How can I suggest a database for inclusion in the Hub discovery selection?

EBSCO regularly add new databases to the selection available in EDS. NHS England Resource Discovery and partner suppliers also work with them to add databases of interest to NHS users.

For a database to be available via the Hub it needs to be included as an EBSCO partner databases (or EBSCO product). To achieve this requires technical standards to be met, agreement on intellectual property rights and then a development process. The result of this is that we are not always able to add databases we might wish but we can ask the question. In early 2024 EBSCO have a back log of partner databases to build so new requests are likely to be slow to come on stream if not already in process.

Examples of databases made available through our work with EBSCO include the procedure level indexing of Royal Marsden Manual, the UK version of BMJ Best Practice and a NICE Guidance database. Some databases are only available where you have a subscription to the product - an example here is ClinicalKey Flex.

It is unlikely that the literature databases such as EMBASE and EMCARE will be available to us via the Hub due to the platform through which we buy these. The journal articles in these databases are likely available in the Hub via the EBSCO indexes and databases that are available.

Suggestions for potential databases can be made via the Service Desk.

The Hub team monitor for new EDS enabled databases that may be suitable for general inclusion. The process for assessment for potential inclusion is as follows:

Identification of candidate database via EBSCO update or feedback to the Service Desk
Initial testing by Hub Team to ensure within scope
Invitation to test and feedback to Hub CoP
Paper for Change Advisory Board combining NHSE and Hub testing feedback
Decision communicated and roll out completed if required

If accepted the roll out will either be to all instances or on an opt in basis.