News

Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust is taking action to make health information clearer and easier to understand for patients, families, and carers. 

Almost 4 in 10 people struggle to understand routine health information. When numbers are involved, this rises to more than half of the population in Herefordshire and Worcestershire.  

To address this, the Trust launched a health literacy project in 2025. The aim is to make information more accessible for people accessing its services. 

The project brings together staff and patient experience volunteers. So far, the Trust has trained 45 patient volunteers who help review content before it reaches patients. New resources and checklists have been developed to help staff create and review patient information with health literacy in mind. 

Some of the Trust’s most visited web pages have also been reviewed and simplified. In one example, improvements to its physiotherapy referral webpage (with 25,000 hits last year) reduced the reading age from 19.4 to 13 years. 

Kate Wood, Digital and Community Engagement Manager, and project lead at the Trust, said: “We know that health information can often feel overwhelming or confusing. This project is about listening to our communities and working together to make sure information is clear, inclusive, and genuinely useful.” 

“It’s not about information losing important clinical meaning, it's about it being easy to understand. Improving health literacy helps people feel more confident, involved and supported in their care.” 

Patient volunteers have played a central role in the project. In 2024, the Trust’s Community Engagement Panel completed an audit of patient letters, websites, and leaflets. They assessed if the information was written in a way that’s easy to understand. The review also focused on ensuring content had a compassionate, friendly, and reassuring tone, so patients feel supported and confident in their care. 

Their feedback helped shape improvements and get health literacy firmly on the agenda of the Trust.  

Barbara, a patient representative involved in the project, said: “Being involved has shown how small changes in language can make a big difference. When information is easier to understand, it feels less intimidating and more empowering. It helps people understand what they need to do before, during and after their care.” 

“It’s been positive to work alongside staff and know that patient voices are shaping real improvements.” 

The health literacy project is ongoing, with further training and activity planned over the coming months.  

For more information about the Trust, please visit: https://www.hacw.nhs.uk/