Four health content creators have become the first people to gain the Individual PIF TICK.
Doctor Azmain Chowdhury, Doctor Sophie Newton GP, Doctor Liz O'Riordan and Pharmacist Virginia Chachati have taken part in a pilot scheme over the past six months.
They have now become Trusted Information Creators and can start using the PIF TICK logo on the content they produce.
PIF TICK manager Dan Will said: “There is more demand for high-quality health information in different formats than ever before. People access health information differently than in the past.
“We need to make sure that no matter where people go for health information they can find trusted information or at least a way to recognise what is trusted and tested.
“It’s great to see organisations like YouTube promote content which meets guidelines like those published by the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges (AoMRC). But creators wanted an external body to support them and assess their content to ensure it is accessible, evidence-based, and will have a positive impact."
What is the Individual PIF TICK?
The Individual PIF TICK will officially launch with a webinar on 20 March. Just like with the main PIF TICK, individual members will have to show they meet 10 key criteria for producing trusted information.
However, the criteria have been adjusted to reflect the production processes of individual creators.
The Individual PIF TICK allows health content creators to:
- Be part of the solution to health misinformation
- Gain a quality mark that shows people they can trust their health information
- Get expert support from a community of health information creators
- Feel confident they are producing accessible and evidence-based health information
Virginia Chachati, who posts content as Pharmacist Virginia, said: “It's so helpful to go back and see my process documented and see what worked. I can then actually repeat that process again for more videos in future which means I can have even more impact.”
Tackling misinformation
Doctor Azmain Chowdhury said he wanted to tackle misinformation and make sure his content was accessible to as many people as possible.
He found the Individual PIF TICK process helped to make sure he was not missing out important steps in his content creation.
“I am adamant that I want to be a high quality evidence-based creator,” he said. “I think the PIF TICK pilot has really helped consolidate the way that I make content.”
"There's just so much misinformation out there. I think this scheme really encompasses the fact that we're coming together as a community of health creators and championing high standards for the content that we make.”
Easing pressures on NHS staff
Doctor Sophie Newton is a GP and said more signposting to trusted health information can help relieve pressure on frontline staff and empower patients to take part in shared-decision making.
She cited an example of one day where her surgery had 500 patient contacts making it impossible to give everyone a face-to-face appointment.
“The point is not everybody needs it,” she said. “So by creating health information videos I'm very efficient and I can manage people appropriately. It means I have got appointments available for the people who do need that consultation and do need to come down and be seen.
"Absolutely I want the patients to be empowered to have better engagement but also it is absolutely about the wellbeing of staff. As a frontline GP myself I know there are absolutely crazy pressures. I really feel like this is a great solution that I want more GPs to find out about and get on board with."
Find out more
The Individual PIF TICK will fully launch on 20 March. Sign up for the launch webinar here.