Over the last year alone the NHS had 5.5million missed appointments costing millions, this is a problem that is wide spread among dental and doctor surgery’s alike. One method used to try and combat this problem is sending out text message alerts; this is another example where effective computerised communication is used. It benefits the service user as they can avoid being fined for missed appointments and avoid having to reschedule. The staff also benefit as they can save time as less appointments will need to be reschedule. The staff can also save time more effectively as, for example; a GP could instead of having wasted time in missed appointments could have more free time to check on other patients; and therefore benefiting the organisation as they save money.
Effective written communication:
Effective written communication is essential in any health and social care setting. And the repercussions of any failure to ensure effective written communication can be very serious for the service user, staff and organisation involved. An example could be where the service user is given the wrong treatment, and could take the organisation to court over being given incorrect or unnecessary treatment.
Letters are a type of effective communication as it allows the service user to be reminded of appointments or allows them to receive information confidentially and in a way that is non-intrusive, it also benefits the Staff as they can post them at a time suitable for them and can write them quickly using a set format. It will therefore benefit the organisation as it saves time and money. Letters are also very official in appearance and therefore, can cause the service user to take them more seriously.
Care plans are beneficial to the service user, as their treatment is then plan out, this allows them to feel more informed and including in their recovery, Service users can then feel empowered to refer back to the care plan if something has gone wrong or they are unsatisfied with their treatment. staff benefit as care plans offer set instruction of the Service users treatment and therefore can cause Staff to treat them more efficiently; saving time. And lastly the organisation benefits as they save money and can build their reputation as the quality of the service user’s treatment increases.
During a service users stay at hospital it is very important to keep good and up to date medical records, these are hugely beneficial to the service user and staff as without them, the patient, Doctor relationship can suffer as the service user can feel unimportant and annoyed if the Doctor, for example has to keep asking them their previous treatments, medical history, e.c.t. . They service treatment also improves as the care they should be receiving is clearly shown and therefore for allows the staff to easily follow this and ensure the best possible care for the Service user is provided. The staff can also refer back to the medical records for background information instead of interviewing the patient; this saves time both the service user and staff time and therefore would save the organisation money.
Effective Oral communication:
It is vital that Staff get oral communication right as it is normally the most common type of communication, and the type preferred by the majority of service users. Oral communication includes formal and informal conversation. It’s very important to use it effectively as it can help build a beneficial relationship between the service user and staff, which can then lead to many positive affects, such as creating trust between a doctor and patient, whereby the patient may feel more comfortable sharing personal information which may help them receive the best treatment.
One example of oral communication is a telephone conversation. This can benefit the service user as they may feel more comfortable revealing more personal information over the phone rather than face-to-face; this can help build the relationship of the service user and staff as personal information is shared a relationship of trust is established; which is vital for their effective care. Telephone conversations are often a very convenient form of oral communication as it does not require both the service user and staff to be in the same place, this can be useful as it may be the case that the service user cannot travel easily (such as elderly or frail patients) . This means that transport does not need to be provided by the organisation and can save them time and money.
Another type of oral communication is in group meetings such as a multidisciplinary team meetings, where a service users case can be discussed by all the staff that are involved; this type of communication can be very beneficial as many different people can all give their different views and inputs into each case. It also allows discussion and debate into different topics which can be beneficial to the service user and staff as the right treatment plan can then be recognized. This is consequently beneficial to the organisation as the most effective treatment plan is decided, and carried out.
And Lastly face-to-face communication is the most common type of oral communication used in the care setting. Face-to-face conversations are much more personal and help build the strongest relationship between the staff and service user. It’s also one of the best ways to tackle conflicts, for example, If a social worker was conducting a house visit and was met by hostility by the parent, they could speak softly and explain things face-to-face which would normally improve the relationship and reduce their aggression. The organisation would then benefit as the staff would also be able to complete the appointment quicker and save the organisation time, and money as they may be able to fit in more appointments throughout the day if at each one, effective communication is reached quickly in a safe environment.
Effective Special methods of communication:
In order to communicate effectively some people need special forms of communication to enable them to do so, this may be because they find it difficult or impractical to communicate in the other more common ways. For example a deaf person may use sign language because they find it much easier to communicate, as they may not be able to hear speech. When organisations allow service users to use their preferred method of communication is promotes equality and can make the service user feel valued and encourage them to trust more in the service they are being provided with.
In 1829 Richard Braille invented and develop a system of raised dots that can be felt with the finger and interpreted into letters and then read. This is a very effective form of communication for service users who cannot see. This can benefit the organisation as they can get across warnings and information to that person without anyone being present to read for them. For example on certain medicine boxes there may be certain warning or information to help the service user make the correct purchase and use them effectively. Braille can also benefit the Staff as it can help them save time reading out and assisting the service user; And therefore save the organisation money.
Makaton is another very common type of special communication. Makaton is a large collection of symbols, signs and speech. This form of communication is normally taught to children as soon as their need is recognised. It can be easily picked up and tailed to suit the service user which can make it more effective and more beneficial to the service user. It normally requires a close relationship between the Service User and Staff , as unlike sign language, there is no universal theme. Meanings of things are normally altered to suit the individual personally; this can creates a relationship of trust, which can lead to more effective communication, between the staff and the service user. Organisations would benefit as the communication would be more effective and could affect their treatment and wellbeing, ands quicken there recovery, saving time and therefore money.
Advocates are very helpful to the communication process as they act as voice to the service user which cannot or does not share their own opinions. The reasons for this can be varied, example would include the service user being underage and therefore the parent taking on responsibility for their care or a husband/wife being the advocate for their spouse, if they are unconscious or do not have the mental capacity to form their own decisions. This benefits the service user, staff and organisation as it avoids the ethical dilemmas that would arise if every service user in that situation was to be treated the same.
And Lastly interpreters are a type of special communication methods. In the past interpreters would have normally been someone form the service users family, but nowadays it is normally outside interpreters are used. It benefits the service user as information can be interpreted quickly which can ensure the right treatment is given and means everyone can be treated equally. It benefits the staff as for instance, the Doctor can communicate effectively with a patient from another country and can ensure the diagnosis their illness correctly. This in turn will benefit the organisation as they save time and money.
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