Good communication - Active listening
What is it and why is it central to choice?
Active listening is more than being quiet so you can have your turn, or waiting impatiently for the other person to finish quickly so you can get your point across. It involves participation from everyone, actively listening to the other person so that they feel understood.
Being able to pay attention and consider all points of view is vital to successful active listening. Working together to act on the consensus view is at the very heart of offering choice in mental health. A lack of active listening leads to the power of choice being taken away from the service user.
Why is active listening important?
From a service user's perspective "our views and opinions can too often be ignored and overlooked by healthcare professionals and they don't truly hear what we have to say. It's as if the feelings I have about my own illness hold no worth!"
From a carer's perspective "you feel that any views formed from the huge amount of time spent with those in your care are insignificant. We ask about our options and are blatantly ignored. It makes you feel redundant and powerless!"
From a healthcare professional's perspective "I attempt to discuss things openly and honestly, but often people hear only what they want to hear, which is usually only part of what I'm saying. Or they get aggressive and I just have to finish the meeting early."
This is what happens without active listening. This type of listening can help bridge the wide gap of understanding between service user, carer and HCP. It empowers service users and carers with the knowledge that they are working on more equal terms, and encourages all parties to work together with the sole purpose of recovery in an attempt to improve the life of the service user and carer.
Active listening can aid communication between service user, carer and HCP, improving it and making it more effective. This in turn will help with clearer goals and direction, regarding the care of a service user.
