/apt.bp.112.010363
  • Relieving in-patient boredom in general hospitals: the evidence for intervention and practical ideas Rachel Steele , Keith Linsley BJPsych Advances 21(1) 2015 DOI: 10.1192/apt.bp.113.011908
  • Development of foundation year 1 psychiatry posts: implications for practice Rachel Steele , Sharon Beattie BJPsych Advances 19(6) 2013 DOI: 10.1192/apt.bp.112.010678
Categories:
  • Fabulous Stuff
  • Multidisciplinary Team Working
  • Mental Health Services
  • The 5127 Award
  • The Rosa Parks Award
  • The Penguin Teamship Award
  • Efficacy of clinical librarians
  • Acute > Fabulous Stuff
  • Acute
  • Leadership and Management > Fabulous Stuff
  • Leadership and Management
  • Primary Care > Fabulous Stuff
  • Primary Care
  • Community Services > Fabulous Stuff
  • Community Services
  • Mental Health > Fabulous Stuff
  • Mental Health
  • Social Care > Fabulous Stuff
  • Social Care
  • Commissioning and Procurement > Fabulous Stuff
  • Commissioning and Procurement
  • Acute > Multidisciplinary Team Working
  • Leadership and Management > Multidisciplinary Team Working
  • Primary Care > Multidisciplinary Team Working
  • Community Services > Multidisciplinary Team Working
  • Social Care > Multidisciplinary Team Working
  • Mental Health > Multidisciplinary Team Working
  • Commissioning and Procurement > Multidisciplinary Team Working
  • Mental Health > Mental Health Services
Menu
Download acrobat reader