Knowledge mobilisation methods facilitate the translation of knowledge into practice. Decision support tools are in themselves a key knowledge mobilisation intervention.  Implementation and spread can also be facilitated by a wider suite of knowledge mobilisation methods described below. Knowledge mobilisation approaches underpin many quality improvement and educational methods described below. Your librarian or knowledge manager will often be a key point of contact in helping you with knowledge mobilisation approaches.

All the methods below use social learning approaches to mobilise knowledge. This recognises that learning and change in health and social care are largely social in nature. Change in practice depends very much on the knowledge mobilisation activities of sharing experiences and perceptions. Change is strongly influenced by the connections health and care staff have within communities and networks.

Communities of practice

A community of practice is a group of people with a common sense of purpose who think and learn together, share information, build knowledge, develop expertise and solve problems [Lave & Wenger 1991].

A community of practice with a common goal of improving an area of practice – e.g. adopting guideline recommendations in a particular discipline; implementing new care pathways – can play a key role in facilitating implementation of DSS to support their shared goal. Communities of practice are a valuable way of sharing experience of implementation, building awareness, spreading and normalising new approaches such as DSS.

Source: Lave, J. & Wenger, Etienne (1991) Situated learning: legitimate peripheral participation (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press).

Other social learning approaches

There are many other social learning approaches. The TURAS Learn section on sharing knowledge provides a useful overview, including:

• Using social media and social networking tools (e.g. LinkedIn) to spread the word about the Right Decision Service and specific DSS tools.
• Engaging with influential professional societies and networks to use their communication channels.
• Peer assist meetings – These are structured, facilitated meetings where colleagues from other teams or organisations are invited to share their experience, insights and knowledge with a team which has requested help. So, for example, you could hold a peer assist session so that new teams considering DSS can learn from a team from another organisation or department which has successfully implemented Right Decision Service tools. Health Education England provides more information on peer assist sessions.
• After action reviews – An after action review usually takes the form of a facilitated discussion following an event or activity. It enables understanding of the expectations and perspectives of all those involved and it captures learning, which can then be shared more widely. More information on after action reviews is provided by NHS England.
• Educational outreach – Educational outreach visits aim to improve the practice of health and care professionals through face-to-face visits to deliver educational contents. They have been shown to change some aspects of practitioner behaviour – e.g. prescribing. The opportunity here is to schedule 1-1 meeting with influential practitioners to make them aware of the Right Decision Service and DSS tools and engage them in using and disseminating these tools.