About NeLM
What is the National electronic Library for Medicines (NeLM)?
Objectives
Who manages NeLM?
Who provides the content?
What is the National electronic Library for Medicines (NeLM)? Back to top
NeLM is the largest medicines information portal for healthcare professionals in the UK National Health Service (NHS). It aims to promote the safe, effective and efficient use of medicines. This free service has been in operation since 1998 (originally as Druginfozone) and is updated daily. The site has a wide range of information products, including news, evidence-based reviews on drugs and drug therapy and health promotion material. It also provides a facility for sharing practice. Much of the current content is provided by the NHS pharmacy medicines information service (UKMi) – see ukmi.nhs.uk for more information about the network.
This version of NeLM is the result of a series of transformations as the site has been redeveloped to provide a comprehensive medicines knowledge-base within the National Library for Health (NLH). It will store and link to a wide range of medicines information products procured or produced by the NHS. The vision is to build a system for the integration of knowledge and allow knowledge to be adapted at the local health community level. The development has been funded, in part, by the National Knowledge Service (NKS) and continues to be funded by the Department of Health.
Other NHS or related organisations that produce medicines information which is available through the NeLM portal include: - National Prescribing Centre (NPC);
- National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE);
- NHS Direct Online (NHSDOL);
- Medicines Healthcare product and regulatory Authority (MHRA);
- Department of Health (DH).
In addition, information from professional bodies such as the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPSGB) and the British Medical Association (BMA) and independent organisations such as the Electronic Medicines Compendium (eMC) are also available via NeLM.
Objectives Back to top
- To develop a 'one stop' platform from which users can easily find medicines information that matters in a simple and coherent manner;
- To establish a mechanism for aggregating medicines knowledge to support the NHS Care Record Services (NHS CRS) ;
- To work with NHS Direct Online to deliver medicines information for patients and the public;
- To produce a local medicines knowledgebase for the local health community of Lambeth, Southwark & Lewisham to support local prescribers. It will reflect local practice while integrating with national resources of medicines information.
Who manages NeLM? Back to top
NeLM is designed and administered by the E-Communications Team at the London and South East Medicines Information Service based at Guy’s Hospital London.
Who provides the content? Back to top
The content of the current site is provided mainly by medicines information pharmacists and other staff working in the UKMi network. The network comprises 16 ‘regional’ or national medicine information centres and 250 local centres based in NHS organisations across the UK. More information about the network is available at www.ukmi.nhs.uk.