NHS reforms to “unleash an information revolution”

Ed Purkis — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 10:13:55 +0000

In his speech at the Conservative Party conference last week, Health Secretary Andrew Lansley promised to “unleash an information revolution”. Despite criticism from the British Medical Association and Unison regarding the lack of consultation with key stakeholders, Lansley also pledged not to delay the proposed NHS reforms. Whether you are for and against the planned changes, the matter of access to information – especially online – is a hot topic for many patients and patient groups (as discussed in detail at September’s MedComms Forum event). So what might Lansley’s concept of an ‘information revolution’ mean for the NHS and healthcare communications?

Foremost in Lansley’s mind here is the issue of competition. “Armed with the right information, patients themselves will drive up standards in the NHS as they vote with their feet for the services which are succeeding,” he said in his speech. This means reading other patients’ feedback and ratings of NHS services online before choosing to be treated at a specific hospital or clinic. Modernising the health service by enabling this social media function is likely to be welcomed by many, although the question of whether patients will become ‘consumers’ of health services is as controversial as the reform proposals themselves.

Managing health records online will also potentially be part of this “information revolution”. But there remains a question of how the NHS might endorse health information online to patients, for example about a rare condition or about managing treatment. NHS Choices is an important resource for many, but this will never be fully adequate for everyone’s needs, and there lies a wealth of information elsewhere online. Any true “information revolution” which will make a real difference to patients and the health service itself needs to recognise the resources that already exist.

This is unlikely to be instant as the notion of ‘unleashing’ suggests. But regardless of how revolutionary or instant this is, the role of two-way (or even three, four or five-way) healthcare communications is only going to become more pronounced.

2010 Communiqué awards: A reminder of the impact and potential healthcare comms can have

Angie — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 09:34:23 +0000

Never has the saying ‘perception is reality’ been more true for healthcare communications than it is today, particularly given the publication of the NHS White Paper and its focus on outcomes and choice for all. Everyone is a potential stakeholder and the stakes are high. Each year the Communiqué awards commend excellence and best practice and we are reminded how healthcare communications can meet these challenges and deliver real improvements in healthcare information dissemination, provision and choice.

This year Virgo HEALTH was delighted to win Excellence in Product Communications, as well as Excellence in Healthcare Communications using Media Relations (International), both for the launch of alli. And our third, entirely unexpected win, was Communications Consultancy of the Year.

However, like all agencies winning well deserved awards, we did not get where we are today by ourselves and thank those we have worked with, clients and supplier partners, particularly for their support and input. The spotlight on our industry (and all industries) is bigger and brighter than ever before. Most importantly, healthcare communications can make a real difference to enhancing the reputation of our industry, advocating informed choice and ultimately delivering real improvements in healthcare. All of those awarded by Communiqué in 2010, and many of those who were not, are doing just this.

Visit our new website www.virgohealth.com

Healthy Conversations » Andrew Lansley

NHS reforms to “unleash an information revolution”

2010 Communiqué awards: A reminder of the impact and potential healthcare comms can have