NHS 24 News

08 Apr 2024

‘It’s OK to Ask’ – encouraging patients in Scotland to ask questions about their health and care.

‘It’s OK to Ask’ – encouraging patients in Scotland to ask questions about their health and care.: ASSET 3, 16-9 NHS 24 IOTA - questions - social asset

In a bid to encourage open communication between patients and healthcare professionals, NHS Scotland is promoting the ‘It's OK to Ask’ campaign.

Aiming to empower patients to take an active role in their healthcare journey, ‘It’s OK to Ask’ provides guidance to on how to ask questions about treatment options which then allows patients to be more involved and informed on the choices available.

The campaign centres around four key questions that patients should consider asking during a consultation or conversation about their health and care:

  • What are the benefits of my treatment?
  • What are the risks of my treatment?
  • Any alternative treatments I can try?
  • What if I do nothing?

NHS 24 - Dr John McAnaw - Head of Pharmacy and Associate Clinical Director
Dr John McAnaw, Associate Clinical Director and Head of Pharmacy at NHS 24, explains how the campaign provides guidance for patients on how to communicate effectively with their healthcare team,

“Asking questions about your treatment options while in a healthcare setting can be overwhelming, intimidating, or even scary for some people to do.

“The 'It's OK to Ask' campaign emphasises the importance of asking questions to make sure you fully understand what is going on with your care, and to make sure you are happy with your treatment plan. Our colleagues throughout the NHS are open to being asked questions such as these, and they encourage you to ask them when having a chat about your treatment options.

“If you are at all unsure about any aspect of your treatment, remember ‘It’s OK to Ask’ to help you make an informed choice about what will work best for you.”

To learn more about the 'It's OK to Ask' campaign and access resources for patients and healthcare professionals, visit NHS inform: https://www.nhsinform.scot/its-ok-to-ask/.

Contact Information

Gillian Morrison
 Communications Manager - External
NHS 24
gillian.morrison@nhs24.scot.nhs.uk

 

About us

We are Scotland’s provider of digital and telephone-based health and care services. Our services include:

  • 111 – providing urgent care triage for anyone who thinks they need A&E, but it is not life or limb threatening, support for those in mental health distress and advice when their GP, pharmacy or dental practice is closed.
  • NHSinform.scot - Scotland's online health information service that offers quality assured health and care information including - Symptom checker, Scotland’s Service Directory and Mental health advice and resources.
  • Breathing Space a free and confidential phone and web chat service for anyone in Scotland over the age of 16 experiencing low mood, depression, or anxiety.
  • Care Information Scotland (CIS) a phone, webchat and website service providing information about care services for people living in Scotland.
  • Quit Your Way Scotland an advice and support service for anyone trying to stop smoking in Scotland.
  • Living Life a phone service that offers support to people in Scotland who are experiencing low mood, mild to moderate depression or symptoms of anxiety through cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).

NHS 24 Online app

Our app ‘NHS 24 Online’ provides people in Scotland an additional channel to find out more about their symptoms, how to safely self-manage illnesses and conditions, and when and where to see further medical advice if required. NHS 24 Online is free and can be downloaded on both iOS and Android devices. 

Social media

For more details on our services, including current campaigns and recruitment, have a look at our social media: Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn

Recruitment

For all applicants hoping to join the organisation, our careers section of our website provides key information including:

  • links to current vacancies
  • videos of staff discussing their roles
  • details of the recruitment process
  • benefits of working for NHS 24 and top tips for a successful application.

Accessibility

Work is continually ongoing to ensure our services are accessible.

You can access 111 in diverse ways:

  • Language Line - If English is not your first or preferred language, you can use the free interpretation service Language Line.
  • British Sign Language (BSL) - If you use BSL, you can use the free BSL interpreting video relay service Contact Scotland BSL.
  • Relay UK. - If you use a textphone you can contact NHS 24 on 18001 111. Or you can contact NHS 24 with the Relay UK app.

NHS inform provides health information online in 24 different languages, British Sign Language (BSL), Audio, Easy Read, and Large Print. For more information on this see: nhsinform.scot/translations/

Downloads

Powered by Onclusive PR Manager © 2024