We believe that it is vitally important that a patient information service should be installed to the highest professional standards both in terms of the equipment and the quality and look of the presentation media. The concept of providing a second focal point within the waiting room, where patients can access information for themselves, will only be useful if the patients can have complete confidence in what is on offer. Equally there needs to be resources available to maintain the equipment and, more importantly, to ensure that the content on display is kept fresh and lively.

Most GP practices would find it difficult to justify the expense of setting up and maintaining a patient information service like this from the normal practice budget. By using the opportunities available from commercial sponsorship and by carefully balancing the revenue generating potential of information media within a practice with the need to serve patients in a responsible manner, we are able to set up and maintain the screen at no cost to the practice.

We believe it is possible to exploit the sponsorship opportunities available within public spaces, such as GP practice waiting rooms, to provide information services which improve the experience of those using the space. Our first priority is to provide quality and professional information services and we see sponsorship and advertising as providing the means to fund this. In approaching advertisers and sponsors, we will always stress the importance of the medium as an information tool and will not allow the requirement to generate revenue to over-ride this priority. Advertisers and sponsors are generally receptive to the idea that their message is more effective when delivered in a context where it harmonizes with interesting and informative content.