Patients bring a variety of expectations to the surgery, clinic or hospital – some of which are not realistic. Responding to unrealistic expectations can be frustrating at best and a source of conflict with patients at worst. Receptionists, ward and clinic clerks are on the front line – how we respond to the patient has a big effect on the experience for patients, for our own stress levels and ultimately for our professional satisfaction.

What, then, are we to do? In fact, research shows that there are some successful strategies that we can employ. In our seminar, participants will compare their own experiences with those of colleagues. We will introduce some frameworks to help participants to look at and manage these situations.

The group will process this with facilitated discussion. Since we also know that effective learner change in communication behaviour has only been demonstrated by training that takes a skills based approach, this is an important part of the seminar – incorporating practice, observation, feedback and further rehearsal.

A series of exercises allows the participants to examine some of the important messages, moving to rehearsal of the specific skill areas that will be the most useful in practice, after the seminar.