Membership benefits and services
"I have always found being a member of PiF very useful, it saves a lot of time by having news on information in one place and it is always nice to get the emails from other members who have info to share or who are looking for info"
Moira Wilkinson - Patient Information Co-ordinator, Kettering General Hospital
As a member of PiF, a range of benefits and services are available to you. Below you can find out more and hear from PiF members who use these services.
PiF weekly e-newsletter [PiF Aware]
PiF produces a weekly email newsletter, mailed out every Friday. In it you will find the latest news on consumer health information, including policy, research, new resources, events and member offers. The newsletter also keeps you up to date with what is going on in PiF and highlights opportunities for you to get involved. Job vacancies in consumer health information are advertised through the newsletter, as are services and products that members may find useful. PiF members can also advertise their resources and services.
The newsletter is the benefit that members value most, becuase it saves them valuable time and effort, bringing together what they need to know in an accessible and concise way. This is what members say about it:
"Most weeks I find something in the weekly PiF Aware newsletter I hadn't spotted elsewhere - its a very useful update from a broad range of health information sources"
Theo Raynor, Professor of Pharmacy Practice, University of Leeds and Executive Chairman, LUTO Research Ltd
"The updates are really helpful and I love the website links."
Linda Briant, Stroke Co-ordinator, NHS Modernisation Initiative
"They are absolutely fab, and often notify me of initiatives/ issues that I may otherwise have missed (even though I subscribe to several listings and am pretty plugged into national initiatives, and scour the press daily)!"
Sandie Nicholson, Knowledge Management Co-ordinator, Public Health Information & Resources
"I am very impressed with [PiF Aware] - it is an extremely well designed e-newsletter. It is good because it gives headlines first, then more information and is therefore very easy to scan quickly. It compares favourably with most email lists I belong to because you don't have to scroll down heaps of irrelevant information you have read before. Excellent communications from a communications network!"
Professor Sally Wyke, Director, Alliance for Self-Care Research
PiF has an editorial policy for the PiF aware newsletter. To see a copy click here.
PiF Query service
If you want help with a new project or want to know how other people have dealt with an issue or problem then PiF Query is a service for you. You can ask PiF members for their help on any subject or issue. Members can request a PiF Query email to be sent out to PiF members directly, and the responses from fellow PiF members can often save valuable time and money.
"The [PiF query] service has been soooooo good."
Aisling Kearney, Information Resources Manager, Parkinson's Disease Society of Great Britain
"Thanks for all your help with this work. The PiF network has been fantastic."
Independent researcher
PiF website
The PiF website contains information about a wide range of subjects relevant to consumer health information, from user involvement through to evaluating information and health literacy. There are many key resources, research articles, tools and practical guides listed according to topic. There are also featured articles and news items. The website is also the place to keep up to date with PiF benefits, services and events and to make contact with your PiF regional/country co-ordinator.
"I’ve always found the PiF website very helpful"
Margot Buchanan, Information Prescriptions Project Manager, Cancerbackup
"What an excellent website!"
Head of Marketing and Communications, NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement
"Without the PiF Tips and Tools I could not have completed my Patient Information Folder with credibility. The work of your organisation is wonderfully valuable - congratulations!”
Lynette Brown, Healthcare Quality Practitioner
Executive Circle events
PiF Supporter and Partner members recieve invitations to high level executive circle meetings for senior members of their staff. These meetings focus on a specific topic area, such as key health policy areas, shared decision making or access to health records, and have a high profile speaker, such as a leader in their field, a minister or senior health department member of staff. Invites may also be extended to organisations with an interest or expertise in the subject area. The meetings are cross sector and informal, which allows for wide ranging and frank discussion and debate. If you are interested in finding out more about partner or supporter membership, please contact Mark Duman at chair@pifonline.org.uk.
Education events
"Talking to those in a similar role to myself was very helpful and supportive. Thank you once again for providing the opportunity to meet."
Health Information & Resource Centre Manager
PiF holds regular workshops and networking events for members and non-members. These give you opportunities to learn about new topic areas, develop skills, network with your peers and share experiences. PiF members will always benefit from a discounted rate to attend events. Many regional events are free to attend and some workshops have free bursary places for PiF members.
PiF members also benefit from reduced delegate rates on some non-PiF events and conferences.
“Reading the [workshop] summary document has reminded me again of the excellent day I had seeing everyone and sharing views. Talking to those in a similar role to myself was very helpful and supportive. Thank you once again for providing the opportunity to meet.”
Health Information & Resource Centre Manager
Annual conference
PiF holds an annual conference for members and non-members. It is a chance for delegates to learn about new initiatives, hear from experts and meet other consumer health information specialists. There are presentations and masterclasses, post conference networking drinks and a chance to meet a range of organisations in the field of consumer health information during exhibition time.
"I found attending the PiF conference interesting, productive and enlightening. Thank you. I have already found ideas, case studies, and sharing from this event of benefit, and anticipate this will be further developed over the coming weeks and months."
Alison Scott, postgraduate student
“I recently attended the PiF Conference and really enjoyed the meeting - I came away with lots of ideas of projects I would like to implement in my company, so thank you and your team for organising such a good conference.”
JHW, pharmaceutical company
“Great conference – well done! A real achievement! I really enjoyed it and met people that I’ve wanted to meet for ages.”
