There is no good way to give bad news, but there may be better ways?

When a diagnosis has been finally arrived at the health professional has to confront the person and provide answers. For both, the health professional and the person, it is a very stressful and delicate moment during which the health professional has to impart difficult and upsetting news.

The person may already be in a state of anxiety, aware but unsure that there may be a very serious problem or how serious the problem is that is confronting them. They will already feel trepidation brought on by the various diagnostic tests, consultations and hospital visits they have already undertaken.

Not every person is going to have explained to them the problems that may confront them, however many lifelong diseases / disorders, such as MS, ME, Lupus and the problems they present, the impact it will have on that person’s life may cause them to consider that a death sentence has been pronounced.

Some considerable time can elapse between an initial consultation and when a diagnosis is confirmed. This time lapse will contribute to a person’s fears and may create feelings of frustration and anger, not only within the individual but amongst their family and friends.

Early diagnosis is essential, the longer the wait the greater the danger. A considerable number of GP’s have very little contact with people who are suffering from a serious disease / disorder, therefore their symptoms and what they indicate may not be immediately apparent to them. Early diagnosis could not only prevent significant and lifelong health problems but may prevent some disease / disorders worsening.

Once diagnosed the sufferer needs constructive information on an immediate basis, this will enable them to not only understand the disease, but how to confront it.

It is only natural for anybody to want to be seen as an individual, a normal decent human being, not just a case number. Bad news presented to anybody in a cold factual manner is extremely distressing, crushing a person’s hope. Such manner causes the person to consider that the health professional view them as an item rather than a human being and by so doing doesn’t care (this is not unusual and occurs amongst many people).

People go to a health professional seeking an answer to a health problem, when matters become serious they can become frightened, apprehensive and defensive. Confronted with what may appear to be an attitude of indifference the person can become despondent, depressed, lose hope leading to an attitude of indifference causing them to adopt an attitude of ‘what’s the use’ and becoming less than diligent in taking medication they may need or adopting a healthy lifestyle regime that would benefit them.

Being a good communicator is a skill and some are better at it than others, but it is a skill that can be learnt and may go some way in helping those who have to be told bad news.

All disease / disorders are very difficult to come to terms with and everything that once felt certain in a person’s life suddenly becomes terribly uncertain. Have you had a bad experience at the hands of a health professional? If you have tell us your story.