Effective Communication Strategies in Health and Social Care: A Report

This report examines communication within the context of the National Health Service (NHS) and the broader health and social care sector. It begins by exploring the utilization of communication skills, including approaches to handle interpersonal communication issues. The report proposes improvements to overcome communication barriers and discusses the importance of effective communication channels. It analyzes strategies to facilitate service users, including the use of ICT software and suggests methods for improving the overall communication process. The report further considers the impact of cultural factors and values on communication, along with the application of communication theories. It also investigates the influence of legislation and codes of conduct, and the effectiveness of organizational policies. Finally, the report analyzes the legal considerations of using ICT and identifies the benefits of ICT for service users, care workers, and organizations, concluding with effective solutions to ICT-related issues.

Communication in Health and
Social Care

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
Q1 Utilization of communication skills in health and social care..............................................1
Q2 Review approaches to handle inappropriate interpersonal communication among
individuals...................................................................................................................................1
D1 Proposed improvements to overcome effective communication barriers.............................2
D2 Showing responsibilities for managing activities..................................................................2
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................3
Q3 1.4 Analysis of utilization of strategies to facilitate service users........................................3
3.1 Use of standard ITC software packages in order to support work .......................................3
Q4 Suggest ways of improving communication process............................................................4
Q5 Ways in which communication process is impacted by cultural factors & values...............4
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................4
Q6 Application of communication theories................................................................................4
Q7 Impact of legislations and codes of conduct on communication process.............................5
Q8 Effectiveness of organisational policies and systems in encouraging good practice............6
TASK 4............................................................................................................................................6
Q9 Analyse the way in which legal considerations in using ICT influence on health & social
care..............................................................................................................................................6
Q10 Benefits of using ICT for service users, care workers and organisations...........................7
D3 Demonstrate effective solutions to issues associated with ICT use......................................7
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
Communication refers to a process through which individuals can interact with each
other. This is a 2 way process which includes a sender or a receiver. In health and social care
sector, it plays an important role understanding the requirements and needs of others (Argyle,
2013). It is a process that assists an individual to express their thoughts and views clearly to the
audience so that they are able to understand the information completely. In health and social care
sector, it is necessary for an individual to have good communication skills so that they enable to
effectively communicate with patients. In the present assignment, chosen organisation is NHS
which deals in health and social care sector and administers health services to the people of
United Kingdom. The report includes various theories of communication & use of
communication skills in healthcare sector. Apart from this, the ways in which cultural factors and
values influence communication process and effectiveness of organisational policies & systems
in promoting good communication practices are defined. Various ways are also suggested in
order to enhance the process of communication in this report.
TASK 1
Q1 Utilization of communication skills in health and social care
Communication skills facilitates the administrators in NHS to make proper flow of
information in firm. It assists the managers to determine the issues that are faced by manpower at
work place. The administration can challenge inappropriate practices at workplace such as lack
of information in between workforce, low communication etc. All these issues are resolved by
managers by the assistance of appropriate communication skills. It might enhance the process of
decision making and also assists the NHS administrators to encourage workers to take
participation in the process of decision making. Effective communication might educate the
workforce about many issues such as treatment of patient, way to communicate with people who
are mentally ill etc. Such kind of issues or problems can be eliminated by managers with the
assistance of communication skills (Birdwhistell, 2010). These may assists the administrator to
keep its manpower motivated.
Q2 Review approaches to handle inappropriate interpersonal communication among individuals
Various communication issues may influence the company to execute proper or suitable
channels of communication in NHS & it might impact on overall efficiency of manpower.
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Communication barriers may influence the whole process of communication and also affect the
process of decision making. Some barriers are defined below:
Misinterpretation: Sometimes, at workplace, workers may misinterpret the data or
information and it might influence whole channel of communication in firm (Carlson, 2010). The
administrator communicates different message & workforce understand something different.
Inappropriate language: Sometimes, the language that are used by leaders may act as a
barrier in the process of communication and this may shows improper interpersonal
communication. The managers of NHS should have to use a formal language that doesn't
influence the moral values of manpower. It is the responsibility of manager to develop such kind
of working surroundings where all the workers respect each other.
