I agree with the previous comments. 

NHS Direct does have some problems- their quality control is so strict
that there are only a very few carefully checked websites they can
use/refer to. And the Patient UK site is easier to use.But they would
certainly be worth publicising, as they are the main part of the NHS
patient info provision.

If the library can only display one poster, the NHS Direct one would be
what I suggest. I've just done a quick check, and had the advice that if
you ring NHS Direct they can tell you about getting posters (they will
ask your date of birth, but they always have to do that!)

It would also give them a clear message that they are right not to stick
up posters on miscellaneous health websites- good that they checked with
you, tho.

Please let me know if you would like me to forward this message to the
discussion list for people involved in UK consumer health info (see
http://www.mailbase.org.uk/lists/con-healthinc/)

(additional and very cheeky question: can you find out if the public
library person can advise at all on how to contact public libraries re
free posters about services to consider? I'm not sure if there is some
network of senior ones or something. Its for the posters we do about the
translation service we provide so that people who can only speak/prefer
other languages can still talk to the helpline nurses (still free)).

Fiona

Fiona McLean
Library and Information Service Manager
CancerBACUP
3 Bath Place, Rivington Street
London EC2A 3JR

Tel 020 7920 7241 Fax 020 7696 9002 
Email: [log in to unmask]

Free UK helpline: 0808 800 1234 (English + translation service). 
Website: http://www.cancerbacup.org.uk/

-----Original Message-----
From: Roshanara Nair [mailto:[log in to unmask]] 
Sent: 08 September 2004 11:17
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Patient UK

Jackie,

On the Prodigy site, the Self-help Guides are in fact supplied by
Patient UK.  Would that be considered a recommendation? Perhaps you
could promote both?

Don't forget that NHS Direct Online has a huge (and increasing) amount
of information for patients on the Best Treatments website and it
answers questions like: "What treatments work? What is it? What are the
symptoms? How common is it? How is it diagnosed? What will happen?
Questions to ask."   I think this would be a very useful resource for
patients and carers and you can't go wrong with it. This is an official
NHS site.  I'm not sure if any posters are available for this service
but it might be well worth asking.  (In fact if you find out, please let
me know!) 

Roshanara

Roshanara Nair
Project Manager
Public Libraries Partnership Project
N W Health Care Libraries Unit
Warrington

Tel:  07979711982



-----Original Message-----
From: UK medical/ health care library community / information workers
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of S Greening
Sent: 08 September 2004 10:50
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Patient UK


JAckie,
Patient.co.uk is a very good site - the leaflets that they have on the
site cover a lot of the more common conditions - glue ear, things like
that and are written by GPs and of good quality and I link to them in
several places on EQUIP - www.equip.nhs.uk which is an NHS website of
quality-checked info for UK patients and carers - I evaluate websites
and only good quality ones are added to the site.  THe leaflets are
accredited by CHIQ (Centre for Health INfo Quality) which is a very high
recommendation and are validated by Prodigy too. The other aspect of
Patient UK is a list of links on various topics, but these, as far as I
can tell are not checked or evaluated websites, but merely a list of
useful websites. EQUIP is one of the few such portal sites that
evaluates all of its linked websites.  EQUIP also has over 1600 support
groups searchable in various ways and all of these support group contact
details are checked every 12 months - I write or email every
organisation myself, which I am not aware that Patient UK does. And,
sorry for more plugging of EQUIP, but while I'm here.. EQUIP has a huge
section on info in other languages, social care info incorporated
throughout, find your nearest.. (state registered/accredited
practitioner eg: chiropodist, counsellor, sexual health clinic etc) and
a portal for PALS and Library and Info staff - training, events,
networking, links to useful websites and documents etc. I could go on,
but had better not!
I hope this is useful.
Sarah

-----Original Message-----
From: Jackie Jacobs <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Date: Wed, 8 Sep 2004 09:05:17 +0100
Subject: Patient UK

I have been asked whether it would be appropriate to display in the
Public Library posters advertising Patient UK (www.patient.co.uk)

They don't normally display anything which is of a commercial nature and
this organisation appears to fall into that category. The information
provided is free and (according to the poster) impartial, but we are
concerned about the quality of the information provided and whether they
should be advertising an organisation such as this by displaying the
posters.

As NeLH offer the opportunity to view the Patient Information Leaflets
supplied by Prodigy, I am wondering whether the Public Library should in
fact be advertising this service rather than the one supplied by Patient
UK.

Before I get back to them I was wondering if anyone has come across this
organisation or knows whether the information they provide is of a good
quality.

Thanks for your help.


Jackie Jacobs
Knowledge Manager
[log in to unmask]



Sarah Greening
Patient Information Intelligence Officer
West Midlands Library Services Development Unit
Library Services Development Unit,
Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education
Birmingham Research Park
97 Vincent Drive
Birmingham
B15 2SQ
0121 414 7754
EQUIP - Quality Information for Patients
www.equip.nhs.uk