10th April 2026

Our NEW Language and Health Literacy Resource Library is now LIVE!

We’re excited to share the launch of our Language and Health Literacy Resource Library, created to help us all communicate in ways that are clearer, simpler, and more human.

We know that the words we use every day really matter. They can help people feel understood and confident - or leave them feeling confused and unsure about what to do next. This growing library is here to support better conversations across health and care.

Visit and explore the Language and Health Literacy Resource Library

Why language matters in health and care

The words we use every day in health and care settings are not neutral - they shape people’s experiences.

Done well, language can build trust, confidence, and connection. Done poorly, it can create confusion, distance, and even harm, and it can either “help or hinder” relationships between services and the people they support.

Health literacy plays a big part in this. It’s about people being able to find, understand, and use information to make decisions about their health.

When communication is unclear or overly complex, people can struggle to navigate services, follow advice, or feel confident in their care. That’s why improving language isn’t just a “nice to have” - it’s essential.

What the resource library offers

The new resource library acts as a central hub for anyone looking to improve how they communicate in health and care.

It brings together:

Practical tools to support clearer conversations
Guidance on using plain, inclusive, and accessible language
Learning from real experiences of people using services
Resources developed through co-production with people and communities

All of this is grounded in a wider commitment to personalised care, putting people, their experiences, and what matters to them at the centre of everything.

Built with people

A key strength of the library is how it has been developed.

This isn’t a top-down set of rules. It’s the result of co-production, working alongside people with lived experience to understand how language feels on the receiving end.

Through workshops, conversations, and shared stories, people have described times when language made them feel:

Heard and respected
Confused or excluded
Empowered or disempowered

Those real experiences have shaped the resources now available, making them practical, relevant, and grounded in real life.

Part of a bigger movement for change

The launch of the library builds on a wider programme of work across Lincolnshire to improve communication and tackle health inequalities.

From interactive Language and Health Literacy Development Days to ongoing learning opportunities, there is a growing focus on helping the workforce reflect on:

The words they use
The assumptions behind them
The impact those words have on people’s lives

As we highlight across our Language development work, even small changes in language can transform how people experience care.

Who is the resource library for?

The library is for anyone involved in health, care, or wellbeing, including:

NHS and local authority staff
Voluntary and community sector organisations
Frontline practitioners
Leaders and decision-makers

Whether you’re new to personalised care or already embedding it in your work, the resources are designed to meet you where you are.

A practical step towards more human care

At its heart, this resource library is about something simple but powerful:

Using language that people can understand, relate to, and act on.

That means moving away from jargon, assumptions, and complexity, and towards communication that feels clear, respectful, and real.

Because when people truly understand what’s being said, they are better able to make decisions, feel confident, and take control of their health and wellbeing.