Introduction
This briefing is for heads of library services in local government and public library staff. It aims to explain the purpose of this initiative between the NHS and libraries and answer key questions that you may have about taking part. It is set out in the format of questions and answers, a list of these is below the background section.
If you have any further questions about the partnership activity, please contact the Knowledge for Healthcare email for the national NHS Knowledge and Library Services team england.kfh@nhs.net.
Service background
A significant proportion of the population do not have access to secure affordable internet, a device to access online services, basic digital skills with which to navigate services or the motivation to use them. People facing digital exclusion tend to be older adults and people from more socio-economically deprived communities.
These are the same communities who are more likely to be unsure about how to navigate health services; or find and understand the information they need to better manage their health and well-being. The data shows that they are more likely to be living longer with ill-health and ultimately have worse health outcomes.
Public libraries offer a secure, trusted, warm space where people can get help to access digital health services. Data shows that people from more deprived communities are more likely to use public libraries, making public libraries an excellent place to support people to access digital health services, and improve their health outcomes.
NHS England, as part of the National Health Literacy Partnership, has developed a suite of resources that aim to enable library staff to support their service users to navigate trusted health information, access and use their NHS account via the NHS app or NHS.uk website, and ultimately improve their health.
The national NHS Knowledge and Library Service at NHS England has also developed resources on health literacy as part of the partnership, including geodata to help with prioritisation of activity: https://healthliteracy.geodata.uk/.
Learning from initial pilot sites showed that signposting to health information through public libraries can be a very effective way of supporting people to manage their health and wellbeing.
Building on this learning, the partnership worked with public libraries to develop an approach to supporting members of the public to access high-quality information and to use an NHS Account, whether through the NHS app or through the NHS website. The first wave of public libraries between October 2024 and February 2025.
Following an evaluation, agreement is in place to provide support to all public libraries in England, with the aim of starting to go live from October 2025 and we would welcome your involvement.
Key questions and answers
- What is the National Health Literacy Partnership?
- What is health literacy and why does it matter?
- What is digital inclusion and why does it matter for health outcomes?
- Why public libraries?
- What is the evidence that this approach works?
- Do all branches within a public library service need to offer the service?
- What do participating public libraries need to do?
- Is this initiative only in England?
- 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?
- How to get help if someone is 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?
- Can I 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?
- How can I get support from my nearest NHS library service?
- 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?