Understanding non-verbal communication in health and social care
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“Every 36 hours a million contacts are made between patients and healthcare staff in the NHS and each of these is likely to generate further communication between staff. Yet failings in communication are a common finding in Serious Incident investigations and we have come to expect either direct or indirect reference to communication in most investigation reports.” NHS England
Mastering non-verbal communication in health and social care settings enhances care quality and enriches interactions among care workers, people, and their families. By attending to non-verbal cues, care teams can provide more compassionate, effective, and culturally sensitive care.
In a recent episode of What the HealthTech?, Helen Mason shared her experience of the impact on her and her family as her father entered the social care system. Following a stroke, Helen’s dad lost the ability to speak verbally. She recounts how her family navigated this challenging period.
“I’d say, ‘Oh, Dad, we’ll grab a cup of coffee and then I’ll tell you about my day, and you can tell me about yours.’ This way, he felt involved in the conversation. It wasn’t just me showing up and talking about my day; he still felt part of a dialogue. I would ask his opinion on things. Even though he couldn’t fully articulate his views, I would prompt him by saying things like ‘What would you do, Dad? I bet you’d say this’. He would either nod or shake his head. If he shook his head, I’d say, ‘Gosh, I thought you said that. That’s interesting.’ It remained a conversation, even though it was different.”
This conversational style meant that when it came to care decisions, Helen, her family, and the care team maintained a consistent pattern of interaction where non-verbal cues became paramount. “We never administered any medicine or performed procedures without a nod or thumbs-up from Dad. This gave him autonomy over decisions regarding pain relief or personal care tasks such as shaving or brushing his hair.”
Erica Price, a former Psychiatric Nurse now Managing Director within the social care sector, underscores the importance of collecting data from a person’s wider support network. “One thing we’ve utilised is collating and triangulating people’s experiences, which is crucial in the single assessment framework. There’s a real risk for providers and professionals to rely solely on the person’s voice rather than their circle of support—their families and loved ones—which is essential. Gathering people’s experiences from varied sources is vital because if individuals cannot communicate effectively with words due to a health condition or similar reasons, we must seek alternative options.”
Expanding on these learnings from CQC inspections, Erica describes how they developed an observation-led approach: “It’s fascinating to see CQC inspectors using tools like talking maps along with an observational framework. We’ve begun capturing observations of people’s lived experiences since individuals often communicate powerfully through means other than words. To connect these observations to ‘I’ statements in the single assessment framework requires knowing and understanding the person deeply.”
Looking ahead at health tech’s future and its impact on those with alternative communication methods, Erica discusses where she thinks the industry might head: “I saw something last year about a new communication system involving electrodes attached to a person’s head that converted thoughts and feelings into words on a screen. Although it sounds intimidating, it could be incredibly powerful if it allows for independent and neutral interpretation of non-verbal communication. Current methods depend on another person’s subjective interpretation. An objective approach would revolutionise service delivery and understanding of individuals’ needs.”
“We need balance—social care will always involve human connection—but we must work smarter. The demand for social care increases yearly while the workforce does not grow proportionately. Therefore, we must embrace smart technology solutions carefully and help people understand their benefits.”
With an evolving industry responding to population needs alongside burgeoning technology, is there hope for faster translation of individuals’ needs?
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