This site is maintained and hosted by the lead library for SWASFT- Discovery Library, Derriford Hospital, Plymouth.
You can contact Discovery Library about this page but please remember that you can register with any library in the SWASFT area.
Databases: contain bibliographic records about articles
Whilst you won't have full text access to all the articles referenced, where we have a subscription there will be a link to the article and where we don't there will be an article request option.
If you need an search assistance or 1-to-1 training on the use of resources please contact the Discovery Library.
You can also undertake NHS Learning Hub Literature Searching elearning modules - you will need an NHS OpenAthens account to access.
Search the NHS England subscribed healthcare databases below :
CINAHL (via Ebsco)- nursing and allied health~
Embase (via Ovid) - biomedical and pharmaceutical literature
Emcare (via Ovid) - nursing and allied health
HMIC (via Ovid) - healthcare management
Medline (via EBSCO) - biomedical, life sciences, allied health and pre-clinical sciences literature
Medline (via Ovid) - biomedical, life sciences, allied health and pre-clinical sciences literature
Social Policy and Practice (via Ovid) - health and social care
To access the NHS subscribed databases you will need an NHS Athens account.
Collection of databases incl:
Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL)
Cochrane Clinical Answers
that can be searched simultaneously and contain different types of high-quality, independent evidence to inform healthcare decision-making.
A free resource which contains more than 33 million citations and abstracts of biomedical literature from MEDLINE, life science journals, and online books.
The above link includes a local organisation logo on the right-hand side of each record. Clicking the logo will check article availability or offer a request form.
To access the content linked you will need an NHS Athens account.
Search NHS Library and Knowledge Hub (Help)
Whilst it is advisable to search the databases above for more detailed and systematic searches, the NHS Knowledge and Library Hub can be used for more simple searches to find a couple of papers on a simple topic.
To access content on the Library and Knowledge Hub you will need an NHS Athens account.
A range of evidence-based and other resources available to help inform patient care or support your study including:
View BMJ Help and training resources
Evidence-based research, guidelines and expert opinion offering step-by-step guidance on diagnosis, prognosis, treatment and prevention.
On 1st access you’ll be asked to create a personal account to download the free App - you will need a local NHS OpenAthens account.
Clinical insight search tool which also gives access to over 1100 electronic books and 500 journals and other fulltext resources
Note you will need a local NHS OpenAthens account
Clinical Knowledge Summaries (provided by NICE)
Summaries of the current evidence base & practical guidance on best practice for >300 primary care presentations and regular updates to all topics.
Clinical search tool designed to allow health professionals to rapidly identify the highest quality clinical evidence for clinical practice.
To access articles you will need a NHS OpenAthens account.
To search for availability of articles use the following options:
Search for the Article title via the Knowledge and Library Hub
If you have the article title please copy and paste into the main search box of the hub.
If the title is a short title using common healthcare terms, then you might want to add the Author name and/or Journal title to the search to specify your chosen article.
Search for the Digital Object Identifier (DOI) or PubMed ID (PMID) via LibKey
A Digital Object Identifier (DOI) is a string of numbers, letters and symbols used to permanently identify an article or document and link to it on the web.
It is usually in the format: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-022-05043-y
The bit in italics which starts all DOIs can be ignored - please copy and paste the rest of your specific into the search box.
A PubMed identifier (PMID) is a unique value assigned to each PubMed record usually 8 digits long.
Search for the journal title using BrowZine
The search only includes journals for which organisation has a subscription.
If a journal is embargoed the embargoed article will still be listed but when you click to access content you will receive a article request form rather than the fulltext.
Browser extension to check all scholarly pages for local access via Nomad
You will need to download the browser extension to browsers utilised on all devices you wish to use it on.
Enter South Western Ambulance as organisation when asked.
This is a regional NHS catalogue, so you need to restrict search to location.
You can renew your print books here (if you have not already made a pin number for your library account follow the instructions on screen).
If we don’t have the book you require you can consider making a book request. (Service for registered borrowers, undertaking NHS work. Registration forms are available here).
Restrict by location:
South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust SWASFT
You will need an NHS OpenAthens login to access ebooks.
List of Prehospital practice, research & education ebooks available to SWASFT
Electronic resources are available to all SWASFT staff and students irrespective of location, and details of how to access are listed in the other sections on this page
Please email library.mailbox@nhs.net to request electronic resource training.
SWASFT staff/placement students can access the physical resources and services at their local NHS library. Find your local NHS library
We advise phoning ahead before your first visit to check staffed hours and access arrangements - each library will have own method of entry system.
You may find the following useful for keeping up-to-date.
Go to Prehospital Emergency Services Current Awareness Update page (locally edited SWASFT version with relevant fulltext links)
Provides a digest of information supporting evidence based practice in pre-hospital, ambulance and emergency services incl. recent research, news and policy items, and relevant reports. Update is commissioned by the National Ambulance Research Steering Group.
Current Awareness bulletins created by the Library & Knowledge Service for NHS Ambulance Services in England
Go to Pinboards for latest prehospital and paramedicine research created by North West Ambulance Service Librarian, Matt Holland. Includes topics such as
Feeds for the major journals in prehospital and emergency care
