Reflective Diary on Communication in NHS for Medical Assistants

This reflective diary explores the intricacies of communication within the National Health Service (NHS) from the perspective of a medical assistant. The diary details the importance of effective communication with various client groups, including patients, colleagues, and supervisors, highlighting the use of both verbal and non-verbal methods. It discusses different communication mediums, such as written, oral, and online communication, and emphasizes the significance of therapeutic communication and active listening. The diary further analyzes a role-playing exercise, detailing the stages of group formation (forming, storming, norming, and performing), challenges encountered, and lessons learned. It also reflects on personal development, including the acquisition of problem-solving, multitasking, and leadership skills, as well as strategies for improving communication and team management abilities through seminars and workshops. The author emphasizes the importance of building strong relationships, understanding patient emotions, and fostering a collaborative work environment to provide better patient care and improve overall service delivery within the NHS.

Communicating with Different Client Groups - 1 (Reflective
diary)
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Table of Contents
1. Communication effectively..............................................................................................................3
2. the role play and group formation....................................................................................................4
3. Evaluating and learning from the role play .....................................................................................6
4. Personal development during the module .......................................................................................7
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1. COMMUNICATION EFFECTIVELY
Communication is the process of sharing information with others. It is the process of
conveying intended meaning to another person’s through the use of different mediums such as by
speaking, writing etc. In other words, it is the process to send or receive information between two or
more persons. Person who send any messages or information to others are called sender while
person to whom information has been sent, is known as receiver. Information that parties intend to
convey with others may be concepts, opinions, beliefs, attitude, instructions and their emotions. It is
an interpersonal process of sharing views, ideas, behaviour, conversation and gestures between two
or more related parties.
I am working as a medical assistant in National Health Service (NHS) who is a publicly
funded health and social care organizations operating in England, United Kingdom. Becoming a
medical practitioners, I used different communications methods to share information with my
colleagues, tutor, and peer or service users. I used distinct types of ways that are written
communication, oral communication, face to face communication, online communication etc. In the
written communication, I sent all the information to my colleagues, peer, tutor or other services
users by written it. As present age is technological age in which technology is increasing at faster
rate henceforth, I used e-mail facility through which quick information has been sent out to my
colleagues and I was able to get quicker feedback from them by reply option. Moreover, it make
myself able to communicate with large number of customers at a single time. I used both verbal and
non-verbal medium to communicate effectively in the NHS. In verbally, I shared information with
colleagues and others with the use of written messages and spoken as well. However, in non-
verbally, my gesture, body language, face and eye contact and even silence has been used. It helped
myself to show professional qualities and effectiveness.
Becoming a medical practitioners in NHS, my role is to provide services to the patients
hence, effective communication was the first and foremost point so that better service can be
provided to them. In order to communicate with services users, who were patients, contact point has
been used by myself. In this, central appointment desk, telephones, patient affairs offices,
emergency rooms, information desk, clinics and hospitals were the initial patient contact. I gave
instructions to the all the persons to exert an effective control from the initial contact point. Like,
give your ID...., wait here...., sit here....etc. I showed sympathy, courtesy, positive attitude and
proper attention to the patients. It provided service users a sense of belongingness so that they feel
comfort with me and shared all the information. Listening, talking, facial expression, body
movements etc., helped me to identify that what patients felt about their disease. Hear the speaker,
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remove distraction, focus on ideas, maintain objectivity and proper concentration on immediate
interaction helped me to serve customers more effectively Further, therapeutic communication has
been used which enable me to collect information to determine patient illness, assessing and
modifying behaviour and providing them health education. In this, my interview skills assist me
observe that what customers are feeling and their behaviour as well. It developed observation skills
to recognize and interpret non-verbal expressions.
My problem solving skills helped myself to solve problems that my co-worker faced while
in practice. My multitasking skills helped to me to deal with my colleagues, peer, and service users
more effectively. As I am working as medical assistant, hence, patient care was the most common
task of my work. I noticed that sometimes it become very difficult for me to deal with anxious
patients and their relatives. Hence, treating them in well manner and calm those down helped me to
establish a friendly environment in NHS. I also noticed that staff who witnessed poor performance
in their peers was felt hesitation to speak up due to fear of retaliation. Effective communications
through different mediums make myself able to build and maintain good relationship with
physician-patients and colleagues. This in turn, each and every staff member feel high comfort and
share information freely with others. Effective communication also helped me to understand and
learn a lots of things from the tutor and provide guidance to my colleagues to assist them in their
work. It make me able to understand patient's emotions, defensiveness, workers stress, and
prejudices and develop mutual relationship in workplace. My professional skills has been proven
best to provide knowledge of work to my other co-workers through training and open sessions. It
developed collaboration, team work and friendly environment at workplace. In the hierarchical
structure, physicians were at the top level of the hierarchy in NHS and collaborative environment
helped me to speaking with high confident and listing skills helped to gain an in-depth knowledge
of my work, this in turn, I was able to deliver proper treatment to patients.
