6168 Beyond words: effective communication from the patient‘s perspective

Objectives Communication is key in healthcare settings: it influences people's perceptions of the care they receive1 and can affect overall outcomes.2 The Children and Young People's Patient Council (CYPPC) at London North West University Healthcare Trust provides a space for patients to be heard and to share what matters to them.3 Council members reported negative experiences of communication during hospital visits, the authors worked collaboratively with patients and families to explore their experiences and identify areas for improvement. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight parents and four children receiving care at the Trust. Questions were designed to encourage reflection on experiences of communication with professionals, asking about situations when communication had gone well and why; when communication had not gone well and why; situations which present challenges to effective communication; and how patients felt they would like to be communicated with. Findings were presented back to the Patient Council for discussion and further feedback was recorded. Themes were identified in the data and the findings were communicated to professionals in order to promote more effective communication. Results The majority of patients and carers reported a positive experience of communication with healthcare professionals. They felt reassured when things were explained to them in a clear manner; regular updates were provided on what would happen next; and when staff were available to answer questions. Common themes in less positive experiences of communication were staff failing to introduce themselves; a lack of knowledge about the patient's condition or management; and feeling as though professionals had not fully listened to them. Further feedback from Patient Council members emphasised that the manner in which we communicate was felt to be just as important as what information is given. Conclusion This qualitative inquiry has revealed the variation in quality of communication experienced by young people and families and highlights its potential to impact experience of care. Creating space to hear the experience of patients and carers has shown that effective communication is key in providing reassurance and reducing anxiety; that how we communicate is as important as what is being said; and that people need to feel listened to in order to believe that their concerns will be properly addressed. Where this does not happen, people are more likely to report a negative experience of care. References Damm l, Leiss U, Habeler U, Ehrich J. Improving care through better communication: continuing the debate. Journal of Pediatrics. 2015. Lang E. A better patient experience through better communication. Journal of Radiology Nursing. 2012. Benzaken T, Oram R, Manning G, Yeo L, Holliday T. Taking time to listen: creating a local CYP council to work on what matters. Archives of Disease in Childhood. 2022.