155 Can you think of some examples of communication in health services? See unit 8.1 for more practical tips. According to the UK government, 40% of older people living in care homes are affected by depression. It has been estimated that 27% of medical malpractice is the result of communication failure. ONLINE RESOURCES Being person-centred COMMUNICATION IN HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE Communication in health and social care refers to the exchange of information and instructions between health and social care workers and patients or family members . Why is communication so important in this field? Communication is extremely important in the field of health and social care for different reasons. Good communication helps patients feel in control. When people enter the care system, they can feel like they ve lost control of their lives: simple things they took for granted become harder and daily tasks might be dictated by a nurse or carer. Good communication can avoid the person feeling like this, giving the possibility to use their voice on their care service. Person-centred care is a big target within healthcare system: people should always have a say in their own care and how it is delivered, if they are able to. Good communication saves money and avoids errors. Poor communication skills can lead to errors such as mistakes on tests and prescribing and administering the wrong medicines. Good communication eases patients anxiety. Anxiety and depression in care homes is more prevalent than in other contexts , and a lot of that comes from loneliness. Reduced independence in social care leads to reduced socialisation with family and friends and more medical needs, and all of these are stress factors. Proper different language; communication addresses these factors and can mitigate a lot of the fear due to the change. Intercultural mediators Barriers to communication in the health and social care system can reduce the quality of the service enormously. Besides barriers that arise due to a lack of time, resource and staff scarcity, or excessive red tape, the key barriers in this field come from: different culture; physical and mental health conditions and disabilities; approach and attitude of service users. Intercultural mediators are communication experts employed to facilitate common understanding. They help with the language, promote reciprocal comprehension, and assist the parties to identify their needs and interests and to achieve the common goal of successful interaction and excellent service. handout: opuscolo red tape: burocrazia to take for granted: dare per scontato 314 WORK