Information Prescriptions for healthcare professionals

Information Prescriptions are personalised pieces of information which are easy to read, have clear images and have individual goals to help prevent a diabetes health complication. They are designed to give people with diabetes the information that they need to understand, engage with and improve on their health targets.

We've recently updated the clinical content of our Information Prescriptions (July 2023) and they're all available to download below. They'll be coming to your primary IT systems over the summer 2023. We're keen to hear from you, so please e-mail healthcare@diabetes.org.uk and share your experiences. 

How to use Information Prescriptions

Information Prescriptions can be used through primary care IT systems. We've developed guides to help you use them:

• EMIS Web (PDF, 1.2MB)
• Vision – Sign up online to have them installed
• SystmOne (Word, 104KB)

You can also download our Information Prescriptions.

Sending via e-mail or text

We know that you can make the most of our Information Prescriptions by sending them to patients by text or e-mail. If you are using the Word versions, which are present on EMIS and SystemOne, we recommend saving and sending the Information Prescriptions as PDF files to ensure the content and format is not distorted when they are viewed on mobile devices. 

Information Prescription downloads

For people at risk

We also have Information Prescriptions for people at high risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. These provide simple and clear information to help your patients live healthier lives.

Benefits of Information Prescriptions

Information Prescriptions have lots of different benefits, both for you and your patients.

Individual support – they give personalised information

• Target those at highest risk
  Clinicians will receive a pop-up alert if a patient will benefit from information on their diabetes management. For example, if a patient has diabetes and falls outside the NICE recommended targets for blood pressure, it will alert the clinician to use the Information Prescription for high blood pressure.

National reach – they're embedded in IT systems

• Allow swift interventions and continuity of care
  There’s no searching for documents or transcribing of patient information. A pop-up will link to the appropriate Information Prescription with the patient’s details auto-completed.

• Enable continuity of care
  A copy of the completed Information Prescription is saved in the patient’s notes, so that past goals can be reviewed quickly in future appointments. The Information Prescriptions won't increase workload or result in any entry duplication.

Fight against health complications – they help patients understand

• Increase patient understanding of key concepts
  The Information Prescriptions are written in plain English and use illustrations to clearly explain complicated diabetes information.

Opportunity to transform care – they encourage behaviour change

• Support care planning
  Based on best evidence around effective behaviour changes, the simple check boxes on the Information Prescriptions give advice on lifestyle changes patients can implement. An individualised action plan allows them to create goals that are relevant and personal to them.

• Prompt patient action
  Over 35,000 people have used the website link included in the Information Prescriptions to find out more about managing their diabetes, suggesting that a very high proportion of recipients were motivated to take further action.

• Change clinical behaviour
  Case studies show Information Prescriptions are prompting clinicians to intervene more proactively and identify patients who have slipped through the net for many years. Data from clinical system EMIS Web shows that use of the Information Prescriptions is rising steadily and they have now been used in over 110,000 clinical consultations.

Download our Information Prescription booklet (PDF, 799KB)

Information Prescriptions Video

Diabetes UK partnered with Emis Health to create a video showcasing the benefits and impact of using Information Prescriptions.

Watch Video Here

Information Prescription case studies

Healthcare professionals use Information Prescriptions to change their clinical practice, increase patient engagement and prompt their patients to take action.

Read our case studies to hear what they've said about using them.

And we worked with researchers from Newcastle University to evaluate the usefulness of Information Prescriptions and any perceived barriers to their use in routine primary care.

"Information Prescriptions are a really positive development that will enable primary care to help people with diabetes better understand and take ownership of their diabetes. We know that primary care is under a lot of time pressure, but the design of these allows best practice around care planning and goal setting to be done during routine care."

Professor Jonathan Valabhji, National Clinical Director for Obesity and Diabetes

Information Prescription Support

If you require technical assistance with our Information Prescription module or template please contact your IT provider.

For all other queries, please email healthcare@diabetes.org.uk.