Resource of the Week - Literature Searching

Published Date: 09th November 2026

Making Evidence Easier: Let the Library Do the Searching for You

Finding the right evidence can be time-consuming, especially when you're balancing clinical duties, service development projects, audits, teaching, or management responsibilities. That's where the Library and Knowledge Service can help.
Our literature search service is designed to save you time by finding the best available evidence to support informed clinical and management decision-making. Whether you need research to underpin a business case, guide patient care, develop a policy, or provide reliable information for patients, our librarians can do the searching for you.

Simply complete our online literature search request form and one of our qualified librarians will carry out a comprehensive search of both the published medical literature and relevant grey literature. We aim to return completed searches within 10 working days, although we are always happy to discuss urgent requests and will do our best to meet your deadline where possible.

Why Request a Literature Search?
Evidence-based practice starts with knowing what research already exists. A thorough literature search helps ensure that decisions are informed by the best available evidence, reducing duplication of effort and supporting high-quality care and service improvement.
Recent searches have supported MWL colleagues with topics including:

• Medical photography in skin cancer
• Management of post-menopausal bleeding
• Treatment of itching in burns patients
• Post-stroke upper limb impairment and outcomes
• Attendance management policies
• Use of Pilates based exercises in patients with spinal cord injury
• The physiological effects of hoarding

These examples demonstrate how evidence searching can support everything from frontline patient care to policy development, quality improvement, education, and research.

Start Early for Best Results
Literature searching is most valuable at the beginning of a project. Whether you're developing a business case, planning a study, reviewing a service, or writing a policy, gathering the evidence early helps shape your approach and ensures decisions are based on current knowledge.

Want to Learn How to Search Yourself?
If you'd like to develop your own searching skills, we also offer literature search training. A librarian can work alongside you, providing guidance and practical support while you carry out your own search. It's a great way to build confidence and learn techniques you can use in future projects.

Searching the Right Sources
Our library team has expertise in searching a wide range of healthcare databases and information sources, selecting the most appropriate resources for your question. These include major evidence sources such as UpToDate, Clinical Key, MEDLINE, CINAHL, the Cochrane Library, Embase, and many others.
By combining expert search skills with access to high-quality information resources, we can help you find the evidence you need quickly and effectively.

Need evidence for your next project or decision? Get in touch with the Library and let us do the searching, so you can focus on putting the evidence into practice.