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The Copyright Licensing Agency (CLA) licence for NHS staff in England provides the terms for what NHS staff are allowed to photocopy, scan and share from most copyrighted print and digital works over and above fair dealing and library privilege.

The licence covers all those working for the NHS, including students on placement.

What the CLA NHS licence covers

The licence allows individuals to make copies from almost everything which is owned by or paid for by the NHS in either digital or print formats. Use the CLA’s permission check tool to check that the text you want to copy is not excluded.

Under the CLA NHS licence, you can copy or share:

  • two articles from a single journal issue or several articles from a themed journal issue

  • one chapter or 5% of a book (whichever is the greatest).

Within these limits, making multiple copies or copies from copies is permitted.

NHS staff are permitted to share content with other staff or students covered by the licence. You can share both print versions and digital copies via email.

Content can also be stored on secure NHS networks for personal use or for sharing with colleagues.

More information

To find out more, visit the CLA’s NHS licence website, where you can download a poster to display near photocopiers or in offices.

If you have any questions regarding the copying and sharing of copyrighted works for NHS staff please contact the NHS liaison team.

 

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