2. THE ROLE PLAY AND GROUP FORMATION
The development of the group was done by following a process. Such played an effective
role in gaining knowledge regarding the members in the role play in an appropriate manner. I feel
that the group formation follows the stage that includes forming, storming, norming as well as
performing. The stage of forming is the initial one in which the members of team team possess the
anxiety in knowing what would done through the formation of the group. Being a medical assistant
I played the role of leader wherein I make people aware of their roles and responsibilities in an
effective manner. This stage last for certain duration of time as individuals starting working together
after this. Another stage relates with storming in which there is arising conflicts among the people
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due to presence of own style of carrying out the role. Here I was able to know that individual work
in different manner but due to deviation in style of working huge amount issue can occur. Under
role play the issues such as conflicting for the roles that has to be played in the role play is crucial
task. This has created major problems for me regarding the management of the group. Following
this another stage was norming under which the differences among the people starts getting
resolved. Here the issues among storming and forming are addressed. In my group the people began
to understand one another at this stage.
In the norming, I used to resolve some issues, appreciate colleague's strengths and their
better performance and respect my authority or leaders such as physician. In this, my morale goes at
high strength because of active knowledge of talents, skills and experiences of all the members. In
this, I developed a sense of community with whole group so that NHS's objectives and goals of
delivering excellent services to the clients can be accomplished. It helped to ensure effective and
seamless flow of information and provide high security to each and every member. At the
performing stage, I gave best performance as a medical practitioner and deliver qualified services to
the patients. It helped to makes a significant contribution to achievement of designed goals of NHS.
Besides this, it developed unified, loyal and supportive relationship at working environment. It
developed problem-solving skills, experimentation and testing alternative solutions so that I focused
to complete assigned work of medical practitioner at high productivity.
During the role play session I have faced several difficulties in relation to the identification
of the viewpoints of the different team members. Moreover, in team members people vary in terms
of their understating level. If group member do not have high level of understanding then it closely
hampers the outcome of group. In this, I have faced difficulty in managing the people of group due
to the lack of leadership skills and and qualities. Besides this, varied skills and competency level of
the group members have created problems in front of me at the time of role play. In addition to this,
I have also faced problem in assigning the task or responsibility to the the people of group. Further,
due to the lack of communication skills I am also facing problem in the encouraging the team
members. Thus, all these aspects imposed problem in front of me in role play session.
In order to perform in the role play session and real life in the best possible way I will attend
more seminars and conferences which are organized by NHS and other business organization. This
activity will help me in improving my communication skills. In addition to this, I will also attend
workshop which helps me in enhancing my team management skills to the significant level. In
addition to this, workshop will also assists me in leaning the ways through which I can raise the
motivational level of people. Further, I will also make more effort to interact with the large of
people which helps me in understanding the human psychology in an effectual manner. All these
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skills help me in deal with with the team members in an appropriate manner. Thus, by developing
the leadership, motivation and team management abilities I become able to attain success in my
near future.
3. EVALUATING AND LEARNING FROM THE ROLE PLAY
The role play has an effective role in making communication in an appropriate manner.
Being a medical assistant I carried out the role play as such act as an aid in making communication
among the people of the hospital that NHS in an effective manner. The role play was carried out as
it was planned. The roles given to each person was played by them with greater effectiveness. The
reason because of which the play was being carried out has been meet in an effective manner. The
actual motive besides carrying out the role play was to increase the knowledge among the people
regarding the working within Health and Social care organizations. Role play is considered as the
act of imitating the character as well as behaviour of someone. It acts as a means of training and is
used for the purpose of communicating with one another. The method of role play is significantly
used in NHS for the purpose of communicating different aspects of health care to the personnel in
an appropriate manner. Role play is the training method that is being used for acquiring knowledge,
attitude as well as skills in the range of disciplines. I believe that role is effective in terms that
teaches one about the ways to behave in a particular situation.
I have conducted role play activity on the topic of increasing awareness towards the health
and safety aspects. For this activity I have formed team of 5 people in which one people narrate the
story. I acted as a medical practitioner, whereas one of my team member assigned the role of
patient. Remaining two people of the role play activity acted as a nurse and peer. Being a leader I
have allotted task and responsibilities to the each member of group on the basis of their qualities
and characteristics.
The role play has assisted me to a significant level. The first and foremost things that is
being learned is related with the manner in which work can be carried out with various number of
individuals. This implies that ways in which coordination can be established among the people with
different attitudes, believes and interest. With the assistance of role play I am able to gain
knowledge regarding the manner in which the things can be portrayed to other and effective
communication can be provided to them at the same time. I have learned about the skills relating to
research. Such is due to carrying out of role play. Through role play I have learned investigation
skills regarding the subject matter that needs to be presented in the role play. Selection of such is
very crucial as overall success the play is dependent of type of phenomenon that is required to
demonstrate before the people. The method of conflict resolution with the group have also been
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learned by me while carrying out the role play. Role play has been effective in carry out the job of
medical assistant in suitable manner.
