Health Literacy

What is Health Literacy and why does it matter?

Health literacy is about people having enough knowledge, understanding, skills and confidence to use health information, to be active partners in their care, and to navigate health and social care systems.
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Health literacy means more than just the ability to read and understand health-related information. It also includes the confidence to navigate healthcare services and make well-informed decisions about self-management.  Health literacy is a life skill for everyone.

People working in health and social care need to be aware of health literacy and of the techniques that can help to increase understanding.  Using techniques for better conversations makes a huge difference to decision making and patient experience.​
In addition to the e-learning module, the library service can deliver bite-sized information sessions. This session gives a brief overview of why health literacy is important and an introduction to some techniques that can improve health literacy.  Please Email: [email protected] to arrange a time.  We can deliver this to small groups
​Find out about the Role of NHS Library & Knowledge Services in Health Literacy.

Tools and Learning

Health literacy e-learning
  • The elearning 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. After each section you can complete an action plan of how you intend to use the techniques in your practice. You can use this plan as evidence of your learning in your appraisal or professional portfolio.
Patient Information Forum How to Guides
  • PIF provides a range of resources to support the creation of high quality and accessible health information.
Health literacy levels in England are very low.
  • 43% of adults aged 16-65 cannot understand word-based health information sufficiently well to make health decisions
  • Where numbers are added in, 61% of adults are unable to understand and act on the information
Watch this short video from Ruth Carlyle, Head of NHS Knowledge and Library Services to tell you more about this.
You can use this Geodatatool to find an estimate of the percentage of a local authority population with low health literacy and numeracy or with just low health literacy.

​People need trustworthy information to make decisions about health, but Patient Information Forum figures (published in 2020) show that
  • 1 million cannot follow a letter from a GP surgery or hospital department
  • 5 million adults cannot find relevant data in standard health information
  • 1.7 million are unable to explain symptoms and feelings over the phone
  • 9 million people are unable to use digital tools unaided

Other Useful Links

Health literacy geodata tool. NHS England have worked with the University of Southampton to develop an online health literacy geodata tool. By simply putting in your local authority you can see place based data. Try it out to find out what that looks like where you live.
The Health Literacy Place (NHS Education for Scotland) http://www.healthliteracyplace.org.uk/
PIF (Patient Information Forum) https://pifonline.org.uk/
National Numeracy for Health https://www.nationalnumeracy.org.uk/
Health Literacy UK https://www.healthliteracy.org.uk/
LeedsLibraries for Health – information for patients and the public -https://www.leedslibraries.nhs.uk/resources/health-information-for-patients-the-public
The Role of NHS Library & Knowledge Services in Health Literacy - https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/hir.12371