Essential communication skills

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5 CPD credits - awaiting accreditation approval

Location
  • In-person (London)

Previously titled 'Introduction to communication skills'.

This is a full-day in-person course.

Effective communication is central to safe, compassionate medical practice. This course focuses on common communication challenges between doctors and patients, and the impact these conversations can have on relationships and outcomes.

Using presentations, facilitated discussions, and practical exercises, we explore key communication ‘pinch points’ where consultations can go off track, and share practical tools to help doctors recognise these moments and navigate them. Examples are drawn from both primary and secondary care settings.

This course supports doctors in:

  • identifying and avoiding pinch points that can derail consultations
  • improving communication with patients and colleagues
  • understanding how personality influences communication
  • using shared understanding to support effective decision-making.

Who should attend?

  • Consultants/specialists
  • GPs
  • Hospital doctors
  • Training grade doctors (GPST1-4 and ST1-8)
  • Foundation doctors (FY2 only)

Awaiting accreditation by the Federation of the Royal Colleges of Physicians of the UK for 5 category 1 (external) CPD credits.

Speakers

Dr Martin Brunet

Dr Martin Brunet

GP partner and trainer

Martin was one of the GP Programme Directors on the Guildford GP training scheme for 10 years before stepping down in 2019 to write his book 'The GP Consultation Reimagined, a Tale of Two Houses'. He teaches regularly on communications skills.

Dr Samantha Bell

Dr Samantha Bell

MDU medico-legal adviser

Samantha studied medicine at Guy's Hospital Medical School and qualified in 1992. After gaining MRCP she went on to train as a GP, gaining MRCGP in 2003. She obtained an LLM in Health Care Ethics and Law in 2015. She worked as a GP principal in Hertfordshire before joining the MDU as a medico-legal adviser in 2015.

James Godber

James Godber

MDU senior learning and development officer

James designs and delivers training across the organisation from induction programmes to management skills, and trains staff at every level of the organisation. He also champions raising awareness of equality, diversity and unconscious bias and delivers these courses to MDU members.

Thursday 18 June 2026, 9:00 AM - 3:30 PM In-person (London)

Location map
The MDU, Floor 32, One Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London E14 5GS

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