ABSTRACT
Plain language experts tend to advise on writing paper-based documents, in English, for a general readership. It is true that most management informa tion is disseminated in this way, to this audience. But this approach is rather narrow, given that:
• spoken language - both planned and spontaneous - can be jargon ridden too
• documents are increasingly being published electronically rather than on paper, for example through emails and on websites
• many NHS organisations need to communicate with people who do not speak English, or whose first language is not English
• the audience for an NHS communication may have other special needs (such as being blind or partially sighted).
