Trainee Librarian, Madeline Hannah, has worked at CHFT for four years and has recently had her first co-authored paper published.

Madeline and a team of doctors, including: Lead Author Ahmed Boalot, JihDar Yau, Mahmudul Hasan, Xuanping Wang, Amira Younes and Muneer Junejo undertook a systematic review. A systematic review is a piece of research which collates all previous research on a particular topic to provide an overall picture of what the evidence shows.

Madeline said: "Ahmed approached the Library and Knowledge Service for assistance with the systematic review. I worked with Ahmed to understand the research question, and then I did the searching for him, finding all the research on the topic and sending him the results. I also contributed to writing the methodology section of the article.

"To briefly explain the topic, after surgery to remove part of the lower bowel, one of the most serious complications is a leak where the bowel is reconnected. The systematic review found that using a technique called ICG fluorescence angiography, which lets surgeons check blood flow in real time, can significantly reduce these leaks. This simple, practical tool helps make surgery safer and improves outcomes for patients.

"This achievement is significant for a number of reasons. Systematic reviews sit at the top of the evidence hierarchy and are used to inform clinical decision-making, guidelines and future research. Publishing this review demonstrates the Trust’s commitment to evidence-based practice and high-quality research. It also highlights the important role that we in the Library and Knowledge Service play in boosting the Trust's research profile and supporting colleagues to engage with research and get published.

"Personally, whilst this is not the first systematic review I have worked on, it is the first time my contribution has resulted in being listed as an author, which I am really proud of. It's great to see the Library and Knowledge service recognised for the role we play in supporting research across the Trust. The library is more than just books - we are here to support colleagues with all aspects of evidence-based practice, research and academic study."

How the Library and Knowledge service can help colleagues on their research journeys:

• Training is available to support colleagues to improve their skills and confidence around searching for evidence and writing for publication.
• The library can also undertake evidence searches and literature reviews for colleagues so they feel confident they have all the available research on their topic.
• A proofreading service is available.
• They have an institutional subscription to BMJ Case Reports, so if colleagues have an interesting patient case they want to write up, they can submit it to the BMJ Case Reports journal free of charge.
• Provide access to resources and helps colleagues to find and use the best evidence to support their work.

The library leaflet has more detailed information about what they can offer: CHFT Library Leaflet