How Integrated Patient Information can help
Dumas Ltd - author of Integrated Patient Information - has a long track record of producing specialist health information and communications.

Our information covers operations/procedures, medical conditions and complementary treatments - written to our unique template designed to communicate with non-medical laypersons.

We produce accurate, relevant and accessible information that is:

• low cost
• low maintenance
• CNST compliant (to level 3 on advice and consent)
• CNORIS compliant (levels 1 to 3 on risks and benefits of treatment)
• evidence-based.

Our information is multi-layered, allowing you to choose the elements that suit your priorities and budget.

• Printed patient information leaflets.
• Electronic patient information leaflets (PDF).
• Touchscreen kiosks.
• Patientline.
• CD-ROMs.
• Intranet.
• Internet.
  
  

Integrated Patient Information provides a coherent approach to ALL your information needs

Our information meets the needs of the new NHS - as defined by the Department of Health, the Bristol Inquiry and the Clinical Negligence Scheme for Trusts:

Achieving the Department of Health guidelines on obtaining informed consent
(Excerpts in inverted commas are from the Reference Guide to Consent for Examination or Treatment.)

"To give valid consent the patient must understand, in broad terms, the nature and purpose of the procedure. Any misrepresentation will invalidate consent. Where relevant, information about anaesthesia should be given as well as information about the procedure itself."

• Our information has been created to assist with obtaining informed consent.
• It is comprehensible, dealing explicitly with the condition, possible treatments/investigations, risks and benefits (including that of doing nothing), likely additional procedures and what will happen.
• It fully explains anaesthesia as a procedure where applicable.

"In considering what information to provide, the health professional should try to ensure that the patient is able to make a balanced judgement on whether to give or withhold consent."

• Our information is unbiased and evidenced-based.
• It discusses all the significant risks of the operation and anaesthesia.
• It is written in bite-sized chunks, allowing patients to personalise their use of it, and healthcare professionals to direct them to specific areas.

Achieving informed consent
(Excerpts are in inverted commas)

CNST Clinical Risk Management Standards states:
"Appropriate information is provided to patients on the risks and benefits of the proposed treatment or investigation, and the alternatives available, before a signature on a consent form is sought."

and

CNORIS Risk Management Standards states:
"There is patient information available through a structured and regulated framework showing the risks and benefits of the most common treatments."

• Our information explicitly deals with the risks and benefits of individual treatments.
• It discusses the alternatives available (including no treatment) with their associated risks and benefits.

CNST Clinical Risk Management Standards also states:
"There is a clear mechanism for patients to obtain additional information about their condition."

• The various delivery methods (printed leaflet, kiosk, Internet) are part of an integrated whole, so a patient can find greater detail when they need it.
• Our information gives details of support groups, royal colleges, etc where patients can obtain more information.

Achieving the recommendations of the Bristol Inquiry
(Excerpts in inverted commas are from the Bristol Inquiry Report)

"Information should be tailored to the needs, circumstances and wishes of the individual."

• Our information is in increasing levels of complexity giving users control over the detail of information they read.
• It is relevant and tailored for the real world.
• It is available in any language, large type, Braille or audio.

"Information should be based on the current available evidence and include a summary of the evidence and data, in a form which is comprehensible to patients."

• Our information is simple, but not simplistic.
• It is drawn from recognised sources (Cochrane, DARE, Coin, etc).
• It is created and reviewed by specialist NHS doctors.
• It is evidence-based and reflects best practice.

"Various modes of conveying information, whether leaflets, tapes, videos or CDs, should be regularly updated, developed and piloted with the help of patients."

• Our information is available through a variety of delivery methods (e.g. print, CD-ROM, Internet, touchscreen kiosk).
• It is produced with patient involvement.

Completing the Department of Health Good Practice in Consent Implementing Guide

Integrated Patient Information will allow you to complete section 4 (provision of information) of The Model Consent Policy within the Department of Health Good Practice in Consent Implementation Guide. Details need to be entered in the available sections for:

• sources of patient information
• information in different languages
• access to specialist information.

For more information on how Integrated Patient Information exceeds these regulations, please contact our sales team via sales@ipinfo.co.uk or call 020 8530 7589.

Information quality