THE NEED FOR A NATIONAL KNOWLEDGE SERVICE 

WELCOME TO THE THIRD HEALTHCARE REVOLUTION 

• The first healthcare revolution was the public health revolution in which governments ensured clean, clear water for their citizens
• The second healthcare revolution was the high tech revolution which has given us amazing treatments like hip replacement, chemotherapy and renal dialysis. Both the first and the second revolutions are continuing but we are now in
• The third healthcare revolution driven by three forces- citizens, the Internet and knowledge and Live Longer Better is an example of this third revolution 

There three types of knowledge and Live longer Better makes use of all three 

• Knowledge from data, for example from the Annual Report of the Chief Medical Officer Sir Chris Whitty on Health in an Ageing Society, reports on the State of Ageing from the Centre for Ageing Better and  reports from AgeUK
• ​Knowledge from experience, both from individuals coping with a particular challenge and from the population based networks  involved in implementing the system
• Knowledge from research which is called Evidence 

All the knowledge is open to citizens as well as professionals but there is one knowledge and evidence source specifically designed for citizens which is www.howtolivelongerbetter.net . This is not to imply it is simplified just that it is written for someone who does not have clinical training. It is important to remember that many citizens and patients are better educated than the professionals providing a service for  them and our aim is to provide access to the sources of the evidence whenever possible  
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THE IMPORTANCE OF KNOWLEDGE  IS EMPHASISED IN THE HEALTHY AGEING REPORT

Embed routine conversations about physical activity as a core part of clinical practice. Health professionals are a trusted source of advice, but too many people report never being encouraged to be active.
This is the first point in the Summary of the House of Commons Health and Social Care Committee's report on Healthy Ageing but it is not only knowledge about physical activity that is not being delivered. How many people, indeed how many clinicians know that the conclusion of the excellent systamatic review of the evidence, being regularly updated, by the 
Lancet Commission on Dementia Prevention, Intervention and Care  is that the risk of dementia can be reduced by at least a third and maybe even a half. Knowledge needs to be given a much high profile in health and social care, knowledge about 

• what is actually happening to us as we live longer, and the relative unimportance of the biological process of ageing. The science is summarised in this linked page 
• the evidence about the ability to increase physical and mental fitness 
• the evidence about the potential for preventing or delaying disease and improving the outcome if disease occurs by increasing activity and
• the opportunities that are there to support individuals both local and digital, so the National Knowledge Service also needs to be localised for every Neighbourhood 

Indeed the Oxford Longevity Project emphasised this point at its summit saying that although there is tremendous press interest in the search for a chemical or technology that will slow ageing, a resource that would produce the result of helping people live not only longer but also better for longer, the aim of the much discussed 'Elixir of Life', is already available. It is Knowledge!

THE KEY ROLE OF THE LIBRARY SERVICE 
Live Longer Better has a Library The most precious resource in a library is not. book or a computer - it is the staff , the Librarians and the Library Assistants and work is being done in the West Northants Library Service to develop a service focused on living longer better which may include a shelf devoted to this subject

KNOWLEDGE DELIVERY THROUGH THE W:ISH SYSTEM 

The W:ISH technology plays a vitally important part in the National Knowledge Service integrating both national and local knowledge