What is an Information Prescription?
A Definition:
Cancerbackup (2007) describe Information Prescriptions as:
“A source of personalised information that lays out clearly and simply the salient points about an individual’s consultation with a healthcare professional about their diagnosis, treatment and/or care plan and points the way to other relevant sources of high-quality information and support. It is designed to improve the dialogue between patients and health professionals and enhance the valuable face-to-face time within consultations”.
http://www.cancerbackup.org.uk/News/Campaigns/Informationprescriptions
How can an Information Prescription help me?
Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNS’s) are the main people issuing information prescriptions (or IP's) at the moment. They are issuing them to patients who have been told that they have a diagnosis of cancer in the lung, head and neck or gynaecological clinical pathways.
On some of the clinical pathways Consultants are also getting involved and the information prescription is being used by both the Consultant and the CNS.
The patient owns the information prescription and keeps it as a record of their discussion and as a tool to direct them to further personalised information.
The first information prescription was issued at the beginning of July 2007 to a patient on the lung cancer pathway. Since then 1807 Information Prescriptions have been issued, and are continuing to be offered on a daily basis.
Information Prescription Case Studies
Whilst Information Prescriptions are still being developed there are stories of how Information Prescriptions have helped cancer patients and their carers.
These Case Studies tell some patients stories of how an Information Prescription has helped and supported them.
Click on the attachments below to read the Case Studies:
1. A Case Study from a Lady with a Gynaecological Cancer
2. A Case Study from a Gentleman with Lung Cancer