Resources with Free Access
For NHS Medicines Information Services
This is a list of resources that are freely accessible and considered useful to NHS MI services. It includes free paper resources (e.g. BNF, drug tariff) and freely accessible websites via the Internet or via National library arrangements. This list is not intended to be exhaustive. It is organised under general subject headings and should be used in conjunction with ‘Resources for Purchase by NHS Medicines Information Services’. Other UKMi resources give guidance on what resources to use when, e.g. UKMi workbook, Enquiry Answering Guidelines. There is also guidance on the risks associated with the use of various resources available at www.ukmi.nhs.uk/filestore/ukmiacg/Risk-CommonInformationSources2.doc.
Although UKMi cannot assure the quality of the listed resources, all those listed are produced by reputable/well known organisations. URLs are available for download via the MiDatabank administrators and were correct at the time of publication but are liable to change. Where registration is required this is indicated. This document may also be used to store details of your departmental usernames and passwords if you haven’t entered them in MiDatabank. This can then be kept in an accessible place for all staff working in MI.
See also Effective use of the Internet for Enquiry Answering for guidance on how to assess the quality of a website or use www.judgehealth.org.uk with tips on how to assess health related websites.
Updating the List
This list will be updated with new editions/ URLs etc. on an ongoing basis. The Clinical Governance Working Group reviews the content of the list periodically although the content of the website or resource is not formally reviewed. Suggestions for additions or deletions can be forwarded to .
Changes since September 2011 /Title / Username/ password / Authors/ Publisher / URL and general notes /
Palliativedrugs.com / Robert Twycross & Andrew Wilcock / www.palliativedrugs.com (Registration required). Includes access to Palliative Care Formulary (PCF3). Change: NB. PCF4 textbook is now available and is more up-to-date than PCF3 which is freely available on the website. PCF4 is a core UKMi resource.
psychiatrynet.eu / http://wiki.psychiatrienet.nl/index.php/Main_Page.
Contains tables for:
· Switching between antidepressants
· Switching between antipsychotics
· Benzodiazepine conversion calculator
Change: NB. Inaccuracies in some tables have been identified. The authors have subsequently corrected these. This resource should only be used in conjunction with other resources and, ideally, be discussed with a mental health specialist.
Title / Username/ password / Authors/ Publisher / URL and general notes /
General
British National Formulary / BMA and RPS (twice yearly) / One paper copy considered essential for each MI centre, online www.bnf.org/bnf
Drug Tariff / The Stationery Office (monthly) / Paper and online available www.ppa.org.uk/ppa/edt_intro.htm
electronic Medicines Compendium (eMC) / DataPharm Communications / http://emc.medicines.org.uk/.
MIMS
Monthly Index of Medical Specialities / Haymarket Medical Pubs. / www.emims.net Username and password required. NB. Access free to MICs – contact regional centre for details.
OTC Directory / Proprietary Association of Great Britain / Available in searchable form at www.medicinechestonline.co.uk. Use website drop down and selection criteria to access.
UKMi / UKMi / www.ukmi.nhs.uk Note – some areas are password protected – contact regional centre for password.
NeLM -National electronic Library for Medicines / UKMi / www.nelm.nhs.uk Registration required for email alerts.
Netdoctor / Collaboration of UK and European healthcare professionals / www.netdoctor.co.uk
www.netdoctor.co.uk/medicines/ For information about drugs, search the “Medicines” section. Searching the whole site will reveal lots of irrelevant material
TICTAC / Virtual Health Network / CD-ROM updated 4 times a year. Local centres should access via their regional centre.
Medline / England: www.evidence.nhs.uk/.
Wales: http://howis.wales.nhs.uk
Scotland: www.elib.scot.nhs.uk
Athens password required (England)
EMBASE / Elsevier / England: www.evidence.nhs.uk/.
Wales: http://howis.wales.nhs.uk
Scotland: www.elib.scot.nhs.uk
Athens password required (England)
DoH - Department of Health / DoH / www.dh.gov.uk
MHRA - Medicines & Healthcare Regulatory Agency / MHRA / www.mhra.gov.uk
Google search engine / Google / www.google.co.uk for general seach engine but also use Google scholar for more academic focus http://scholar.google.co.uk/
Adverse effects
CHM -Commission on Human Medicines / CHM/MHRA / www.mhra.gov.uk/Committees/Medicinesadvisorybodies/CommissiononHumanMedicines/index.htm.
Use to access Drug Safety Update www.mhra.gov.uk/Publications/Safetyguidance/DrugSafetyUpdate/index.htm
Drug Analysis Prints (DAPs) for Yellow Card data / CHM/MHRA / www.mhra.gov.uk/Safetyinformation/Howwemonitorthesafetyofproducts/Medicines/TheYellowCardScheme/YellowCarddata/index.htm
INCHEM / International Programme on Chemical Safety / www.inchem.org/. Toxicology information on chemicals and drugs.
