Shared Decision Making

Shared decision-making is not a new concept, but it is a rapidly developing area of healthcare and one which is gaining in importance and impact. 

The recent White Paper ‘Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS’ published in July 2010 states 'We will put patients at the heart of the NHS, through an information revolution and greater choice and control: Shared decision-making will become the norm: no decision about me without me.' The Government goes further in the White paper, saying 'Patients will have access to the information they want, to make choices about their care.' It is now acknowledged that the provision of high quality, evidence based information is a foundation of shared decision making and without it, choice and genuine partnership between the individual and their health professional is not possible.

What is shared decision making?

Angela Coulter and Alf Collins in their recent Kings Fund report, 'Making Shared-Decision Making a Reality' define shared decision making as;

'a process in which clinicians and patients work together to select tests, treatments, management or support packages, based on clinical evidence and the patient’s informed preferences. It involves the provision of evidence-based information about options, outcomes and uncertainties, together with decision support counselling and a system for recording and implementing patients’ informed preferences.'

In today's health service there is an expectation that clinicians will work together with their patients to help them make choices about treatments, lifestyle, surgery and diagnostic tests. Patients and the pubic want to be involved more than they have ever been, and there is a strong desire for information and support to make decisions about their health and wellbeing. Coutler and Collins  make the point that there is also 'compelling evidence that patients who are active participants in managing their health and health care have better outcomes than patients who are passive recipients of care.'

The information, resources and research articles on these pages give an introduction to shared-decision making, it's benefits and the challenges of implementing it. There is also a page devoted to decision aids.

If you have further resources that you would like to see added to this page, or suggestions for additional content, please contact admin@pifonline.org.uk.

Page last edited: 28 September 2011