What is OpenAthens?

NHS OpenAthens is a single sign-on system that provides NHS staff in England with access to a wide range of online, quality healthcare resources.

NHS OpenAthens accounts are available to all NHS and public health staff, and many other health and social care staff on NHS commissioned work.

With an NHS OpenAthens account, you can use any device to access NHS-funded:

  • online books

  • journals

  • databases

  • evidence sources

  • e-learning.

This includes resources purchased nationally for all staff and any additional resources your employer might have.

Once you have an account, the NHS Knowledge and Library Hub is the best place to start. It's a central hub for finding resources for your work, professional development, study, and research.

Register for an account

Before you register for an account, please take a look at the eligibility criteria.

Data protection

Any personal data submitted as part of the registration process will be used by NICE for the administration and management of the OpenAthens service.

Your personal data will be held in a database by Jisc, who manage OpenAthens and process your data on behalf of NICE. The database will be accessible by your local OpenAthens administrator, your regional administrator, and the national administrator, who are all responsible for maintaining the system and providing you with information on the resources available.

Further information about how NICE may use your personal information and your rights to change or delete it can be found in our privacy notice.