| Doctors, it is sometimes said, focus on treating | | | | some of them from failing to put over what they |
| the disease rather than the person with the | | | | have to say effectively. They are human. They |
| disease. They are not necessarily as skilled in | | | | may be distracted, tired, interrupted, disorganised |
| talking with their patients - especially when | | | | and forgetful. They are just as likely as anyone |
| breaking bad news - as they are at treating the | | | | else to be bad-mannered, insensitive, aggressive, |
| illness. Until recent years, there has been little to | | | | abrupt and unfeeling. But this is, says the Royal |
| help them improve. | | | | College, 'unacceptable'. |
| But things are changing. Now all medical students | | | | Helping your doctor to help you |
| learn formally about communicating with patients, | | | | How you approach consultation with your doctor |
| and will usually receive further training when they | | | | can improve the quality of the information he or |
| first qualify as doctors. | | | | she gives you. |
| Older doctors who missed out on training are | | | | Patients may feel angry when they receive bad |
| getting professional advice from the Royal | | | | news about their health. But being argumentative |
| colleges - their professional associations - on how | | | | and offensive to your doctor will not help, says |
| best to talk to patients. | | | | Dr Watts. Instead he advises: 'Ask for help or |
| The Royal College of Physicians, for example, has | | | | advice, and most doctors will be only too pleased |
| just reminded doctors that poor communication | | | | to give it. Don't feel afraid of asking for an |
| has serious consequences*: patients feel | | | | explanation of anything you do not understand.' |
| frustrated, unsatisfied and anxious. This | | | | Dr Watts recommends seeing a doctor with |
| uncertainty may mean patients stop taking their | | | | someone you can trust -often a partner or close |
| treatments as recommended, and may hinder | | | | friend. The shock of hearing bad news can play |
| recovery. Patients need information in order to | | | | tricks on the memory: someone else is a more |
| plan their lives depending on how the cancer will | | | | reliable witness to what the doctor said. |
| progress - to have a holiday with the family, for | | | | 'Ask your doctor: "Have you got anything I can |
| example. | | | | take away and read when I get home?",' |
| The college says cancer is particularly stressful for | | | | suggests Dr Watts. 'Then when you are less |
| both patients and doctors. The complexities of | | | | stressed you can look more calmly at the |
| the diagnosis and treatment means large gaps in | | | | information.' |
| knowledge about the illness and what the likely | | | | Like the College of Physicians, the Royal College |
| outcome will be. | | | | of Radiologists and the Royal College of |
| Communication is particularly difficult for those | | | | Anaesthetists have also recognised the |
| diagnosed with cancer, agrees Dr Eric Watts, | | | | importance of communicating with patients. |
| consultant haematologist at Basildon and Thurrock | | | | Both are setting up 'patient liaison groups'. The |
| NHS Trust. This is partly because of their own | | | | radiologists group will be asked to contribute to |
| beliefs and fears about cancer. 'Despite our | | | | the colleges publications and initiate debate, by |
| improved abilities to treat cancer and manage | | | | informing the college of issues of interest and |
| pain, most people think cancer means death, and | | | | concern to patients. |
| painful death at that. They tend to feel that there | | | | In the case of the anaesthetists, the role is seen |
| is nothing you can do. This is quite wrong.' | | | | as including suggesting projects 'to enhance the |
| Of course training of doctors will not prevent | | | | relationships between anaesthetists and patients'. |