www.leadershipacademy.nhs.uk

7 November 2015

Dear Colleague,

I am the National Programme Manager for Library and Knowledge Services (LKS) at Health Education England (HEE) and currently undertaking the NHS Leadership Academy’s Elizabeth Garrett Anderson (EGA) Programme which awards an MSc in Health Leadership from the University of Birmingham.

HEE are the stewards of library and knowledge services (LKS) across the NHS in England. In December 2014 Knowledge for Healthcare was published setting out an ambitious vision for the provision of LKS which will transform the delivery of services.

To enable this vision to become a reality it is essential that there is engagement with key influential staff. These advocates for LKS need to be both clinical and executive staff who understand and are passionate about the importance of high quality knowledge services for education, clinical practice, patient care and health information.

To inform this work and for the purposes of my MSc dissertation in Health Leadership, I am currently undertaking the following research;

In the writer’s role as the programme manager for Knowledge for Healthcare, how can she identify, influence and support clinical and executive champions to become effective advocates for library and knowledge services as well as determining how the impact of these champions could be measured?

Under the supervision of Fiona Meechan Cohort Director for the EGA programme and Lecturer in Health Care Management at Manchester Business School, the overall focus of the research is the identification, influencing and equipping of clinical and executive champions to become advocates for LKS to facilitate the implementation of a major change programme in a challenging financial climate.

The research will take the form of semi-structured interviews with senior stakeholders and potential advocates and focus groups with LKS peers and colleagues. These will be undertaken in total confidence and all results will be anonymised. Up to 15 semi-structured interviews will be carried out and three focus groups. For the semi-structured interviews these will be conducted via the telephone or face to face and will last approximately 30 minutes and will be recorded. One of the focus groups will be undertaken via Twitterchat courtesy of ukmedlibs and will take place on Tuesday 1 December from 8.00pm – 9.00pm. If you participate in the Twitterchat I will assume that you are happy to consent to participating in the research. A consent form is below. Details of the questions that will be discussed are also below.

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You will not be identified by name in any documentation resulting from this study. The data collected will be kept until the mark for the dissertation is awarded. In the event of a resubmission being required, the data will need to be retained until after that date.

If after receiving this letter, you have any questions about this study, or would like additional information to assist you in reaching a decision about participation, please feel free to contact me on the details below.

I do hope you would be interested in taking part in this project. In the meantime please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any initial questions.

Yours sincerely

Louise Goswami

National Programme Manager for Library and Knowledge Services, Health Education England

Health Education England

Calverley House | 55 Calverley Road | Tunbridge Wells | TN1 2TU

T:  01892 704241

E:  louise.goswami@nhs.net

www.leadershipacademy.nhs.uk

Consent Form In the writer’s role as the programme manager for Knowledge for Healthcare, how can she identify, influence and support clinical and executive champions to become effective advocates for library and knowledge services as well as determining how the impact of these champions could be measured?

CONSENT FORM

Please initial box

1. I confirm that I have read and understand the consent letter dated 7 November 2015 for the above study. I have had the opportunity to consider the information, ask questions and have had these answered satisfactorily.

2. I understand that my participation is voluntary and that I am free to withdraw at any time, without giving any reason.

3. I give my consent for direct quotations to be used and understand that these will be anonymous.

4. I agree to take part in the above study.

Name of: Signature Date

Subject:

Researcher:

Louise Goswami

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Twitterchat Questions

Who do we need to influence and persuade of the value of library and knowledge services?

What would you consider to be the attributes of an effective champion?

What would you consider to be the role of a clinical or executive champion?

How can potential champions be identified and influenced to undertake the role?

What resources would help equip a champion to be successful in their role?

How can the success or impact of a champion be measured?