Databases are structured, subject-specific tools for searching for information (generally journal articles, but can include other information sources). If you are doing an in-depth search, it is better to use these rather than LibrarySearch or a general internet search engine. They can search through high-quality information more effectively.

Some databases can be accessed free on the web. Others are paid for by your University.

Accessing databases through your university

As students from Medway School of Pharmacy, you have access to the databases from the universities of Greenwich and Kent. Each university maintains a list of databases which can be accessed by students and staff. The links on these pages are checked and updated regularly.

• University of Greenwich - go to the My Learning page in the Portal and select Online databases and academic journals.
• University of Kent - Use the Digital Resources Directory from the University library webpages.

These are the most well-known and well-used databases for health and medical care. See elsewhere on this page for a much longer list of useful health-related databases available to you.

• CINAHL (available via Greenwich and Kent) - covering nursing and allied health, with information for almost every possible health, medical and social care profession. 
• The Cochrane Library (free online) - includes databases of systematic reviews and clinical trials. Cochrane are viewed as world leaders on evidence-based information. It is well worth searching the site for any question to do with an intervention (curative, diagnostic or palliative).
• MedicinesComplete (available via Greenwich) brings together key reference sources such as the BNF and Martindale's. 
• Medline (available via Greenwich and Kent), also available via Pubmed and Web of Science - one of the biggest biomedical databases in the world.

MedicinesComplete is a new subscription for the university (2023). It will not help you identify journal articles, but is a fantastic resource for a range of other pharmacy-related information. See below for a quick video overview.

When you carry out an in-depth literature review, it is necessary to search a much wider range of databases than you might otherwise use. This list covers a range of useful databases provided by the University of Greenwich and the University of Kent as well as various free online databases.

• AMED - the allied and complementary medicine database (Greenwich) - useful for research involving alternative treatments and therapies, including herbal medicines.


• Business Source (Greenwich/Kent) - useful for essays on leadership and management in all fields, including healthcare.


• CINAHL (Greenwich/Kent) - a database covering journals in nursing and allied health, with information for almost every possible health, medical and social care profession.


• The Cochrane Library (free) - this includes databases of systematic reviews and clinical trials. Cochrane are viewed as world leaders on evidence-based information.


• DORIS - Database of Research Into Stroke (free) - for guidelines, systematic reviews, clinical trials and related evidence concerning treatments for stroke.


• Education databases - each University has one or more of British Education Index, Education Abstracts, Education Research Complete or ERIC. These are useful for any topic covering education, including university and clinical education. Paediatric specialists may find these databases useful as well.


• The EPPI Centre provides access to two databases for health promotion - the Database of Promoting Health Effectiveness Reviews and the Trials Register of Promoting Health Interventions.


• IBSS, International Bibliography of the Social Sciences (Kent) - a social sciences database which covers many relevant topics.


• Medline (Greenwich/Kent), also available via Pubmed - one of the biggest biomedical databases in the world, searching the contents of medical journals.


• National Chemical Database Service (free) - from the Royal Society of Chemistry, a range of chemical information including the ChemSpider database of molecules. Works best on campus.


• Pedro (free) - Physiotherapy Evidence Database. Australian database of evidence-based physiotherapy information from around the world.


• PsycInfo (Kent/Greenwich) - large database with a focus on peer-reviewed information in mental health and behavioural science. Often the best starting place for mental health and psychology topics.


• Psychology and Behavioural Sciences Collection (Greenwich) - provides access to articles from over 500 useful psychology journals.


• PubChem (free) - online database on the biological activities of small molecules, covering compounds, patents, targets, bioactivities and bioassays.


• Pubmed - one of the biggest biomedical databases in the world, searching the contents of medical journals. Covers everything found in Medline as well as some additional content.


• REHABDATA (free) - for research on disability and rehabilitation.


• Scopus (Greenwich/Kent) covers the sciences and the social sciences and has useful citation tracking features. Probably searches the greatest number of different journals


• Social Policy and Practice (Kent) - a database of evidence-based social science research which can be useful for topics including social care, social work, public health, homelessness and community care.


• TRIP database (free) - a tool for discovering clinical evidence, including systematic reviews, guidance, primary research and much more. Based in South Wales.


• Web of Science (Greenwich/Kent) covers the sciences and the social sciences and has useful citation tracking features. This databases sets out to track the highest quality journals.

The two most useful sources for UK legal information available through the libraries are LexisLibrary and Westlaw. Both of these are available from the Universities of Greenwich and Kent. To access them, you will need to go through your university's A-Z of databases and e-resources.

• LexisLibrary

  Provides access to some of the most important sources for law in this country, such as Halsbury’s Laws of England and the All England Law Reports, as well as a large amount of case law and legislation.

• Westlaw UK

  A large database of law sources including legal journals, business information, news, legislation and case law.

Other sources:

• HeinOnline (available via Greenwich and Kent).

  Has a focus on international constitutional law, but also provides access to some legal journals.

• Vlex Justis (formerly known as JustisOne) (available via Greenwich and Kent).

  Provides a legal search engine, with a focus on legislation and case law around the world.