Patient Information for the RHC website - SOP

Please follow this guidance when writing information for patients/parents/carers. The Clear to All page on the NHSGGC website has additional information.

Using the Health Literacy Editor (University of Sydney) as you write, or to check your final version, can help to reduce the use of jargon and suggest wording that is easier to understand. 

All new and updated patient information materials should be sent to ClearToAll@ggc.scot.nhs.uk  with a completed request form and a copy of your finished document.

• For new requests please complete: nhsggc_patient_info_planner_new_resources.pdf
• For amendments to existing leaflets please complete: https://www.nhsggc.org.uk/media/265167/nhsggc_patient_info_planner_review_resources.pdf

The Clear to All checklist requires authors to provide a readability score. An online Health Literacy Editor tool is available here through Sydney University which can aid with this (Health Literacy Editor — Sydney Health Literacy Lab)

The Clear to All Team will:

• Review the information provided and consider your request. We may ask for further information
• Quality assure the changes and the information to ensure it complies with NHSGGC’s Clear to All Policy and NHSGGC’s Patient and Public Health Information Policy and send you any comments.
• Once we agree the final text we can send this to Medical Illustration for formatting as a pdf for publication and printing.
• Medical Illustration will send you a proof copy for your approval

For more information please go to: Clear to All - NHSGGC

If your patient information is intended for use on RHC website, a copy the information should also be sent by email to the RHC Patient and Parent Team Channel. 

You do not have to wait until Clear to All have approved your submission before sending to the web team.

When the RHC web team receive a submission to the Teams channel we will notify the author and Clear to All team if existing information on this topic exists, along with the contact details of authors.

The web team will:

• Liaise with you to determine whether your information should be publicly accessible via searching or browsing the RHC website (example) OR only available via a direct link provided by you to the patient/family (example)
• Create a digital version of your leaflet for use on smart phone/tablet/computer
• Ensure easy distribution to patients/families by:
  • creating a scannable QR code   (example)
  • Adding a text message button to the page to allow a link to be texted to the end user (example)
  • Adding an email button [currently in development] to the page to allow a link to be emailed to the end user
  • create a shortened URL for the page to be used in printed materials such as appointment letters
• Add a link to the pdf of your information (where available) to allow easy printing
• Add links to pdf translations of your leaflet (where available, see below) to ensure compliance with Board accessibility standards
• A link to the patient information page and a copy of the shortened URL will be sent to the Authors
• Usage statistics for pages will be provided to the author and clinical lead if this is available.
• Should website information need to be moved or updated RHC team will provide updated QR codes to the affected departments.

When submitting information for uploading to RHC website and App authors agree:

• To provide a corresponding author email address and contact details for Departmental Clinical Lead. Both author and Clinical Lead will be contacted when information is due to expire.
• Authors will notify RHC website team if corresponding author or Clinical Lead changes to allow editorial information to be updated
• Authors and clinical leads agree to receive content management update emails
• Authors and clinical leads will be contacted if the website receives questions or feedback about patient information
• Authors and clinical leads agree to be contacted if another department has information on a similar topic
• To ensure out of date content is not displayed on the website, if content is not re-authorised in a timely fashion the page may be unpublished

RHC website team will ensure that author and clinical lead contact details are not available to the public.

• The English language version of the document needs to be formatted into a finalised pdf by Medical Illustration before translation can be organised.
• Please complete the translation request form: 332196_1_0 Requester Pro-forma for Translation_F.pdf and submit to the Clear to All inbox with a copy of the completed pdf supplied by Medical Illustration.
• The Equalities and Human Rights Team hold the budget for translation services so will need to approve the translation before it can proceed.
• Once approved, the Equalities and Human Rights Team will liaise with the translation company
• Finalised pdf translated versions will be returned to author and should then be sent to the RHC website team for uploading beside the English language version (example).

For help and support on writing patient information, see the section above on Writing for the Public for resources, or contact cleartoall@ggc.scot.nhs.uk 

For help and support on getting your information uploaded to the RHC website, or the RHC for Health Professionals website contact: seona.hamilton@ggc.scot.nhs.uk 

For help and support on translation and accessible formats contact the NHSGGC Equalities and Human Rights Team (0141 201 4560) or email: cleartoall@ggc.scot.nhs.uk).