The NIHR supports this important initiative, which encourages the unrestricted sharing of research results with everyone. We recognise that the Open Access movement is gaining ever more momentum around the world and it is important that research funders and policy makers put their weight behind it.

We believe that open access to the outputs of our research can offer both social and economic benefits as well as aiding the development of new research and stimulating wider economic growth of the UK economy.Through our open access policy, we ensure that the ideas and knowledge derived from publicly funded research must be made available and accessible for public use.

Over a thousand individual issues are already available in the NIHR Journals Library. These reports provide a full account of the research project, including methods and a full description of the results.

We also produce a range of reports that contextualise the most significant research from the NIHR and other health research organisations through the NIHR Dissemination Centre. These include Signals- timely, accessible summaries of recent research that provide NHS clinicians, commissioners and patients with the evidence they need to make better informed healthcare decisions.

For more information visit the Open Access Week website.