Respect through conversation

Effective communication in health care is not a "nice to have". It is how respect is done - being respectful to colleagues, patients, families, and carers requires reflective communication practice.

This is why frameworks for communication centre respect and state that communication must be centred on core values of equity, inclusivity, evidence, collaboration, and reflection.

As we state in our paper regarding these values: "[t]hese core values are at the centre of this framework as they shape and are shaped by communication. That is, the application of these values in research, teaching, policy, and practice can be seen (or not seen) in the interactions occurring within healthcare. These values also inform the other elements as we move through the different layers at play within the framework."

We also argue that there is insufficient actual investment in communication:
"[p]olicymaking influences funding and supports priorities at local and national levels, from curriculum design to research grant allocation. A lack of prioritisation of communication in policymaking results in reduced investment in teaching and research, and, therefore, more disconnected work, an insufficient locally-developed evidence-base, and, ultimately, less effective communication in practice."

Let's stop with talking about communication and start doing!

- Sarah