18 September 2024

Personalised care made accessible from Sussex MSK Partnership

Animated image of a man sat at computer talking on the phone asking 'How can we help you?'

In the realm of healthcare, patient education plays a pivotal role in ensuring individuals understand their conditions, treatments, and how to manage their health effectively.

Shaping services around the needs of our population

We know that conveying complex medical information in a clear and accessible manner can be challenging. This is where Sussex MSK Partnership Central‘s animations step in, rethinking the way healthcare information is delivered to patients.

Their three short videos – Introduction to Musculoskeletal Health, What to Expect and How to Prepare for Your Appointment and Person Initiated Follow Up offer simplicity in messaging, providing people with a clear understanding of the term MSK and what to expect from the service.

Accessible videos for people receiving MSK care

Accessible information about the services we offer

Jo Hall, Professional Lead at Sussex MSK Partnership, reflects:

 As part of Personalised Care and understanding what matters most to people, we know how important it is to support people with friendly, accessible information about the services we offer, what to expect, and how to prepare, to enable them to make the most of any contact they have with us. 

It also goes beyond this – helping inform people about MSK health and beyond, offering reassurance and signposting to support living well within their community.

By simplifying medical jargon and presenting information in a visually engaging format, people can grasp crucial healthcare insights more easily.

Through colourful visuals and dynamic storytelling, patients are not only informed but also entertained, making the learning process more enjoyable and effective.

Head shot of a white woman with dark straight hair, smiling. Photo is of Jo Hall, Professional Lead at Sussex MSK Partnership

“We gained a lot of insight from our communities at The Big Conversation, hearing that people didn’t understand what MSK meant, who we are as a service and what we offer. It made a big difference to work with them to shape our animation to suit the needs of the end user.” Jo Hall, Professional Lead at Sussex MSK Partnership

Speaking directly to people at their Big Conversation events allowed the MSK service to understand what the local population wants and needs when it comes to accessible healthcare, helping to shape their offerings. By incorporating feedback and insights from these events, Sussex MSK Partnership Central ensured their animations provide valuable information but also resonate with and cater to the diverse needs of the community they serve.

The team worked on the videos with local designer Katie Merrien, Founder of CommuniKate Design, who breaks down complex information into digestible, visual narratives.

Katie said:

“Sussex MSK Partnership Central is one of the best organisations I’ve worked with. They are proactive and thoughtful about representation of and ensuring access for all demographic groups, and passionate about co-designing messaging with their service users to make sure it meets people’s needs.

Creating the animations with the team was a really enjoyable, straightforward and informative process for me, and I know that residents will experience a lot of benefits as a result of our work together.”

Photo of a woman with long, light coloured hair, smiling whilst sat at a desk holding a pen

The service has also produced offline assets, including posters and leaflets, to ensure those who don’t have digital access can still benefit from the content of the video.

Furthermore, with incorporation of British Sign Language (BSL) this adds an invaluable layer of accessibility for deaf or hard of hearing individuals, ensuring that no one is left behind in understanding their healthcare journey.