Health Information Navigator Role: Improving Support for People with Long-Term Illnesses

1. The Health Information Navigator Role A key focus of the 2020 Vision is to improve the support and treatment of people with multiple and long term illnesses, with an integrated health and social care system that supports self-management at home or in a homely setting. Care should be about “working with” rather than “doing things for” people. Good quality, accessible information is a factor in helping people live well with their conditions as is an awareness of services and support available. The project aims to create a network of knowledge support for practitioners, service users and carers How? Develop the skills of staff in participating GP practices and community health care teams, local voluntary and community groups, national charities and support groups and public bodies enabling them to act as health information navigators, directing people to relevant and evaluated information Freedigital photos.net - digitalart

3. Developing the health navigator role with public libraries – Dundee • and Angus • Learning session for public library staff at the Wellgate Centre in Dundee concentrating • on accessible patient information and resources that will assist in health related queries • Content focuses on • NHS Inform • Community health and social care • Information for patients • Better Information Better Lives • Key areas on the Social Services Knowledge Scotland site including Self Directed support, Care for Older People • Point of Care resources including clinical summaries in Nursing Reference Centre Dynamed, Nice Clinical Knowledge, Cochrane Reviews • Keeping up to date • Making Health Literacy easy – giving people the skills and confidence to use health information and tools to ensure medical instructions have been understood The story so far

4. Developing the NHS librarian’s role…. • Learning session delivered by public library staff at the Wellgate Centre in Dundee concentrating on their resources that will assist in health related queries: • Health & Wellbeing: • ALISS • My Wellbeing • Health in My Language • NHS 24 • Patient.co.uk • Self-help books and CDs • SLIC funding for a Dementia Information Project • Reading Groups • Mobile Library Service • Employability & Careers: • My World of Work • Job search websites • Signposting: • Welfare Rights Team • Citizen’s Advice Bureau • Connect Service – community outreach workers dealing with form filling, benefit advice, budgeting etc • Scottish Welfare Fund • Local services to help people back to work or people with disabilities, health or other barriers to find and sustain employment, adult learning and translation services The story so far Health information this way

5. Work together to provide a network of knowledge support - in finding and directing people to relevant health information that aims to improve their health and wellbeing and better self-manage their condition Next steps Make the right connections Sustain the momentum Encourage their contribution Create a sense of shared ownership that will provide a resilient, self-sustaining network • Use the learning to provide tailored information sessions for • Volunteers in GP practices • Clinical staff in the communities • Social Care staff • Third sector/voluntary groups Roll out to the wider Tayside network – and beyond Freedigitalphotos.net – digitalart