Knowledge and Library Services
Find evidence, access journals, support quality improvement, undertake research, and stay up to date with clinical developments
Find the knowledge, evidence and tools you need in one place
To find out which knowledge and library services you have access to, visit the Knowledge and Library Services for Nottingham and Nottinghamshire ICS page. Through the Services, you'll then be able to access:
Literature searches
Evidence summaries
Journals
Current awareness alerts
Training and continuous professional development (CPD)
Getting started
Register for OpenAthens
OpenAthens is a username and password system that enables authorised access to e-resources. You will need an OpenAthens account to access e-journals, databases, and other electronic resources purchased locally and nationally by the NHS.
Access NHS Knowledge and Library Hub
The NHS England funded NHS Knowledge and Library Hub is a ‘one-stop’ gateway which, for the first time nationally, connects NHS staff and learners seamlessly to a significant range of free, high-quality knowledge and evidence resources, services, tools and databases, all in one place.
Content of the easy-to-use platform includes over 7,000 journals, e-books including OUP handbooks, clinical decision support tools such as BMJ Best Practice, NICE pathways and guidelines and clinical and medical databases.
Accessed via OpenAthens, users will be able to tap into the same system wherever their career takes them.
Finding evidence
Literature searches
This teaching session will focus on finding journal articles and other material on a particular subject, to support your clinical practice and/or academic assignments. (7 minutes)
This teaching session will show you how to get fast one-click access to the full text of journal articles on the open web, when you are eligible for access through your library. (5 minutes)
Databases
This teaching session will focus on finding journal articles on a particular subject via the medical databases, to support your clinical practice and/or academic assignments. (Video by Richard Crookes, EBSCO, 2024. 55 minutes)
Staying up-to-date
KnowledgeShare
Receive personalised evidence updates and stay informed about the latest developments in your area of practice.
Current awareness
A tailored Current Awareness Service is available for particular staff groups including GPs, Practice Nurses and Practice Managers. You can receive emails whenever we find high impact evidence in your area/s of interest via KnowledgeShare.
Supporting clinical practice
BMJ Best Practice
Fast access to clinical decision support anytime, anywhere. BMJ Best Practice uses the latest evidence-based research, guidelines, and expert opinion to offer step-by-step guidance on diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, and prevention. A personal account allows you to download CME/CPD certificates, as activity and time spent on the website is automatically tracked.
BMJ Best Practice is also available to download as an App for mobile devices:
Clinical Knowledge Summaries (CKS)
Clinical Knowledge Summaries provides primary care staff with easily accessible evidence-based summaries and practical guidance on best practice.
Additional library support
Need more information?
What is OpenAthens?
OpenAthens is a secure NHS login that provides access to a wide range of online knowledge resources, including e-journals, databases, e-books, the NHS Knowledge and Library Hub, and clinical decision support tools such as BMJ Best Practice. Most NHS-funded electronic resources require an OpenAthens account for access.
Do I have access to journals?
Yes. NHS staff working within Nottingham and Nottinghamshire ICS are eligible to access a wide range of electronic journals, e-books, databases and other evidence resources through the NHS Knowledge and Library Hub using their OpenAthens account.
Access varies depending on your role and organisation, so if you are unsure what resources are available to you, please contact your local Knowledge and Library Service.
What is KnowledgeShare?
KnowledgeShare is a personalised current awareness service that keeps you up to date with the latest evidence relevant to your role and areas of interest. Once registered, you can receive targeted email alerts highlighting new research, guidance and publications without having to search for them yourself.
The service is available to a range of staff groups, including General Practitioners, Practice Nurses and Practice Managers.
What is the NHS Knowledge and Library Hub?
The NHS Knowledge and Library Hub is a single search platform that provides access to journals, e-books, databases, clinical decision support tools and other evidence resources funded by NHS England. It can be accessed using your OpenAthens account.
How do I reset my password?
If you have forgotten your OpenAthens password, visit the OpenAthens login page and select **"Forgot Password"**. Follow the instructions sent to your registered email address to reset your password.
If you continue to experience issues accessing your account, please contact your local Knowledge and Library Service for support.
How do I request a literature search?
Knowledge and Library Services can help you find evidence to support patient care, quality improvement projects, audits, service development and professional learning.
To request a literature search, please contact your local Knowledge and Library Service. A librarian can work with you to identify the most relevant evidence and provide tailored search results for your topic.
Typical requests include:
Clinical questions
Quality improvement projects
Research and audits
Service redesign initiatives
Professional and academic study
How do I access BMJ Best Practice?
BMJ Best Practice is available online and via a mobile app using your OpenAthens account. It provides evidence-based guidance on diagnosis, treatment, prognosis and prevention, helping clinicians answer questions at the point of care. Activity can also be used to support CPD requirements.
Are you signed-up to our BRAND NEW Loyalty Scheme for 2026/27?
Join your peers across Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, and take charge of your professional development through our new BINGO style loyalty cards. Complete all 25 development activities to be in with a chance to receive a £250 voucher!
You’ll be surprised at how many you can already mark off as done to help get that full-house. If you create and OpenAthens account and access resources via the NHS Knowledge and Library Hub, you can then stamp off another two!
