A new DVD guide to NHS services, designed to be accessible to as many people as possible, is now available. 

Produced for the NHS in Scotland by Health Rights Information Scotland, with funding from the Scottish Government, the DVD is aimed at anyone who needs information about how to use the NHS in a simple accessible format.  It will particularly useful for people who are new to Scotland, for people whose first language is not English and for those with low literacy. The soundtrack is available in 17 languages, including British Sign Language.

The DVD shows people what NHS services in Scotland really look like, showing staff working in different settings. The films make use of case studies showing real people making appointments, visiting an out of hours centre, or going to the dentist. 

This combination of using actual NHS settings and 'real' people helps to make the NHS more approachable, and aims to give people confidence to approach the services they need. The DVD explains what to do if someone needs an interpreter, and encourages people to ask questions.

The resource has been developed in close collaboration with community groups, and speakers of all 17 languages. The content, style, graphics, language and translations have all been tested with members of the public.

The DVD is available, free of charge, by calling the NHS helpline on 0800 22 44 88 or logging on to www.howtousethenhs.com where there is an order form. It is also possible to view all the content on this website.

(News article published: 23 February 2010)