Effective communication

Good practice means the practitioner: (a) speaks and writes with courtesy, respect, compassion and honesty to patients and to the partner, substitute decision-maker, carers, relatives and friends they nominate; (b) allows for the age, maturity and intellectual capacity of young people and of others with additional needs and gives information they can understand; (c) is aware of and allows for health literacy; (d) takes all practical steps to meet language, cultural and communication needs, engaging interpreters and translators when needed; (e) tries to confirm the patient has understood; (f) encourages patients to be well-informed and respects their right to choose whether to take part in treatment or accept advice; (g) passes relevant, timely, accurate patient information to colleagues within privacy limits; and (h) is non-judgemental, never refers to people unprofessionally in speech, correspondence or records, and avoids behaviour that may be seen as bullying, harassment or culturally unsafe. The expectation covers all forms of communication, digital ones included.

• Interpreter booking records for patients with limited English
• Patient information materials written in plain language or translated
• Clinical notes recording teach-back or other confirmation of understanding
• Correspondence and record audit for unprofessional or derogatory language

• Family members used as interpreters for consent discussions
• Written materials pitched above the patient population's literacy
• Informal or pejorative remarks about patients in records or messages