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Issue 2
At the end of 1997 the Social Work Services Inspectorate (SWSI), which is part of the Scottish Office, produced a guide aimed at local authority social work departments, outlining how they should go about producing information for older people about community care services.
The guide was prepared for the SWSI by the Scottish Consumer Council. An important part of the process was holding discussions with older people who were receiving services in the community about their views on how information should be produced and made available to them, and about what problems they had in getting relevant information. 
One of the key findings from these discussions was the importance of information coming from a person rather than simply a leaflet. Written information has an important role to play, but often it is a backup to information provided on a face to face basis, or as an initial way of finding out about what services may be available.
The guide covers the planning process which local authorities should go through in producing information for older people. It describes the various kinds of information which older people need and the different ways of communicating that information. It provides details about the best format and presentation of written material, including alternative formats, as well as matters of style and design. It describes various ways of distributing information, and finally, addresses the importance of monitoring and evaluation.
The guide can be obtained from the
Stationery Office Bookshop
71 Lothian Road
Edinburgh, EH3 9AZ
Tel: 0131 622 7050
or from any Stationery Office agent. It costs £6.50
If you would like any of these, please send us an email to: