MRSA Action UK has been certified as a provider of safe, reliable, high quality health and social care information

Friday, 20 January 2012 8:41 AM

MRSA Action UK has been certified as a provider of high quality health and social care information by The Information Standard scheme.

MRSA Action UK met the scheme criteria of producing safe and reliable health and social care information. The organisation has consequently been awarded The Information Standard quality mark, which it can display on its literature and website illustrating to the public that its information can be trusted.

According to a survey carried out by The Information Standard[1], the majority of the general public (72%) believe that they would be better able to manage their own and their family’s health if they had quick and easy access to health information they could trust. The Information Standard, which is supported by the Department of Health, was launched to provide this kind of assurance.

Angela Coulter PhD, Hon FFPH, Hon FRCGP, an independent healthcare analyst who advises on the scheme, commented: “Organisations that become certified members of the scheme, and therefore display The Information Standard quality mark on their health information or social care materials, have proven that they adhere to the very highest standards of information production. The public can feel confident that if they see The Information Standard quality mark on health and social care websites or leaflets then the information can be trusted and relied upon.”

Derek Butler, Chair of MRSA Action UK, said of its certification: “As one of the first patient charities representing those affected by avoidable healthcare infections, we recognise how important it is to be able to access reliable information about healthcare associated infections and what is being done to help people who are affected. This is a significant achievement for our organisation, as we have no paid staff. We support those who need help as volunteers, having been affected by avoidable healthcare infections ourselves.”

“I would like to take the opportunity to thank those who helped us achieve this accreditation, including the staff who work in infection prevention and control who gave up their time to help with their knowledge and expertise in reviewing our information”

“To achieve the Department of Health’s Information Standard, we have worked with the public, medical staff and infection control specialists in the NHS and members of our organisation to ensure we attain the highest levels of professionalism and standards in our efforts to educate, inform and to give factual, reliable, impartial, informative, well-resourced and referenced information. Equally important, is that it is easily understood by whoever is seeking help, such as those who come to us for the facts around avoidable healthcare infections. We have always believed that the fight against avoidable healthcare infections is a partnership effort, involving all those that come into contact with the NHS including the public, patients and their families, healthcare staff, Government and the media.”

Any organisation that produces health and social care information can apply to become a certified member of the scheme.
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Notes to Editor

The Information Standard is a certification scheme for health and social care information. It is an independent scheme supported by the Department of Health. Any organisation that produces health and social care information can apply to join the scheme. If an organisation successfully meets the quality criteria of the standard and becomes certified, it can place the quality mark on its materials. The quality mark is a quick and easy way for the public to identify reliable and trustworthy sources of information. The scheme’s certified members are a mix of national charities, NHS organisations, voluntary, statutory and commercial organisations. The scheme is growing as organisations are in the process of gaining certification.

For further information please go to www.theinformationstandard.org

Picture of The Information Standard to accompany media outreach:

Media enquiries for MRSA Action UK
Derek Butler
Direct line: 07762 741114
Email: derek.butler@mrsaactionuk.net

Contacting the press office for The Information Standard


Natasha Rydlewski

Direct line: 0207 654 2137
General press office line: 0207 654 2399
Email: natasha.rydlewski@capita.co.uk

Or

Kindra Hyttner

Direct line: 020 7610 0154
General press office line: 0207 654 2399
Email: kindra.hyttner@capita.co.uk

[1] Results taken from a survey, conducted on behalf of The Information Standard scheme of 2100 people in England in November 2010.

Tags:
• department of health
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• health
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• hospitals
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• mrsa
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• nhs