About PiF
'You have the right to make choices about your NHS care and to information to support these choices.'
NHS Constitution March 2010
The Patient Information Forum is a membership organisation for consumer health information producers and providers. We are cross sector and our members include NHS organisations both local and national, patient organisations, commercial companies, academics and policy making organisations. Our members work in the main across the UK, though we do have a small number of international members.We are not for profit and independent. Our main aims are to:
- Campaign and influence to ensure that health information is central to high quality, patient centred care
- Enable information producers and providers to effectively and efficiently deliver high quality information to patients and the public
'Health care is to have regard to the importance of providing such information and support as is necessary to enable the patient to participate.'
Patient Rights (Scotland) Bill 2010
So if you, or your organisation:
- Produce information for patients and the public about their health
- Want to keep up to date with new developments in this area, develop your skills and feel supported in your work
- Are passionate about the benefits of high quality health information
- Want to improve the information you produce
- Want to learn from other health information producers;
then the Patient Information Forum (PiF) is your organisation.
To find out more about what we offer, and who our other members are, go to the membership section.
What we mean by the term Consumer Health Information (CHI)
Consumer health information is any information for patients and the public, and broadly it encompasses:
- Information about health and wellbeing
- Information about conditions and treatment options
- Information about health services and how to use them
Consumer Health Information isn't just about leaflets and printed information. It can be about hospital signage, appointment letters, websites, online communities and SMS messaging, health promotion campaigns, informed consent, personal health records and patient education programmes.What good health information does is to engage people in their health, improve the patient experience and enable the individual and their families and carers to make choices about their health, treatment and the services they use.
Page last edited: 29 September 2011
