Why communication and information matter

Elizabeth Fradd

The King’s Fund December 2012

Perspectives

• Healthcare professional • Participant observer • Investigator

“Don’t just do something , stand there”.

The white rabbit – Alice in Wonderland

Communication between staff

• Ineffective • Alienating • Bureaucratic • Black Humour

“If Words of command are not clear

and distinct, if orders are not thoroughly understood, the general is

to blame. But if his orders are clear and the soldiers nevertheless

disobey, then it is the fault of their officers”.

Sun Tzu – The Art of War – 490 BC

NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement and Social Care Institute for

Excellence. unpublished review findings

• Poor communications , including sharing information and paperwork

• No shared or agreed aims • A lack of mutual respect and trust • Little understanding of each others roles -

Communication between staff and patients / carers

• Inconsistent / confusing /misleading language • Jargon / abbreviations / acronyms / shorthand • Cultural language barriers • Demeaning / patronising / disrespectful

language • Unhelpful / generic / bland lanuage

BUPA Talking Toolkit

• Think as you listen • Show you are listening • Keep it simple • Be patient

NHS Constitution – currently under review

• Respect and dignity • Commitment to quality care • Compassion • Improving lives • Working together for patients • Everyone counts

Simple measures to assist integration and co-ordinated care

• Communication skills training in undergraduate programmes

• Consult patients about document content • Actively listen to patient and public feedback • Think about the message before communicating • Jargon black lists •

You are what people see and hear, not what you believe they have seen

or heard