ABSTRACT
Introduction Why should we all have an interest in learning effective communication skills? Most of us have been communicating since birth and have managed to communicate effectively throughout our lives-or so we think. Communication is a series of learnt skills rather than just natural ability. Some are naturally better at communicating than others. We may all have learnt the ability to interact with people at basic levels, but these skills can be enhanced by both our experience and by education. There is a certain amount of scepticism, almost resentment, when intelligent young adults are obliged to learn communication skills. However, there is overwhelming evidence to suggest that those in the healthcare professions are not as effective at communicating as they would like to think. Research has shown that medical students are poor at discovering patients’ main problems and that doctors do not learn to communicate empathically without specific training (Kurtz, Silverman and Draper, 1998). Anecdotal stories of poor interactions with healthcare professionals are common. Doctors who are too busy writing up notes to take much notice of their patients as they enter the surgery. Dentists who proceed straight to the clinical examination and keep their fingers in patients’ mouths whilst asking questions. Vets who don’t seem interested in what the owners have to say whilst tending to their sick animal.
