Essential Communication and Care Navigation Skills

Essential Care Navigation Training for Primary Care Teams

Every day, reception teams help patients access the care they need. That requires more than knowing local services or following a navigation process. It requires the confidence to ask appropriate questions, understand why a patient has contacted the practice and explain clearly why a particular clinician or service is the right choice.

Essential Care Navigation Training develops the communication skills, professional curiosity and confidence that enable reception teams to navigate patients safely, consistently and compassionately.

• Exploring the purpose and principles of care navigation
• Understanding the role of care navigation within modern primary care services
• Recognising the benefits of effective care navigation for patients and practices
• Understanding how care navigation supports access to the right services at the right time
• Exploring current primary care pathways and multidisciplinary team roles

Information Gathering for Effective Care Navigation

• Understanding the information required to support safe care navigation decisions
• Exploring current NHS guidance relating to patient access and triage
• Identifying clinical and non-clinical information needs
• Recognising communication and accessibility requirements
• Developing confidence in gathering relevant information professionally and sensitively

Understanding Care Navigation Pathways and Services

• Exploring local and national care navigation pathways
• Understanding multidisciplinary team roles within primary care
• Recognising opportunities to signpost patients appropriately
• Understanding continuity of care and its impact on patient outcomes
• Developing confidence in matching patients to the most appropriate service

Care Navigation Training Framework

• Understanding the six-stage care navigation framework
• Building a structured approach to patient conversations
• Developing consistency and confidence in communication
• Recognising how each stage contributes to positive patient outcomes
• Applying the framework to everyday practice situations

Maintaining a Positive Mindset

• Understanding the relationship between mindset and communication
• Exploring emotional and material needs within patient interactions
• Recognising how attitudes influence patient experience
• Developing approaches that promote empathy and professionalism
• Creating positive first impressions during patient interactions

Understanding Beliefs, Assumptions and Bias

• Recognising how personal beliefs can influence interactions
• Exploring assumptions made during patient conversations
• Developing greater awareness of unconscious bias
• Understanding the importance of curiosity and empathy
• Maintaining professionalism during challenging interactions

Building Rapport with Patients

• Understanding why rapport is essential during care navigation conversations
• Developing techniques for creating trust quickly
• Using language, tone and approach effectively
• Recognising how rapport supports information sharing and patient confidence
• Building positive patient experiences from the first point of contact

Opening Conversations Effectively

• Creating positive and professional introductions
• Explaining the purpose of care navigation questions clearly
• Developing confidence when discussing sensitive topics
• Establishing expectations at the beginning of conversations
• Encouraging patient engagement and cooperation

Adapting Communication Styles

• Recognising different communication preferences and needs
• Understanding the impact of energy, pace and communication style
• Developing flexibility in communication approaches
• Building stronger connections with a diverse patient population
• Improving communication effectiveness in challenging situations

Communication Skills for Care Navigation

• Exploring verbal and non-verbal communication techniques
• Understanding how communication influences patient perceptions
• Developing clarity, professionalism and confidence
• Reducing misunderstandings through effective communication
• Supporting positive patient experiences through communication excellence

Telephone Communication Skills

• Recognising the unique challenges of telephone conversations
• Developing techniques for building rapport without visual cues
• Improving clarity, structure and understanding over the telephone
• Using repetition and clarification appropriately
• Managing telephone conversations confidently and professionally

Questioning Techniques

• Understanding the importance of effective questioning
• Exploring open and closed questioning approaches
• Using questioning to gather accurate and relevant information
• Developing confidence when discussing sensitive issues
• Supporting effective decision-making through quality information gathering

Managing Reluctance and Sensitive Conversations

• Supporting patients who are reluctant to share information
• Developing techniques for explaining confidentiality and purpose
• Managing conversations involving embarrassment or anxiety
• Creating a safe and supportive communication environment
• Building confidence in handling sensitive patient discussions

Active Listening and Confirming Understanding

• Understanding the principles of active listening
• Developing techniques for confirming understanding
• Using clarification and reflective listening effectively
• Reducing misunderstandings and communication errors
• Improving patient confidence through attentive communication

Maintaining Rapport Whilst Recording Information

• Balancing patient interaction with computer-based record keeping
• Maintaining engagement whilst gathering information
• Communicating effectively whilst updating records
• Reducing the risk of patients feeling ignored or dismissed
• Supporting positive patient experiences throughout the interaction

Offering Solutions and Choices

• Presenting options positively and professionally
• Supporting patients to access appropriate services
• Explaining care navigation decisions clearly
• Managing expectations effectively
• Encouraging patient understanding and agreement

Triage Conversations and Managing Expectations

• Understanding the purpose of triage systems
• Explaining triage processes clearly and confidently
• Managing patient expectations regarding next steps
• Recognising situations requiring escalation or urgent review
• Supporting continuity of care wherever appropriate

Concluding Conversations Professionally

• Summarising agreed actions and next steps
• Ensuring patient understanding before ending conversations
• Providing reassurance and clarity
• Communicating follow-up arrangements effectively
• Ending conversations positively and professionally

Managing Common Patient Reactions

• Supporting patients who are anxious or embarrassed
• Managing conversations with distressed or vulnerable individuals
• Responding professionally to frustration or challenging behaviour
• Supporting patients who provide excessive information
• Maintaining empathy and professionalism in difficult situations

Communicating with People who have English as a Second Language

• Understanding common communication barriers
• Adapting language and communication techniques appropriately
• Improving clarity and understanding
• Supporting inclusive and accessible communication
• Developing confidence when working with diverse patient populations

Applying Learning in Practice

• Reflecting on key learning points and personal insights
• Identifying opportunities to improve care navigation conversations
• Developing practical action plans for implementation
• Building confidence through structured communication approaches
• Embedding learning into everyday patient interactions

Throughout this Care Navigation Training programme, participants develop the confidence, communication skills and practical techniques needed to support effective patient access, improve patient experience and help ensure patients receive the right support from the right service at the right time.

This course complements our Managing Difficult Patient Conversations with Resilience, Excellent Customer Care, Speaking to People with English as a Second Language and wider Communication & Patient Experience Training programmes.