Home | UKMI Activities | Clinical Governance | Enquiry Answering

Clinical Governance | Enquiry Answering

Service Standards

Enquiry answering forms a large part of the work of MI services. The resources here are designed to facilitate provision of an accurate, independent, current and evidence based enquiry answering service.  Standards for enquiry answering have now been incorporated into the Audit standards.

MS Word File  Enquiry Answering Standards 
Essential Resources

To download the latest version of the UKMi Essential Resources list click the relevant link below.

The current version of the UKMi ‘Resources for Purchase’ contains a number of changes.  Following consultation, a number of resources have been deleted. In addition, there is now no distinction between the recommended holdings of regional vs. local MI centres. The list contains ‘core’ resources that every MI centre should hold plus suggested ‘additional’ resources that should be held according to the nature of enquiries received.


MS Word File  Guidance on revised essential resources list 
MS Word File  Resources for purchase Dec 12 
MS Word File  Resources with free access Dec 12 

 A document outlining risk issues with common information sources can be found at http://www.ukmi.nhs.uk/filestore/ukmiacg/Risk-CommonInformationSources2.doc


A document has been developed by MI services in East Anglia after consultation with local pharmacy managers following requests for guidance on appropriate resources that should be available to on-call pharmacists. This can be adapted for local use.


MS Word File  Resources for on-call pharmacists (East of England) 

 

Other Resource information

    • Effective Use of the Internet for Enquiry Answering  provides guidance on safe and efficient use of the Internet, including guidance on assessing the quality of information found on the Internet.
    • Websites/Web-based Resource Links provides live links to the Websites and Web-based resources included in the above list and should be used in conjunction with this. It can be used to provide easy access to all these resources during enquiry answering. It can be downloaded and saved locally e.g. on a PC desktop.
    • Micromedex and Lexi-Comp Databases:
      • UKMi commissioned a project in 2004 to assist decision-making between the two databases. The project was presented at the 2004 UKMi Conference. The presentation and a Word version of the results and conclusions can be downloaded here.    Presentation    Results & Conclusions  
      • Considerations to aid choice between products: Database comparison 2011  
        LMIS database comparison. This is a summary of results from a study comparing the usefulness of American Hospital Formulary Service Drug Information® (AHFS), Drugdex® (DD), and Lexi-Comp® (LC) at a regional MI service. These results contributed to a recent comparison of DrugDex (DD) and Lexi-Comp (LC). The analysis from the London MI Service (Northwick Park Hospital) should be used in conjunction with the above 'Database comparison' document'. 
        LMIS Database Comparison

User Satisfaction

The UKMi user survey is a validated tool, designed to obtain enquirers’ opinions of the service they receive when they contact Medicines Information with an enquiry. The questionnaire has been structured to be succinct, easy to complete and analyse, and incorporates issues that were determined to be most important to enquirers in preliminary research. It is available in two formats, one to download and print off, and the other for electronic use.

Whilst this version of the questionnaire has been approved by UKMi, it is acknowledged that some centres may wish to adapt it for local use. Data obtained will assist in ensuring Medicines Information Centres meet the requirements of their users, and provide a high-quality enquiry answering service. Positive results will provide a valuable endorsement for the service, whilst any negative results can be used to identify areas that require improvement/investment.

It is important to note that previously an annual user survey was acceptable but it has always been suggested a more regular survey of enquirers allows early identification of issues to be addressed.  The standard is now that surveys are undertaken at least every other month.


MS Word File  User survey guidance 2013 
MS Word File  User survey questionnaire (paper) 
MS Word File  User survey questionnaire (electronic) 
MS Excel File  User survey spreadsheet (Office 2003) 
File  User survey spreadsheet (Office 2007 onwards) 
Support Materials


Enquiry answering guidelines and best practice guidance


MS Word File  Ensuring quality in enquiry answering 
MS Word File  Enquiry answering guidelines 2013 
MS Word File  Enquiries to document 
MS Word File  Guidance for ranking enquiries - quick reference 
MS Word File  Library referral criteria 
PDF File  LMIS database comparison