Open Access for Allied Health Professionals

Open Access is promoted as a new publishing model that has the potential to reform a journal publishing industry which is seen as slow, expensive and a barrier to the free and fast dissemination of knowledge. The UK Government has accepted the recommendations of the Finch Group report (Working Group on Expanding Access to Published Research Findings) to adopt the Gold Route, the payment of article processing costs (APCs) for Open Access to government funded research. Research Councils UK has also adopted an Open Access policy following the recommendations of the Finch Working Group. Discussions around Open Access have also surfaced in the national media. Anyone conducting or considering funded research will be required to plan Open Access outputs. Researchers working independently may consider Open Access publication as a viable alternative to conventional publication in a paid for/subscription journal.