Role play has proved to be effective in increasing my experience as well as self confidence
in handling various situation that are occurring at workplace in an effective manner. Role play has
acted as an aid in sparking the brainstorming session for the purpose of improving communication
among the team members and to view the issues from various perspectives. This assist in carrying
out the work performance in an appropriate manner. Thus it leads to offering of services to the
patients with greater effectiveness.
With role play I have learned the skills with which team can be developed. There is presence
of several stages for the development of the group. This has acted as aid in developing the team
spirit within the group to a significant level. Everything went well while the role play was being
carried but due to nervousness among certain individuals dialogues were missed out. This has
affected the play but to some extent. Instead of such the play was a success as it has communicated
the purpose for which it was being carried out. The technique of role play has assisted in enhancing
my learning regarding various aspects Health and social care. It is essential in case of role play to
make critical analysis of the skills of different members and this acts as an aid in making the
performance effective. While carrying out the role play I have attained learning about the manner in
which work can be delegated in accordance with the skills that are being possess by the individuals.
It is significant in increasing the effectiveness of the role play as well. The sharing of the views
within the group has been effectively learned while carrying out the role play. With this I have
gained knowledge the manner of expressing the feeling before other without giving rise to the
situation of conflict. Role play has effective role in increasing my own understanding regarding the
methods of work practicing. This has further helped me in carrying out my job as medical assistant
in an appropriate manner.
4. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT DURING THE MODULE
From this assessment I have learned wide range of communication skills which me in
building my future or career brighter. Before the role play session listening and communication
skills of mine are not highly improved. From the role play session I have learned about the ways
which helps me in working in group in an effectual manner. In order to work as a successful
medical practitioner I need to develop my communication skills. During the work I have found that
I was unable to provide the direction to the personnel due the lack communication skills and
knowledge. Moreover, in health and social care organization effective communication plays a vital
role in getting the desired level of outcome or success.
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Communication skills are required in both personal and professional life. Thus, for
improving may communication skills I attended role play session which assists me in enhancing my
skills while working in a group. Moreover, in medical industry high level of co-ordination between
the team is required. Besides this, in team different members are vary in terms of their point of
views and skills. In this, medical practitioner is required to manage their team in the best possible
manner. Thus, from the role play session I have learned the skills which helps me in managing team
in an effectual manner. Besides this, by attending the office meetings my communication skills are
improved to the large extent. Besides this, I have also attended seminars and conferences which
offers opportunity to me to speak in front of the large group of people. Thus, by presenting the ideas
and suggestion among the group of people I have developed my confidence level to the significant
level. Besides this, seminars has also strengthened my listening skills.
Being a medical practitioner of NHS I has responsibility to manage my team in an effectual
manner. For this purpose, I also require to listen the viewpoints of the team members. Moreover, it
is one of the main aspects which have high level of influence on the motivational aspect of the team
members. Thus, by taking part in the seminars and conferences I haves improved my listening
skills to the large extent. Furthermore, role play session which is conducted also proves to be more
beneficial for me. It has developed my ability to deal with the group and their members in the best
possible way. Besides this, in role plays I have assigned the role of team leader. In this, I have
responsibility to communicate all the aspects to the respective group members. In this way, my
communication skills are developed to the large extent.
Communication skills which are developed my I by taking into account the several activities
have made remarkable contribution in my personal development. Moreover, role play sessions as
well as seminars and conferences provided high level of assistance to me developing my potentials.
All these activities helps me in enhance the quality of my life and thereby makes contribution in the
realization of dreams. Communication skills which are acquired by me proves to be more beneficial
for my career in NHS as a Medical practitioner. By developing the skills I become able to guide my
team members more effectively and efficiently.
Besides this, if my communication skills are sound then I become able to assess the needs
and wants of the patients in an appropriate manner. Moreover, I can diagnose the diseases in the
right direction when I have ability to ask the suitable questions. Besides this, I also must have
quality to listen the each and every aspect of the patients. Moreover, if do not listen the all aspects
or problems of the patients then I cannot provide the suitable prescription to the patients. Thus,
effective communication skills help me in building my career or future more bright in NHS. In
everyday communication practice, I will take feedback from my colleagues and supervisors. This
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activity will provides deeper insight to me about the areas which require high level of improvement.
Thus, by taking into account all these aspects I become able to take strategic move or action which
helps me in strengthening my communication and listening skills.
CONCLUSION
By summing up this reflective diary, it can be concluded that communication is the key
which helps NHS in attaining success in the competitive business arena. Being a medical assistant I
have used oral and written communication style to disseminate the information to my colleagues,
peers and supervisors. Further, I have conducted role play by forming the group by taking into
account the characteristics of the team members. Role play activity has proved to be more fruitful
for me. As a medical assistant I require varied skills and abilities which helps me in performing my
task in the best possible manner. Through role play I have learned the aspects which have high level
of influence on the group behaviour. It enables me to deal with the team in an effectual manner. It
can be stated that role play activity has made remarkable contribution in the growth and
development of my learning. All the communication and other skills will make my career or future
brighter in the medical industry.
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