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Better information, better choices, better health
Giving public and patients good information not only enables them to understand their health requirements but also helps them to make effective choices that are right for them and their families. Information is essential for people making choices about their care. We are creating new ways to make information relevant, trustworthy and timely for everybody, so that in the future everybody has the right to choose. The need for high quality information about people’s conditions and the services available to them was highlighted as a central theme of the Our Health, Our Care, Our Say.
Better information, better choices, better health: putting information at the centre of health
To make choice work, people need the right information, at the right time, with the support they need to use it. Better information, better choices, better health is a three year programme of national and local activities designed to improve how information reaches people and its usefulness, so they can make better choices and better manage their own health.
Information accreditation scheme
The aim of the information accreditation scheme is to support people to judge for themselves what the quality of information means to them and improve the availability of good quality information available for all.
Information Prescriptions
The dialogue between patient and professional is critical. Time should be set aside at each consultation to specifically discuss and assess information needs. The concept of an 'information prescription' is potentially a practical way of supporting this and raising the importance of information in consultations where time is often limited.
Copying Letters to Patients
The Copying Letters to Patients initiative is based on the principle that 'letters between clinicians about an individual patient's care will be copied to the patient' (NHS Plan, 2000) and is an effective way of keeping patients up-to-date with their diagnosis and treatment and demonstrates a commitment to proactive communication.
HealthSpace
Launched in December 2003, HealthSpace provides people with their own online personal health organiser and in time will offer a secure portal through which to access their actual NHS Summary Care Record.
Community information bank
Greater diversity is needed in how people are supported to access and understand information. A majority of health information used and exchanged by people comes from informal networks and is often a mix of many sources including experiential, family and community knowledge and personal skills developed, for example, as a carer or parent.
NHS Direct Interactive
At the end of January 2005, local NHS services information went live on NHS Direct Interactive. Users can now search for details of their nearest doctors, dentists, pharmacies and opticians by inputting their postcode details.
Questions to ask: getting the most out of your appointment
Published: 15/10/2007 9:57
Questions and tips – previously named "Power questions" - developed through an extensive consultation, and now available in a number of formats, posters, easy read, large print, audio, braille and a two-sided A5 leaflet in English and a range of other languages. GP surgeries and pharmacies will receive copies of the leaflets and posters by the end of October 2007.
Patient information bank
This is an on-line national resource for all NHS organisations, providing easy access to quality assured, evidence-based, health information which NHS staff can print off and give directly to patients.
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