‘Help is at Hand’ on the web – what do our readers think?

Abstract

Aims and MethodTo describe the development of public education materials provided by the Royal College of Psychiatrists in the ‘Help is at Hand’ series of leaflets, and to assess the acceptability and usefulness of information about mental health on the College website by analysis of the online responses of those accessing this information.ResultsMore than 4000 responses to 14 of the ‘Help is at Hand’ leaflets were analysed. Ratings were generally high, with the exception of the statement ‘This leaflet talks down to me’. Free text responses were generally positive.Clinical ImplicationsThe College website is an accessible source of high-quality mental health information of the sort demanded by both service users and current health policy.

Back to basics – getting involved in public education

“…The College also wished to seek independence from the pharmaceutical companies which until then had sponsored the leaflets and covered printing costs (Timms et al, 2005).…”

Taking psychiatry to the public in the third world: Potential and pitfalls

“…The role of effective services, especially if they are delivered in a user-friendly manner, in taking psychiatry to the public, has been not adequately recognized, despite the evidence about its usefulness,67 although not everyone in clinical psychiatry services is keen to share information with patients 8. It has been found in the UK that most patients would like their psychiatrists to consider their preferences and want to be involved in decisions about their care 9.…”