Information for healthcare professionals

Information for healthcare professionals

We encourage hospitals and patients to download all our patient information leaflets directly from our website. However, if hospitals and healthcare professionals wish to use professionally printed copies, the communications team are happy to supply the necessary print-ready artwork for you to pass on to your printer. Please make separate arrangements with your own local printer for this purpose.

Unfortunately, the College is unable to send out copies of any of our leaflets.

Please note the following restrictions on using our artwork:

  1. No hospital, trust or external branding may be included on the front cover of any of our leaflets. You may include your contact and/or address details on the back if you wish.
  2. No amendments are to be made to the text, layout, colours, branding or formatting of the leaflets either by yourselves or the printers.

Yes but all logos, crests, branding and images must be removed and the text accompanied by the following acknowledgement and a reference to where the original leaflet can be found:

"This publication includes text taken from the Royal College of Anaesthetists’ (RCoA) leaflet ‘insert title here, followed by year’ but the RCoA has not reviewed this as a whole".

Join our preassessment leads network to receive updates via email specifically on the College's work on patient information. By being part of this network, you will receive a quarterly newsletter with information about:

  • when we produce new resources, or update existing resources
  • new translations
  • opportunities to get involved in our patient information work (e.g. via surveys and events)

If you wish to sign up to our network, please contact us on patientinformation@rcoa.ac.uk. 

See our list of authors and contributors who have been involved in the development and review of our patient information resources.

We have created posters with QR codes that can be used to easily direct patients to the patient information resources on our website

QR codes for our main leaflets and risk leaflets

QR codes for leaflets for children, parents and carers

QR codes for information on anaesthesia for eye surgery

Below you will find a list of all our resources organised by series.

Animation in MP4 format
The Fitter Better Sooner animation is available to download here in MP4 format via Vimeo for playing on your internal TV screens in departments, clinics or waiting rooms. Please use the download button underneath the video but if you require assistance or any further information, please email patientinformation@rcoa.ac.uk.

Animation in PowerPoint format
The Fitter Better Sooner animation is also available in PowerPoint format and can be requested by emailing patientinformation@rcoa.ac.uk. The leaflets that make up the Fitter Better Sooner toolkit are available here.

Flyers and posters
Download low-res print and professional print versions of our A5 flyer and A4 and A3 wall posters:

*Please do not include any hospital, trust or external branding on the leaflet or poster when printing. No amendments may be made to the text, layout, colours or formatting of the artwork.

Stickers and labels
Download 3 x 7 or 2 x 7 stickers/labels to use on patient notes:

Listen to the Chair of our Patient Information Group, Dr Hilary Swales, as she talks about our Fitter Better Sooner resources on a TopMed Talk podcast.

Listen to the podcast here

Mastocytosis and Anaesthesia

This leaflet is for patients with mastocytosis who are preparing to have an anaesthetic. It will also be useful to anaesthetists and other healthcare professionals who would like an update on safe anaesthesia practice for patients with mastocytosis.

Mastocytosis is a very rare disorder affecting mast cells. In people who do not have mastocytosis, mast cells are triggered during allergy attacks. They release substances that cause the symptoms of allergy. These substances are stored in granules within the mast cells and are released into the body during an allergy attack. This is called ‘mast cell degranulation’. In people with mastocytosis, mast cells are triggered much more easily. This causes severe allergy-type symptoms, such as low blood pressure and swelling, in response to simple everyday events. For example, mast cells can be triggered by stress, exercise, drugs, food or alcohol, as well as by environmental factors such as excessive heat or cold. There are several different types of mastocytosis and it can affect adults and children.

Mastocytosis and Anaesthesia
Download

Faculty of Pain Medicine (FPM)

The Faculty of Pain Medicine has produced patient information leaflets on medications and interventions commonly used to treat persistent pain. The leaflets were created with the help of multi-professionals as well as patient representatives and are intended to be handed out to patients when they are prescribed these medications/undertake procedures. The leaflets can be used within a variety of clinical settings including Pain Management Services, GP practice, community pharmacies and physiotherapy clinics.

Leaflets are reviewed every three years and further information is available from contact@fpm.ac.uk