Preparing for conversations about outcomes

Why is it important?

Effective preparation should ensure:

The conversation:

  • has continuity with previous, and future, conversations
  • is appropriate to the persons needs in format and style
  • is proportionate to the persons needs in detail and length
  • takes account of the person’s preferences, communication needs and capacity.

The person feels:

  • supported to be as involved as they wish to be
  • others are involved, or not, as per their wishes
  • their views, wishes and feelings are being listened to and properly considered (including cultural or religious aspects)
  • confident that the practitioner is as informed as possible about their situation and will be able to understand their hopes, concerns and aspirations
  • that they have choice and control over their outcomes and how these are achieved
  • they understand how any decisions have been made and that these are informed by the best available evidence and information.

The practitioner feels:

  • well informed about the person and able to build / maintain a relationship with them
  • they have the appropriate skills and support to communicate effectively
  • able to deal with any potential difficult situations or risks that might arise
  • confident in their professional judgement, decision making skills and rationale for decisions.

 

Tools

The tools below may be useful when considering or preparing an outcomes-focused conversation.

 

Go to: Core Skills - Interactive Triangle of Care Core Skills – Outcomes Triangle.  This page contains a selection of downloadable factsheets on core skills useful for outcomes-focused conversations

Download the tool as a PDF file Preparing for the Conversation Checklist (PDF file 118KB).  This is a self assessment tool, helpful when planning an outcomes focused conversation

Download the tool as a PDF file Ecogram (PDF file 443KB).  A useful visual assessment of an individuals family, social and community relationships

Download the tool as a PDF file Powerful Questioning (PDF file 365KB).  This tool considers what makes a powerful question, the value of powerful questions and provides opportunities to design and ask powerful questions

Next: Having conversations about outcomes

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