News > Sourcing health information

This patient leaflet from the NHS Enhanced Recovery Programme has been designed, tested and evaluated by patients for patients in order to give practical step by step advice to anyone prior, during and after surgery. It can be used alongside existing patient information to support key messages and encourage patients to take an active role in their preparation and recovery from surgery. The information in the leaflet is designed to reduce uncertainty and increase confidence.

More patients are choosing to dialyse at home. It is known to have significant clinical and psychological benefits for patients and is more cost effective for the NHS. In the majority of units it has often only been an option for patients who live with a carer. However, this is changing as an increasing number of renal units support solo dialysis for patients who live alone. This information sheet from NHS Kidney Care is aimed at patients and includes a case study from someone dialysing at home alone and the benefits of doing so which include having more time to spend with family and friends, on hobbies or work, having more energy and being in control of treatment and having a very positive sense of freedom.

Healthcare advice phone lines staffed by nurses can be a cost-effective method of addressing the self care needs of patients and prevent visits to A&E departments, according to a study led by the University of Alberta. The study followed up people who had sought advice from the Canadian LINK healthcare advice phone line. It found that seven out of eight followed the self-care advice they received, ranging from providing treatment at home to calling an ambulance. Callers were much more likely to engage in self-care if the nurse stressed the importance of following the professional advice they were being given and they agreed with the advice that had been provided.

The Knowledge Network in Scotland provides evidence, information, e-learning and community tools. It supports staff to find, share and use knowledge in day to day work and learning. One of the portals on the web site is Information Partnership which provides health and social care staff with quality assured information resources and training, to help them to share information with patients and the public. In particular PiF members may find the information literacy webiste of interest - it contains an information literacy cycle, real life examples that illustrate the stages or steps of the information literacy processes they are applied in a particular context, training courses and materials. There is also an Information literacy framework, which is a framework to support improved information use for staff and patients.

Over the past 6 months, Library Authorities in the West Midlands have worked with NHS West Midlands to develop a pilot about widening access to online health information. This forms part of a nationwide pilot to set up an information offer to encompass health, careers and job seeking, personal financial information and benefits advice. This has now come together in one pilot website: www.myhealthlibrary.co.uk. The team that developed the site are seeking feedback on it, so please support the West Midlands National Information Offer Team by promoting the site and encouraging and taking part in its evaluation.

Be Clear on Cancer is the forthcoming national campaign to promote earlier diagnosis of lung cancer The campaign is to raise public awareness of the symptoms of lung cancer and encourage people with persistent symptoms to go to see their GP. It will target people over the age of 55 years. The national campaign will be running from 8 May to 30 June. The national campaign will feature on national TV, press and radio and promoted through a wider range of channels.

The Healthy Books website is a collected list of books written for children, which deal with emotional, behavioural and health issues. The books listed on the site may be of interest to anyone working with children, particularly children with physical or emotional problems. The books are in alphabetical order by the surname of the author within each section and there is also an indication of the reading age level for each publication. Topics covered include death and loss, family relationships, addictive behaviours, fears and worries and a wide range of health conditions and disabilities. A very useful resource.

Patient Opinion is to receive government funding to become the official site for patient feedback on social care services. They will receive £160,000 over two years to become the first official site to accept patients' and carers' stories on social care services such as nursing homes, residential care homes for the mentally disabled and home care providers. It will base the new social care site "“ due to go live in the summer of 2013 - on its current model.

The Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) is developing a website that will help people to make choices about care. FindMeGoodCare.co.uk will cover all types of care and support for adults including regulated and unregulated services in England. It will provide links to specialist websites (including local services, specialist and independent financial advisers). The site will go live this summer and will provide information about services for all adults, not just older people. The site will guide people through comprehensive information about care options and choices such as the role of the local authority, paying for care and what constitutes good care.

Asthma patient booklets based on guidance from the British guideline on managing asthma are now available on the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN website). Also published are electronic versions of the Adult and Children's Stepwise Diagrams. The patient booklets explain the recommendations in the clinical guideline; and help to make patients aware of the tests and treatments they should expect to receive from the NHS. The booklets are a lay translation of the clinical guidelines. They are not intended to be general information leaflets.