The words to use
- Valid consent
- Agreement to treatment from a patient who understands the options, risks and costs. The GDC says consent is a process that must stay valid at each stage.
- Teach-back
- Asking someone to explain in their own words what you've told them. NICE says it is more than asking "do you understand?": it checks how well you explained.
- Chunk and check
- Giving information in small pieces rather than all at once, and checking understanding between each piece before moving on (NICE shared decision-making guideline).
- Tell-show-do
- Explain a step in words the patient understands, show it somewhere harmless, then do exactly what you showed. A paediatric technique that suits patients of any age.
- Open question
- A question that can't be answered with yes or no, such as "What's worrying you most?" It lets the patient tell you what matters to them.
