Evidence base
We have developed user-friendly ‘In a Nutshell’ articles which summarise our peer-reviewed journal articles and evaluations of RealTalk’s effectiveness.
Supporting bereaved people who experience difficulties with family and friends
Download Nutshell The expression of grief (and of experiences related to death generally) are stigmatised in Western societies because they evoke feelings of vulnerability and loss of…
Read the full Nutshell summaryCommunicating about pain: how repeating a patient’s answer gives patients a no-pressure opportunity to tell you more
Download Nutshell Pain is the main symptom in palliative care. Practitioners need a detailed picture of the nature of the pain the patient is…
Read the full Nutshell summaryWhat has research on (recorded) real life healthcare episodes discovered about communication practices that help and hinder shared decision making?
Download Nutshell Shared decision making (SDM) is widely advocated in healthcare. SDM involves engaging collaboratively: both patient and/or their companion and the Health Care Practitioner…
Read the full Nutshell summaryAcceptability and design of video-based research on healthcare communication: Evidence and recommendations
Download Nutshell Methods and findings We gathered and integrated research findings and written guidance relating to video-based research. There are three main areas of concern that are…
Read the full Nutshell summaryEmpathy in palliative care – more than rapport building
Download Nutshell Inevitably, healthcare professionals and patients have different perspectives on illness. For the patient, illness is something that must be lived with, minute-by-minute, day-by-day. They have…
Read the full Nutshell summaryEncouraging and discouraging talk about future illness, dying and death
Download Nutshell Communicating with patients and others about their feelings and preferences for the future is important in many care contexts, but it is also challenging. There…
Read the full Nutshell summaryManaging patient expectations
Download Nutshell It is recognised good practice to give people with life-limiting illnesses opportunities to participate in decision-making and advance care planning. In a study focusing on…
Read the full Nutshell summaryPilot and Evaluation of the initial version of the Real Talk training resources
Download Nutshell Training can enhance practice in palliative care communication. However, there is scope to improve training so as to increase its effectiveness. The Real Talk project…
Read the full Nutshell summaryPreparing the ground – how do patients and doctors communicate about remaining life expectancy?
Download Nutshell In this study, we searched our collection of 37 recorded doctor/patient/companion consultations for times when the matter of remaining life expectancy came up. There were…
Read the full Nutshell summaryWho goes first? Compassionate routes toward discussing patient’s illness progression and death with them
Download Nutshell How do experienced doctors and patients do something that is often very difficult: starting up discussions about the patient’s prognosis and death? In Western healthcare,…
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