PLG patient information awards

The BMA PLG (patient liaison group) patient information awards take place annually to recognise exceptional patient information services and promote greater awareness and understanding of health matters, and patient choice.

Applications for 2023 are now closed

Criteria for entry

• Applications are welcome from all producers of consumer health information in the UK.
• The limit for entries is three applications for each organisation. A separate entry form must be completed for each resource, including details of its intended readership and educational aims.
• We accept a wide range of patient information:
  • PDFs
  • Websites
  • Podcasts
  • Social media content
  • Webinars
  • Film/video
  • and, any other digital or online resource.
• Resources must have been published between 1 November 2021 and the end of 31 May 2023 only.

How the awards are judged

The first six criteria relate to important criteria about the methodology:

• have health professionals and appropriate experts been involved in developing this resource?
• have users been involved in developing this resource?
• has the applicant listed the references or sources of information (in entry form or in resource) used in developing the resource?
• was the resource published between 1 November 2021 and 31 May 2023?
• how the resource is disseminated?
• how the resource is evaluated.

The reviewer will be asked to answer 'yes' or 'no' to the questions above.

The questions asked in the next part of the review relates to the resource itself, including audience and purpose, content, language and tone, and layout.

Answering the questions

If they answer 'yes', then they will also be asked to rate how well the resource achieves the criteria. They will be asked to rate it as either:

• excellent
• good
• adequate.

Following this a score will be given. Guidance is provided to help them make these decisions.

The questions asked in the next part of the review relates to the resource itself. Almost all of the questions ask for a 'yes' or 'no' response. The reviewer will be able to leave comments.

Where the question may not be applicable to the resource then the reviewer can choose 'not applicable'. Guidance is available for each question which demonstrates why the question is being asked and may also highlight good practice in that particular area.

When the questions have been answered

When all the questions have been answered a score for the resource will appear and the reviewer is invited to choose a grade (based on the score and their own assessment).

The reviewer will be asked to leave their overall comments for the BMA judging panel. These will be seen by the BMA panel only and will not be read by the applicant. The reviewer's comments will be used by the judging panel to decide whether a resource should be given an award or shortlisted.

The final section allows the reviewer to leave their overall comments for the applicant. We request that they are constructive in any criticism and discuss positive attributes as well as any areas where the resource could be improved. These comments will be given anonymously to applicants if they have requested feedback.

Apply to be a reviewer

BMA PLG patient information awards reviewers have a key role in advising on the quality and suitability of each application.

Reviewers may be current BMA members, but we also welcome expressions of interest to this role from non-members with expertise in patient information.

Reviewers should have experience in one or more of these areas:

• patient involvement in medicine
• involvement in PALS services
• support and advisory services for patients
• best practice in production and distribution of patient information and patient materials
• medical research and knowledge of recent developments in clinical practice
• public health and clinical settings
• creating consumer health information.

Entries are allocated to reviewers based on their stated areas of expertise, topics of interest and professional background.

The PLG patient information awards reviewer role is voluntary and unremunerated although reasonable expenses are covered.

Contact us

If you have any questions about the awards, or if you would like to become a reviewer, please call us on 020 7383 6307 or email us.