Over 100 delegates gathered at the University of Edinburgh's South Hall Complex for an informative conference. The document, endorsed by the Improvement Service, fully outlines the key role knowledge management will play in the future delivery of social services.
The strategy has three main components:
- The Social Services Knowledge Scotland website (www.ssks.org.uk) which will deliver a range of information, learning resources and tools for sharing knowledge.
- A network of organisations known as the Social Services Managed Knowledge Network (MKN).
- A programme to develop people's skills in accessing, sharing and using knowledge (often referred to as information literacy).
Dr Ann Wales, Programme Director for Knowledge Management, NHS Education for Scotland, outlined the background to the strategy as she opened event with Alison Petch, Director of the Institute for Research and Innovation in Social Services (IRISS).
"Access to knowledge has the power to transform working practices and transform the lives of people we support," said Dr Wales. "The strategy and action plan has to be fully owned and implemented."
Ms Petch added: "This is about giving the workforce and people the support and confidence to produce the outcomes they want. The aim is to make a difference to individual lives."
Adam Ingram MSP, Minister for Children and Early Years, contributed the foreword to the strategy document and told delegates: "This strategy has been developed to help individuals and organisations access knowledge. Knowledge management is about getting the right information to the right people at the right times."
Harriet Dempster, President of the Association of Directors of Social Work, and Chair of the Social Services Managed Knowledge Network, delivered a passionate speech on the importance of the knowledge management strategy.
"We have to be better at sharing what we do," said Ms Dempster. "We should be looking at the SSKS site as a gateway, a treasure trove, an Aladdin's cave of information."
Susan Lindner, from NHS Education for Scotland and IRISS, then looked more closely at the knowledge management tools and resources available and the topic of information literacy, while Ian Watson from IRISS spoke about the SSKS website redesign.
Representatives from South Lanarkshire Council, the voluntary sector Social Services Workforce Unit and private care sector Workforce Initiative finished off by delivering individual presentations on realising the benefits through shared ownership.
You can download the strategy document from the IRISS website.
Further events connected with the strategy will be held in the coming months, in conjunction with the Improvement Service.
