The BTA the has achieved the Department of Health’s ‘Information Standard’. Through attaining The Information Standard, the charity has proved that it provides trustworthy, reliable and evidence-based health care information to the public and medical professionals. The charity will now be able to use The Information Standard quality mark. 

In order to achieve The Information Standard the BTA had to go through a rigorous certification process. The charity had to meet a set of criteria that defines good quality health and social care information and the methods needed to produce it. It also had to demonstrate processes and systems used to produce information that is accurate, impartial, balanced, evidence-based, accessible and well written, which would help those reading the information to make informed decisions about health and care.

David Stockdale, Chief Executive of the BTA, said: “Applying for The Information Standard was a natural step for the BTA, to ensure that the general public and medical professionals view the charity as a credible source of information about tinnitus. We are extremely proud to have gained The Information Standard as it represents a significant achievement for the BTA and it demonstrates that our health information meets the required high benchmark."

“The Information Standard provides a framework for continual improvement and therefore we will ensure we continue to achieve high standards and people will feel confident in using our information in the future.”

The public view The Information Standard as an important quality mark to look for when reading information. Seventy eight per cent (Department of Health, TNS omnibus survey, March 2007) of the public stated that they would only use, or would show a preference for, information from organisations certified by the scheme by showing the quality mark.

For more information on the BTA visit www.tinnitus.org.uk. You can also visit the BTA’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/BritishTinnitusAssociation and follow the BTA on Twitter at www.twitter.com/BritishTinnitus

For further information on The Information Standard visit www.theinformationstandard.org

 Pictured right is David Stockdale with Emma Ross of The Information Standard