Why is Communication Important in Health and Social Care?

By 2030, over one million health and social care workers are going to be needed to meet the increasing demand for UK healthcare.  

It’s an exciting time to start your healthcare journey; and this blog explores the importance of communication in the industry. Effective communication is vital in almost all aspects of life, but it carries extra importance in health and social care. Let’s explore how…  

What is Health and Social Care?  

Before we look into how communication is important in health and social care, we need to understand what it is. Essentially, it refers to the services and support provided to individuals of all ages with physical, mental, or social needs.  

Although often thought of together, the two terms have separate definitions. Health refers to patients’ medical and physical well-being, with staff providing services such as preventive care, diagnosis and treatment, and rehabilitation. However, social care refers to the social and emotional well-being of patients, providing services such as counselling, support for living, and daily assistance.  

Health and social care workers often work in professional settings such as hospitals, clinics, care homes, and community health centres. 

Types of Communication in Health and Social Care 

A common duty of health and social care workers is to care for patients who have different care needs. Because of this, staff are often expected to communicate in different ways so they can perform their duty of care to the highest standard. Different types of communication in health and social care include: 

- Verbal communication 

- Non-verbal communication 

- Written communication 

- Formal communication 

This is because when caring for a dementia patient, for example, you may need to speak clearly and slowly while using more affirmative sentences. However, when diagnosing patients and consoling their families, you may need to communicate in a more empathetic tone. Alternatively, healthcare workers may find themselves caring for someone who is severely autistic. In this case, it’s important to have a thorough understanding of non-verbal communication in body language, as autistic individuals can often be non-speaking.  

Impact of Effective Communication in Health and Social Care  

According to the World Health Organisation, the relationship between patients and healthcare workers has evolved over recent years and now has different expectations. These days, patients look to healthcare workers to help them through complicated situations. Let’s look at why effective communication is so important in the modern health and social care world: 

- It allows for the exchange of clear information based on the patient’s care needs 

- It allows for the right emotional support, either given directly to the patient or to their friends or family  

- It helps enhance the positive relationship between patients and health and social care workers  

If you’re looking to embark on your healthcare journey, improving your communication skills should be a top priority. 

Study a Health and Social Care Degree 

Caring is part of a health and social care worker’s DNA… and supporting our student’s career ambitions is Bolton’s DNA.  

What if we told you that in just three years, you could be qualified with the skills to become a knowledgeable and compassionate healthcare professional? This is the reality with the BSc (Hons) Health and Social Care degree from the University of Bolton. 

We can open the door to a range of rewarding employment opportunities. Our key course highlights include: 

- Our health courses have been voted first for Student Satisfaction* 

- Regular guest lectures from health and social care providers 

- Our Clinical Simulation Suites, located in our £31 million Bolton One building, mimic the industry environment; preparing our students for employment 

- We give students the opportunity to gain practical experience throughout their studies; undertaking hands-on work placements in health and social care settings  

- The course content includes giving students the chance to develop their skills in communication, research, data evaluation, critical reasoning and analysis, teamwork, problem-solving, and self-reflection 

Interested in finding out more? Click here to view the full course details. 

We know that there are 141 UK universities… and you want to pick one that will put you first, right? Visit us at an upcoming Open Day and find out not only what #UniAsItShouldBe means for our students, but what it could mean for you. 

*Complete University Guide – Student Satisfaction – Northwest - 2023