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CHAINs (Contact, Help, Advice & Information Networks) are online networks for people working in health and social care. They are based around specific areas of interest, and give people a simple and informal way of contacting each other to exchange ideas and share knowledge. CHAINs are multi-professional and cross organisational, and are designed to connect like-minded health and social care clinicians, researchers and administrators. |
CHAINs originated in the UK in the mid 1990s. Currently, there are over 4,000 CHAIN members around the world and the network continues to expand in terms of membership, geography and areas of expertise.
How CHAINs work
The three CHAINs
Sister networks
Joining CHAIN
Testimonials
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How CHAINs work
A CHAIN member can use the on-line directory to locate people with a particular area of expertise or interest. Alternatively, CHAIN facilitators can send out targeted messages on members’ behalf to help them to get in touch with colleagues who can help them, or to whom they can offer help. Members are only contacted about topic areas that they have nominated, as CHAIN carefully targets its communication to members.
As a CHAIN member, you can also use the network in many ways including:
- finding out about forthcoming events, conferences and research funding opportunities through messages targeted by the CHAIN facilitator
- requesting information from groups of CHAIN members, or publicising your own event
- downloading resources from CHAIN events.
Initiating a message is very easy. Members simply e-mail a request to us at enquiries@chain-network.org.uk and we will either send out a targeted message immediately if your request is straightforward, or will clarify the desired outcome and target recipients with you first if it is more complicated. Replies in response to a targeted message will be made directly to you.
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The three CHAINs
There are currently three CHAINs, each with a different focus.
- CHAIN 1 focuses on research and evidence-based practice
- CHAIN 2 is for people interested in widening participation in learning
- CHAIN 3 is for people interested in innovation and improvement in health care.
Future CHAINs will focus on fields of interest which are relevant to people working in health and social care which lend themselves to informal, multi-professional networking.
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Sister networks
Although CHAINs are based on-line, there are now Canadian and International sister networks. Visit the parent network.
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Joining C.H.A.I.N
CHAINs are free to join and are open to anyone working in health and social care, in the public or private sector. You can join one or more of the four CHAINs. There are no joining requirements other than:
- you have an interest in linking research to policy and practice; and
- you are willing to share information and experience with other members of the network.
If you work for a private sector organisation, we will ask you to agree not to use CHAINs for commercial purposes. You will also need to agree to be contacted by other CHAIN members. Typically, CHAIN members receive about 10 messages a year from other members. You can choose how you want to be contacted.
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Testimonials
'CHAIN gives me access to a diverse and critical group of organisations and individuals. It's an efficient way of maintaining contact with people, and finding out new information.'
Independent nurse consultant
'Time is precious, so I welcome this method of contacting people. I can get advice on practical issues, and the information about presentations and events is always very useful.'
Consultant anaesthetist, Northampton General Hospital
'The huge advantage of CHAIN is that it works! When my email tells me I have a message from CHAIN, I know it will be relevant to me.'
Clinical Effectiveness Facilitator, Edenhall Hospital
'I rarely have time for conferences or networking, so CHAIN is a valuable source of support, contacts and assistance. I've used the service to ask for information twice, and have been overwhelmed by the response.'
Clinical Audit Facilitator, Salisbury District Hospital
'CHAIN has proved to be a very useful domain to disseminate my findings of the recent project that aimed to learn about online learning developments in healthcare in the USA.'
Researcher, on-line learning, City University