NHS England has announced a new partnership with libraries across England to offer support to people using online health services and the NHS app, with hopes librarians can “play a key part” in helping people to better understand and manage their health.
Although a small number of libraries are already helping people to get started with the NHS app, the scheme will officially launch in October, with NHS England preparing to send out toolkits and information to public and NHS libraries in the coming weeks.
John Quinn, chief information officer at NHS England, spoke of the “significant opportunity” public libraries offer for reaching those who “face barriers when it comes to accessing their health information online”.
Louise Goswami, chief knowledge officer at NHS England, highlighted how the new scheme will build on “great work” already being done with the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals and public library colleagues, which has seen the training of “178 health literacy trainers in NHS libraries” and the implementation of “health literacy pilots at 14 public library sites”.
To learn more about the new scheme, please click here.
Tech to boost access and self-management in health
At HTN, we’ve covered a number of stories on the use of tech to boost access and self-management in health over the last six months, including the publication of NHS Cheshire and Merseyside ICB’s Access Improvement Plan back in May. The plan highlighted the role of digital and technology in improving access to healthcare, with expected improvements for patients including “less hurdles” and “clear information” when accessing services, set times for online consultations, a choice of appointment methods, and a better understanding of the apps and technologies in place for those choosing to use it.
The board from NHS Greater Manchester recently shared an update on their progress around the region’s primary care blueprint, alongside stats around NHS app usage which showed that 52 percent of the eligible population reportedly registered for the app; an increase of 17 percent when it comes to medical record views between April and May 2024; and highlighted a six percent increase in prescriptions ordered via the app in the same time period.
Earlier this month, we covered a report published by South London Listens, an initiative bringing together two integrated care systems across the capital as well as three NHS mental health trusts and a range of other partners, highlighting the role of digital in driving change to tackle health inequalities. The report identified digital exclusion as an area of focus, setting out plans for 2024/25 to work with ICSs and community leaders to spread best practice on digital inclusion and ensure communities have access to technology, as well as working with Citizens UK to offer free wifi for people in temporary accommodation.
Access has also been a key topic on the agenda for North West London ICS, with the system recently beginning to publish monthly summaries identifying involvement with local residents and communities, including data on digital reach and health survey responses. The survey explored challenges for women in accessing healthcare services and found that challenges around online access were the third most cited. More women faced problems with online access than with factors such as travel, location, disabilities and caring responsibilities; but challenges with phone line access were more commonly reported overall.
