8 step guide to Evidence Search
1. Content
Evidence Search (previously known as NHS Evidence) provides a Google style search for clinical and non-clinical
information. Information includes reviews, guidance and Government policy. Sources include: BNF, Cochrane Library, NICE,
charities and professional bodies. You can also link to NHS OpenAthens resources, e.g. journals and databases.
2. Planning your search
Break down your question into keywords. Consider us ing PICO (Patient, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome) to do this.
3. Accessing Evidence Search
Go to www.evidence.nhs.uk
4. NHS Evidence home page
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1 – Search box - use * to truncate, e.g. depress*, and speech marks to search for phrases, e.g. “heart attack”.
2 – Browse topics covering selected clinical areas and medicines. See example in step 7.
3 – Register for and link to resources such as healthcare databases, ejournals and ebooks
4 – CKS covers current evidence for best practice in primary care
5 – Content from the National electronic Library for Medicines
6 - A collection of research evidence and guidance on best practice relating to the health of the population.
7 – Examples of how staff are improving qualit y and productivity across the NHS and social care
8 – Login/register for MyEvidence – save search results, create alerts (see step 8).
5. Combining search terms
Combine search terms with AND or OR using the logic below. The default is AND, e.g. a search for: statins hypertension will
look for documents mentioning bot h statins AND hypertension .
stress OR anxiety
stress AND anxiety
www.kcl.ac.uk/library
Documents that discuss
either stress or anxiety
Documents that discuss
both stress and anxiety
August 2013
6. Search results
Conducting a search will usually bring up the screen on the next page. If you type in a search which matches one of the NHS
Evidence Topics, e.g. breast cancer, then it will bring up a screen as in Step 7. You can:
1 - Refine your search, e.g. by Type of Information
2 – Re-sort results by date (as opposed to relevance)
3 - Save search or save results (you need to be registered)
4 – NICE Pathways make their guidance visual for easy use
There are full-text links to most documents, e.g. guidelines and Cochrane reviews.
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7. Topics
These are sub-sections of NHS Evidence on specific topics. They provide links to guidance, commissioning, information for the
public, ongoing research, and medicines, as below:
8. My Evidence
There are a number of features in My Evidence which can help you to manag e your information: Saved Searches and Alerts,
Saved Results. You can also edit Your Profile. You have to register to access these features.
Further information and advice
Library Services offers regular and t ailored training sessions in database searching. See: www.kcl.ac.uk/library/nhs or contact
your Information Specialist for det ails.
This publication is available to view at www.kcl.ac.uk/library
If you would prefer it in an alternative format please contact Library Services [email protected]