This 20-credit core module is mapped to the Essence of Care 2010 Benchmarks for Communication and the Care Certificate Standards 1. Understanding your role; 4. Equality and diversity; 5. Work in a person-centred way; 6. Communication; 7. Privacy and dignity; 9. Awareness of mental health, dementia and learning disability; 14. Handling information

More specifically: Care Certificate Standard 6: Communication:

6.1 Understand the importance of effective communication at work6.2 Understand how to meet the communication and language needs, wishes and preferences

6.3 Understand how to promote effective communication

6.4. Understand the principles and practices relating to confidentiality

6.5 Use appropriate verbal and non-verbal communication

6.6 Support the use of appropriate communication aids/technologies

Throughout this module the relevance of the Care Standards/Care Certificate underpinning employability within the Health and Social care environment will be emphasised. Topics include:

Understanding the importance of theories, concepts and the process of effective inclusive communication within the health and social care environment.

Exploring the range of communication methods and styles to meet communication and language needs, wishes and preferences within the health and social care environment.

Identification of the barriers to effective communication and recognition of the strategies and solutions to reduce barriers to effective communication.

Understanding the principles and practices relating to confidentiality within the health and social care environment, employing aspects of respect, valuing, confidentiality, data protection and types of consent.

Exploration of the importance of verbal and non-verbal communication skills, active listening and face-to-face versus online communication.

Supporting the use of appropriate communication aids and technologies.

An introduction to equality and diversity within the context of conveying effective communication skills within the health and social care environment.

Professionalism, interprofessional teamwork, interpersonal skills and self-awareness for effective communication within the health and social care sector.

Presentation skills and strategies to reduce presentation anxiety

Specialised class debate and discussion which offers multiple ways for students to complete activities and tasks, express and communicate their learning and develop independent learning skills.

Additional Assessment Details include formative feedback on presentation and answers to questions.

The assessment will link to all the learning outcomes.

The assessment will enable students to address each of the three learning outcomes above. Each specific area will be equally weighted to enable students to succeed without fear of failure from one element.

Formative assessment will include completion of the Care Certificate Standard 6: Communication

Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities: (30¿hours)¿¿


You will attend lectures workshops and sessions on key¿topics.¿There will be opportunities to participate¿in small groups to explore some of the key issues raised in lectures and undertake practical and scenario-based communication skills tasks and activities.

Guided Independent Study: (170¿hours)¿¿

100¿hours: Independent reading - You will be expected to read the recommended reading, utilise the learning materials which you will have full access to via Blackboard and the library.

70¿hours: Undertake the necessary research and analysis and development of skills to inform formative and summative assignments

You will be expected to have made use of the relevant library resources, research and web-based sites to identify relevant academic texts and journal articles.

Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the principles of effective communication within the context of the health and social care environment.

Knowledge and Understanding, Communication

Identify potential barriers and propose solutions in order to promote effective communication within the health and social care environment.

Learning, Problem Solving, Communication , Application

Discuss, articulate and reflect on the moral, ethical and professional issues of using effective communication within the health and social care environment

Analysis, Communication, Reflection

You will have access to a range of materials on and Blackboard VLE including articles, session slides, interactive activities. and session recordings via MS Teams. You will also be able to access a variety of digital material through our Library and specialist databases.

Moss, B., (2020). Communication Skills in Nursing, Health and Social Care (5th Ed.) London, Sage

Egan, G. and Reese, R. (2020) The skilled helper. 3rd ed. (EMEA edition). Andover: Cengage Learning.

Trevithick P. (2012) Social Work Skills and Knowledge a Practice Handbook (3rd ed) Maidenhead: Open University Press. (e-book)¿


Skills for Health, Health, Education England and Skills for Care., (2015) Care Certificate https://www.skillsforcare.org.uk/Developing-your-workforce/Care-Certificate/Care-Certificate.aspx



Interesting Reading

Rønning., S.B. and Bjørkly, S. (2019) The use of clinical role-play and reflection in learning therapeutic communication skills in mental health education: an integrative review.¿Advances in medical education and practice,¿10, p.415.

Liao F. Murphy, D. Wu, J.C. Chen, C.Y. Chang, C.C. and Tsai, P.F. (2022) How technology-enhanced experiential e-learning can facilitate the development of person-centred communication skills online for health-care students: a qualitative study.¿BMC Medical Education,¿22(1), pp.1-9.

Robbins, S. (2019) What If?: Short Stories to Spark Inclusion & Diversity Dialogue. (10th Ed) Nicholas Brealey Publishing



LinkedIn Learning Sources:

Skills for inclusive conversations

Communicating about culturally sensitive issues

This exciting and innovative module will equip you with the key skills to enable you to communicate effectively and inclusively in the health and social care environment. This forward-looking module will not only enable you to successfully complete the Communication Care Standard, but it will also equip you with the experience, confidence and skills to communicate clearly and deliver excellent presentations to support your career advancement and study beyond degree level.