Safe and reliable health information
On our website, you'll find information about a range of health conditions, treatments and procedures. These pages are designed to help you make informed decisions about your care, together with the conversations you'll have with your healthcare team. We call this health information.
How we create our health information
Every piece of health information follows strict safety and accuracy standards. It's written and checked by people, not generated by artificial intelligence (AI). Patients, families and carers are involved in improving our information, and you can get involved too.
We take great care to make sure what you read is accurate, up to date and easy to understand.
- Content is written by subject experts such as clinicians or specialists.
- Every resource is checked by trained editors in our health content team.
- We review every resource so you can be confident it’s based on the latest evidence and reflects current practice.
- We update or remove content that is no longer current.
This helps us provide information you can trust when making decisions about your health or supporting someone you care for.
The unique 4-digit number and review date at the end of our health information resources shows it's been through these steps. If a webpage is marked as under review it means it's in the process of being updated.
Look for our quality mark
The PIF TICK is an external quality mark that we include on our resources. It shows information is produced to the highest possible standard.
Accessible and inclusive information
We want everyone to be able to use our health information, including people who face barriers such as visual impairments, limited English or lack of internet access. This means:
- all web content meets accessibility standards
- language is clear and inclusive
- we remove jargon and avoid assumptions about age, gender, identity or background
- we work with people with different lived experiences to improve the relevance and tone of our content
- our pages are designed to print clearly for people who prefer or need information on paper
We're also working to improve access for people who speak languages other than English, including exploring safe translation tools with human checking.
Read more about our organisational commitment to accessibility.
How we use artificial intelligence (AI)
Every piece of health information is written, checked and approved by people with the right expertise. Health decisions need human expertise and empathy, which technology cannot replace.
When we might use AI
We use technology for supporting tasks such as improving search, analysing website performance or helping us understand how people use our pages.
If AI is used in creating content, we'll only use approved tools that have been subject to careful checks and strict data protection rules to make sure they are safe. Information will always be written by humans first, and AI results will always be subject to human oversight.
This means the information you read is safe, reliable and shaped by people who understand your care.
AI and internet search results
Google and other search engines have introduced AI overviews which summarise answers to questions. They appear at the top of your screen before the list of websites.
These summaries can be useful but can get things wrong. You should always ask your healthcare team, search our website, or visit the NHS website or other trusted organisations for health information.
How patients, families and carers are involved
Your experiences help us understand what information works well and where it can be improved.
We involve patients and the public at different stages of developing health information. This includes reviewing drafts, checking tone and clarity, testing new formats and helping us understand how information is used in real situations.
This involvement helps us create information that supports everyone, not just those who find health information easy to navigate.
Join our Volunteer Readers Group
If you’ve used our services or supported someone who has, your voice can make a real difference. If you join our Volunteer Readers Group, we'll send you draft content about conditions, treatment and care and ask for your comments. We'll contact you a few times a year. You can take part as much or as little as you like.
You might be a patient, family member, a carer or someone who wants to help make health information better. You do not need specialist knowledge. We'll guide you through what we need and how to give feedback.
Your feedback will help make our information accurate, clear and compassionate for everyone who uses our services.
What you’ll do
- Check emails from us about opportunities to review new resources. Choose to opt out or review the resource.
- Read draft webpages or leaflets before they are published.
- Tell us if the information is clear, accurate and easy to understand.
- Share your experience to help us improve tone and relevance.
- Highlight anything confusing, missing or hard to understand.
- Reply directly to us with your comments. We'll carefully consider what you tell us and improve the resource before publishing.
Benefits of joining
- Your comments shape the final information patients and families use at clinics, on wards and at home.
- Take part remotely by email, at times that work for you. No meetings required.
- Grow your skills in plain English and inclusive communication.
- We'll offer information from lots of different clinical specialties. If you have lived experience and would like to offer insight into a particular area, just let us know.
What we ask of members
To keep everyone safe and supported, volunteers agree to:
- be constructive and respectful in feedback, following instruction about what we need your views on
- let us know if you are unable to review a resource within the requested time window
Time commitment
This is flexible. We’ll invite you to review documents periodically across the year, and you can choose the opportunities that suit your time and interests. Reviews typically take 15 to 30 minutes depending on length and complexity.
Who can join
Patients, carers, family members and local residents are all welcome. No prior clinical knowledge needed. We’re especially keen to hear from people of all ages and backgrounds to ensure our information reflects our diverse communities. If you use assistive technologies or need materials in different formats, just let us know.
You do not need specialist skills. It's important we have a mix of experience and abilities to make sure our information is useful and easy to understand for everyone.
How to join
Email [email protected]
Please tell us you’d like to join the Volunteer Readers Group and any additional information that might be helpful.
Accessibility and reasonable adjustments
Tell us how you’d like to receive drafts (large print, plain text, Easy Read style guidance, or by post). We’ll make reasonable adjustments so you can take part comfortably.
Give feedback or ask a question
If you have comments about our health content or want to know more about how we create it, email [email protected] or use the feedback button at the bottom of our pages. We welcome feedback and use it to help make our information clearer and more useful for everyone.
Last updated: January 2026