Our staff

LCCOS colleagues’ connection with their communities was recognised in accreditation awards and a mentorship collaboration with NHS England Choices College.

Case studies

• Accreditation successes
• Connecting communities: UCL Institute of Orthopaedics Library and NHS England Choices College

Accreditation successes

We were delighted with the double success of LCCOS’s Customer Service Excellence (CSE) reaccreditation, and museum accreditation from Arts Council England for our three public museums.

CSE reaccreditation

Our CSE reaccreditation saw us again judged to be fully meeting the standard set for all 57 criteria of the CSE Standard.

For the first time, our CSE submission was LCCOS-wide, incorporating UCL's public museums and the Bloomsbury Theatre - prior to its move to Students' Union UCL - alongside Library Services.

This year we obtained Compliance Plus in 25 criteria, up from 20 gained at our last reaccreditation in 2022. Compliance Plus is awarded when an organisation has exceeded the requirements for a particular element and demonstrated exceptional practice in this area.

Our written submission was substantial, containing 182 pieces of evidence. Our Assessor spent two days on site with us – the first day was spent at UCL East and focussed on the work of UCL Special Collections and the UCL East Library. The second day was spent on the Bloomsbury Campus and focused on the work of colleagues at the IOE Library, the School of Pharmacy Library and the Petrie Museum, as well as work carried out by our Digital Services Team and Subject Liaison Team.

The Assessor noted in his report:

"It was clear from the impressive and comprehensive evidence provided and staff presentations that UCL LCCOS meets the requirements of the Customer Service Excellence standard. The staff appeared ‘passionate’ in meeting and exceeding customer expectations and clearly understand what is meant by customer service excellence. All staff appeared keen to deliver an excellent service to ensure LCCOS is both ‘leading the way’ and is an exemplar for other similar services."

This is an outstanding result and is testament to the hard work that all members of staff put into maintaining our high standards of customer service within LCCOS.

Museum accreditation

Museum accreditation for the three public museums within LCCOS (UCL Art Museum, Grant Museum of Zoology and Comparative Anatomy and the Petrie Museum of Egyptian and Sudanese Archaeology) was renewed by Arts Council England in February.

Accreditation is a UK-wide quality standard for museums and galleries that recognises excellence across governance, collections and access. Both the Grant and Petrie Museums were awarded Full Accreditation, whilst UCL Art Museum initially received Provisional status as it had recently relocated on campus and had paused public programming during the move. Once our public engagement offer was renewed in the new space, the museum’s status was upgraded to Full Accreditation in August 2025.

Accreditation is a highly regarded endorsement of the varied services UCL’s museums offer, a gateway to funding opportunities, and enables partnerships with other museums and collections on exhibitions, loans and projects. The application process and information gathering involved contributions from colleagues in all teams within Museums and Cultural Programmes, including plans, strategies, budgets, policies and procedures as well as audience research and user feedback.

As university museums we use our collections in ways which are sometimes unexpected and challenge sector norms. Working to the accreditation standard supports our planning and practice whilst aligning with our values and providing wider museum sector and external recognition of our successes.

Dr Jill Saunders, Lecturer (Teaching) in Conservation/Coordinator, MSc Conservation for Archaeology and Museums, and Chair of Museums Collections Management Advisory Group said:

"Renewal of accreditation for UCL’s museums is a remarkable achievement and a testament to the dedication and expertise of the entire team. The Arts Council’s standard sets a very high bar, demanding rigorous evidence across governance, collections care, and public engagement. The accomplishment reflects sustained impressive leadership - guiding the team with clarity and purpose, ensuring that the museums continue to deliver excellence while innovating in the ways they use their collections. This recognition affirms the value of UCL’s museums both within the university and across the wider sector."

Connecting communities: UCL Institute of Orthopaedics Library and NHS England Choices College

In 2024–25, the UCL Institute of Orthopaedics Library engaged with the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital to welcome an intern into the library environment as part of the NHS England Choices College Mentorship Scheme.

The NHS England Choices College is a specialist institution offering tailored educational support and a supported internship programme for young adults aged 16–24 with learning differences, disabilities, and/or autism. Through mentoring and structured placements in inclusive work environments, the programme helps students build work experience, employability, and independence skills.

We proudly welcomed our intern with a programme offering hands-on experience in library operations and customer service. Staff received training on disability awareness and mentoring, ensuring a supportive and positive workplace for the student.

Our intern gained practical skills, personalised guidance and confidence in their abilities. They gave overwhelmingly positive feedback, highlighting the welcoming atmosphere and the chance to learn transferable skills. For LCCOS, the collaboration has strengthened our community ties and enriched our team culture by demonstrating our commitment to accessibility and inclusion.

“The skills I learned were customer service, computer skills, how the library works, reflective writing, communication skills. I am proud of how well I have done.”

— Choices College Intern 

As part of our commitment to connecting communities, we showcased this initiative at the LCCOS Staff Conference in June 2025 and at local NHS meetings, earning enthusiastic praise.

“Keep up the amazing work. It makes me feel very proud and honoured to be a tiny part of the LCCOS team.”

— LCCOS Staff Conference 2025 attendee

The partnership between the UCL Institute of Orthopaedics Library and NHS England Choices College reflects our shared commitment to creating opportunities that empower individuals and foster a more inclusive NHS and UCL community. We look forward to welcoming a new intern in 2025-26.