Communication: an enabling competency

What leadership means as a core surgical competence in everyday practice

“…Every person has a particular personality, believed to be embedded early in life, that influences behaviour. Similarly, every person has a preferred communication style, and the most successful communicators are those who can adapt their style to best meet the needs and preference of their audience, whether it be one‐on‐one or to the whole team: effective communication tends to be in the style preferred by the recipient . The same applies to leadership: everyone has a preferred style of leadership style but the most successful leaders can modify that style to best suit the needs of the intended recipient(s) .…”

Dialogue and understanding equals effective communication

“…Importantly, communication skills can be taught, so that patientcentred care is based around effective communication. 5 RACS, in the Surgical Competence and Performance Guide makes it clear what good communication skills look like. 6 As published in the Professional Skills series, communication enables much of clinical care: there are multiple papers for surgeons describing useful frameworks and workshops/courses for improvement.…”

“…6 As published in the Professional Skills series, communication enables much of clinical care: there are multiple papers for surgeons describing useful frameworks and workshops/courses for improvement. 5,7,8 Medical schools put much effort into communication teaching and assess the learning of their students through OSCEs, mini-CEXs, entrustable professional activities (EPAs) and simulations. Western Sydney University places communication skills as the first of 16 graduate outcomes.…”

“…Dialogue about complications, extent-of-care, patient wishes and extent or scope of care is not easy: patient, family and care perspectives need to be considered as our professional surgical advice is provided. 5 Communication needs to be two-way and continuing: sometimes matters will be covered more than once or be updated. The family spokesperson will need to be able to communicate as well, to achieve good understanding.…”

Evaluation of Process Communication Model training for surgeons and other healthcare professionals: a survey

“…Observational research in theatre teams reveals frequent ‘tension‐filled communicative events’, interpersonal conflict and dysfunctional relationships, 1 which negatively impact performance, trainee supervision, quality of care and may contribute to burnout 2–4 . Communication is one of the nine surgical competencies of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS) relevant to all areas of surgical practice 5 . RACS recognized a gap in interpersonal and self‐management skills, and since 2010, has hosted within its continuing professional development programme, a course known as Process Communication Model (PCM).…”