NBOCC Communication Skills Training Initiative

Benefits of effective communication between treatment team members and people with cancer include improvements in psychosocial adjustment, decision making, treatment compliance and satisfaction with care1. Since 1997 NBOCC has sought to improve the communication skills of oncology health professionals in Australia through its National Communication Skills Training Initiative.

Objective

To ensure that health professionals providing care to people with cancer have high-quality communication skills.

Aims of the Initiative

• To ensure that high-quality communication skills training is available to health professionals treating people with cancer by:
  • developing standardised communication skills training modules and recommendations for best practice more »
  • building capacity to implement communication skills training through facilitator training
  • supporting the implementation of local interactive training workshops for health professionals that use a best practice approach
• To ensure that all individuals providing communication skills training have access to information about new research, resources and other programs across Australia.
• To ensure that all organisations wishing to co-ordinate communication skills training have access to information about available programs and best practice standards.
• To promote communication skills training as a compulsory professional competence for all health professionals.

The NBOCC Communication Skills Training Initiative supports the implementation of the NBCC* and National Cancer Control Initiative Clinical practice guidelines for the psychosocial care of adults with cancer1.

* In February 2008, National Breast Cancer Centre (NBCC) changed its name to National Breast and Ovarian Cancer Centre (NBOCC).

References

1. National Breast Cancer Centre and the National Cancer Control Initiative. Clinical practice guidelines for the psychosocial care of adults with cancer. 2003. Sydney, National Breast Cancer Centre.
   

Print preview

Other NBOCC resources »