PIER showcases good practice to NHS delegation

A group of senior delegates from the NHS Health Literacy Collaborative Group visited the Haywood Hospital in late February to look at the Patient Information and Resource Centre, (PIER) and see what effect its presence has had on the health literacy of patients and carers using the hospital.

NHS delegation photo
Mike Oliver, third right and June Brammar, fourth from left, with NHS Health Literacy Collaborative Group members and PIER volunteers. [click for full size photo]

Based within the outpatients’ area of the Haywood Hospital, the PIER, which opened in October 2015, provides patients, their families and carers with access to information on arthritis and related conditions. Visitors have access to a range of printed and online material in modern comfortable surroundings.

The group had a presentation on the PIER by June Brammar, project manager rheumatology, and had a chance to see the PIER and meet some of the 22 volunteers who help to run the centre.

June Brammar commented: “The visit was a great opportunity to showcase the PIER and the fantastic team of volunteers that bring it to life. The majority of the volunteers are former or current patients so they really have a grasp of what information and sign posting patients and carers are looking for.”

The visit was coordinated by Mike Oliver, the project manager for health literacy in Stoke-on-Trent’s Public Health team.