SAGE & THYME

Unhelpful communication behaviours by nurses are known to block patients with cancer from thinking for themselves and so a new approach to training emotional support has emerged from practice. Foundation-level communication skills, including patient-centredness, are being taught in the United Kingdom within a three-hour workshop. Within it, teachers of communication skills are attempting to bridge the gap between published knowledge and clinical practice, using a structured and sequential model known as SAGE & THYME. The model is described as a starter kit to help health workers to listen carefully and practice patient-centred care. The elements of the model and the workshop are described. Published data of self-reported outcomes from workshop participants suggest that learning happens, beliefs change, confidence grows, and willingness to discuss emotional concerns increases. Dissemination of the workshop throughout the United Kingdom appears to be practical, though further research into the impact on patient outcomes is needed.