Welcome to the Right Decision Service (RDS) newsletter for June 2024.
Hopefully you all received the notification on Friday 28th June about the worldwide security vulnerability relating to use of code from the Polyfill.io code library – typically used to enable use of functionality in older browsers and operating systems. This vulnerability has now been addressed within RDS. Thanks to Tactuum for their prompt action on this.
This incident served as a useful reminder about the importance of making sure all devices and desktop/laptop computers have up to date anti-malware installed.
The most recent information is that final fixes and developments will take place during July, with a view to user testing taking place in August 2024.
We will be running the six-monthly usage statistics reports for all RDS toolkits during July. Please contact his.decisionsupport@nhs.scot if you would like to receive the usage report for your toolkit(s).
The Scottish Palliative Care Group is carrying out a value and impact survey of the national Palliative Care Guidelines toolkit on RDS. We would appreciate your help in circulating this survey, available at https://rightdecisions.scot.nhs.uk/scottish-palliative-care-guidelines/evaluation-survey/ /
The Palliative Care Guidelines toolkit is using an adapted version of a generic impact evaluation form which the RDS team now encourages all toolkit owners to apply 6-12 months after launch of their toolkit. Please contact ann.wales3@nhs.scot if you would like to find out more.
The RDS Learning working group is in the final stages of developing and uploading new learning resources including:
We have also drafted a communication and training plan to support implementation of the redesigned RDS. The plan aims to reach both end-users and editors, who will benefit from new features such as the archiving and version control functionality.
4.1 Training sessions for new editors (also serve as refresher sessions for existing editors) will take place on the following dates:
To book a place, please contact Olivia.graham@nhs.scot, providing your name, organisation, job role, and level of experience with RDS editing (none, a little, moderate, extensive.)
Remember that you can also organise 1-1 training sessions with Olivia on running Google Analytics reports if you want to look at data more frequently than the six-monthly reports.
The following RDS toolkits are now live:
The following toolkits are due to go live imminently:
Some of the toolkits the RDS team is currently working on:
Please contact his.decisionsupport@nhs.scot if you would like to learn more about a toolkit. The RDS team will put you in touch with the relevant toolkit lead.
HIS is working with the Scottish Library and Information Council and the ALLIANCE to implement the second phase of the Collective Force for Health and Wellbeing Action Plan. This plan aims to strengthen the role of public, health and school libraries in empowering people to use digital tools and health information for self-management and choices about health and wellbeing. A key element of this new phase is supporting public libraries to promote the RDS citizen-facing apps for health and wellbeing.
We held a webinar on 28th June about the implementation challenge for health and wellbeing apps for citizens. This included an overview of the evidence base around implementation, the critical importance of health literacy skills, and the early findings from tests of change of implementing the Being a partner in my care app. Please contact his.decisionsupport@nhs.scot if you would like a copy of the slides or access to the recording of this webinar (NHS staff only.)
If you have any questions about the content of this newsletter, please contact his.decisionsupport@nhs.scot If you would prefer not to receive future newsletters, please email Olivia.graham@nhs.scot and ask to be removed from the circulation list.
With kind regards
Right Decision Service team
Healthcare Improvement Scotland
This app is for people who have had COVID-19 (with or without a positive COVID-19 test) and have symptoms that last more than four weeks, including:
It may also be helpful for:
This app is based on a patient information booklet which explains the recommendations in a guideline produced by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) and the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) on managing the long-term effects of COVID-19..
The app explains:
Long COVID is a new illness that healthcare professionals are still learning about. Most of the recommendations are based on the experience and expert knowledge of healthcare professionals. Research is taking place and the guidance may change when its results are known.
NICE, RCGP and SIGN are developing the guideline using a ‘living’ approach, which means that the guideline will be reviewed and updated when new research comes out. The patient information booklet and this app will be updated at the same time.
This app has been developed by the SIGN (Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network) team within Healthcare Improvement Scotland, in collaboration with the Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre (DHI).
Special thanks are due to the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Knowledge Services team, who provided knowledge management support in creating the app structure and adding the content.
SIGN and DHI would also like to thank the people with lived experience of long COVID who advised on the design and content of this app.
We (Healthcare Improvement Scotland) hope that the information in this app/website will be useful to you, but we accept no responsibility and offer no warranties for the content or your use of it, as far as the law allows us to exclude such liability.
Clinical knowledge is constantly changing. As new information becomes available, changes in treatment, procedures, equipment and the use of drugs become necessary. The developers and contributors have taken care to ensure that the information given is correct and current. However, users of this resource are strongly advised to confirm that the information complies with the latest legislation and standards of practice.
All use of this resource is subject to Scots law and the jurisdiction of the Scottish courts and is subject to this disclaimer. Any views given on the site are not necessarily those of Healthcare Improvement Scotland or anyone connected with us.
Healthcare Improvement Scotland is not responsible for the content of external websites which link to or are linked to by this application. This is because:
Some external links may be to websites that also offer commercial services. If a link to a particular website is included on our site, it does not mean that Healthcare Improvement Scotland officially endorses that website, its owners, products or services.
Copyright of the content within this app is retained by SIGN. Users may download or print copies from the app or from the original patient information booklet for their own use.
The review is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Licence. This allows for the copy and redistribution of SIGN content as long as SIGN is fully acknowledged and given credit. The material must not be remixed, transformed or built upon in any way. View a copy of this licencehere.
We try to make our app easy to use and accessible by including:
We also use plain English in website text to make information as easy as possible to understand.
AbilityNet has more advice on making your device easier to use if you have a disability.
The app complies with the W3CAA standards for accessibility. The one exception is the known issue that screenreaders may have difficulty reading the PDF reports generated by the "Share" function.
Privacy Statement
The downloadable mobile app collects information that you enter into the Symptom Diary about your symptoms and wellbeing.
The information is stored on your mobile device. It is recommended that you:
Please be aware that if you delete the SIGN Long COVID app or reinstall a new copy over the existing one, your saved data will be deleted. You may wish to use the “Share” functionality to generate a PDF report of your data, and save it on your own device.
If you choose to use the “Share” option to email another person a PDF report from your diary plus your name and date of birth, the message is sent with secure encryption using a system called Sendgrid.
If you have any enquiries about privacy of your information please contact decisionsupport@dhi-scotland.com .
SIGN Patient information: managing the long term effects of COVID-19