TOXNET / US National Library Medicine / http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/. Toxicology information including pregnancy related toxicity information. Also links to LactMed (see below) for drugs in lactation information.
Availability
Solutions / UCLH NHS Trust / www.uclhsolutions.com
Registration required.
IDIS World Medicines / IDIS World Medicines / www.idispharma.com
www.idispharma.com/pharmacist.php
Durbin PLC / Durbin PLC / www.durbin.co.uk
Pro-file Database / Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital NHS Trust / Sourcing unlicensed ‘special’ medicinal products. www.pro-file.nhs.uk. Registration required.
Complementary Medicine
Safety of Herbal Medicines / MHRA / www.mhra.gov.uk/Howweregulate/Medicines/Herbalmedicines/HerbalSafetyNews/index.htm
Contraception and Hormone Replacement Therapy
IPPF Directory of Hormonal Contraceptives / International Planned Parenthood Federation / http://contraceptive.ippf.org Registration required. Used by the RPS Information Service to identify foreign contraceptive pills.
Family Planning Association / Family Planning Association / www.fpa.org.uk
Faculty of Family Planning and Reproductive Healthcare / Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists / www.ffprhc.org.uk/. Useful guidelines including choice of a contraceptive agent at different ages, in breast feeding, inflammatory bowel disease, interactions, missed pills and using pills outside their product licence, EHC and product reviews.
Diagnostic tests
Labtests online / Collaboration of professional societies and supported by the Department of Health. / www.labtestsonline.org.uk/. Patient orientated.
Drug abuse
Drug Misuse and Dependence – Guidelines on Clinical Management (The Orange Guide) / National Treatment Agency / www.nta.nhs.uk/uploads/clinical_guidelines_2007.pdf
DrugScope / DrugScope / www.drugscope.org.uk
National Institute on Drug Abuse / The National Institute on Drug Abuse (US) / www.nida.nih.gov
Talk to Frank / DoH / Home Office / www.talktoFrank.com
Drug administration
Intravenous Drug Administration Guides / UKMi recommends that all MI centres have access to good quality IV administration guidance.
IV Guide / Health of Wales Information Service / http://medusa.wales.nhs.uk or www.injguide.nhs.uk.
NB. Currently only available free to contributing Trusts, all Trusts in Wales & N Ireland.
Drug interactions
HIV Drug Interactions / The University of Liverpool / www.hiv-druginteractions.org
Cytochrome P450 website / Indiana University / http://medicine.iupui.edu/flockhart/
Medscape drug interaction checker / Medscape / www.medscape.com/druginfo/druginterchecker Registration required.
Evidence Based Medicine
Evidence in Health and Social care / NICE / www.evidence.nhs.uk. General search engine for evidence based reviews relevant to the NHS.
Bandolier / Pain Research Group
Oxford / www.medicine.ox.ac.uk/bandolier
OR via www.evidence.nhs.uk/nhs-evidence-content/journals-and-databases
OR www.wales.nhs.uk OR http://howis.wales.nhs.uk OR www.elib.scot.nhs.uk Access provided by National Library for Health (England), Health of Wales Information Service & e-Library (Scotland)
The Cochrane Library / The Cochrane Foundation
John Wiley & Sons / Via www.evidence.nhs.uk OR www.wales.nhs.uk OR http://howis.wales.nhs.uk OR www.elib.scot.nhs.uk Free access provided by National Library for Health (England), Health of Wales Information Service & e-Library (Scotland)
MeReC Publications / National Prescribing Centre / www.npc.nhs.uk/merec
National Prescribing Centre / National Prescribing Centre / www.npc.co.uk
NICE -National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence / NICE / www.nice.org.uk
Prodigy / Clarity Informatics Ltd / http://www.prodigy.clarity.co.uk/home.
SIGN - Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network / SIGN / www.sign.ac.uk
WeMeRec Bulletins / Welsh Medicines Resource Centre / www.wemerec.org
HTA assessments / National Coordinating Centre for HTA / www.hta.ac.uk/ Many of these evaluations inform NICE guidance.
Centre for Reviews and Dissemination / University of York / www.york.ac.uk/inst/crd/
Infections
The Green Book Immunisation Against Infectious Disease / DoH / www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_079917
Immunisation Information / DoH / All content from www.immunisation.nhs.uk has moved to www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publichealth/Immunisation/index.htm
HPA - Health Protection Agency / HPA / www.hpa.org.uk
Legal and ethical
Medicines, Ethics and Practice: A guide for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians / RPS / www.rpharms.com/law-and-ethics/medicines-ethics-and-practice-guide.asp
New products
NDO
New Drugs Online / UKMi / www.ukmi.nhs.uk/applications/NDO/
Registration required (free). It is recommended that you register for ‘Plans and budgets’ access to obtain the maximum level of information.
Pre-launch reviews / NPC/UKMi / www.nelm.nhs.uk. Registration required. Is in ‘New Drugs’ section which is not visible unless logged on.
