This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Doctor-patient communications report
29/09/2003
A new blueprint to help doctors to
improve their communications skills was published
today.
The report
Talking Matters from the Centre for Change
and Innovation (CCI) highlights areas of good practice.
But it also says much more can be done
to support medical staff in the way they approach and speak
to
patients in consultations and break bad
news.
Health Minister Malcolm Chisholm
said:
"Good communication is not just about
a doctor's bedside manner. It is fundamental to our central
goal of redesigning services around the perspective of the
patient.
"This involves patients being more
involved in decisions about their own care and in active
planning of services more generally. It is only by
listening to patients that we can develop a genuinely
responsive health service - and that process starts with
each doctor- patient consultation.
"Poor communication leads to poor
clinical practice and poorer outcomes for patients. This
report will form the basis of a series of programmes to
build on existing innovative communication skills training
and address the concerns raised.
"I know these concerns are shared by
the medical profession. But we want a culture of
improvement rather than blame in NHS Scotland and I am sure
there is a great deal we can do working together at both
national and local level to take this forward for the
benefit of everyone"
Dr Bill O'Neill, Scottish Secretary of
the British Medical Association, said:
"It is
never easy breaking the news that someone
has a life threatening illness. Doctors, therefore, need to
be prepared and trained to deal with difficult situations
to help distraught patients and, where appropriate, their
family members.
The BMA welcomes this initiative from
the Scottish Executive as it builds our own publication,
Communication Skills for Doctors which
discusses the issues involved in teaching communication
skills to doctors at both undergraduate and postgraduate
level.
"Scottish medical schools already equip their
students with undergraduate training in communication
skills and students are taught how to deal with patients in
a variety of situations throughout their course.
"However, communication is an integral
part of a doctor's job and we believe that they should be
supported to update their skills throughout their
careers."
Key points from the
Talking Matters report include:
Unlike current medical undergraduates,
many consultants have not been taught communications
skills. In recent years, however, patients have become much
better informed through the Internet and other media and
seek more active involvement in their treatment
Several training initiatives are
already under way: in the Scottish Cancer programme and
locally in areas like Ayrshire and Lanarkshire
Better communications can yield huge
benefits ranging from fewer clinical errors and patient
complaints, more accurate diagnosis and care, to reducing
avoidable stress on both patients and clinicians and
the level of
medical litigation
The CCI was established by the Health
Department in November last year to promote innovative
practice across NHSScotland.
Its current work includes redesign of
outpatient services, improving access to primary care, and
supporting a range of pilot projects in Health Boards.
CCI will now take forward a
development programme to support the report's
recommendations concentrating first on consultants with the
aim of extending the process to all NHS staff.
The
Talking Matters report by Dr Lindsay
Burley and Alison Hampton will now be distributed to NHS
managers, human resource directors and
clinicians throughout Scotland.