Guide · Healthcare & Medical Training · By the AutoScribble Team · Published 22 September 2026

How to turn a patient information leaflet into an animated explainer

Who this guide is for

Patient information officers, clinic managers, specialist nurses and communications teams who already have approved leaflets. It's part of our healthcare & medical training resources.

What you'll need

• The current approved leaflet and its review date
• The main message patients most often misunderstand
• Contact details patients should use for questions

Step by step

1. 1

   Find the one message

   Ask front-line staff what patients most often get wrong. That's your video. Leave the rest to the leaflet.

2. 2

   Keep it anonymous

   Use only the leaflet text. Never add patient stories drawn from real cases.

3. 3

   Set the reading level

   Ask for plain English at a reading age of around 11 and short sentences. Explain each medical term the first time.

4. 4

   Choose portrait

   Most patients will watch on a phone, often from a text or email link.

5. 5

   Clinical owner approves

   The person responsible for the leaflet checks the script against it.

6. 6

   Link, don't replace

   Put the video beside the leaflet on your website or in appointment letters; the leaflet remains the full reference.

Illustrative script: preparing for a colonoscopy (approx. 90 seconds)

Scene 1 — A calendar with the appointment date circled.
Narration: “Your colonoscopy is a camera test that looks at the inside of your bowel. To get clear pictures, your bowel needs to be empty.”

Scene 2 — A plate of simple foods; a crossed-out plate of high-fibre foods.
Narration: “For the days before, follow the diet in your letter. Your letter tells you exactly which foods to avoid and when.”

Scene 3 — A glass and a clock.
Narration: “The day before, you'll take the bowel preparation at the times shown in your letter. Stay near a toilet.”

Scene 4 — A phone with a question mark.
Narration: “If anything in your letter isn't clear, call the number on it. We're happy to help.”

Wording is illustrative; your video must follow your own approved leaflet exactly.

Copy the AutoScribble prompt

Turn the approved patient leaflet section below into a 90-second portrait whiteboard video for adults. Use plain English at a reading age of about 11, keep every clinical term exactly as the leaflet writes it and explain it the first time, add nothing that isn't in the leaflet, and end by telling patients to call the number on their letter if they have questions.

[Paste leaflet section here]

Questions