NHS Electronic Resources Update
From 1st April 2008 there will be some important and exctiting change to the NHS online resources. The main changes include:
Ø A new NHS-branded tool for searching databases, electronic journals and books.
Following a re-procurement of database provision last year, clinical databases will no longer be searched via Dialog Datastar, but through a specially developed search portal (Search 2.0) hosted by the National Library for Health (NLH) http://www.library.nhs.uk/ The planned launch of the new search interface is 1st April 08. Databases that will be available will include:
v PubMed/Medline
v Cinahl
v Embase
v Allied and Complementary Medicine Database (AMED)
v British Nursing Index
v PsycINFO
v Health Management Information Consortium (HMIC)
The Dialog Datastar databases will continue to be available until the end of May 08 to allow a transition period during which users can be trained on the new interface. Unfortunately any existing saved searches and alerts that have been saved/set up in the Dialog databases WILL NOT be automatically transferred to the new interface. If you would like to retain any saved searches it is recommended that you copy and paste your search strategy and save them locally. If you need help doing this, please contact Louise Wann, Assistant Librarian on 0208 321 5968 or email louise.wann@wmuhs.nhs.uk . Further information regarding the launch of NLH Search 2.0 will be circulated in April.
Ø Additional e-journals have already been made available from 1st January 2008. These include JAMA and Archives journal titles and 580 nursing and allied health journals via the CINAHL Full Text collection. Both collections can currently be accessed either by logging on via the My Athens site http://www.athensams.net/ or NLH http://www.library.nhs.uk/ Titles from both new collections will also eventually appear on My Journals http://journals.library.nhs.uk a searchable and browsable index of NHS e-journals.
Ø Images M.D and the Proquest electronic journal collection will no longer be available. NLH are looking to develop an in-house images database to replace Images M.D.
All new online resources will be accessible using existing NHS Athens usernames and passwords. The library will be organising group/individual training sessions, details of which will be made available towards the end of March/beginning of April. Please remember that users requiring urgent information for work-related purposes can request a literature search to be undertaken on their behalf my a member of library staff.
Please do not hesitate to contact the library for further information or to enquire about training opportunities.
