UK healthcare professionals will now be able to read cutting-edge research for free as a result of an an agreement between Jisc, the UK charity that promotes the use of digital technologies in academic research, and scientific journal publishers.

A year-long pilot will allow staff working across the NHS in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland free trial access to some of the most respected medical and scientific journals so they can read for themselves the latest trials and research. This is good news for evidence-based healthcare and will give healthcare professionals the opportunity to weigh up the latest developments in the study of disease.

A steering group comprising representatives from the UK academic sector, Jisc, NHS Education for Scotland and the NHS in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is overseeing this pilot.

The publishers who have agreed to take part include: AAAS, Annual Reviews, Elsevier, IOP Publishing, Nature Publishing Group, Oxford University Press, Royal Society of Chemistry andSpringer.

Lorraine Estelle, executive director content and discovery and divisional CEO Jisc Collections said: “Jisc is committed to opening up research so that academics and clinicians can read the latest studies and develop a broader understanding of disease and treatment. This work is supported by the government-commissioned Finch report into research availability which recommended that more research journals be available to healthcare professionals.”

Chair Dr Paul Ayris said on behalf of the steering group: “Practitioners in the NHS will benefit from the content that is being made available in this pilot, based on the recommendations of the Finch report. Access to high quality information is key to good clinical practice and patients can only benefit from the well-informed clinical community that will result from this work.”

After the trial period of a year the steering group will determine how to take forward future opportunities for NHS staff to access research journals. NHS practitioners should contact their trust or Health Board librarian for information on the trial.

Tags: Evidence based health care, Jisc, NHS, Scientific journals