Effective communication
in cancer care programme
What will I learn?
Compassionate, caring and honest communication is at the heart of all interactions we have with people living with and affected by cancer. Effective communication in cancer care is designed to strengthen your communication skills when supporting people living with cancer. You’ll learn practical tools to build strong relationships and foster trust, by communicating with clarity, compassion, and confidence.
Designed to be flexible, you can tailor the learning to suit your individual needs. It focuses on developing key skills such as empathy, gathering and giving information, cultural awareness, decision-making, and much more. It includes a variety of bite-sized videos, comprehensive e-learning courses, and virtual sessions to help you practice and refine your skills.
Who is it for?
This is for all health and social care professionals and the wider cancer workforce, who engage with and support people living with cancer and seek to improve their communication skills.
How is it delivered?
The programme is made up of a variety of learning resources of which you can access based on your individual needs, at your own pace, including:
- Introductory videos (~2-3 mins) to raise awareness of the key elements of communication such as identifying cues, using questions and body language.
- E-Learning modules (~30-40 mins) which develop more in-depth knowledge, expanding on the videos.
- E-Learning and virtual sessions to allow you to practise applying your skills.
Which ACCEND Capabilities in Practice does this learning support?
All of our courses are mapped to the ACCEND framework.
Find out more about ACCEND (opens in a new tab).
3.1 Consistently role model highly developed interpersonal and advanced communication skills to engage in effective, appropriate, enabling and complex interactions with individuals, carers and colleagues in the clinical environments and roles in which they practise
3.2 Use advanced skills in listening and information processing, alongside empathetic skills to assess, explore and respond to individuals’ complex needs and concerns
3.3 Select appropriate language and media (including remote consultation such as telephone, skype, sign language, written etc) to facilitate effective communication and interactions with people affected by cancer
3.7 Use active listening and facilitation skills to enable individuals to talk about their concerns and priorities relating to their cancer symptoms and implications of its treatment
4.1 Actively listen to and communicate effectively with others, recognising that both are an active, two-way process
4.2 Helping people make informed choices as they live with or are affected by cancer
4.3 Critically appraise communication strategies and be able to optimise communication approaches appropriately using skills such as active listening e.g. frequent clarifying, paraphrasing and picking up verbal cues such as pace, pauses and voice intonation
4.4 Communicate in ways that build and sustain relationships, seeking, gathering and sharing information appropriately, efficiently and effectively to expedite and integrate people’s care
4.5 Communicate effectively, respectfully and professionally with service users and carers at times of conflicting priorities and opinions
4.6 Convey information and address issues in ways that avoid jargon and assumptions; respond appropriately to questions and concerns to promote understanding, including use of verbal, written and digital information
4.7 Convey information and address issues in ways that avoid jargon and assumptions; respond appropriately to questions and concerns to promote understanding, including use of verbal, written and digital information
4.8 Autonomously adapt verbal and non-verbal communication styles in ways that are empathetic and responsive to people’s communication and language needs, preferences and abilities (including levels of spoken English and health literacy)
4.9 Communicate effectively with individuals who require additional assistance, such as sensory or cognitive impairments, to ensure an effective interface with a practitioner, including the use of accessible information
4.10 Evaluate and remedy situations, circumstances or places which make it difficult to communicate effectively (e.g. noisy, distressing environments which may occur during home visits, care home visits or in emergency situations), and have strategies in place to overcome these barriers
4.11 Consult in a highly organised and structured way, with professional curiosity as required, whilst understanding the constraints of the time limited nature of consultations and ensure communication is safe and effective
4.12 Adapt communication approaches to non-face to face situational environments e.g. phone, video, email or remote consultation
4.13 Contextualise communication approaches to use in group situations
4.14 Respond to people effectively, respectfully and professionally, including carers and families, especially at times of conflicting priorities and opinions and be able to facilitate shared agenda setting using a triadic consultation approach
4.15 Select effective, situation and patient appropriate history taking and consultation skills drawing on knowledge and expertise in advanced communication skills
Start learning
You'll need an account on the Learning Hub to start learning.
Not yet registered for the Learning Hub?
Access to the Learning Hub is free for Macmillan Professionals and the wider cancer workforce. You'll get access to high quality learning created by experts to support you in your role.
Contact us
Email us with any questions about this course or creating an account on the Learning Hub.