Publish date: 24 July 2023

Mersey Care’s communication standards reflect our need to be perceived as:

  • a modern, focussed organisation with a clear purpose and direction
  • objective and honest in the information we provide
  • responsive to the needs of NHS and social care staff, public, patients, service users, carers and key stakeholders
  • efficient and able to provide the latest information quickly and to a high standard
  • dedicated to providing accessible information
  • committed to improving the health and wellbeing of the people we serve.

Words matter. The way we write and speak – the words we choose – reveal a lot about who we are and what we care about. By reading and listening, our audiences can paint a vivid picture in their mind of how we do what we do.

Language can shape and influence behaviour. It can help improve consistency across a large organisation such as Mersey Care that brings trust, confidence and identity.

This guidance is to make sure that any item of patient information you are working on is evidence based and written in keeping with plain English standards and the Trust’s standards and values.