People across Scotland are being encouraged to ask questions about their care and treatment so they can understand what is being recommended for them.
The campaign, ‘It’s OK to Ask’ is designed to support patients and healthcare professionals in creating positive conversations about care and treatment.
NHS 24’s Head of Pharmacy, Dr John McAnaw says: “It’s happened to us all – you come out of a healthcare appointment realising the questions you forgot to ask, or worrying over the questions you wanted to ask but didn’t.
“This new campaign encourages a little bit of forward planning around what you’d like to know about your care from your healthcare professional.
“Before an appointment or discussion, take some time to think about what you’d like to know about your treatment. Some handy questions are:
- What are the benefits of my treatment?
- What are the risks of my treatment? Are there other treatments I can try?
- What if I do nothing?
“These kind of questions can help you feel more involved in decisions about your care, and give you confidence in following your healthcare plan.
“Your healthcare professional is happy to answer any questions you might have, as they know it’s better to have patients who are content and informed about their next steps, and simply by being more involved, you’ll be able to make better decisions for you about your own care.”
The campaign is supported by NHS Scotland and is supported by a radio and digital campaign.
Learn more at https://www.nhsinform.scot/oktoask.
