NHS OpenAthens Reorganisation – Who is your Admin?

There has recently been a re-organisation of the NHS OpenAthens groups. OpenAthens accounts may have been moved around and you may now need to register for a different group.

You may also be supported by a new Admin. Your admin can help you with any problems you may encounter using your OpenAthens account or problems you experience trying to access resources.

Here is a quick summary of what has occurred.

The Health Library currently supports the following NHS organisations:

UHNM Staff

UHNM staff are supported both by the Health Library, based in the CEC at the Royal Stoke Hospital, and LERC, based at the Post-Graduate Medical Centre at the County Hospital in Stafford. Both Cheryl Kent (myself) and Liz Haines can help you with any issues with your account, although a number of staff at both libraries are able to deal with minor issues.

North Staffs Combined Healthcare Staff

Athens Admin for this group of staff is provided by the Outreach Team and these should be your first port of call for support.

Midlands Partnership Foundation Trust Staff

Although MPFT staff are supported by their own MPFT Library Service, staff living or working in the North of Staffordshire may also use the Health Library Service and Athens Admin support is also available from the Outreach Team based in the Health Library.

CCGs, GPs and Practice Staff in Staffordshire

The Health Library supports all CCG, GP and practice staff working within the following CCG areas:

• Cannock Chase Clinical Commissioning Group
• East Staffordshire Clinical Commissioning Group
• North Staffordshire Clinical Commissioning Group
• Stafford and Surrounds Clinical Commissioning Group
• Stoke on Trent Clinical Commissioning Group
• South East Staffordshire and Seisdon Peninsula Clinical Commissioning Group

Athens Admin support for this group of staff is provided by the Outreach Team and these should be your first port of call for support. Staff living or working in the South of Staffordshire can also use the MPFT Library Service, if that is more convenient.

Public Health Staff

OpenAthens accounts held by Public Health staff are no longer supported by the Health Library. Please contact the Public Health national admin for support at: Libraries@phe.gov.uk.

Any other OpenAthens users in Staffordshire

Any other OpenAthens account holders who were previously supported by the Health Library, and have not been covered above, have been re-organised into Regional Groups. If you work for an organisation based in Staffordshire you are now part of the Midlands and East of England group; contact details for Admin support: Athens@nottshc.nhs.uk or 0115 952 9486

OpenAthens Registration

You’ll find more details to help you to register for an OpenAthens account on our Athens web page. For help selecting which organisation you need to register with see our table here.

If you are in need of help feel free to contact the Health Library Service and we will help where we can or direct you to further support if needed.

Please share this information with your work colleagues, particularly if they have an OpenAthens username.