Oakley Coaching announces exciting new collaboration with University of South Wales

We are pleased to announce an exciting new collaboration with the University of South Wales (USW). Our new collaboration with the university will deliver an innovative lecture series on health coaching, motivational interviewing, and communication skills to undergraduate students as they prepare to take on patient-facing roles.

Philippa comments, ‘Chiropractors are primary healthcare professionals, overseen by our professional regulator the General Chiropractic Council, who have recently announced updated new Continued Professional Development (CPD) guidelines for the 2021/2022 CPD year. For the first time, Chiropractors are now required to reflect upon how their communication skills can enable us to provide a safe and effective service for their patients.”

Rhiannon adds, ‘Good communication is the cornerstone of effective patient care, yet formalised training in these skills is something that is often overlooked. We are both thrilled that USW has recognised the importance of developing these skills and are introducing this innovative new training to their undergraduate curriculum. I am confident this will raise the calibre of new graduates from the institution even further.”

Miscommunication is a leading cause of complaints against healthcare practitioners…

… and can impact outcomes from care. As such, there is a widely recognised need to improve communication skills in healthcare practitioners. Motivational interviewing is a widely recognised and supported technique, and health coaching skills have recently been introduced as part of the NHS’s Long Term Plan. The new lecture series will cover a broad range of communication-based skills, producing graduating chiropractors from the Institution who are equipped with the knowledge, tools and understanding of how to use these skills to deliver effective person-centred care.

Professor David Byfield, Head of the Welsh Institute of Chiropractic at USW, comments, “We are pleased to be working with Oakley Coaching who have established excellent content linking the importance of clear communication and excellent patient outcomes, which will provide our graduates with additional skills and competencies when entering clinical practice.”

To find out more about working with us for coaching and mentoring or to improve your communication skills, contact us here.