October is Health Literacy Month – a brilliant opportunity to explore what health literacy really means and how we can all play a part in improving it. Health literacy is about making sure everyone can understand health information, whether it’s spoken or written. When we use everyday words and clear writing, we help people make informed choices about their health.
Whether you’re just starting to think about health literacy or already leading the way, this month is the perfect time to get involved, share your work, and inspire others.
Why does health literacy matter?
- Half of UK adults find health information hard to understand.
- People with low health literacy are more likely to have long-term conditions, miss appointments, and struggle with medication.
- Clear communication helps reduce health inequalities and improves outcomes for everyone
Training and support
The regional health literacy team continues to offer popular online training sessions. Visit the Boost Learning Academy to book your place – new dates are available for:
Prefer something more hands-on or in person? The team is out and about across the region and can support you in a variety of ways:
- Deliver training sessions (online or face-to-face)
- Run writing workshops for teams working on documents
- Host drop-in sessions to chat about anything health literacy-related
- Set up information stands for staff
- Join your meetings or training sessions to talk about what we do
If you’ve got other ideas or needs, just ask – the team are here to help!
Useful resources
- The Language of Health video: See how complicated language affects patients and learn what you can do. Watch here.
- Watch your jargon: Use everyday words and explain medical terms. Check the A-Z of NHS health writing for preferred terms.
- NHS Content Guide: Find advice on clear writing, formatting, and word choices. Read the guide.
- Health literacy tips: Share practical tips with your team, such as using “teach back” to check understanding, breaking up phone numbers, and using headings that ask questions.
- Health Literacy Month toolkit: Access further information on how you can celebrate and share learning within your team, service or organisation.
Get in touch
If you would like more information about health literacy, or if you’d like to know more about our training, please email the Regional Health Literacy Team – [email protected]
You can also find more information and useful health literacy tools and resources on our webpage – Regional health literacy | North East and North Cumbria NHS