D1 Proposed improvements to overcome effective communication barriers
To achieve the main purpose of communication and to make the receiver able to better
understand the main aim of communication, it is very essential to overcome and handle the
barriers come during the process of communication. Following are the steps which should be
followed by the parties involved in communication process to overcome with the barriers:
 Clarify ideas before communication: Individuals who is sending the message or the
sender should be very clear about the what he/she wants to communicate. Sender should
aware about the final objective of communication.
 Communicate as per the needs of receiver: It is very essential for sender to set the
structure of message as per the requirements of receiver and not as per his own
requirement or level of understanding.
 Be aware of language and content of message: Language play a big role in success and
failure of communication process. It is very essential for sender to use the languages
which is easy and understandable by the receiver (Knapp, Hall and Horgan, 2013).
Collect feedback: After send the message to receiver, it is very important for sender to collect
feedback as this help sender in known about that receiver has understood the message or not.
D2 Showing responsibilities for managing activities
It is necessary for health and social care organisation to use appropriate language and
various communication channels within organisation so that it would be easy for both the service
users and providers to understand clearly what others want to say. Effective communication
skills are necessary as it helps in establishing and developing strong relationships with
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management, colleagues and families. It is also important at the time of administering and
requesting information. In order to monitor the health of patient, it is necessary for the service
providers to be able to interrogate with patient and ask many questions with them, but in
sensitive manner. In the role of health care professional, the responsibility that comes under them
is to evaluate and monitor the performance of service providers so that good services can be
provided to the users (Laidre, 2012). This assists in administering standard services to patients.
It is very important to for health care organisations to use effective communication channels so
that information can be clearly conveyed to all the employees.
TASK 2
Q3 1.4 Analysis of utilization of strategies to facilitate service users
Manpower in the company must execute such kind of strategies that assist the business to
determine particular communication needs of manpower and also enhance the overall efficiency
or skilfulness of individuals. Some techniques are defined below:
Technological support: This is the best method in order to upgrade skills of manpower at
NHS & also supports the management to determine the needed skills of manpower.
Technological support may facilitates NHS to recognize the individual skills of workforce and
help them to learn different new languages.
Alternative language: Administrators in the company should assists the workforce to
administrator to administer alternative language in firm. Employees many times confront issue to
recognise the language or words that are used by patients so, management needs to administer
the facility of alternative language to their employees.
3.1 Use of standard ITC software packages in order to support work
Communication and information technology plays an essential role in growth of the firm
that may assists the business to attain objectives and goals on time. The technique ICT is an
appropriate technique to enhance the process of communication in firm and also assist the
business to enhance overall efficiency of strategy. Communication and information technology is
the method to secure data of firm with the assistance of spreadsheet and management of software
can keep data of employees easily. It is an appropriate way to enhance the whole efficiency of
workforce and keep update them about current technology (Littlejohn and Foss, 2010). In NHS,
internet is the best suitable source of communication in order to communicate with employees.
Top administration formulate suitable policies and emphasize on the use of technology in
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process of communication that assists the administration to deliver information about policies
and strategies within firm.
Q4 Suggest ways of improving communication process
There are various ways to enhance the process of communication within firm and assists
the business in order to interact with workforce in effective way (McQuail, 2010). For improving
the process of communication, it is required by the management to conduct group activities on
regular basis or at week end and encourage manpower to participate in such kind of activities.
Managers should take the initiatives in order to develop skills of manpower so that they are able
to work in better way and perform well in the firm. From this, they are also able to communicate
with leaders in proper way about the issues that they confront. It is necessary for the manager of
firm to develop friendly surroundings at workplace so that all the employees can freely express
their views about the policies and strategies of management. Administrators of NHS should have
to challenge the discrimination that may takes place within company and assists the workforce
they are confronting any difficulty in performing their duties.
Q5 Ways in which communication process is impacted by cultural factors & values
There are many components that influence the process of communication within firm and
also impacts the culture and values of workplace.
