1) RECEIVING THE PATIENT

• Greeting patients and putting them at ease
• Introducing yourself and your role
• Asking the opening question and setting the agenda for the interview.

2) THE PRESENTING COMPLAINT

• Encouraging patients to express themselves in their own words
• Taking an accurate history of the presenting complaint
• Asking about the intensity and degree of pain

3) PAST MEDICAL AND FAMILY HISTORY

• Requesting the patients past medical history
• Discussing the family medical history
• Taking effective notes during an interview
• Writing an effective patient note
• Summarising and structuring the interview

4) THE SOCIAL HISTORY AND TELEPHONE CONSULTATIONS

• Enquiring about the patient’s social history
• Employing good telephone etiquette
• Ensuring an effective telephone consultation
• Summarising and checking information

5) EXAMINING A PATIENT

• Preparing and reassuring the patient during an examination
• Explaining examination procedures
• Giving effective instructions in a patient-friendly manner

6) GIVING RESULTS

• Explaining results in a way that patients can understand and remember
• Encouraging patients to express their fears and concerns

7) PLANNING TREATMENT AND CLOSING THE INTERVIEW

• Explaining treatments to a patient
• Discussing options
• Describing benefits and side effects
• Advising on lifestyle
• Negotiating treatment
• Closing the interview

8) DEALING WITH SENSITIVE ISSUES

• Broaching sensitive issues without bias and remaining non-judgmental
• Reading and responding to patient cues
• Employing question techniques
• Writing concise and active notes
• Updating the patient note

9) BREAKING BAD NEWS

• Delivering bad news in a sensitive way
• Reassuring a patient or relative
• Showing empathy

A) COMMUNICATING WITH CHALLENGING PATIENTS

• Encouraging a withdrawn patient to speak
• Calming an aggressive or angry patient
• Asserting your role as a doctor

B) COMMUNICATING WITH THE ELDERLY

• Carrying out an effective interview with an elderly patient
• Showing sensitivity and respect to an elderly patient
• Communicating with depressed elderly patients

C)   COMMUNICATING WITH CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS

• Establishing and developing rapport with a child
• Reassuring a child
• Gaining a child’s consent to be examined
• Explaining procedures to a cild
• Responding to a child’s verbal cues
• Communicating effectively with an adolescent.