National horizon scanning centre / www.pcpoh.bham.ac.uk/publichealth/horizon/outputs/technology.shtml
Post-launch reviews / UKMi / www.nelm.nhs.uk
Patents Database Online / UKMi / www.ukmi.nhs.uk/med_info/patent.asp UKMi username and password required
Prescribing Outlook / UKMi / www.nelm.nhs.uk Registration is required to access this. It is in Evidence/ horizon scanning.
Scottish medicines Consortium (SMC) reviews / SMC / www.scottishmedicines.org.uk/
All Wales Medicines Strategy Group (AWMSG) reviews / AWMSG / www.wales.nhs.uk/sites3/home.cfm?OrgID=371
European Medicines Agency / EMA / www.ema.europa.eu
Paediatrics
BNF for Children 2011-2012 / BMA, RPSGB, RCPCH & NPPG (annual) / One paper copy considered essential for each MI centre, online http://bnfc.org/bnfc/.
Palliative care
Palliative Care Matters / Network of Palliative Care healthcare professionals. / www.pallcare.info/ Useful links to
· syringe driver compatibilities www.pallcare.info/mod.php?mod=sdrivers&menu=14
· Palliative Medicine Handbook (full text) http://book.pallcare.info/
Palliativedrugs.com / Robert Twycross & Andrew Wilcock / www.palliativedrugs.com (Registration required). Includes access to Palliative Care Formulary (PCF3). NB. PCF4 textbook is now available and is more up-to-date than PCF3 which is freely available on the website. PCF4 is a core UKMi resource.
Patient information
NHS Direct Online / NHS Direct / www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk
Patient UK / Patient Information Publications / Egton Medical Information Systems / www.patient.co.uk.
Medicines Guides / Datapharm Communications / www.medicines.org.uk/Guides
Pharmaceutical
The Fridge Database / UKMi / www.ukmi.nhs.uk/Secure/Fridge/Index.asp UKMi username and password required
Latex Content Database / Grimble K, Queens Medical Centre Nottingham / UKMi / www.ukmicentral.nhs.uk/secure/l1/latex_database/default.asp. UKMi username and password required.
Patents Database / UKMi / www.ukmicentral.nhs.uk/pressupp/patents/default.asp
Pregnancy and lactation
TOXBASE / NTIS* National Poisons Information Service / www.toxbase.org
*Pregnancy information only, registration required.
LactMed / US National Library of Medicine / http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/htmlgen?LACT.
Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology / Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology / www.rcog.org.uk/index.asp?PageID=8 A range of guidelines on women’s health is available.
Drugs in Lactation / UKMi / www.ukmicentral.nhs.uk/drugpreg/guide.htm Guidance & Quick Reference Guide
Psychiatry
psychiatrynet.eu / http://wiki.psychiatrienet.nl/index.php/Main_Page.Contains tables for:
· Switching between antidepressants
· Switching between antipsychotics
· Benzodiazepine conversion calculator
NB. Inaccuracies in some tables have been identified. The authors have subsequently corrected these. This resource should only be used in conjunction with other resources and, ideally, be discussed with a mental health specialist.
Renal
CKD Insights / Genzyme Renal Support Services / www.ckdinsights.com
Gives access to ‘Dialysis of Drugs’. This is an American text produced by an expert in nephrology pharmacy. It is updated annually and provides information on the dialysability of drugs in patients receiving hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis.
Statistics
Statistics in Divided Doses / North West MIC
UKMi / www.ukmi.nhs.uk/activities/Research/default.asp?pageRef=27
Therapeutics
Patient UK / Patient Information Publications / Egton Medical Information Systems / www.patient.co.uk. After putting a term in the search box you will have a list of resources to choose from. Those with an apple and a plus sign are written for healthcare professionals and are an excellent resource with the following general headings: presentation, diagnosis, aetiology, epidemiology, assessment, management etc.
The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Treatment / Berkow, R et al
Merck and Co. / www.merckmanuals.com/professional/index.html. Paper copy 18th edition (2006) can also be purchased.
Travel
Malaria Reference Laboratory / HPA / www.malaria-reference.co.uk
NPA Malaria Prophylaxis and Travel vaccine information / National Pharmaceutical Association / Log into NeLM website to access:
Travel vaccination: www.nelm.nhs.uk/en/Communities/NeLM/NPA/Info-Services/NPA-Vaccine-Requirements-for-Travellers-Abroad-leaflet-0510/
Malaria prophylaxis:
www.nelm.nhs.uk/en/Communities/NeLM/NPA/Info-Services/Malaria-Prophylaxis-for-Travellers-Abroad/
National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) / National Travel Health Network and Centre, DoH / www.nathnac.org. Also link to www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk
Health Advice for Travellers / DoH / www.nhs.uk/Healthcareabroad/Pages/Healthcareabroad.aspx
Fit for Travel / Provide by NHS Scotland. / www.fitfortravel.scot.nhs.uk. Public access site.
Wound management and dressings
Dressings.org / Surgical Materials Testing Laboratory / www.dressings.org
Date: October 2011