Good practice in the breaking of bad news — for health professionals
Training needs
The ability to communicate well with patients and their relatives is an essential skill for the health professional. And good communication is never more important, or more difficult, than when bad news must be given. This fact is being increasingly recognised, yet training is often minimal.
When The News Isn't Good demonstrates good practice in the breaking of bad news, and offers insights into the sorts of problems commonly met in such situations.
Real situations
The film centres around three dramatic scenarios which show typical situations in which bad news must be broken by health staff.
Nineteen-weeks-pregnant Chris has a routine scan and must be told that her baby has a serious abnormality; Peter is in intensive care after a sudden heart attack at work, and his family must be informed about his unstable condition; Michael visits his GP and, after tests at the hospital, is found to have cancer – he must be told and helped to understand. The scenarios are based on real situations.
In each case, the news is broken appropriately, and the different factors involved in this process are explored. The value of a clearly agreed team approach is given particular emphasis, and some of the questions arising on more general communication issues discussed. Important points are stressed in a voiceover.
Each scenario is followed by a short interview with a specialist, and is intended to raise points for audience discussion.
Who are the actors?
Many of the patients and their relatives portrayed in the three scenarios are real patients, who recreate their actual experiences. Everyone else appearing are hospital- and community-based health professionals, who have to break bad news every day.
The programme was filmed in a working hospital, a GP's surgery, and a patient's home.
Target audience
Medical and nursing staff in hospital and the community, ministers of religion, social workers, and all those involved in the immediate and longer-term care and support of people who are grieving.
Booklet
The film is accompanied by a 24-page booklet which gives general guidelines for breaking bad news, along with a commentary on each scenario, bringing out the teaching points raised. Ideas for discussion, guidelines for good practice "at a glance", and information about support organisations are also included.
The booklet is supplied with the film, but additional copies are separately available.
When The News Isn't Good was launched by Professor Geoffrey Chamberlain, President of the Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists, who said: "I hope this excellent new film will be widely shown: I’ll certainly be showing it to all the staff in my department – no matter how good anyone thinks they are at breaking bad news, this has something to teach them."
Produced by David Cleverly, Manager of Academic Services at St George’s, University of London, and Liz Hopper, Counselling Sister at St George’s Healthcare NHS Trust. 1993
Directed by Tony Jaques
Filmed and edited by St George’s Media Services
Running time: 60 minutes
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