To raise awareness of the importance of good customer care skills and encourage self-development by examination of own customer care practices.

The Institute of Customer Service (2009) emphasises the importance that every organisation and business, (from the self-employed plumber to the largest of multi-national corporations), should ensure the needs and expectations of the customer are met. Additionally the Institute of Customer Service (2009) stresses the importance of every organisation having systems in place to monitor customer satisfaction levels as well as providing training for staff, to ensure these high standards can be consistently achieved. Initiatives such as the National Health Service Plan (Department of Health 2000), the Essence of Care Communication Benchmarks (NHS Modernisation Agency 2007) and The Communicating Organisation (Department of Health 2009), aim to improve the standards of health service communication and customer care standards. However the Institute of Customer Service (2009) suggest the main way to ensure good customer care is by getting all members of staff to embrace it through training and development, at individual and departmental levels. Organisations have to work hard at creating a culture of excellent customer care practices (Institute of Customer Service 2009). Therefore the training provided by the Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust aims to offer individuals the chance to develop their customer care knowledge and skills. Giving the participants an opportunity to look at the importance of customer care, how to handle difficult situations as well as examining their own communication skills, thus truly enhancing self-improvement and personal development (as well as organisational advancement).

1. Communicate with customers: A. Identify the nature of customer care. B. Recognise the requirements of customer care in individual job roles. C. Evaluate the significance of internal and external customers and the importance of looking after the requirements of both. 2. Challenging situations and handling complaints. A. Identify what constitutes effective communication skills. B. Recognise what constitutes effective non-verbal communication with customers. C. Evaluate the importance of using effective communication in dealing with customers. 3. Positive approaches towards customers. A. Identify an awareness of situations in which it is more difficult to practise good customer care. B. Analyse the role of the Patient Advice Liaison Service (PALS) in managing customer feedback. C. Recognise how to deal with demanding situations and customers who are dissatisfied. 4. Positive approaches towards customers. A. Analyse the importance of an awareness of the importance of positive approaches towards customers. B. Identify the importance of privacy and dignity and recognise their role promoting privacy and dignity in dealings with customers. C. Recognise the personal impact that each individual can make to deliver good customer care to external and internal customers.

1. Formative group and individual discussions; written and verbal feedback; mind-map construction; Question, Pause, Nominate, Answer (QPNA); continuous monitoring throughout the course. 2. Formative group and individual discussions; written and verbal feedback; mind-map construction; Question, Pause, Nominate, Answer (QPNA) 3. Formative group feedback, to the external speaker 4. Formative group and individual discussions; written and verbal feedback; Question, Pause, Nominate, Answer (QPNA).

This course is open to all employees in the Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust, who feel they may benefit from the customer care study session. Training requests are also accepted by managers, applying for training on the behalf of their staff, who may need further training.

3 hours

This course is open to all employees in the Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust, who feel they may benefit from the customer care study session. Training requests are also accepted by managers, applying for training on the behalf of their staff, who may need further training.

 For dates of courses please contact  Healthcare Careers Development Unit: (0121 42) 41760 or email hcdu@heartofengland.nhs.uk

Contact Healthcare Careers Development Unit: (0121 42) 41760 or hcdu@heartofengland.nhs.uk