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Communication between health care
professionals and parents of children with an acute condition such
as congenital heart disease should be based on mutual respect,
active listening, reflective thinking, problem solving, negotiation
and shared decision making. The quality of communication should be
reflected in the patient's and family's journey through the healthcare
process.
Active partnership means
highlighting the gaps, whilst identifying good practice and encouraging
each other on the journey. Defining roles and responsibilities shows
a very real commitment to owning personal responsibility in the
healthcare process.
The Public Enquiry report provides
a note of caution (page 260):-
"Celebrating success
appears unproblematic. Admitting shortcomings however, is a wholly
different matter. It constitutes an immense challenge. Most
important, it calls for maturity, and since we emphasise partnership
between patient and healthcare professional, we point out that
maturity must come from both. Patients and the public must
understand that not everyone can be the best and that data needs
careful understanding. Healthcare professionals must face up to
possible underperformance and be prepared to demonstrate how they
can improve."
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