Formally assess non-clinical patient care competence for initial professional qualification

The Index has not yet recorded a verbatim government response to this recommendation.

Please response to Recommendation 69 (Professional standards).

Good communication skills have a positive effect on health outcomes. Patients and those important to them want to know about and participate in their own healthcare and associated decision making so all staff need to able to communicate sensitively and compassionately. Relevant frameworks include:

• The GMC framework for generic professional capabilities, which sets out the essential generic capabilities needed for safe, effective and high-quality medical care in the UK. . • The GMC Good Medical Practice guidance, which includes communicating effectively with patients, which came into effect in January 2024.

• The NMC standard of proficiency for registered nurses, which include non-clinical competencies.

• Making Every Contact Count, which is a programme that enables the delivery of consistent and concise health and wellbeing information and encourages individuals to engage in conversations about their health at scale across organisations and populations.

• Additional NHS England resources, such as:

o the Cancer Communications Hub which provides resources on how good communication skills benefit patients, service users and people affected by cancer, and those important to them.

o Communication for those waiting for planned care or treatment

o Communications toolkit for local maternity team to improve communications with black, Asian and minority ethnic women

o E-learning for Health courses, which are open to everyone working in healthcare on communicating with empathy

The Government agreed with his recommendation.

In its January 2002 response, the Department of Health said the non-clinical aspects of care were already a core part of the training of health professionals, and that it was working with the professions and educationalists to strengthen non-clinical aspects of care.