The Belgian experience in communication skills training

Communication is recognized as one of healthcare professionals’ core clinical skills. Even though many endeavours have been undertaken to help professionals acquire these skills, many questions remain unanswered in terms of the transfer of learned skills to clinical practice, and in terms of the impact of this transfer on patients’ care and well-being. In the last two decades, communication skills training programmes, designed for healthcare professionals working in cancer care, have been the focus of several research endeavours of a research group based in Belgium. The efficacy of designed programmes has been tested in studies using a controlled design. Studies varied in the type of teaching method, the length of training, and the outcome measures considered. Four programmes will be detailed in this chapter in terms of rationale and results. The conclusion will build upon these experiences to develop recommendations and discuss where we may go from there.