Informing the patient

1. Patients value most the information provided to them by doctors. Doctors do not seem to be able to get messages across as satisfactorily to lower social groups as to higher social groups, since they give less time per consultation and fewer explanations to working-class patients; they are the ones that are least influenced by health advice [24] and would benefit most from being given more time and attention in consultations. 2. The community pharmacists have made great play on becoming a major information source for the public but have not yet succeeded in this role. 3. In today's society individuals will have to take greater responsibility for their own healthcare. Patients must therefore actively demand more information from their doctors and pharmacists in order to make decisions. 4. Doctors and pharmacists must recognise that patients are often unaware of what they need to know. Patients' intelligence must never be under-estimated or their knowledge and understanding over-estimated. 5. The manufacturer has a major role in providing information by means of the patient information leaflet which must be in terms that can be understood and influence the patient's health behaviour. Written information is the only information to which a patient can repeatedly refer to reinforce messages given by doctors or pharmacists. Written information is however of most value to social groups A and B and is less appreciated by other groups.