Gender: In health & social care sector, female workers are more comfortable & are able
to easily motivate the sufferers or patients instead of male employees. In NHS, female nurses
speak in polite manner rather than male compounder. Gender is considered as the biggest factor
in the process of communication that influence the complete communication process.
Age: It is also considered as an important factor that impacts on the process of
communication. Senior workforce have a lot of experience and are able to make the manpower
feel more comfortable rather than a fresher. This assists the employees in communicating with
the people who are having care needs.
TASK 3
Q6 Application of communication theories
In health and social care sector, various theories of communication helps the management
in determining the mindset of workforce and also assists in motivating them so that they are able
to perform in better way (Rice and Atkin, 2012). Below mentioned are the theories that assists
the administration to execute an effective communication process. These are as follows:
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Humanistic theories: This approach assists the managers of NHS to determine the
uniqueness of an individual and also facilitates them to assess the behaviour of a person. By the
assistance of this theory, administration can easily determine the perception of workforce
towards the firm.
Behaviourist theory: This is the approach that assists the firm to reach to inner mental
states of an individual and determine the thinking of workforce towards company (Samovar and
et. al., 2015). It is a type of materialism that assists the managers in firm to determine the
psychological needs, that is, need for food, clothes and shelter of workforce. It assists the
administrators in understanding and fulfil those needs.
Communication techniques used by firm are as follows:
Verbal: Under this type of communication, administrators can easily convey the message
or information to workforce by the assistance of oral communication.
Non verbal: In this style of information and communication, leaders in NHS provides
written format to workforce and they need to read it so that they are able to understand that
specific information. This process of communication assists the managers to eliminate various
issues such as lack of proper knowledge among workforce, enhance the power of decision
making etc.
Q7 Impact of legislations and codes of conduct on communication process
The process of communication in health and social care sector may be influenced by
various legislations and codes of practices. Some laws that may influence the communication
process of NHS are equality act, discrimination law and the law of confidentiality to share data
and information. These legislations may assists the organisation to determine the issues of
employees. These laws are defined as follows:
Discrimination act: As per this act, firms are not allow to discriminate among any of their
employee. This act assists the managers to determine the unequal practices that takes place
within the organisation and administer rights to management for welfare of workforce that are
working in the company. Discrimination among manpower may influence the administration in
their whole process of communication (Scollon, Scollon and Jones, 2011). For instance, women
nurses have more ability to handle patients effectively and taking care of them in comparison to
males.
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Equality act: This act states that it is necessary for the firms to treat all their manpower in
equal way. This law assists the managers of NHS in treating all their employees in equal way and
administer them equal rights.
Confidentiality to share information: It is the responsibility of every organisation to keep
the data of employees as well as patients confidential or not to share with anyone in the firm
itself. It is the duty of workforce of NHS to keep the data secure and safe in firm (Shockley-
Zalabak, 2014).
Q8 Effectiveness of organisational policies and systems in encouraging good practice
It is necessary for NHS implement such kind of policies within the firm that assists the
business to determine preferences and tastes of manpower. Procedures and policies plays
essential role in growth of firm and made the process of communication successful. These
policies may assists the firm to execute that kind of policies of communication that may facilitate
the workforce to communicate with managers in effective way (Viterbi and Omura 2013). The
process of communication should be easy to understand and transparent for workforce. All these
can only be done by the assistance of policies and systems of organisation. Administration may
adopt various policies that assists in informing the workforce about various strategies that are
adopted by the company. It is the responsibility of administrators of firm to keep their manpower
updated with the procedures and policies of firm.
TASK 4
Q9 Analyse the way in which legal considerations in using ICT influence on health & social care
There are many issues that arise in social and health care. There is important role of legal
consideration in using information technology. It is important that in case authority need some
information then it must be provided in appropriate manner. It is important the information must
be with proper security so that there is no misuse of such information. In case wrong information
is delivered then there are confusions and this affects image of company also. There are
advertisement regarding new product and services of NHS. It is important that it must be
delivered to public in appropriate manner. It is important that manger has to ensure regarding use
of ICT for operations of company.
