Communication Skills Resources
Communication skills are central to safe, effective general practice — but are often harder to apply consistently in real consultations than they appear in theory.
This section brings together practical, consultation-focused resources designed to support GP trainees in developing clear, structured, and patient-centred communication. The emphasis is on how communication shapes clinical reasoning, shared decision-making, and patient outcomes, particularly in complex or uncertain presentations.
Each resource is designed for self-directed learning or use in supervision, reflecting the level of judgement and adaptability expected for independent practice.
Saying No Without Losing the Consultation
How do we decline a request without making the patient feel dismissed, blamed or abandoned?
This resource explores how GP trainees can hold safe clinical and professional boundaries while maintaining a patient-centred consultation. Using Roger Neighbour’s consultation checkpoints alongside the GP Fluency IMP lens — Impact, Meaning and Priorities — it helps trainees look beyond the surface request and understand what may be driving it.
It focuses on common primary care situations such as requests for antibiotics, early repeat diazepam, scans, referrals and administrative letters. The resource emphasises proportionate explanation, alternative plans, safety-netting, documentation and the emotional impact of difficult refusals on the doctor.
Determining a Patient’s Understanding
Do patients actually understand what has been discussed — or have we assumed they do?
This resource focuses on how to elicit and check patient understanding in a way that is natural, proportionate, and clinically useful. It distinguishes between exploring what a patient already thinks and confirming what they have taken from the consultation, with particular attention to long-term conditions where assumptions can develop over time.