Related sites

The King's Fund

Health Issues Centre

Assessing the quality of consumer information project

The project assesses the quality of consumer information in the following six health conditions:

• stroke,
• chest pain,
• cholecystectomy,
• mastitis relating to breast feeding,
• pain relief in childbirth,
• menorrhagia with a focus on uterine fibroids.

The aim of the project was to assess the information in relation to its evidence-base, its usefulness and relevance to consumers and how it enables consumers to be active partners in decision-making.

The project produced guides about how to develop and assess quality consumer information which can be used by hospitals, clinicians and consumers.

This project is based on research undertaken at The King’s Fund (external site) in London.

During 1999/2000, a series of short guides were provided based on work done by the Health Issues Centre on effective ways for hospitals to provide information to consumers. The following guides are available in the publications section:

• Communicating with consumers, good practice guide to providing information

• Communicating with consumers series, Volume 1, Well-written health information guide