Early experience of the contribution of an information specialist within a primary healthcare team

Abstract

This article describes the early experience of an Information Officer appointed within a newly formed primary health care team in the new township of Cambourne, west of Cambridge. The post was jointly defined and funded through a partnership between Cambridgeshire Libraries, the Primary Care Trust and Monkfield Medical Practice. The article describes the establishment of the post, its positioning within the core clinical team and some of the activities undertaken, including the use of information prescriptions. Significant issues highlighted include the diversity of routes to information which emerged, the importance of information to NHS policy on patient choice and the role of the Information Officer as an accessible source of information on healthy lifestyles.