The first week of July is the NHS Library service Health Information Week (1st – 7th July 2019). This is a national campaign aimed at promoting high quality information for patients and the public. The importance of the information is that it is of ‘high quality’. This can have a huge impact on how patients manage their own health conditions and maintain their health and wellbeing. It also helps them to manage illnesses effectively, giving them a better quality of life and patient care.
There are plenty of resources which make it quicker and easier for you to find the right information for your patient, and for yourself. Health Information Week 2019 is an opportunity for you to find out more about:
- Resources to support patients – from the Trust’s patient information leaflets, to high quality websites, to the Access to Research initiative in public libraries.
- Evaluating information resources and leaflets to decide whether they are reliable and relevant for patients – quality marks, useful resources, and questions to ask.
- Information resources to support your own health and well-being – the Library’s well-being collection, Change4Life, free internet resources to support resilience and mental health, and more.
Have you ever found you need more appropriate information resources? You might need something simpler, or something with more depth and detail, or answers to particular questions. How do you know you can trust a piece of health information? We’ve all come across bizarre and obviously untrue health claims on the internet or in the media, but sometimes it’s harder to spot poor quality health information.
Get involved!
- Follow @Healthinfoweek on Twitter for links to useful health information resources
- Tweet your favourite information tips and resources using #HIW2019
There is a 7-day schedule to guide online content, with each day focusing on a particular theme:
Monday 1st July: Healthy lifestyles – The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) ‘Go Home Healthy’ campaign is urging employers to ‘shine a light’ on health and do the right thing by protecting workers’ health. Everyone should go home healthy from work. #workright.
Tuesday 2nd July: Mental health and patient stories – Every year, one in four of us will experience a mental health problem. Access free health information and support in your library with #ReadingWell for mental health http://ow.ly/wZFF30eO6pY #HIW2019 @Healthinfoweek @readingagency
Wednesday 3rd July: Health and digital literacy – Find support in your local library during #HealthInformationWeek with expert endorsed #ReadingWell booklists@Healthinfoweek #HIW2019 @readingagency
Thursday 4th July: Long term conditions and social prescribing – Over 15m people live with a long term condition but spend just 3 hrs a year with their healthcare team. #ReadingWell for long term conditions provides support & info on self-management, available free in your local library: http://ow.ly/JHSB30msEo9 #HIW2019 @Healthinfoweek
Friday 5th July: Innovations for preventing illness – Find support in your local library during #HealthInformationWeek with expert endorsed #ReadingWell booklists@Healthinfoweek #HIW2019 @readingagency
Saturday 6th July: Patient stories – When Andy @gloslibs discovered #ReadingWell at the library, it was a “real breakthrough moment” in understanding his symptoms & getting a diagnosis. Find out more about the benefits of expert endorsed health information: http://ow.ly/lLlk30mBfrb @Healthinfoweek #HIW201
Sunday 7th July: Mindfulness and relaxation – Learn some stress management techniques.
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