Heather Steele - Chair

Library and Knowledge Lead,

Leeds & York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

I started my first professional post in 2012 at Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, after completing an MA while working in NHS Leeds at the Public Health Resource Centre (PHRC). In 2016 I started my current role as Library and Knowledge Lead.

Helen Curtis - Secretary

Librarian, 

Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust

I have been the Library Manager at Calderdale and Huddersfield Foundation Trust for 25 years. I am a passionate advocate of libraries believing they have an enormous contribution to make not only to the evidence based medicine within the NHS but also in broader society alleviating health inequalities and social exclusion.

Craig Abbs - Treasurer

Librarian, 

Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust

I’ve been with the NHS since March 2019 after a career break.  Before that I was at the Department of Health in Leeds for ten years, managing enquiries, carrying out literature searches and current awareness trawls, systems maintenance and creating an online archive of health circulars amongst other things. Prior to moving to Yorkshire I worked for several years in Public Libraries as a Librarian in north-west London and prior to this a Library Assistant in Norwich. 

I qualified with an MA from Sheffield very near the end of the last century and have been a chartered member of CILIP since 2002.

Helen Swales - CPD Lead

Library Service Manager

Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust

I started my career at the Royal Agricultural College in Cirencester, before moving into Health Libraries in 1996. 

After two years at Bradford Royal Infirmary I took on the role of Librarian for Leeds Health Authority, and after various organisational restructures, am now Library Service Manager for Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust. I manage delivery of the library service for all LCHT staff across Leeds and also delivery of library services to primary care in Leeds (including the GP Confederation and the Leeds Office of the West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board) and Public Health Staff in Leeds City Council.

I also chair the city-wide Project Team for improving access to health library services in Leeds, with specific responsibility for service development.

Joanne Naughton

Library and Knowledge Services Development Manager - Yorkshire & Humber,

Health Education England

I currently work for Health Education England supporting the development of Knowledge and Library Services in North East and Yorkshire, Humber. Previously, I worked for 18 years at Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust as library manager and before that I worked in higher education and further education libraries. I am particularly interested in the role of knowledge and library services in promoting health literacy.

Sarah Hennessy

Library and Knowledge Service Manager

South West Yorkshire Partnership Foundation NHS Trust

I currently work in a Mental Health setting at South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust. I was recruited in March 2013 to help drive the library service forward, introducing new initiatives such as knowledge management, improved communications and marketing, literature searching and critical appraisal training, etc. along with supporting strategic planning and development.

Until then I was a Clinical Librarian at NHS Direct, having worked there for 12 years. Here I was responsible for developing and maintaining an up to date library and information service for NHS Direct, specifically aimed at information for the patient, and also contributing to the development of the Patient Decision Aids and Health and Symptom Checkers. I also later supported clinical research and undertook searches contributing to Systematic Reviews.

In addition to my role within the Trust I actively engage in other networks to raise awareness of health libraries and contribute to the development of the skills and expertise of the health library workforce. I am co-Chair of the the CILIP Health Libraries Group (HLG), as well as being the Conference Lead for #HLG2016 and a previous Chair of Libraries for Nursing (now HLG Nursing). I also sit on the Patient Information Forum (PiF) Advisory Board and am currently enjoying participating in the CILIP Knowledge for Healthcare Leadership Programme.

Chris Lawton

Specialist Librarian (E-Resources),

North Lincolnshire & Goole Hospitals NHS Trust

I started working for the NHS in 1999 as a Receptionist working in A&E and moved into the library in 2008. I started out as a Student Liaison, before moving onto being a Library Co-ordinator & then into my current role.