Assessing written communication in your organisation

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Acknowledgement

This assessment tool is influenced by and includes content from D DeWalt et al., Improve Written Communication Assessment Tool, Health Literacy Universal Precautions Toolkit: Communication Self-Assessment, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville MD, 2014, viewed 21 July 2014, www.ahrq.gov/professionals/quality-patient-safety/quality-resources/tools/literacy-toolkit/index.html

Select one answer that most accurately describes your Service:

Doing well: Our service is doing this well
Could be better: Our service is doing this, but could do it better
Not doing: Our service is not doing this
Not sure or N/A: I don't know the answer, or it is not applicable to our service

No.	Question	Doing well	Could be better	Not doing	Not sure/NA
1.	Staff have easy access to a skilled writer who knows how to identify, prepare and simplify written materials
2.	Staff have reviewed all written material provided to consumers using a comprehensive assessment tool. (See note at the bottom of this sheet)
3.	Health education materials are concise, use plain language and use standard methods to make them easy to read and use.
4.	Forms used by the service collect only necessary information
5.	Staff have reviewed all forms completed by consumers using a comprehensive assessment tool
6.	All forms intended for consumer use and data collection are concise, written in plain language and use standard methods to make them easy to read and use
7.	Staff test new written materials (including forms) for appeal and comprehension with consumers
8.	Appointment cards are given to consumers with follow-up appointments. Cards include the date, time, place, name of healthcare provider, how to change the appointment, what to bring and how to prepare, if relevant
9.	Written materials are available in languages other than English (for example, can be downloaded and provided as needed)
10.	Written materials are available in Easy English (for example, can be downloaded and provided as needed)

Note: To assess individual pieces of written communication, see Assessing readability in this toolkit.