Speedy and clear communication can save lives, a trainer from Radstock who has worked in the medical profession has found.
Yvonne Bignall, who worked at an international medical training academy as a joint director believes developing emotional intelligence and assertiveness can improve healthcare.
The award-winning facilitator said: “Learning to develop soft skills and having the confidence to speak out and question certain decisions is vital.
“It can improve treatment, minimise errors, save money – and, most importantly, save lives.”
The Royal College of Physicians has released a report in which it said effective teamwork was shown to reduce medical errors, increase patient safety and improve patient mortality rates.
And the World Health Organisation (WHO) describes ineffective communication as a leading cause of ‘inadvertent patient harm’.
Research also shows poor communication leads to a duplication of tests, delays in treating deteriorating patients and can result in preventable hospital admissions.
Yvonne, who has worked in the health, leisure and well-being industry for over 20 years, said: 
“Lack of clear communication can be, quite literally, a killer. It’s important to keep asking questions – both as the healthcare professional and the patient.”
Yvonne has worked with senior members of the health industry in Jordan. They discovered a gap in the consistency of service across hospitals and healthcare providers in the region, due to a lack of training in leadership, management and communication skills.
Yvonne’s research and experience, alongside CEO and founder Dr Aref Alabed, led to the creation of over 20 CPD (continued professional development) accredited courses at the International Medical Training Academy.
It includes courses in emotional intelligence, effective teamwork and clear communication with patients and teams.
Yvonne said:
“We found communication was the biggest issue facing doctors, nurses and all healthcare professionals. Often they are very academic, but sometimes interpersonal skills need to be developed to help them do their job to a much higher level. It’s important that people feel their opinions will be heard, so they are more likely to speak up. This helps a team to recognise any issues and resolve them quickly, which is of the utmost importance in life and death situations.”
