Research conducted by the Picker Institute (Ellins and Coulter [92]) shows that 80% of people actively seek information about how to cope with health problems. Information is of prime importance in helping to support people in the decision‐making process, particularly when they are vulnerable and feeling anxious. It is important that high‐quality, reliable and evidence‐based information is accessible to patients, their relatives and carers at the right time, making it an integral part of their care (DH [69]). This is reiterated in the white paper Our Health, Our Care, Our Say (DH [68]), which states that ‘everyone with a long‐term condition and/or long‐term need for support – and their carers – should routinely receive information about their condition’ (p.114) and the services available to them. Information prescriptions represent good practice for supporting the information needs of individuals and are often used in, for example, diabetes care (DH [72]). High Quality Care for All (DH [70]) requires NHS organizations to provide accessible information to patients who have a learning disability.

The term ‘giving information’ implies that the healthcare professional's agenda is uppermost and can result in a paternalistic model of care (Redsell and Buck [239]). While this approach can at times be justified (e.g. in an emergency situation), wherever possible, it is important to allow patients the opportunity to be a partner in their care and to be involved in a shared decision‐making process (DH [77]). Shared decision making involves engaging the patient in one or more conversations about treatment options (NICE [207]). A nurse's role is to help the patient to choose the option best suited to them; using their clinical expertise and eliciting the patient's wishes, the nurse facilitates conversation(s) in which the patient weighs up the risks and benefits of a decision in the short term and long term (Box 5.6). This can include exploring the patient's understanding of treatment, eliciting their thoughts and feelings about the treatment, exploring what is important to the patient, and helping them to consider whether or not engaging with treatment would be consistent with their values (NICE [207], Quality Statement 4). Research studies suggest that when professionals engage patients in the shared decision‐making process, this improves physical health outcomes (Hack et al. [117]), psychological outcomes (Arora [13]) and quality of life (Street and Voigt [261]) as well as the patient's experience of healthcare (NICE [209]) and their general level of satisfaction (Loh et al. [153]). Further, shared decision making facilitates the informed consent process.