Library support for further education colleges

We recognise that there are many routes into careers in the NHS and social care, and with our unique free resource we can support further education colleges to prepare the workforce and leaders of the future.

How can we support you?

Our team of librarians are uniquely placed to support you and your students. Our professional skills combined with our expert knowledge of the health and care landscape mean that we can provide tailored training and support on:

  • identifying research, evidence and information for academic assignments and coursework – essential skills that will provide a strong foundation for your students to develop professional evidence-based practice
  • evaluating and assessing research, evidence and information
  • understanding the value of grey literature in research
  • referencing and citation

We welcome referrals from tutors to our enquiry service for one-on-one support via email or using the online contact form below. Our study support sessions can be tailored for whole groups and centred around students' current assignments.

Online resources

Library database

This is our online library catalogue and is freely available for use by anyone looking for information in the areas we cover (health and social care management and policy, systems, services and leadership; we do not not cover clinical issues and treatments). The database also includes abstracts from print and open access online journals which relate to these subjects too. Where items are freely available online, there will be a link included in the catalogue record.

Visit the library database >>

The King’s Fund Digital Archive

The digital archive allows you to search and view the full text of a huge range of The King's Fund publications and documents from 1898 onwards.

View the King's Fund Digital Archive >>

Enquiry service

Our free public enquiry service is open to all, so If you have a health or social care question, need to check a reference or a fact, or require help with searching our database you can get in touch with us via this method or by email on library@kingsfund.org.uk. You can find out more information about this service using the link below.

Find out more about our enquiry service >>

Reading lists

We produce a range of reading lists which can be useful as a primer for specific topics and areas of interest.

View our reading lists >>

Keeping up to date

If you’d like to keep up to date on the latest policy, research and guidance in health policy and management, we produce four bulletins, Health Management and Policy Alert, Health and Wellbeing Bulletin, Integrated Care Bulletin and Digital Health Digest. For your students, we’d recommend the Health and Care Explained Newsletter which is a quarterly newsletter that brings together all of our most accessible content.

Find out more and sign up >>

The NHS Explained: online course

Our free four-week online course will help participants to understand the building blocks that make up the health care system in England through videos with experts from The King's Fund, articles and quizzes. It’s due to launch for enrolment soon and will open in April.

Find out more and register >>

Bertie’s Book Group

Bertie’s Book Group is our monthly health-themed book group. Due to the coronavirus ourbreak we will be hosting the discussions online, so if you would like to continue participating and connecting with other attendees, you can do so on our Goodreads page or via our Twitter chats. If you're not already on the Bertie's Book Group monthly mailing list, please do subscribe for updates on these discussion.

Testimonials

'Over the past two years, The King’s Fund Library has supported West Kent College students to develop their research and referencing skills in preparation for their research exam and university. The staff have been excellent in helping the learners develop their use of databases, journals, and other online resources, considering the validity and reliability of the information. The workshops have a had a direct correlation on the improvement in the standard of the evidence the learners obtain from the resources and this has increased their grade and performance in the exam. This has also translated into improved formatting and referencing in coursework and I would recommend these workshops in helping to prepare learners for the reality of university. It gives them an advantage as they have a chance to develop and practice these skills before university.'
Further education tutor

 

'The speakers broke down our topic content so we could understand what and what not to search for.'
Further education health and social care student
'I found it useful knowing how to refine searches and finding where to find useful sources.'
Further education health and social care student
'The handout sheet was useful as the weblinks helped me with my research.'
Further education health and social care student

Contact us

Please include as much detail as possible, such as outline of research query, context and specifics.

Need help with searching?

These quick e-learning modules from E-Learning for Health (EfH will help you improve your literature searching skills. Suitable for beginners or those who need a refresher.

Literature searching programme >>

These modules are freely available but if you have an NHS Athens account you can log in to record your learning activity. If you need further help please contact us at library@kingsfund.org.uk.

Further resources