OpenAthens, which is part of Jisc, has announced that its contract to provide secure, single sign-on facilities to NHS staff in England has been renewed.  

The National Institute for Care Excellence (NICE), which procures services on behalf of the NHS in England, has renewed the three-year deal following a rigorous selection process.  

Importantly, the renewal cements OpenAthens’ longstanding partnership with the NHS in England and will ensure continuity for all staff. 

The OpenAthens service means that NHS and social care staff in England will continue to use single sign-on to access online health and social care resources. Crucially, staff can retrieve vital published research and articles from specialist publishers. NHS organisations will continue to be part of the OpenAthens federation – a global community of information providers and publishers. 

NICE recognises that the federation ecosystem is the most efficient way for NHS librarians and content providers to manage access to digital content. 

Phil Leahy, key client services manager for OpenAthens, said: 

“Delivering a simple, seamless access experience for health and social care staff is what our service offers. We are delighted to continue our long-term relationship with NICE and the NHS.  

“The contract provides users with a wealth of valuable material from leading scientific, technical and medical publishers. Staff can continue to access this material with ease, and librarians can operate with the peace of mind that their libraries are secure.” 

Felix Greaves, NICE director of science, evidence and analytics, said: 

“Timely knowledge and information are crucial to conducting research and delivering health and care. Renewing the OpenAthens contract gives the NHS in England ongoing access to effective and valuable resources.”