Plain Language in Health and Social Care: National Guidance

Summary

Developed by the Health Information and Quality Authority, this national guidance supports frontline health and social care staff in their day-to-day practice. The guidance promotes the use of plain language and inclusive design in all spoken, written, and digital communication. In doing so, it helps health and social care staff to communicate in a way that everyone can understand.

Organisation

Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) - Ireland

Context/ Social issues addressed

Good communication is a key component of Ireland’s national standards and is vital to providing high-quality, safe, person-centred health and social care. Yet information about health or social care services can be complex and difficult to understand. For example, the 2024 National Inpatient Experience Survey highlighted patients' difficulties understanding a diagnosis and managing a condition after discharge. One in five adults in Ireland has a literacy difficulty, and just over one in four have low health literacy, making it particularly difficult to understand and act on health information. This guidance supports health and social care staff in using plain language in all communication with people using services. Plain language helps ensure that everyone receives information in a clear, accessible, and easy-to-understand manner.

Objectives

1. Help implement national standards in health and social care.
2. Support the use of plain language in all forms of communication with people using health and social care services.
3. Promote inclusive communication that will help staff deliver person-centred care and support.

Activities

The development of the guidance was informed by a review of international resources on good communication in health and social care, and supported by a Working Group with representatives from relevant sectors, including the Health Service Executive (HSE), the National Disability Authority, HIQA Regulation, the National Adult Literacy Agency (NALA), SOLAS – Adult Literacy for Life, Tusla – Child and Family Agency, and the National Patient and Service User Forum. The design process involved an iterative review cycle to ensure clarity and accessibility. Health and social care staff provided feedback on a draft via a survey, and a quality assurance review of the final text and its visual design was undertaken by the National Adult Literacy Agency (NALA). NALA awarded the guidance its Plain English Mark, showing that it adheres to international plain language guidelines. To improve accessibility, the guidance is available in multiple formats, including as a webpage.

Outcomes

The national guidance was published in December 2025 both in print and online. Almost 1,000 hard copies were disseminated through direct contacts in health and social care services, conferences, and requests from quality managers, university lecturers, and students. The digital version has also been promoted to all health and social care services, including those working specifically with children, people with disabilities, and older people. As of the end of September 2026, this reached 1,847 downloads.

This guidance was nominated for the 2026 European Social Services Awards in the ‘Disability and Accessibility in Social Services’ category.

Principles of the European Pillar of Social Rights

1. Education, training, life-long learning	2. Gender equality
3. Equal opportunities	4. Active support to employment
5. Secure and adaptable employment	6. Fair Wages
7. Transparent employment conditions	8. Social dialogue
9. Work-life balance	10. Healthy, safe work environment
11. Childcare and child support	12. Social protection
13. Unemployment benefits	14. Minimum income
15. Old age income and pensions	16. Health care
17. Inclusion of people with disabilities	18. Long-term care
19. Housing and assistance to homeless	20. Access to essential services

Funding Source

National Government Funds

Links to supporting documents

National Guidance on Good Communication in Health and Social Care: Using Plain Language | HIQA 

Comments and tips

Communicating in plain language is vital to providing high-quality, safe, and efficient health and social care services. Frontline staff and service managers deal with information that can be difficult to read, understand, and communicate to others. Often, this information is long and complicated. It may also contain jargon.

Using plain language:

• Helps people using services be more involved in and informed about their care.
• Makes a service’s communication more effective.
• Makes a service more accessible.
• Makes a service more efficient.