Introduction
Public libraries can offer a secure, trusted, warm space where people can get help to access digital health services.
As part of a National Health Literacy Partnership, NHS England has developed resources to enable library staff to help people to:
• find trusted health information,
• access and use their NHS account,
• register to use the NHS App or NHS website.
Below are some key questions and answers about the partnership activity. If you have any further questions, please contact the Knowledge for Healthcare email for the national NHS Knowledge and Library Services team england.kfh@nhs.net
Key questions and answers
- What is the National Health Literacy Partnership?
- Where can you use NHS login?
- Which public library services are involved?
- What is health literacy and why it matters?
- What is digital inclusion and why does it matter?
- Why public libraries?
- What is the evidence that this approach works?
- Public library services can decide how many branches take part.
- What do participating public libraries need to do?
- What is the timescale?
- What is in place to support libraries to deliver this service?
- What is the training that is available, how do staff access and how long does it take?
- Where to find the dedicated webpages with support resources for the public and training resources for libraries and what is included.
- What are the trusted health information websites and what do they cover?
- What is an NHS account?
- What support is there for someone struggling to access their NHS account?
- Where to find the library communication and social media toolkit and what is included?
- How will this new initiative be promoted to the public?
- What are the success measures for this initiative?
- What are the benefits of collecting case studies and stories?
- Would I be able to access free data or devices to give to my service users?
- How can I work with my nearby NHS and public health services to support service delivery?
- Where can public libraries find out about NHS library services?
- I work for an NHS library; how can I get involved?
- What are linked profiles and how does it work through NHS App/Account?
- How can the readability of NHS content be improved?