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Language Matters

Language Matters in the UK: the impact of language on the emotional well-being of people with diabetes

CoIN-DD lead Cathy Lloyd was invited to join a working group, supported by NHS England, to develop recommendations for the use of appropriate language. The group included people with diabetes, health care professionals, academics and researchers.

A 'Language Matters' Position Statement was launched in July 2018 which made a series of recommendations for the use of language in clinical encounters.

Key recommendations:

  • Be thoughtful in our use of language – it has enormous power
  • Use person-centred practice which then leads to more positive clinical encounters (ask, don’t assume)
  • Seek to be less judgemental and more encouraging
  • Communication skills training can improve person-centred practice and lead to more positive clinical encounters

    • The Position Statement was underpinned by a literature review which concluded:

    "Although carefully chosen language can have a positive effect, there is a potential negative impact of language on people's experiences of diabetes care. The use of stigmatizing and discriminatory words during communication between healthcare practitioners and people with diabetes can lead to disengagement with health services as well as sub‐optimal diabetes self‐management. Clinical encounters can be compromised where language barriers exist or where there is limited understanding of cultural differences that may have an impact on diabetes self‐management. What little empirical evidence there is shows that training can improve language and communication skills."

    Resources:

    A review of the existing evidence regarding the use of language in clinical encounters featured in the Diabetic Medicine Journal:
    'Language matters; a UK perspective' review

    Recently, the Language Matters group have taken their work further with the live streaming of a webinar, featuring co-chairs Cathy Lloyd (CoIN-DD) and Rosie Walker (Successful Diabetes) and supported by Diabetes UK.
    Webinar on Language Matters; supporting emotional health in diabetes care.