This page is under review and will be updated once the ERL SLWG has agreed the ERL management process.

July 2026

Criteria for Resource Inclusion or Exclusion

Criteria for Inclusion

The UKMi Essential Resources List (ERL) is intended to provide a list of MI resources that are essential to the safe and effective operation of most Medicines Information Services. It is intended to be used in conjunction with any useful resources provided by the MI service’s base organisation, e.g., library services.

The List is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all potentially useful resources. Any MI service may use any resource the Manager feels suitable; the Resource Assessment Tool is provided to aid in deciding whether a resource is suitable for local use.

Resources added to the ERL will be added to the Enquiry Answering Guidelines as appropriate.

The suitability of a resource for inclusion on the List has four elements:

  • Nature of the information. The information must be of a type, and presented in such a way, that it is likely to be useful in answering MI enquiries or in another element of MI work.
  • Quality of the information. The information must be up to date, authoritative, reliable, and presented in a suitable manner.
  • Availability of the information. The information must be potentially available to all UKMi MI centres. i.e., not restricted in any way by the publisher, so that any UK MI service could access the resource if they so desired and had the money.
  • An improvement on existing resources on the list.

Criteria for Exclusion

Certain factors justify non-inclusion/exclusion from the List as they do not fit the purpose of the List:

  • Resource does not improve on, add to, or replace, any resource currently on the List, or meet an unfulfilled need. This applies to both free and paid resources. Although in theory, it would be possible to add every useful free resource to the List, this is not advisable as the List would become unwieldy.
  • Not likely to be purchased directly by an MI service. This includes most point-of-care resources, such as UpToDate or DynaMedex, as they are very expensive and (where available) purchased centrally or via Library Services.
  • The resource is too specialist. The List is aimed at all MI services. Therefore, if a resource deals with subject matter that is not likely to be relevant to a significant number of MI services, it will not be included. Note: some specialist resources are included as it is judged non-specialist MI services may occasionally encounter a patient and require urgent information, and would therefore benefit from having a resource available (e.g., rare metabolic disorders) and information may be otherwise difficult to find.
  • The resource is aimed at ward-based or clinic-based staff rather than MI staff. The requirements of “clinical” pharmacy staff are frequently different to those of MI staff, both in the content and presentation of information. Some resources, while very good, are more likely to be useful to “clinical” specialist staff than MI staff.
  • Not cost-effective. An expensive resource may be regarded as cost-effective if it is likely to be used frequently; a cheaper resource may not be cost-effective if it is less useful.

Suggesting Additions to the List

If you wish to propose an addition to the List, consider whether it meets the essential criteria for inclusion above. If you believe it does, then send your suggestion to [email protected], stating:

  • Name of resource
  • How accessed (e.g., web address)
  • Cost
  • Why you think the resource should be included on the ERL, specifically how you consider it improves on, adds to, or replaces existing resource(s), or what gap it fills.

QRMG Assessment of Suggested Resources

Each suggested resource will be assessed by at least one member of the QRMG, with findings presented for Group decision. The outcome will be either inclusion or non-inclusion on the List. This assessment may be:

  • Summary assessment. In some cases, a brief exploration of the suggested resource may be enough for a decision to be made on whether it should be included or not.
  • Detailed assessment. If a summary assessment of the resource does not provide a clear answer regarding whether the resource should be added to the List or not, a detailed assessment will be made, using the Resource Assessment Tool.

Common issues

Resources produced by a government or professional body are assumed to be of acceptable quality unless proven otherwise. However, the nature of the information and its presentation will still be assessed.

Educational resources (i.e., those imparting information that will be used at a future time, rather than aimed at users wanting information to deal with a current problem) will usually not be included.

Although UK-based references are preferred, resources from other countries may also be included if they provide information that is relevant to UK patients.

Although it is possible to provide a list of criteria for inclusion/exclusion from the List (which may be updated from time to time), the final judgement is almost always a clinical/professional judgement by a member/members of the QRMG, based on their professional experience in providing MI services.

Recording decisions

The decision on whether a resource is to be included or excluded from the List will be recorded in the minutes of the next QRMG meeting, together with the reasons (if a summary assessment took place) or a note that the resource was subject to a detailed assessment and the conclusion agreed.

Completed resource assessment forms are available on request.

Disclaimer

You should always consult local policies and/or guidance. This document is intended to supplement these, not to replace them.

The information and opinion in this document are general information. The information and opinion are not legal advice, and should not be treated as such.

The information is provided without any representations or warranties, either express or implied.

Although we have attempted to ensure that the information and opinion are true, accurate, complete, current and non-misleading, to the best of our ability, we do not warrant that we have succeeded.

You must not rely on this document as an alternative to legal advice from a legal professional.

If you have any specific questions about a legal matter, you should contact your legal services provider.

Nothing in this disclaimer will:

  • Limit or exclude any liability for death or personal injury resulting from negligence
  • Limit or exclude any liability for fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation
  • Limit or exclude any liabilities in any way that is not permitted under applicable law

Last Reviewed: April 2022