"ARC England has endorsed the About Me standard because we believe that it is crucial that the way in which organisations share information with each other about people with a learning disability, autism or both, meets minimum standards in terms of content, quality and consistency. For people with communication support needs, the occasions when they are required to interact with staff who are new to them, may not have been trained to understand how to support learning disabled people and who wish to undertake procedures that the person does not understand can be frightening."
If providers have adopted the About Me standard, all the information that is so crucial, if the person is to be provided with care and support that is centred on them as a person, will have been shared and that has to make the experiences of people with a learning disability, autism or both better and less worrisome."
Clive Parry, England Director, Association for Real Change
“We’re pleased to endorse the About Me information standard developed by PRSB, and the strong national framework it creates for sharing information between health and social care. Setting high standards is right at the heart of ARCO’s work in the Integrated Retirement Community sector, for example through the strong Consumer Code we’ve developed for our Members to abide by, and we’re always keen to support initiatives which strengthen standards across the health and social care sectors more widely.
We look forward to supporting the About Me standard and seeing its positive impact on personalised care and support”
Sally Ireland, Director of Legal and Compliance, Associated Retirement Community Operators
"The About Me standard allows people to record whatever information is important to them and their care. Central to Music Therapy is the relationship the therapist establishes with the people they work with. Having access to standardised information about service users preferences will enable Music Therapists to build more meaningful relationships with each person they support. The British Association for Music Therapy encourages the widespread adoption of this standard."
Andrew Langford, Chief Executive, British Association for Music Therapy
“The British Geriatrics Society encourages implementation of the About me Standard so patients preferences will be built into digital health and care systems, meaning professionals will have the information they need to provide more person-centred care.”
Dr Jennifer Burns, President, British Geriatrics Society
“One of the core CASPA objectives has been to achieve digital information flow across health and social care, and this vision is becoming a reality with the work done by the PRSB. CASPA has promoted the PRSB to their members, with several committed to implementing standards as they evolve. About Me is a standard that has helped crystallise the commonality across social care and health care data and has been built into the eRedBag which is in use by some CASPA members.”
Jonathan Papworth, Founding Board Member, Care Software Providers Association (CASPA)
“The care, dignity and safety of patients is the first concern of Health Records and Informatics Professionals who are members of IHRIM. IHRIM encourages implementation of the About Me standard as this information helps professionals provide care that upholds patient dignity, safety and ensures their interaction with the health and care service is personalised to them.”
Kim Bellis, Chair, Institute of Health Records and Information Management
"RCEM recognises that nursing and care homes provide excellent care to those with long-term needs, but that occasionally people need to be transferred to hospital. This frequently occurs outside of normal working hours and ensuring all the relevant information travels with the patient is difficult, often leading to extensive telephone calls to confirm the medical background. The About Me standard will contribute to patient safety by ensuring information is accurate and consistent, allowing acute hospitals to better provide the personalised care every patient deserves. "
Dr Katherine Henderson, President, Royal College of Emergency Medicine
“RCGP endorsed the About Me standard as it enables General Practitioners to efficiently view critical information about patients’ preferences, supporting safer, better quality, and more person-centred care.”
Dr Michael Mulholland, Honorary Secretary, Royal College of General Practitioners
"If we are to ensure that the patient is at the centre of all we do in health it is vital we understand their wishes and what is important to them. Enshrining this information through the 'About me' standard is a critical step in this process."
Andrew Goddard, President of the Royal College of Physicians
“In order to provide joined up care for clients when they move from one setting to another, carers need as much information as possible. This is not only important in terms of health, but to avoid offending a client by not understanding their cultural needs or simply calling them by their first name, when they would prefer to be addressed more formally. This standard provides a helpful framework to include these important details”
Rita Fellows, Royal College of Physicians’ Patient and Carer Network