Dr Paul Hodgkin, GP and Chief Executive, Patient Opinion
Discounts on publications and events
Testing Treatments:Better Research for Better Healthcare (second edition) Published 18 October 2011
Imogen Evans, Hazel Thornton, Iain Chalmers and Paul Glasziou
How do we know whether a particular treatment really works? How reliable is the evidence? And how do we ensure that research into medical treatments best meets the needs of patients? These are just a few of the questions addressed in a lively and informative way in Testing Treatments. Easily navigated and brimming with vivid examples, Testing Treatments will inspire both patients and professionals.
PiF members can receive a 30% discount on this publication,
and free shipping to UK addresses. In order to make a purchase visit http://www.pinterandmartin.com and use the promotion code PIF30 at the checkout when placing your order.
Healthcare Communication
Healthcare Communication is an interactive guide to establishing professional, practical and rewarding relationships which will support therapy and enhance patient health, safety and morale. An important part of a healthcare professional's job is to communicate successfully with their patients. This guide offers a challenging vision for excellent healthcare delivery.
PiF members can receive a 15% discount on this publication, and free shipping to UK addresses. In order to make a purchase visit www.pharmpress.com/9780853697497 and use the promotion code 4QF.
Health Expectations
Health Expectations is a quarterly journal which publishes original research, and reviews articles and critical commentaries. It includes papers which clarify concepts, develop theories, and critically analyse and evaluate specific policies and practices about all aspects of public participation in health care and health policy.
PiF members can purchase this journal for the discounted price of £78.00. Please click on the following link http://wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/hex and click on Subscribe/Renew on the left hand side menu. Once on this page you will find the PIF rate listed. Click on the price relevant to you to obtain the subscription form and make your purchase.
Journal of Health Communication: International Perspectives
The Journal of Health Communication: International Perspectives covers the full breadth of the communication of health information globally. Articles feature research on developments in the field of health communication, new media, m-health and interactive health communication, health literacy, shared decision making and ethics and public Health campaigns.
PiF members can purchase this journal for the discounted price of £30.00. Please click on the following link www.tandf.co.uk/journals/offer/uhcm-so1.asp for further information and to make a purchase.
Binley’s NHS Guide. New edition available to pre-order.
Binley's NHS Guide is widely used by the NHS, the pharmaceutical industry, healthcare interest groups and commercial organisations working with the NHS, for staff induction or as an NHS refresher tool. It offers impartial and expert coverage of the latest NHS plans, people, budgets and structure.
www.binleys.com/Special/product.asp?catID=5&ItemID=388
Binley’s Health & Social Care Year Book. Due to be re-published in Oct/Nov 2010, but the current edition can be ordered now.
The Health & Social Care Yearbook allows those working in, or with, today’s national healthcare organisations, to keep up-to-date with key contacts working in the NHS, private healthcare, local government and social care provision in the UK.
www.binleys.com/Special/product.asp?catID=5&ItemID=389
Please view the private web pages above that have been set up just for PiF members. These detail the discounts for both publications (see ‘buy’ section) and enable you to purchase directly online. You can also purchase offline by calling the Binleys Reference Sales Team on 01268 495600, quoting ‘PIF’ to secure your discount.
Journal of Communication in Healthcare. PIF members receive a 15% discount on the Journal's standard subscription rates. If you are from a non-profit organisation you are also eligible for a non-profit/public sector rate which provides a further 20% discount. PIF members should quote the code 'EV', when subscribing the additional 15% discount will be applied to your order.
http://www.henrystewart.com/jch.aspx
Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) Health & Medical Group
The CIPR Health and Medical Group aims to unite PR professionals from all areas of the health sector and medical, health and medical science communicators outside the health services. PR in this sector is particularly wide ranging, covering the NHS both primary, secondary and tertiary care, private healthcare, health insurance, the pharmaceutical industry, PR agencies including those that specialise in healthcare, patient groups, government, health charities and medical research organisations, and a range of other companies and individuals all dedicated to improving the health of the population.
The CIPR Health and Medical Group is one of several organisations in this field. However, the H&MG is unique in offering a forum bringing together the different sectors of the healthcare industry and many others to meet, discuss, and learn from each other about the issues facing healthcare PROs today.
We hold about 3 or 4 events a year with a high profile speaker or on a topical issue within healthcare communications. Events are open to Group members and non-members. PiF members will receive a discount on all CIPR H&M Group events. Contact Justin Wilkes at justin@spinkhealth.com for further details.
SelfCare. This is a new independent, international academic journal for healthcare professionals concerned with consumer-led healthcare. SelfCare seeks to encourage state-of-the-art research and foster discussion on the present practice and future direction of self-care, including its impact on public health policy. With a global audience, SelfCare will compare and contrast the regulation, practice and experience of self-care between different health care systems worldwide.
SelfCare will publish high-quality peer-reviewed original research, and review and opinion articles on all aspects of self-care. This content will provide an educational resource to the multi-disciplinary community of healthcare professionals that facilitate consumer self-care.
The SelfCare editorial team is made up of individuals with extensive self-care knowledge and experience from a broad range of disciplines. With international representation, this body is dedicated to creating a global-evidence base for all aspects of self care.
Go to www.selfcarejournal.com to view papers and find out more about the journal. If you wish to subscribe quote T06sp1011 when ordering and your order will be recalculated with a PiF member discount of 10%.
Opportunities to work with PiF
If you have an organisational, supporter or partner membership then you have the opportunity to work iwth PiF on specific projects around health information, sponsor events and the PiF conference. You will also receive invitations to one-off events that fit in with your work or priorities. Supporter and Partner members have the opportunity to hold one bespoke workshop or roundtable each year with PiF members (any costs are additional to membership fee).
Page last edited: 01 December 2011
