Librarians and Commissioners

Mike RoddhamHead of Library & Knowledge Services

Librarians and Commissioners

Started because wanted to secure money we were getting from PCT. Wrote a commissioning prospectus

to sell our services, This went viral!

suggested stand at Commissioning Show June and then NHS Alliance Conf in Nov

Wordsmithing

Don’t use library-speakWords not to use -• Literature searching• Training• Loans• Books• Journals• Librarian (use knowledge specialist)

Wordsmithing

Use commissioner-speakUnderstand their mindsetTalk their languageRead up – HSJ, reports, DH stuff, NHS

Commissioning website

Wordsmithing

Watch for changed meanings• Intelligence• Evidence• Knowledge management

Analysts and commissioners believe in Safety in Numbers

Wordsmithing

Don’t describe the services you offer

Present the benefits they gain

Outcomes, not processesi.e. not literature searches, but evidenceConfidence in decision-making

Don’t offer training!

• They don’t want it, they won’t use it.

• Our USP – we find it for them.

• We have professional skills they can exploit to save money and improve patient services

Target

There are areas of commissioning where we can contribute effectively

• E.g. Service redesign, pathways, PIN/IFRsThere are areas where we can’t• E,g, contract compliance• Be realistic• Target the message but approach all

prospects

Target

Be specific, don’t generalise

Concentrate your fire on target areas.

Use examples from Commissioning Handbook, knowledge4commissioning

What are the targets – LOOK AT MODEL

THE MODEL

• Which areas?

WHAT DO THEY WANT?

• Information they can rely on• Information they can base decisions on• Information they can hide behind

• Information that enhances what they already have

• What do they have? Data

MAJOR CHANGE

• Get them thinking beyond the data

• Examples, stories really important

DATA

• Always Historical• Somewhat predictive of activity• Says what happened, when, how many

how often

• Doesn’t say why, what else, how do we change…

• Not always reliable

They don’t want

• Piles of photocopies• Reference lists• To come to the library

They want

• Information on what works• Information on how others are coping (we

can offer not just UK, but international)• Information on what doesn’t work

• Timely reviews, summaries

Relationships

• Develop them

• Exploit them

• Use champions

• Work through people you know to reach those you don’t

Likely prospects• Business intelligence leads/directors• Any lower and they’ll just be analysts

• IFR / PIN leads• Understand need to justify expenditure

• Public health – still need library support. • GP members, education committees, clinical

governance committees• CCG or CSU?

WHAT YOU NEED• You might need to loss-lead to show them

the benefits

• Set it up as a project with option to make permanent

• Work together across LKS – doesn’t work with turf wars. Also looks better

Challenges

• Work out of the library – physically and mentally!

• Change in our mindset• Take personal responsibility for service• Summaries and reviews• Needs better monitoring/feedback on

service impact• Learn to sell ourselves - exhibitions

Gains

• Understanding• Respect• Feel good• Buttresses LKS• New skills