National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) corrects advice to Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust over OpenAthens account eligibility

                                             

By John Brace – Editor

First publication date: 9th December 2024, 07:42 (GMT)

On 18th October 2023 (the day I started as a governor at Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust), although for clarity this is not being written in my governor capacity, there were various stalls prior to the Annual Members Meeting. One of these stalls was run by Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust’s Library and Knowledge Services.

In February 2024, as a governor, I visited the McArdle Library at the Education Centre at the Arrowe Park Hospital site and joined the library, I was given a library card and a member of staff also suggested I register for an OpenAthens account too.

An OpenAthens account was then created (pending authorisation by a different WUTH employee) which I was told would happen in the next day or two. I then received an email on 8th February 2024 stating the following:

“We are very sorry to inform you that your application for an OpenAthens account has been rejected for the following reason.

The resources provided by NHS England are for healthcare staff only.

If your circumstances change, and you meet the eligibility criteria (https://www.nice.org.uk/about/what-we-do/evidence-services/journals-and-databases/openathens/openathens-eligibility) in future, please renew your access rights at: http://openathens.nice.org.uk#47;Renewal.

On a later visit to this library to take out some books, I had a face to face conversation with a WUTH employee regarding the above. The explanation given to me was that as there was uncertainty on the part of the WUTH employee as to whether I did (or didn’t) qualify for OpenAthens access that advice (that I haven’t seen) from an unnamed NHS England employee had been sought. NHS England operate and manage the OpenAthens service with decisions by WUTH employees being on whether a particular person at WUTH meets (or doesn’t meet) the NHS England eligibility criteria which is published here https://library.nhs.uk/knowledgehub/nhs-openathens-the-key-that-unlocks-so-much/ .

NHS England then communicated to me that the incorrect advice (on whether I should be entitled to an OpenAthens account) had been given to a WUTH employee, and on 9th February 2024 provided an on the record quote from their subject matter expert (Sue Lacey Bryant (Chief Knowledge Officer for NHS England)):

“You can find the full criteria here: https://www.nice.org.uk/about/what-we-do/evidence-services/journals-and-databases/openathens/openathens-eligibility.

….

Yes, governors are entitled to OpenAthens access.

….

Yes, we can only apologise that there does seem to have been a misunderstanding and the incorrect advice was given in this case.

….

Local administrators for each organisation administer OpenAthens in line with the eligibility criteria. They escalate to the NHS England team guidance in circumstances where they are unclear whether an applicant is eligible.

Thank you for raising these questions which have highlighted a training issue. The national team will now liaise with our colleagues in Trust libraries to ensure that all their staff understand how to apply the eligibility criteria correctly.

We would want to ensure an OpenAthens account is created for the governor concerned.

…

I hope this provides sufficient information to the questions you raise.

Thank you for getting in touch.

…

National NHS Knowledge and Library Services Team”

Whereas it would have been preferred that the decision about whether (or not) I had OpenAthens access as a governor been made right the first time by a WUTH employee, as there are 10 published categories of people eligible for access and at the time this happened only sixteen governors at WUTH it is understandable that as the OpenAthens service is managed and operated by NHS England to NHS England’s published eligibility criteria (which is unfortunately unclearly worded) that the WUTH employee making the decision on whether I (as a governor) should be granted OpenAthens access would ask NHS England for advice first as the employee was unsure.

As (unfortunately) the incorrect advice was provided by NHS England to a WUTH employee, who then based on this incorrect advice made the wrong decision, denying rather than granting access, I am pleased that NHS England have acknowledged the mistaken advice of their employee and taken responsibility to resolve the situation.

Hopefully by library staff (both at WUTH and other Trusts in England) being more aware in the future that governors are entitled to OpenAthens access, the potential for similar mistakes to be made in the future will hopefully be reduced.

Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust were asked for a quote on 12th February 2024. On 9th April 2024, David McGovern (Director of Corporate Affairs) at Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust replied with, “I do not feel it is appropriate for the Trust to provide a comment at this time and in particular would be concerned if any article were to be critical of any NHS institutions.”

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