ABSTRACT
There are times when conversations with colleagues have a greater importance, especially when discussing patients’ illnesses, investigations and their management. Hence, it is of vital importance to use good communication to ensure that miscommunication does not take place. From time to time intra-professional communications will be tested by situations that may not be clinical in nature. Other times, it may tested by something far more complex, such as a discussion about a colleague’s ability to perform competently. In such circumstances, the challenge will lie in the ability to gain the trust of colleague, and to maintain rapport with them while negotiating an amicable solution that does not put the safety of the patient at risk. The way doctors communicate with each other differs greatly from how they communicate with patients. However in practice, intra-professional communication is often quite challenging, especially so when the subject matter is of a sensitive nature.
