Are we being DIM?

Are we being DIM? Disseminating Information to Managers

Dissemination defined “A means of delivering information to its intended audiences in ways that promote the reception, understanding, acceptance, application and positive impact of the information” Field and Lohr, 1992

Understanding your audience Dissemination involves: “Identifying and engaging with specific groups who would be involved in implementation, understanding their work practices and characteristics, and then working through specific strategies to change their awareness, knowledge and practices”

Key issues • “Managers” -Finding out about our audience • Information needs of managers • Their information preferences? • Disseminating information to managers - effectively • Current Awareness • More effective ways of supporting e-b management

Questions to ask as we develop new services • What do we mean by managers? • What do managers mean by information? • What do managers view as evidence? • How can we help? • Where can we best place our expertise?

1. Finding out about our audience All too often articles: • fail to define “managers” or • to distinguish between information and data or • between information and information sources

Working life as an NHS manager • Publicly graded on the basis of a “star system”, with managers in zero star Trusts facing performance-related pay criteria and the possibility of removal • Required to respond to ever-changing national initiatives • Works in an environment in which there is little room for reflection or learning

Attitude of managers towards evidence Q: Asked if they use / are expected to use research evidence? 52.5% of managers said ‘No’ 4 % managers said ‘Don’t Know’ 43.5% of managers said ‘Yes’

Information overload “Since coming to power in 1997, New labour have buried managers in a blizzard of often contradictory documents”

An information revolution … “They call this the information age and the NHS … is in the throes of an information revolution. But it’s no bloodless coup and the casualties are those health service managers buckling under the sheer volume of information now fired at them from all sides” Snell: Sinking in a sea of change

2. Information needs Managing in the NHS • Finance • Quality • Activity • Staffing

Managing in the NHS: other areas • Efficacy of clinical interventions • ‘Soft intelligence’ • Market intelligence • Public Health • More selective dissemination of information from DoH • Information to be summarised and packaged more appropriately and targeted to the relevant people

Information Needs of NHS Managers FINANCE Cost effective data GENERAL Political Data sensitive to aims & objectives MONITORING Corporate data PLANNING National trends, demographic data RESULTS Clinical effectiveness/Outcome data MARKETING DATA PERFORMANCE DATA

“The main types of information you need to do your job?” RBBH LIBRARY USERS said: • Trust information – reports, policies, developments, finance, clinical info from Trust • Info on the organisations around us • Public health data - & impact on our Trust • National documents, directives, standards, targets – in my area • Best practice guidelines • Clinical info from organisations in my field • Patient information leaflets

“The main types of information you need to do your job?” NON-USERS added.. • Information on modern management techniques • General NHS news • Accountancy within and outside NHS • Clinical – re specific projects

3. Information preferences • NLH User survey : TFPL found few previous studies of their information needs • Information sent to managers and how it is sent is as significant “as what they actively seek”

Style and Access • Some evidence that styles of information access and use are different for former health professionals (who have a better sense of what libraries can do for them than “lay managers”) • “Content will not matter without access”.. Physical means of access User friendly design

4. Disseminating information to managers • Leadership • Collaboration • Communication

1. THE INFORMATION Quality? Has it been appraised? 2. THE CONTEXT Does it inform/support local priorities? Can you identify the groups involved in/affected by the change it represents? Have you identified different channels of communication to overcome organisational barriers? 3. THE PROCESS Who is leading the process? How can you support the leader effectively? Which services and initiatives can you work through to get the information across? Is this a planned communication process? Are existing mechanisms suitable? Are new channels required? Getting the message across: 3 dimensions

Taking it step by step • OPINION LEADERS: consult • SENDER: authority • MESSAGE: focus on benefits not features • CHANNELS: what is already available? • NOISE: timing is all • FEEDBACK: Are you getting through?

Draw up a Communications Plan

“People are sending an e-mail and copying it to half a dozen other people who wouldn’t have been copied in for a memo... I get less thinking time now than ever. But as a chief executive surely I’m paid to think?” Margaret Stockham, CE Beds PCG Managers prefer sources that are: Concise and up to date Easy to digest Delivered to your door Make it easy …

Bucks KNA found that managers are afraid of missing key information TFPL report that alerting services are highly valued by most managers PRIMARY CARE CAS Trent Information Network Infrastructure RSS feeds on to NLH CA Bulletins: Distributed, collaborative authorship Customisable – add local content Resource guides – focussing on hard-to-reach groups, hot topics 5. Current awareness

6. Proactive services to support e-b healthcare management • Information management • Personal service inc personalised alerting service • Smaller library - to release librarian time • Learning from experience elsewhere

Reaching managers; without managing a library

Finding treasure amidst the dross “I think senior staff need to think about whether they should be delegating tasks such as carrying out internet searches” Cary Cooper: Occupational Psychologist (Snell)

TFPL found: Some managers find online communities very practical and valuable as sources of information, support and problem solving Exclusive learning groups are powerful mechanisms allowing CEOs to learn outside the performance spotlight of superiors and subordinates in relaxed social conditions Chapman & Confessorre The message; the medium

Working smarter • Get to know our managers • Planned professional approach to disseminating information • Focus on the business of the Trust • Facilitate new channels through which managers can learn to become more effective • Market information services to maximise their impact

Are we being DIM?

Are we being DIM?

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