Tuesday 24 October is Drop the Jargon Day – a day to think about the language we use when communicating with our patients and colleagues.
For patients, jargon use leads to poor health literacy which can affect patient outcomes. Jargon is often used in conversations, forms and health education brochures.
Between staff, jargon can cause confusion and misunderstanding. Sometimes jargon means different things in different parts of the organisation.
There are some simple steps you can take to help you drop the jargon:
- Use simple language.
- Keep sentences short.
- Avoid abbreviations and acronyms.
- Check their understanding.
More tips can be found on the Drop the Jargon Day website.
Please also check out our Partnering with Patients iLearn Hub where there are more resources on effective clinical communication.