A health resource providing essential information and advice to carers was one of the winners at this year’s BMA patient information awards ceremony.
Health Rights Information Scotland’s Caring and Consent publication about the rights of carers and those they care for won in the information for carers category, while the multilingual DVD and web-based resource How to use the Health Service in Scotland was highly commended in the electronic or web resources category. The patient information award forms part of the BMA’s annual medical book competition.
Speaking about the success of the resources, Liz Macdonald, HRIS Project Manager, said:
“We are delighted that Caring and Consent and How to use the Health Service in Scotland have been successful in this prestigious award.
“Patients and professionals have given us very positive feedback on both resources, but for them to be acknowledged in this way is national recognition of the hard work and dedication of everyone involved in their development.
“We hope that it will help to raise public awareness of the resources and encourage more people in Scotland to use them. They can both be accessed on our website at www.hris.org.uk.”
Consumer Focus Scotland believes that providing people with clear, accurate and up to date information about their health rights will empower them to use the NHS when they need to, and help them understand how the NHS works. The materials produced by HRIS play a crucial role in supporting people to access the information about health services they need, when they need it.
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Notes to editors
- The BMA patient information award is part of the BMA medical book competition. It was established in 1997 to recognise quality in written patient information leaflets and small booklets. Its aims are to encourage the production and dissemination of accessible, well-designed and clinically balanced materials which will enhance patients’ understanding of health issues and their ability to participate in decisions about their care. For more information about the award, visit the BMA website
- Health Rights Information Scotland (HRIS) was established in 2003. It is a project based within Consumer Focus Scotland and funded by the Scottish Government Health Directorates. HRIS produces nationally relevant information about patients’ health rights and about the health services that are available from the NHS. The information it produces is made available to NHS organisations across Scotland. Caring and Consent and How to use the Health Service in Scotland are both available to download from the HRIS website.
- Consumer Focus Scotland is rooted in over 30 years of work promoting the interests of consumers, particularly those who experience disadvantage in society. We work for consumers in all aspects of their lives: as tenants, householders, patients, parents, solicitors’ clients, postal service users, energy consumers and shoppers.
Media contact
For more information please contact Ryan Norton, Communications Manager, on 0141 227 1852 or ryan.norton@consumerfocus.org.uk