2. Types of Communication
• Face to face
• Body language
• Verbal
• Posters
• Letters
• Environment
• Can you think of any more?
3. The Patient Journey
Where does the patient journey start?
• Letters
What could make this difficult?
• Sensory impairment – sight loss
• Cognitive impairment – learning disabilities / dementia
• Non-English speaker
• Literacy, some medical terms are harder to read and understand e.g.
melanoma, tumour, oncology
What can help?
• Accessible Information Standard 2016: This makes sure everyone has
access to information regardless of impairments or disabilities
• Tweaking wording to make it easier to read and understand
5. Text Reminders
• “the text reminders for appointments are also really useful because its easy
to forget, especially if there is a couple of weeks wait between booking and
your appointment”
• “I also find that the text alerts for appointments have helped although
there’s probably a cost to the hospital associated with them. It means
you’re not fishing around for a piece of paper in your bag as the
appointment time is there in front of you on your phone”
• ‘Did not Attend’ rate down 2%
7. Signage
Which of these signs
would be the most
effective?
Yellow signs are seen
faster by the eye and
stand out more in the
environment.
8. Waiting Areas
Our phlebotomy
department has a ticket
system for waiting
patients, what challenges
to communication could a
system like this face?
sensory impairment
vision
hearing
How could we solve this?
Sharing feedback
Information Screens
Posters
9. Patients and Carers on the ward
• Placemats
• Red Trays
• Bereavement Bags
• West Norfolk Carers
• Leaflet racks – These have information on procedures and services
• Interpreters – Some patients’ first language may not be English
10. A&E
• Interpreters – interpreter on wheels
• Keeping patients / parents / carers informed
• The journey
• Poster
• X-ray footprints
• Paediatric leaflets
‘We waited 5 hours only to ask reception to find out we were
waiting for a bed. This would have been known but not
explained to us. My husband has 36 beats heart beat. Dr
appeared concerned about stroke !! 5 hours not happy.’
11. Staff Communication
• The Knowledge
• Information Screens – patient facing
• Email
• Briefings
• Posters – sharing and learning
• Social media – Twitter, Facebook and Instagram
12. Why collect feedback from patients
• Opportunity to tell us what was good and what not
• How to provide feedback
• Friends and Family Test (FFT)
• Complaints
• PALS – Patient Advice and Liaison Service
• NHS Choices
• Social Media – Twitter / Google Review / Facebook
13. Patient Stories
• ‘We arrived out of hours to see a GP. they were concerned
and wanted him to see a Paediatrician - we got sent to
Casualty, since then we have waited 5 hours! - No
communication, no food, and when asked the nurse for
update as we had been waiting 5 hours, I got told "So has
everyone else" - not considerate, not helpful! - Rude!’
• ‘Dr Francis - very thorough, very caring, very kind, explained
everything so clearly. What an asset to QE Hospital. Just
brilliant, one of the very best who has attended me ever -
outstanding. Nursing staff also very caring and kind ditto
paramedics, auxiliary staff.’
