Joint statement: Making the 3 NHS shifts a reality

A joint statement by the Patient Information Forum (PIF), Self-Care Forum and the Personalised Care Institute (PCI) says the 10-Year Plan risks failing without access to credible, personalised health information and advice. We found people are keen to take greater responsibility for their health but they consistently struggle to gain appropriate, personalised information and advice.

The statement calls for credible, personalised health information and advice to be embedded throughout the healthcare journey. It brings together research from all three organisations. Key themes which run throughout include:

1. In the UK, people are not being given information and advice which meets their needs. People with long term conditions are disproportionately affected.
2. Inappropriate information disempowers people. This makes them less able to self-care and self-manage, leaving them at greater risk from misinformation, results in poorer outcomes and increases health inequality.  
3. There is public demand for trusted, accessible and personalised information and advice.

Calls to action

1. Credible, personalised information should be embedded throughout the health and care system. Advice and information should be tailored to the individual’s needs and embedded within an interactive, personalised NHS App that signposts to specialist patient organisations.  
2. Ring-fenced funding should be provided within the NHS for training in personalising of information. NHS staff and leadership training is required to ensure information and advice is personalised, accessible and supports individual agency.
3. All NHS health and care information should conform to robust, mandatory content standards. A maximum reading age of 9-11 should be a requirement for all NHS health and care information. All external information sources should be PIF TICK certified, particularly when signposted by the NHS. 

The full statement, and a summary poster, can be downloaded below.