Health Library News

  NHS staff can easily access 1000s of articles for free – simply register for your NHS OpenAthens username; use it to log in to 100s of websites, journals and databases to access full-text articles for free. You need good quality healthcare information for research, professional development and to support clinical decisions in patient care. The NHS and the Health Library subscribe to a range of excellent resources to support you. Access these resources easily with just 1 username / password – your NHS OpenAthens username. Why is the NHS OpenAthens account so important? Complete this short quiz – NHS OpenAthens, what’s fact or fake? – to learn what you can use an NHS OpenAthens account for. Register for your NHS OpenAthens account Register for your NHS OpenAthens account by completing the online form . For more help completing the form see our blog post Register for your NHS OpenAthens Username – step-by-step instructions . Access key resources You can find links...

 The Renal Drug Database is now available to all UHNM staff! What is the Renal Drug Database? The Renal Drug Database is an online drug reference tool providing additional drug detail relevant to renal patients, on renal dialysis or with kidney transplants. Each of the over 900 monographs provides guidance on Clinical Use, Dose in Normal Renal Function, Dose in Renal Impairment, Important Drug Interactions, Metabolism and Administration, with information validated under the governance of the UK Renal Pharmacy Group. How do you access the Renal Drug Database? You will need an individual username and password to access this resource. Note it is not an NHS OpenAthens authenticated resource. Request your username / password either by completing our online form or contacting librarian Cheryl at the Health Library c.kent@keele.ac.uk. Link directly to the Renal Drug Database or via the link on our NHS Resources page . Key Features RDD has a simple search interface to enter the drug you ...

  NHS staff - Your help is required to build understanding of needs for access to evidence in the NHS. The national team for Knowledge and Library Services are researching how NHS staff currently access and use evidence. We have completed interviews with people from all parts of the team and in all settings across the NHS in England. The next phase of the research will seek to validate the needs that have been identified as a result. We want to understand the picture for clinical and non-clinical staff, students and apprentices, those in regular contact with their Knowledge and Library Service and those who are not. You can read about previous user research that informed the creation of the Knowledge and Library Hub and be assured that your input can make the difference. If you can help, please complete this brief survey The survey will close 12 April 2026

  Neurodiversity Celebration Week is a global initiative founded to challenge misconceptions about neurological differences, including autism, ADHD, dyslexia and other conditions.  The aim is to highlight the many skills and talents of neurodivergent individuals and promote equality. RELATED LIBRARY RESOURCES     The Health Libraries, both at the Royal Stoke and County Hospitals, offer resources related to this topic. In the lists below you’ll find a small selection of items from our collection. To locate these items, simply go to our online catalogue or ask at the counter.  This document covers the following resources – books , journals , journal articles and patient information .   BOOKS       Voices of neurodiversity: an inclusive encyclopaedia ; Papadopoulos, Chris; 2025; (Routledge) Neurodiversity ; Marble, John; Chabria, Khushboo; et al; 2024; (John Wiley & Sons Inc) – also available as both an NHS and Keele e-book Unmasking ...

 With so many life-enhancing books promising life-long happiness, it is a wonder so many of us are so miserable. We have an entire collection to help you find your inner peace even if it is just for half an hour. Check our Reading Well collection for stories, journeys, poetry and self-help titles. We have 3 new titles to share: Rapport: the four ways to read people by Emily Alison & Laurence Alison "Get what you want from even the most difficult characters. Rapport reveals that every interaction follows four styles- Control (the lion), Capitulate (the mouse), Confront (the Tyrannosaur) and Co-operate (the monkey). As soon as you understand these styles and your own goals you can shape any conversation at will. And you'll be closer to the real secret- how to create instant rapport." The Courage to be disliked: how to free yourself, change your life and achieve real happiness by Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga "The Japanese phenomenon that teaches us the simple y...

 Anything you need to know about the Health Library? Can't find something but are too shy to ask? Please feel free to just get in touch. You can contact us: By phone : +44 (0)1782 679500 By email : health.library@keele.ac.uk Via our website : https://www.keele.ac.uk/healthlibrary/contactus/ By post : Health Library for North Staffordshire, Clinical Education Centre, Royal Stoke University Hospital, Newcastle Road, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 6QG All our contact details are on the Health Library website . We're here to help!

 Our Hot Topics blog feature is returning for this year. Our Hot Topic blog posts, featured on our Information Skills for Health blog, give you the latest evidence on featured conditions and diseases. You’ll find the latest up-to-date guidelines, recommendations and reviews to deliver best practice and support your patients. You can find all the topics we’ve covered on our Information Skills for Health blog with the Hot Topic label . Any hot topics you'd like to be covered by Hot Topics? Just let us know. Email librarian Cheryl c.kent@keele.ac.uk

 Get in touch with the Health Library easily using our online forms, available to you any day, any time. Make a request when it's convenient for you. Just complete the relevant form , submit and we'll get back to you. You can: Request books and articles not in our collections Request a literature search Suggest new stock for our collections Provide feedback on our services Download a membership form Book training Sign up for KnowledgeShare screen-shot of the find a form page showing the forms available All the online forms are easily accessible from the Find a Form page on our website.

 If you’re an early career researcher in nursing or medicine, you’ve already got enough on your plate—balancing clinical work, study, and the steep learning curve of research. That’s exactly why we’ve put together the Health Library’s Researchers’ Toolkit for NHS staff . It’s a one-stop hub designed to make your research journey smoother, faster, and a whole lot less overwhelming. Whether you’re planning your first study, polishing a dissertation, managing an audit, working on a quality improvement project or trying to make sense of the world of publication, the Toolkit is packed with practical, bite-sized guidance to help you get there confidently. You’ll find: Information about the Health Library to help you prepare Help in constructing your research question Step-by-step support for literature searching, critical appraisal, and referencing Links to trusted resources tailored to healthcare research Help with writing and publishing Think of it as your research companion—always acc...

 Whether you're settling into university life, juggling clinical placements, or stepping into your first professional role, one thing is clear: being able to find, judge, and use information confidently is a game‑changer. That’s where the Health Library’s Information Skills eTutorials come in. These short, practical online modules are designed to help you build the research and information‑handling skills you’ll rely on throughout your studies and your healthcare career—and you can complete them anytime, anywhere, at your own pace. Why bother with information skills? Searching for good information can sometimes feel overwhelming. Databases, keywords, journals, evidence hierarchies, critical appraisal… It’s a lot. But strong information‑seeking skills don’t just make assignments easier—they make you a safer, more informed healthcare practitioner. Reliable evidence underpins everything from clinical decisions to patient education, and the sooner you feel comfortable navigating it, t...

  Make sure you get to the right information you need quickly and efficiently. Learn how to improve your search skills and make the most of library resources such as databases. Elevate your assignments, enhance your career progression and upgrade your literature searching by training at the Health Library. students working at computers in a library We give you a range of training opportunities, designed specifically for students and NHS staff, by experienced, professional librarians. Book a training course Check the courses and workshops we have available to support your skills development: Searching Keele healthcare databases Searching NHS Ovid databases and other resources Critical appraisal skills Learn about health literacy and patient information Get started with MS 365 Copilot chat Sessions can be delivered online or in-person. Book a session for your team, attend an available date or arrange a 1-to-1 session. Complete an etutorial Complete your inducti...