Key Communication Skills in Health and Social Care

Health and Social Care

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
1. Key communication skills and their implication in health and social care..............................3
1.1 Theoretical approaches to communication.............................................................................5
1.2 Types of communication used in health and social care........................................................6
2.1 Barriers to communication and ways to overcome them.......................................................8
2.2 Alternative means of communication utilised with health and social care users with special
requirements...............................................................................................................................10
2.3 Importance of confidentiality linked to Caldicott Principles...............................................11
3. Benefits and challenges of information and communication technology..............................13
3.1 ICT benefits to service users................................................................................................14
3.2 ICT benefits to health and social care practitioners.............................................................15
3.3 Data protection act...............................................................................................................16
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................17
REFRENCES.................................................................................................................................18

INTRODUCTION
Information and communication technology can be refer to as techniques which is used by
companies so that they can interact properly and there will be no disturbance. It is useful for all
company because this is easy and simple to use, all are having smart phones and active on social
networking sites so they can communicate with each other easily (Bahrini and Qaffas, 2019).
ICT also helps in health and social care because they are interacting with patients and try to
provide them good services so that changes can be made and satisfy needs of consumers. It will
help in creating positive impact on customers and they can provide better services. In the report,
communication skills is discussed and how it is applied in health and social care. Two theoretical
approaches to communication are described and main type of communication utilised within
health and social care. Further, various factors which will influence communication process is
described which includes, barriers to communication and ways to overcome them. importance of
confidentiality is discussed. Benefits and challenges of information and communication
technology in health and social care is described. Benefits of ICT to service users, health and
social care practitioners are discussed. Importance of data protection act and its application in
health and social care are described.
MAIN BODY
1. Key communication skills and their implication in health and social care
Communication:
It refers to a process that involves the transfer and sending of message from sender to
receiver with the inculcation of some medium (Waisbord, 2019). It can also be determined as a
mode by which the delivery of message from the sender to the receiver take place.
Skills:
In order to pursue a better and effective communication presence of these skills are very
essential. The skills concerning the communication is as follows:
Body language:
It is one of the important skill concerning with the effective communication. This can be
understood as if the body language of an individual is not matched with the communication then
it will lead to have a creation of wrong communication. Body language also plays an important
role in the field of health and social care. This is because if the body language of the health

personnel is not positive and not matching with the message which it want to communicate, than
it will lead to transfer and interpretation of wrong message.
Eye contact:
It is also counted as a communication skill. This is because if the communicator will not
have a direct eye contact with the sender then it will not create effective meaning of the message.
This is equally applicable in case of social and health care wherein in order to deal with the
patient or the person concerning with some social issue need to establish adequate eye contact so
that exact meaning can be transferred.
Active listening:
Simply saying and communicating the message is not enough and sufficient in case of
effective communication. This means that presence of skill of active listening is also an essential
part of communication (Moss, 2017). Here it is to be noted that in order to have successful and
two-way communication it is essential that the health personnel will actively listen the issues and
problem of the patient and the concerned person.
Teamwork skill:
Teamwork is also an essential skill specially in case when an individual need to work in
team and communicate effectively/. This is usually applicable in social and health care sectors
wherein it is made compulsory that the concerned personnel will have teamwork spirit and skill
so that it can along with better handling of team may also able to clearly express its thoughts and
views so that the desired level of outcome and objective can be grabbed.
Audience analysis:
In order to have an effective communication it is very important to have this skill. This is
because it will enable an individual to have better transferring of message along with creation of
better understanding. It is also important in the sector of social and healthcare (Reith Hall, 2019).
This is because by having an analysis of the audience, the communicator would be able to frame
its communication as per the perspective of the audience and make accordingly so that better
level of understanding can be created.
Enthusiasm and patience:
This is also an essential part and skill of communication. As per this skill it is very
essential that the communicator must be enthusiastic and persist patience. This is most important
skill with regard to social and healthcare sector. This is because if the healthcare and social care