National Knowledge Service - TB

The National Knowledge Service TB is a collaborative project, co-ordinated by the HPA working with the NHS and various voluntary organizations. This project aims to ensure that sources of information and knowledge on tuberculosis are brought together for healthcare professionals and patients, so they can base their decisions on best current knowledge.

The National Knowledge Service is part of the NHS Connecting for Health programme (previously NHS National Programme for IT). The National Knowledge Service - Tuberculosis provides targeted context-specific information to professionals, for the diagnosis and management of patients with tuberculosis and their contacts.

Information outputs will be mapped on to the patient care pathway defined by the National Tuberculosis Action Plan and National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines on tuberculosis, for use within the context of the clinical consultation or public health action. Emphasis is on short, tailored and easily accessible information outputs. Much of the supporting technology used to deliver these information outputs will be provided through the National Programme for Information Technology - particularly the Map of Medicine or through the National Library for Health and its specialist libraries. In addition to developing information or resources relevant to NICE guidelines on TB, they will identify gaps and important knowledge areas not addressed by the NICE guidelines.

The National Knowledge Service tuberculosis also recognises that patients and public need rapid access to point of care information about their disease and its treatment at all times. NKS for TB raises awareness by working with charities and voluntary organisations already involved in supporting the patient and public e.g. Homeless Link and TB Alert.

A Project Board governs the overall direction of the project. The board comprises members from different professional backgrounds, with expertise and experience in the diagnosis, control and prevention of TB.