We’ve been running NHS communications training since the 1990s.
That’s because confident, consistent communication can be difficult for anyone.
Add a high-pressure environment, intense public scrutiny and a cost-of-living crisis, and difficult seems impossible.
Communication is of the utmost importance within the NHS.
From the GP surgery to the operating room, the office to parliament, every aspect of our healthcare system must run smoothly.
This is where communications training comes in.
Here are three tips from our tutors, made up of former print and broadcast journalists, to communicate effectively.
1. Say goodbye to jargon
We’re fortunate to have some of the brightest minds in the country work within the NHS.
While that’s fantastic, it also means we feel the need to add in flowery language to sound intelligent.
Enter the jargon.
In a bid to make our text sound clever, we remove all meaning and render it unreadable.
Keep language simple and succinct to ensure it can be understood by anyone.
Research shows us even the most intelligent people prefer simple language.
2. Remember your audience
Organisations like the NHS have a variety of audiences to communicate with.
But it’s important to remember that each piece of information must be readable for all of them.
Does that mean sharing confidential patient information with staff from other departments?
No.
It means you must always be prepared for your message to be shared.
Even if it was only intended for one other person.
How do you prepare for this?
Keep your language appropriate, your tone professional and, above all, your message clear.
Who you are and what you do should be known before anyone even has a chance to see your email signature.
3. Focus on the key points
People are busy and attention spans are dropping.
E-mails are likely being read in between conference calls and meetings.
Long-winded approaches are less likely to be read all the way through.
Research shows we have mere seconds to hook in our audience before they make a decision.
Make sure you share your key points first.
Leave the background details to the end.
NHS communications training
Our courses are designed to leave you feeling confident.
They’re built around giving you tools to communicate effectively with any audience.
We’ve run these sessions in the last year in Inverness, Glasgow, and London.
For more help on NHS communications training, email us today.
Maxine Montgomery is Media & Communications Trainer at Pink Elephant.
Read more about her here.
All photos in NHS Communications Training blog by Pink Elephant Communications.
NHS Communications Training blog written by Maxine Montgomery.
NHS Communications Training blog edited by Colin Stone.
