Good communication helps a patient to work out what is just right. It also allows the ECP to assess what’s wrong and what won’t work. But what happens when we can’t be sure of exactly what is the right amount of communication? How do we assess what is too much or too little? How precisely do we identify “what’s what” without fully understanding our patient’s individual situation and context? And in what ways does remote working, mask wearing and knowing that there are people in our communities we aren’t communicating with at all hinder us?

This article discusses:

• The importance of communication in clinical practice
• The impact of remote consultations and personal protective equipment on communication
• Communication methods with neurodivergent patients
• Communication methods for engaging diverse communities