HIQA has today published National guidance on good communication in health and social care: using plain language to support high quality, safe, person-centred care in health and social care services. 

This guidance is designed to support health and social care staff to use plain language in all communication with people using services. Plain language helps ensure that everyone receives information in a way that is clear, accessible and easy to understand.

One in 5 adults in Ireland has a literacy difficulty,⁽¹⁾ and just over 1 in 4 have low health literacy, making it difficult to understand and act on health information.⁽²⁾ Additionally, the 2024 National Inpatient Experience Survey showed patients in Ireland experienced challenges with communication, particularly in relation to understanding a diagnosis and how to manage a condition after discharge. 

The purpose of the National guidance on good communication in health and social care: using plain language is to assist the implementation of national standards. The guidance was informed by extensive research and developed collaboratively with key stakeholders, including people using and delivering services and the National Adult Literacy Agency (NALA). 

The past 10 years have seen many developments in health and social care, including the expansion of digital healthcare services and an increasingly diverse population. In response to these changes, the National guidance on good communication in health and social care: using plain language includes material on health literacy, digital health literacy, and on supporting people who do not speak English as their first language. It also highlights a wide range of resources on effective communication, from free online courses on literacy awareness to comprehensive health literacy toolkits.

Commenting on the publication, HIQA’s Director of Health Information and Standards, Rachel Flynn, said:

“Anyone can have difficulty understanding health information, whether they are using a service for the first time, are feeling ill or anxious, or have additional communication needs. Using plain language helps people know what to expect from services, protects their human rights and ensures they can be fully involved in decisions about their own care and support. This guidance will help staff to communicate effectively with the people who use their services.”

The National guidance on good communication in health and social care: using plain language supports clear communication with adults, children and young people to ensure all people using services experience human rights-based care and support. It has the Plain English Mark from NALA, demonstrating that it meets international plain English guidelines. 

The guidance is available to download or to read in full on the HIQA Learning Hub at www.hiqa.ie/learning-hub. Additional tools, including examples of best practice, a self-assessment checklist and a plain language checklist, are also available on the HIQA Learning Hub, along with a range of materials designed to help staff implement national standards in practice.

Good communication is vital to providing high-quality, safe and efficient health and social care services. HIQA recommends that all health and social care staff use this guidance to support clear communication with the people using their services.

Ends

For further information please contact:

Caoimhe O’Connell
Communications Manager
087 639 5916
caoconnell@hiqa.ie

References

1. The 2023 OECD Adult Competencies Survey, conducted under the OECD Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC), assessed the literacy, numeracy, and adaptive problem-solving skills of adults aged 16-65 across 31 countries. December 2024. Available here: https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/survey-of-adult-skills-2023_3639d1e2-en/full-report.html
2. M-POHL - WHO Action Network on Measuring Population and Organizational Health Literacy. The International Report on the Methodology, Results, and Recommendations of the European Health Literacy Population Survey 2019-2021 (HLS19). Available here: https://m-pohl.net/Results

Notes to the editor: 

• This guidance supports the implementation of national standards developed by HIQA. National standards promote practice that is up to date, evidence based, effective and consistent and meets the needs of people using health and social care services. National guidance and tools support people working in a health or social care service to implement the standards into practice.
• National guidance on good communication in health and social care: using plain language updates and consolidates two guidance documents published in 2015:  
  • Guidance for providers of health and social care services: communicating in plain English
  • Guidance for providers of health and social care services for children: communicating in plain English with children and their families.
• The National Care Experience Programme, a partnership between HIQA, HSE and the Department of Health, asks people about their experience of care in order to improve the quality of health and social care services in Ireland. All acute public hospitals participate in the National Inpatient Experience Survey.
• The HIQA Learning Hub at www.hiqa.ie/learning-hub hosts free tools and resources to support the implementation of national standards and the development of good practice. The Learning Hub provides online learning courses, guides and videos for front-line staff, students and academics, as well as people using health and social care services.
• The NALA Plain English Mark is a logo that organisations can include in their documents to show that their materials meet international plain English guidelines. It is a quality assurance mark awarded following a review process by the National Adult Literacy Agency.