Adapting to Patient Needs

Patients differ in how they receive and process information. Effective communication adapts to individual needs so everyone can understand and participate in decisions. Language barriers, sensory impairments, and learning differences may make standard approaches less effective, but simple adjustments keep information clear, respectful, and accessible.

Language barriers

Patients with limited English proficiency may struggle to follow explanations or describe symptoms.

To maintain clarity and safety, teams often:

• use professional interpreters where possible
• avoid sole reliance on family members to protect accuracy and confidentiality
• speak slowly and use plain, non-technical language
• support explanations with diagrams or models
• confirm understanding by asking patients to repeat instructions in their own words

These steps help keep the patient - not the relative or interpreter - at the centre of the consultation.

Sensory impairments

Hearing or visual impairments often require adapted communication. For hearing loss, it can help to face the patient directly, speak at a measured pace, and provide written notes or large-print instructions. For patients who lip-read, keeping the mouth visible and avoiding turning to the computer while speaking supports inclusion. For visual impairment, verbal descriptions, tactile demonstration (e.g., handling spectacle frames), and accessible formats such as audio or large print make information practical and usable. Such adjustments respect autonomy and reduce the risk of missing critical details.

Learning differences

Patients with learning difficulties or neurodiverse conditions may find complex instructions or abstract terms hard to process. Breaking information into short, simple steps and pausing to check understanding is often more effective. Visual aids, demonstrations, or "show and tell" methods make abstract concepts concrete. Comprehension can be checked by teach-back or by asking the patient to demonstrate tasks-such as correct contact lens handling-so information is both delivered and meaningfully received.

References (numbered in text) Why we include references

1. Accessible Information Standard – requirements (DAPB1605), NHS England, published 30 June 2025. Find (opens in a new tab)
2. Shared decision making, NICE guideline NG197, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, published 17 June 2021. Find (opens in a new tab)
3. Michelle Kwan, Zakia Jeemi, Richard Norman, Jaya A R Dantas. Professional Interpreter Services and the Impact on Hospital Care Outcomes: An Integrative Review of Literature. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2023. Find (opens in a new tab)
4. Iben Gad Lauridsen, Morten Deleuran Terkildsen, Lisbeth Uhrskov Sørensen. A systematic review of whether the number of linguistic errors in medical interpretation is associated with the use of professional vs ad hoc interpreters. Archives of Public Health. Published 18 December 2024. Find (opens in a new tab)
5. Jason Talevski, Anna Wong Shee, Bodil Rasmussen, Georgie Kemp, Alison Beauchamp. Teach-back: A systematic review of implementation and impacts. PLoS One. 2020. Find (opens in a new tab)
6. Communication tips for health and social care professionals, RNID (Royal National Institute for Deaf People). Find (opens in a new tab)
7. How to make health care information accessible with RNIB's support, RNIB (Royal National Institute of Blind People). Find (opens in a new tab)
8. Your guide to communicating with people with a learning disability, Mencap. Find (opens in a new tab)
9. Reasonable adjustments, NHS England. Find (opens in a new tab)