This IT will helpful in providing right and legal information. In case of different use of
resources it is important analyse which is the best option is best (Thompson, 2013). There are
some data which is important and confidential for client so in case of any leakage of such data
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then client can sue organisation. Hence security of data is important and responsibility of
manager. Legal issues are attached with ICT so that manger are also aware about its use. This
will provide assistance to organisation to work under updated environment.
Q10 Benefits of using ICT for service users, care workers and organisations
There is important role communication in health ans social care sector. ITC is helpful in
maintaining records of employees (Tomasello, 2010). In older days the role of information
technology is not so good but in current era its role is enhancing. It is important to say that
manager must use updated version so that there can easily maintain records. Benefits of using
ICT in health and social care for users of services, care worker and organisation are-
 Satisfaction to workers: This is the most important benefit of using ICT that employees
using it feels satisfied that they are working under new technology. This will help to
improve efficiency of employees.
 Quick solution to problems: There are many issues that arise while dealing with different
sources. There must be use of latest technology so that there is completion of task on
proper time.
 Fast communication: IT is a way which helps in communicating fast. So there is
important role of manager in operations of company. There are various departments in
NHS which has interrelated activities, so this is beneficial for organisation.
 Competent to outer world: There is competition in all industries. If organisation use latest
version of ICT then they can compete with outer world and hence there will be increase
in image of company.
D3 Demonstrate effective solutions to issues associated with ICT use
In health and social care sector, information and communication technology is used in 4
broad areas, that is, research, education, management of data and referral. When this technology
is applied in education related to medical education which is quite essential in today's
environment (Effective communication skills in health and social care, 2016). Wit the help of
this education and knowledge, firm can achieve their objective in an effective manner and also
gains competitive edge in the market over their rivals. There are various issues that are
associated with the use of ICT such as repetitive strain injury, eye strain back and neck strain .
Therefore, the staff is required to take safety precautions regarding such concerns.
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CONCLUSION
This report says that there is important role of information technology in health and social
care sector. It is said that communication is important to exchange relevant information among
departments. There are various theories related to communication which makes it more clear and
proper. There are numerous employees having different skills so there must be properly use of
skills so that there is no confusion at the time of interaction. There are interpersonal
communication among employees that is not relevant in company's regard is also discussed here.
There are various strategies used by management of organisation as per need of department.
There is important role of ICT in health and social care sector and its benefits.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Argyle, M., 2013. Bodily communication. Routledge.
Birdwhistell, R. L., 2010. Kinesics and context: Essays on body motion communication.
University of Pennsylvania press.
Carlson, A. B., 2010. Communication system. Tata McGraw-Hill Education.
Knapp, M. L., Hall, J. A. and Horgan, T. G., 2013. Nonverbal communication in human
interaction. Cengage Learning.
Laidre, M. E., 2012. Principles of animal communication.
Littlejohn, S. W. and Foss, K. A., 2010. Theories of human communication. Waveland Press.
McQuail, D., 2010. McQuail's mass communication theory. Sage publications.
Rice, R. E. and Atkin, C. K. eds., 2012. Public communication campaigns. Sage.
Samovar, L. A. And et. al., 2015. Communication between cultures. Nelson Education.
Scollon, R., Scollon, S. W. and Jones, R. H., 2011. Intercultural communication: A discourse
approach. John Wiley & Sons.
Shockley-Zalabak, P., 2014. Fundamentals of organizational communication. Pearson.
Thompson, J. B., 2013. Ideology and modern culture: Critical social theory in the era of mass
communication. John Wiley & Sons.
Tomasello, M., 2010. Origins of human communication. MIT press.
Viterbi, A. J. and Omura, J.K., 2013. Principles of digital communication and coding. Courier
Corporation.
Wenger, E., 2014. Artificial intelligence and tutoring systems: computational and cognitive
approaches to the communication of knowledge. Morgan Kaufmann.
Online
Effective communication skills in health and social care, 2016.Online available through
https://www.stonebridge.uk.com/blog/health-and-social-care/effective-communication-
skills-in-health-and-social-care
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