Lessons learned in an information skills training programme for a mental health trust.

Introduction The 2001 policy for lifelong learning of all staff in the NHS (in England) Working Together Learning Together insisted that NHS organisations “demonstrate that education and training, and access to learning and library resources is available on an equitable and increasing flexible basis to all staff groups, in accordance with need and without any discrimination based on hours of work or part-time/full-time status”. The impact was clear: equality of access meant a need to solve accessibility problems for part time, community, evening and night shift and staff working in remote locations. IT and networking resources were seen by many information services to be the answer to this problem. However, even if staff gained the basic IT qualification, the European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL) qualification, which included Internet and email skills, they would not be trained in accessing many of the resources that they would need to support evidence-based practice and clinical governance. Many Workforce Development Confederations, including the Birmingham and Black Country WDC, developed information skills training programmes to meet this gap. This paper discusses the lessons learned from the interim evaluation of a training skills programme for the Mental Health Trust.