What does good health information look like? Sarah Smith, - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

What does good health information look like?

Sarah Smith, Operations Director Patient Information Forum www.pifonline.org.uk

The background

• The quality of health information varies widely
• Expertise, knowledge and skills are in the hands
• f a few people and organisations
• There are no national standards or widely used

guidelines for developing resources

• Best practice isn’t systematically, easily or widely

shared

The project

• Initially a project to develop national standards for developing

health information resources, supported by a comprehensive guide

• Aimed at helping anyone who communicates with patients and

the public about their health to improve what they produce

• Department of Health funded
• Part of a wider project to raise the quality and improve the reach
• f health information
• Had to fit in with existing schemes and projects, such as the

Information Standard and NHS Branding Guidelines for patient information

• Had to be user led, credible and robust and easy to use and

engage with

The Steering Group

• 20 members, cross sector and

including NICE, NHS Choices, patient.co.uk, NHS England, Bupa, voluntary sector, NHS and commercial

• rganisations
• Produced a scoping brief outlining the

project

• Held a series of teleconferences
• Wanted guidance and practical tools,

not standards

• Information producers not PiF to set

the agenda and decide what guidance was needed

Open Space Events

Lots of common ground across both events Many cross cutting topic areas in the discussions People wanted to discuss a much broader range of issues than had been anticipated Issues similar across sectors though some had very specific issues Everyone had a great deal to contribute as well as learn

• A kind of ‘un-conference’
• No agenda or

presentations, attendees set this when they arrive

• Entire day discussion

based with a facilitator

• Two events, one in London

and one in Manchester

• 40 separate discussions

took place

• Attendees prioritise topics

Findings

Huge amount of information gathered, some guidance related, some further work and some campaigning issues Discussion groups looked at every aspect of information – from planning through to evaluation Some areas there was an assumption of existing best practice Four main topic areas emerged:

• User-centered information – user involvement, engagement, testing, targeting

information

• Different information formats and audiences – print, online, digital etc
• Readability and clear communication – language, tone, design, navigability,

accessibility, evidence base etc

• Evaluation – of resource itself and of the impact it has

Follow up event

Evidence based where possible Case studies and practical examples ‘How to’ guides Template documents, project planning sheets, standard questions and checklists Graded levels of engagement – for people who are new through to the very experienced ‘Less is more’ Lead by example Use existing resources

• Took place in London last

week

• Smaller and more focused

event

• Attendees were steering

group members, plus previous attendees

• Took each of the four main

areas and discussed in more detail

• Looking at what should be

covered, what guidance was needed and what format these should be in

Next steps

• Report from the follow up event
• Literature review for evidence
• Engagement with the steering group

and key stakeholders

• Online survey/voting
• Developing actual guidance
• Promotion, dissemination and use
• Evaluation

And the rest…….

• Good practice database
• Revised and updated guides to

producing information for children and young people and quality information (including guidance for providers)

• Evaluating our Case for Information

Report

• Event in Manchester on information for

the ‘hard to reach’