Public Health and Social Work (pdf)

HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE
UNIT 1
Name of student:
Name of university:

Training on communication in H and SC
•Effective communication is of key importance in
health and social care since it helps in establishing
and developing relationships with patients and
other professionals
•Training is to be provided to the healthcare
providers at all levels for working with diverse
range of people in order to meet their needs
•There should be equal focus on formal and
informal communication as both have equal
significant in care settings (Moss 2017)

Humanistic theory of communication
The humanistic theory looks at communication as an
undivided unity and does not support dualistic analysis
of language
The communicative process is to be carried out as
living up to the definition of sharing meaning
Communication must not be made in such a way that
there is a discrepancy between actual message and
expected message reception and response
The concept of dialogical interaction and sense
making establishes connections between
representation of ideas and social identity

Cognitive theory of communication
The theory is an agnatic conceptual framework that
focuses on understanding psychosocial and cognitive
mechanisms behind communication
As per the theory individuals are to focus on connection
between human thoughts and subsequent action before
communicating
Human communication is unidirectional causation and
cognitive response of both parties is required for making
the communication effective (Berger 2016)

Effective communication- language appropriate for
service users
oA human touch is to be established that promotes two-
way communication
oSensitivity is to be shown to the client’s comfort to gain
trust
oEmpathy and affection are essential for fostering an
informal relationship
oPatients value optimal care and personal relationship In
care setting for emotional support
oAttention is to be given while communicating with
patients so that the interaction is fruitful (Kurtz, Draper
and Silverman 2016)

Effective communication- language appropriate for
professionals and purpose
A formal tone is to be maintained while communicating
without being rude
It is advisable to communicate in a clear and direct
manner
Respecting other’s opinions and viewpoints is essential
Maintaining eye contact promotes assertiveness and one
can show respect to the other person
Interpersonal conflicts are to be resolved at the earliest
by engaging in open communication
Culturally sensitivity is crucial while communicating with
professionals with diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds
(Vermeir et al., 2015)

6 barriers to communication
Patient sensory problem- patients might be having
sensory problems such as sight, hearing and speech
impairment
Language barrier- Patients might be from different cultural
and ethnic background and might not be conversant with
the language
Health condition of the patient- Patients might be suffering
from conditions such as dementia that add to confusion
Environmental factor- Many care settings have
professionals who have limited time for communication
Lack of privacy- Patients need privacy and comfortable
environment for communication
Interpersonal conflict- Lack of therapeutic relationship
leads to poor communication (Moss 2017)

Review
oEffective communication is linked with dealing with
inappropriate interpersonal communication
oCreating the right environment is needed for engaging in
important conversations
oOpen and intimate conversation is required for fostering
freedom in communication
oOrganizing the communication is critical
oIt is important to deliver messages in an articulate
manner
oOne must enunciate clearly to avoid misunderstandings

Confidentiality/ privacy/ protection
Confidentiality refers to the obligation of professionals to
hold information gathered from care in confidence
The obligation is guided by ethical principles
Privacy is distinct from confidentiality
It is the right of the clients to be let alone and make
decisions about personal care
Patients are to be given the power of autonomy to decide
about the care process to be implemented
The health and social care professionals are obliged to
protect the best interests of the patients (Glasby 2017)

3 strategies to support individuals with specific
communication needs
Alternative language- Use of alternative language is
helpful
The cultural background of the patient is to be assessed
prior to this
Interpretation- An interpreter is helps in aiding the
communication by interpreting the language spoken by the
client
The professional must be highly skilled to translate the
language spoken by the two parties in an effective manner
Technological aid- A number technological tools are
helpful in promoting communication
The utility of the tools are to be adjudged based on the
education level of the patient (Moss 2017)

Questions
oWhy is communication important in health and social
care?
oWhat are the three main barriers in communication?
oHow can care providers enhance communication?
oWhat are some of the theories of communication?
oHow does an interpreter help in healthcare
communication?

References
Berger, A.A., 2016. Theories of Communication.
In Messages(pp. 16-33). Routledge.
Glasby, J., 2017. Understanding health and social care. Policy
Press
Kurtz, S., Draper, J. and Silverman, J., 2016. Teaching and
learning communication skills in medicine. CRC press.
Vermeir, P., Vandijck, D., Degroote, S., Peleman, R.,
Verhaeghe, R., Mortier, E., Hallaert, G., Van Daele, S.,
Buylaert, W. and Vogelaers, D., 2015. Communication in
healthcare: a narrative review of the literature and practical
recommendations. International journal of clinical
practice, 69(11), pp.1257-1267.
Moss, B., 2017. Communication skills in health and social
care. Sage.

THANK YOU