Literature Searching

Save time by requesting a literature search and let us find the evidence you need to support clinical and management decision making. If you need information to give to your patients, we can help with that too.

Complete our online literature search request form and a qualified librarian will carry out a comprehensive search of the medical literature and grey literature on your behalf.

Request a Literature Search

Or, request literature search training with a librarian, where we will guide and assist you as you carry out the search for yourself.

Request Literature Search Training

3 images: 1) jigsaw pieces with one labelled "Evidence" 2) a healthcare professional sat in front of a PC 3) An open dictionary with a magnifying glass over the word "Search"

Why Search?

A literature search is required to support your evidence based practice, ensuring you have all the information required to make decisions. Below are some examples of evidence searches we have carried out or helped with:

Community-based diabetes care strategies - for commissioning
Sustainable waste management - to support departmental audit
Carbon monoxide poisoning in burn patients - for patient care
Paediatric virtual wards - to inform service re-design
Violence and aggression in the workplace - to be kept up to date in a specialist interest
Management of neonatal abstinence syndrome - for development of policy
Infection control in dentistry - for conference presentation

When to Search

It is important that your search is carried out at the beginning of the process (process being a business case, study, etc). The purpose of an evidence search is to gather all the information you will need to come to a conclusion.

Where to Search

The Library staff have the expertise to carry out complex searches in various databases, selecting the most relevant for your search topic. These include the Cochrane Library, Medline, CINAHL, TRIP, EU Clinical Trials Register, and more to find the best available evidence to support the work of NHS staff.

Please see our databases section for more information on the sources we use.