Widgit Mental Health Pack, containing a mental health communication book and a CD with resources and flashcards, both using symbols to support people who find communication difficult, UK, 2021

Mental health care, like all types of healthcare, is a time when communication is vitally important. However, there can be many factors which affect someone’s ability to communicate. This communication book and accompanying resources use Widgit’s large and well-established library of symbols to help healthcare workers and clients communicate with each other.

The communication book follows the standard format of a psychiatric assessment, including symbols to help establish someone’s current symptoms and their medical history for example. Throughout the book, questions and a range of responses are illustrated using Widgit’s symbols. The healthcare worker can point to the symbols to help someone understand questions and they can use the symbols to respond. On the back page for easy reference there is a scale and some generic responses. This resource was designed in collaboration with NHS consultant psychiatrists.

Over the past 25 years, Widgit have developed a library of over 11,000 symbols which can be used to represent over 40,000 words. These symbols are used in lots of different settings from schools to tourist attractions to hospitals. As a company they believe that everybody should have free and equal access to information.