New Resource To Support Patient And Public Involvement In Health Care, UK

Main Category: Public Health
Also Included In: Caregivers / Homecare;  Primary Care / General Practice
Article Date: 01 Aug 2007 - 1:00 PDT

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A comprehensive collection of current knowledge and evidence about patient and public involvement in health care is now available in the Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) Specialist Library run by the King's Fund for the National Library for Health.

Managers, researchers and students will be able to access, free of charge, all the latest information on user involvement in areas such as policy development and self-care, and on strengthening NHS accountability to patients and to local communities.

The aim of the PPI Specialist Library is to support the implementation of patient, user, carer and public involvement in health care by providing access, in one location, to the best information available.

J A Muir Gray, Director of the National Knowledge Service, of which the National Library for Health is part, and Chief Knowledge Officer to the NHS, said: "Patient and public involvement is as important to the health service as good knowledge management or tight financial control. This is a skill the modern manager has to acquire and the PPI library provides the resources to help them do so.

"The involvement of patients and the public in decision-making is a task that can and should be evaluated. These evaluations have an evidence base which is available as part of the National Library for Health for all those people, patients, members of the public and health care professionals, seeking to promote shared decision-making."

Ray Phillips, Head of Information Service Development at the King's Fund, said: "We are pleased to support the National Library for Health by developing and managing this new Specialist Library. We are sure that managers, carers, and service users will find this an invaluable resource, and that it will assist them in implementing and developing patient and public involvement in their area."

1. Visit the Patient and Public Involvement Specialist Library.

2. J A Muir Gray, Kt, CBE, DSc, MD, FRCPSGlas, FCLIP is Director of the National Knowledge Service, of which the National Library for Health is part, and Chief Knowledge Officer to the NHS

3. The King's Fund library, situated in central London, is accessible to visitors six days a week. For further information, please email library@kingsfund.org.uk.

4. The King's Fund is an independent charitable foundation working for better health, especially in London. We carry out research, policy analysis and development activities, working on our own, in partnerships, and through grants. We are a major resource to people working in health, offering leadership and education courses; seminars and workshops; publications; information and library services; and conference and meeting facilities.

http://www.kingsfund.org.uk