1. Explaining decisions
Informing the public
The role of HTA organisations in consumer
information
Ann Single
Communication & Public Involvement Consultant
singlehaworth@yahoo.com.au

2. Health Technology Board for
Scotland consumer information
Two roles
1. Ensure those with skills &
responsibility for patient
communication have access to
information from the best scientific
evidence
2. Ensure organisation’s processes are
open to public scrutiny.

3. Consumer information
strategy
Four elements
● A transparent ethical framework for
HTAs based on agreed values
● Involvement of patient groups, health
professional & public
● Consumer-friendly publications
● Established information networks

4. Ethical framework
Built on organisational values
● Core convictions & culture of an
organisation
● Characterise its policies, procedures
& processes
● Obvious in all interactions
ethical framework ● public involvement ● publications ● networks

5. Creation of values
interest groups
Board
staff
Next step: public
ethical framework ● public involvement ● publications ● networks

6. HTBS values
● Professionalism: We strive to achieve
excellence through individual & team
competencies by being conscientious,
accurate, & efficient
● Usefulness: We aim to provide real &
appreciable benefits for the health of the
Scottish people
ethical framework ● public involvement ● publications ● networks

7. HTBS values continued
● Interdependence: We build productive
relationships with immediate colleagues &
the wider community, proactively
considering the broader implications of our
work. We recognise the whole is greater
than the sum of all the parts
● Engagement: We promote dialogue &
provide opportunities to involve all
stakeholders (e.g. health service users,
health professionals, policy makers, &
manufacturers)
ethical framework ● public involvement ● publications ● networks

8. HTBS values continued
● Sensitivity: We are sensitive to &
respect the feelings, needs, opinions &
beliefs of individuals & organisations. We
respect & encourage diversity
● Learning: We encourage the sharing &
development of knowledge & experience
to enable the Scottish people to improve
the Nation’s health.
● Transparency: We communicate clearly
the rationale for our decisions & actions

9. HTBS public involvement
Began
● Scottish Executive: Patient focus
public involvement
● Need to understand social & ethical
consequences in an HTA
Became
● Essential for engagement & patient-
focused service redesign
ethical framework ● public involvement ● publications ● networks

10. Involvement from start to
finish
● Submission of topic
● Interpretation of evidence
 Consultation
 Topic specific group
● Communication of advice
 Comment on drafts
 Dissemination of information
● Feedback
ethical framework ● public involvement ● publications ● networks

11. Aim of publication
Understanding our advice
● For people who don’t have specialist
knowledge in the area
● Explain what advice means for people
using technology
● Show how advice was formed
● Explain what value judgments HTBS
applied to evidence (where it came from
& how it was used)
ethical framework ● public involvement ● publications ● networks

12. Understanding our advice
content
● Purpose of document
● Health technology (& side effects)
● Advice to health service
● How the HTBS Advice was formed
● Evidence used
● Sources of support
● Frequently used words
● HTBS
● Feedback
● Values

13. Using established networks
● Involved key patient groups at outset of
HTA
● Patient groups able to keep networks
informed of progress & feed in issues to
HTA
● Worked with key patient interest groups to
create & disseminate ‘Understanding our
Advice’
● Provided support & information for patient
interest group publications
ethical framework ● public involvement ● publications ● networks

14. Advising on consumer
information
● Research identified consumer
information needs & preferences
● Advice contained ‘Information needs’
ethical framework ● public involvement ● publications ● networks

15. What we achieved
● An information resource for non-experts
● Good relationships with patient &
consumer interest groups
● Promotion of evidence based information
● Foundations of a culture of openness
that enabled the organisation’s values, &
in turn recommendations, to be
understood &/or challenged by the
community it served.

16. What we learnt
Benefits of involving public
● Establishes links into key consumer information
providers quickly
● Focuses publication content & enhances clarity
● Builds good will & understanding
Benefits of separating roles
● Leaves patient information to the experts
● Focuses communication activities on
organisational priorities, eg greater
understanding of HTA

17. What we learnt
● Some organisations are highly skilled in
consumer/patient information
Unlikely to be an HTA organization
● An information hungry public may be
very supportive of any information
Regardless of quality, listen to your
critics, call on experts
● Manage expectations
Be clear about information aims &
involvement roles

18. Finally, we learnt
The more we engaged with consumers
the more we understood their
information needs
&
the more they understood their
treatment, the health service, HTAs,
us …