photos: Chris Schmidt; Carl Dwyer

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Section 2.1 First steps: Introduction

The pilot project has demonstrated that information prescriptions are a good idea that really does help to improve the quality of life for patients and carers.

This section of the resource looks at how to get started with the process of establishing IPs in your organisation or partnership.

• The section begins with some 'hot tips' and then a general introduction to how you might make the case for information prescriptions, with forms and diagrams that may help you get the rationale clear in your mind before you present it to others.
• Then we look at at some different 'ways in' to setting up information prescribing in your organisation or partnership: possible models, which the pilot sites developed, and three questions that the pilots found were important questions to keep in mind:
  • what do our users want?
  • what can our staff manage?
  • and what information do we currently have or could get?.
• Then we look at general principles of engaging people in the process.
• Finally we include a page on project planning.

'The information given in the folder was really useful. Usually when attending a clinic you are given information verbally, by the time you get home you have forgotten what was said ...' – service user

'The carer was grateful because she will be monitoring [her mother] for changes that may indicate [memory impairment] progression.' — consultant psychiatrist

On the next page First steps: hot tips