How we produce our health information

We are committed to creating information that helps people to live well with arthritis or a related condition. Our experienced Health Information team works hard to make sure the information we produce is clear, free from jargon, accurate and relatable.

Health information you can trust

All of our health information is accredited by the Patient Information Forum. Each year, we are awarded their PIF TICK. It’s the only trust mark for health information in the UK. Read more about the PIF TICK.

How we produce our health information matters.

We have to show that we create information in a way that ensures it is well researched, trustworthy and accessible.

• Detailed processes are written down, so that everyone works in the same way on everything we create.
• Any staff members who are involved in producing health information are trained to meet PIF TICK’s high standards, to ensure our content adheres to best practice.
• We do our research. We know that our resources meet a real need and address the questions people want answers to.
• Each piece of health information is evidence-based and fact checked. It’s also reviewed by at least two healthcare professionals – ranging from research scientists, to doctors, psychologists and physiotherapists. Each one is an expert in their field. 
• Users (also called lay reviewers) get involved at several points of the content creation process. Users might be people who have arthritis, those who care for someone with arthritis, or people who have an interest in the condition for other reasons. Our ongoing outreach helps us to hear from lesser heard groups – many of whom are disproportionately affected by arthritis.
• As well as adhering to WCAG accessibility guidelines, we consider how else we can help people to access the information they need. This includes removing barriers people might face in understanding health information. We strive for digital inclusion and we write simply, in words that are easy to understand. We also offer translated versions of some of our articles.
• We comply with all legal regulations, such as UK General Data Protection Regulation. We do not use artificial intelligence (AI) in the production of our health information, but should that change, we will ensure we have a clear and open policy in place to explain how it’s used. 
• We encourage feedback and make it easy for people to get in touch with us. We record all feedback we receive so that we can discuss it as a team.
• Our information is shared widely. As well as making our online information easy to find and view, we supply GP surgeries and hospitals with our booklets, printing over a million every year in response to demand. Booklets can also be downloaded for free from the website or printed copies ordered for free in our shop. Our aim is to reach – and help – as many people affected by arthritis as we can.
• We measure our impact so that we can see who we are reaching and how we are helping them.

Work with us on our health information

We are always looking for people to help develop our information as part of our review panels. Whether you live with arthritis, care for someone who does, or work as a healthcare professional, we would love to hear from you. Email: healthinfo@arthritis-uk.org