Below is a summary of key resources that can support implementation of shared decision making (SDM).

Supportive system

• Shared decision making summary guide
• National Institute for Health and Care Excellence – decision support resources
• National Institute for Health and Care Excellence – guideline on shared decision making and support tools standards framework to help clinicians improve conversations with patients and carers and the use of aids and tools to help people understand and fully engage with shared decision making. Keele University has developed a learning resource to help staff to implement the recommendations.
• A suite of decision support tools have been co-produced with clinicians and people to support shared decision making in health and care settings.  These tools offer significant benefits to clinicians and people in consultation.
• GP Patient Survey, item 29: the GP Patient Survey assesses patients’ experience of healthcare services provided by GP practices and experience of NHS dental services.
• CollaboRATE: a patient reported measure with three brief questions completed after a consultation.
• Shared decision making Q-9 / shared decision making-Q-DOC: a nine item questionnaire completed by the individual and health care professional following a consultation.

Trained teams

• Systematic review: improving communication between clinicians and patients in the NHS.
• Skills for Health, Skills for Care and Health Education England: e-learning introduction to person centred approaches.
• Association of Medical Royal Colleges and University of Cambridge risk communication toolkit: e-learning course designed for health care professionals to help them develop skills for communicating effectively about the potential harms and benefits of treatment options.
• The Personalised Care Institute: Shared decision making module and a learning video on Teachback consultations, which is an evidence-based technique that helps clinicians to ensure people understand information they have been provided with and can make use of it.
• e-learning for health (e-lfh): introductory module on shared decision making and health literacy.
• Risk communication techniques
• Shared decision making MAGIC programme vignettes: key skills chunks, pitfalls chunks, full-length clips
• Training materials on shared decision making and consent
• Communicating evidence to patients: two hour open access e-learning module.

Prepared patients and public

• Ask 3 questions: resources to help increase individuals’ awareness of shared decision making; increase their expectations for a shared decision making consultation; and provide them with a way of taking part in shared decision making.
• BRAN: Choosing Wisely UK and Association of Medical Royal Colleges campaign to encourage individuals to ask four questions of the doctor or nurse to make better decisions together.
• It’s OK to ask is a local campaign aimed at reminding patients that it is ok to ask if they are unsure about advice they are given about their health.
• Health A-Z: guides on conditions, symptoms and treatments, including what to do and when to get help.

Specific health literacy resources

• Health literacy toolkit: ensuring individuals and communities can access, understand, appraise and use information and services to make decisions about health is key to health literacy. Improving people’s health literacy will enhance their ability to self-manage their health.
• Health literacy matters: The Patient Information Forum has created a one-page infographic which makes the case for the development of health literate information. It sets out the average UK skills for literacy and numeracy, the impact this has on health and what information producers can do to develop information that works for everyone.
• Health literacy e-learning – the e-learning session takes about 30 minutes to complete. At the end of the session, you will know why health literacy is important and how to use some simple techniques including TeachBack, chunk and check, using pictures and simple language to improve how you communicate and check understanding with others.
• It’s OK to ask printable poster: use the questions on the poster to help you understand the health information you are given.
• It’s OK to ask printable postcard: use the questions on the back of this postcard to help you to remember what you need to do.

Litigation

• NHS Resolution: Consent and legal context and Advise, resolve and learn: strategy to 2025
• Queen Mary University of London: Sharp rise in NHS negligence claims for lack of informed consent (March 2020)

If you work in healthcare and would like further information on implementing shared decision making, please join our FutureNHS platform. It is a collaboration platform for healthcare colleagues to work effectively and is a safe and secure place to save, access and share resources and content (you will need to register for a FutureNHS account to access this platform).