Health Literacy is about people being able to access, understand and act on health information and services. Watch The ‘What Is Health Literacy?’ Video Here
The Northern NSW Health Literacy Project is working on improving communication from health professionals and health services to ensure health information and services are easy to access, understand and act on.
Research tells us that by improving the way we communicate, we can help people to:
The pieces of the Health Literacy puzzle
- The places where health care is provided:
This includes making sure places are easy to find and get to, and that once you arrive it is clear where you need to go. - The people who provide health care:
This includes all staff at a health service, like doctors and nurses, allied health and even the people who greet you at the front desk. - Health information that makes sense:
This includes any written information, like brochures and fact sheets, posters, websites and letters.
Learn skills and strategies for health services and health professionals to communicate effectively, including:
- Writing Consumer Friendly Health Information
- Using Plain Language
- Using Teach-Back to confirm understanding
- Checking the health literacy of your organisation
- Plan and implement a Health Literacy Improvement Project
- Health Literacy for Accreditation and Professional Development