Communication Skills

The Royal College of Surgeons recognises the importance of good and effective communication skills in ensuring that patients receive the highest possible quality of care. Communication skills are enjoying an increasingly high profile across many areas of the College's work including training and education; assessment; and standard setting.

• Educational Courses
  Specific communication skills are integrated in a number of courses run by the College (including 'Care of the Critically Ill Surgical Patient', 'Training the Trainers' course and the Instructors Course for 'Advanced Trauma Life Support Skills®')
• Assessment and Examinations
  Communication skills form a core element of the MRCS Diploma assessment. Candidates cannot obtain the MRCS unless they pass communication skills aspect, no matter how good their clinical skills.
• Standard Setting and Clinical Guidelines
  The College's recently published, Good Surgical Practice stresses the importance of effective communications skills and provides guidance for all surgeons in providing the best possible service for patients
• Patient Liaison Group
  The Royal College of Surgeons Patient Liaison Group (comprising both lay members of the public and medical members) provides a forum for surgeons and patients to communicate with one another, to share ideas and to work together to improve patient care.
  • Research into Communication Skills Training
    A prime objective of the College's Patient Liaison Group is the improvement of surgeons' communication skills. The Group has conducted research into communications skills training for doctors and surgeons in the UK (including a survey of UK medical schools to assess the level of communications skills training and a follow-up survey which sought to question how competent surgeons felt in terms of their own communication skills)
  • Patient Information Leaflets
    The College's Patient Liaison Group has also produced a number of leaflets aimed both at informing patients and improving the relationship between patients and surgeon so that each has a better understanding of the other. These include: Having an Operation?, Who's Who: A Guide to Hospital Surgical Staff, Patient Rights and Responsibilities (for both adult and child patients) and a reading list for children going into hospital.
    The Patient Liaison Group is often seeking new members. Those interested should contact the Communications Department on 020 7869 6045.