Clinical Communication

Most clinicians are in the business of behaviour change,whether that’s with patients or members of staff. A task that often sounds easy, but can be very difficult at times. But what really changes behaviour? Do previous theories need to change with evolving evidence? On this episode Ben is joined by Orla O’Doherty, Behaviour Change Specialist & Educator where they discuss: (00:00) – Do We Have...

What can make explanations more memorable? How do you ensure the person in front of you has understood it as you intentioned? When is the right time to explain?   This is a different episode to usual as it is a recording from a recent episode of The STA Clinician podcast with Matt Phillips and myself where we are talking all about explanations and more, including:   (00:00) - Introduction (08:45)...

Last year, one of the most downloaded episodes was not on communicating about a specific condition or approach, but on how to teach. Something all clinicians have to do but often receive little to no training on how to do it. Cleary there was an appetite for this topic, so we’ve recorded a part two! On this episode Ben is re-joined by Kate Purcell, Advanced Practice Physiotherapist, former lecture...

We often consider high level performers as those that work in sports or entertainment, but there's another group of high level performers who you may come across everyday, which is those in the corporate world. This group comes with their own unique challenges such as; working demands, knowledge level and additional access to manage their own expectations. On this episode Ben is joined Susan J...

Being a supportive clinician and team player can lead tomany benefits across services, but are there downsides if we become too nice? Could less evidence-based care go unchallenged? Could avoiding conflict mean patients don’t get the rightmessage? On this episode Ben is joined by fellow Physio and recent MSKMag writer James Horner where they discuss: (00:00) – Are Physios Too Nice? (01:50) – James...

An aspect of clinical practice we can often take for granted is informing patients about "normal" imaging findings. Just say it's alright, reassure and move on right? Yet this is a conversation that they've waited a long time for and needs to be taken seriously. This brief episode gives some suggestions on how to go about it. You can find Ben across Social Media @BWhybrowPhysio o...

This may come as a surprise, but one of my biggest passionsthroughout life has been professional wrestling, and as we are in the week of Wrestlemania 42 I’ve got THE Physio for British Wrestling, Big John Rehab, to talk through how to communicate with professional wrestler patients as well as athletes in general. We discuss: (00:00:00) – What Drew John Towards Wrestling (00:03:25) – When Did He St...

The person in front of you will form an impression and judgement about you within the first few seconds and minutes of meeting you that is then hard to change, so it's important to get right. Starting a consultation or discussion is something not often talked about, so this episode talks through a few steps to help it go smoother and build rapport & trust quicker. Upcoming Free Webinar wit...

With growing awareness and diagnosis rates, neurodiversity is becoming a very talked about topic and coming up more and more in healthcare conversations. How could we better support those with neurodiversity? Should you ask someone if they have the diagnosis? Will criteria be changing over time? On this episode Ben is joined by Rosi Sexton, Osteopath,Podcast Host, Former MMA athlete and Neurodiver...

There was big news last week, after months of suspicion and anticipation I have produced and released the worlds first guide that clinicans can use in practice to help with differential diagnosis of chronic widespread pain. This brief episode is the story of how the concept was created, how it was developed and what feedback has been so far. The most of important thing you can do today is download...

Behaviour change conversations can be tricky, but one part most at risk of going wrong and derailing the conversation is raising the topic of the behaviour itself, especially if the person in front of you isn't expecting it. How can we do this without getting shut down or disrupting any existing relationship, and then how can we get an idea of whether they're willing or able to change righ...

Many clinicians deliver talks or presentations around the world every day - yet the vast majority leave a lot to be desired. This episode may sound like a rant, But it is really a blueprint on how to deliver a presentation or talk that those in attendance will actually engage with, remember and implement afterwards. The suggestions are simple, but even if you do just one or two of them, you will e...

Body language is often stated to have the biggest impact on communication in conversations compared to the words spoken and tone used. Yet not as much attention and clinical research has beendirected to this area. And whilst the evidence is still evolving, there are some essentials that are relevant to all clinicians that have a significant impact on the outcomes of the conversation and are covere...

Clinical conversations with older adults come with their ownset of potential challenges. How to manage time where there could be multiple issues to cover? How to keep the conversation on track? How to involve relatives appropriately?   In this episode Ben is joined by Dr Dipti Samani, ConsultantGeriatrician & Medical Lecturer where they cover: (00:00) – What Led To Dipti Choosing Geriatrics (0...

Listen to find out what five clinically relevant books I read this year that I would recommend you read in 2026. Want to see the pictures of the books in the list? - find me @BWhybrowPhysio on Instagram, X or LinkedIn. Or watch this episode on YouTube!

There have been several requests for some shorter individual episodes, along with the longer guest interview episodes, so this episode covers one the key principles for influencing someones beliefs and behaviour. Which is to consider both the logical AND emotional side, something you won’t find anywhere else, and this episode covers how. One of the most valuable 12 minutes you’ll come across allwe...

Empathy is a word often used when discussing communication skills and clinical care. Yet how often do clinicians really know what it means or what it looks like in practice? What benefits does giving empathic healthcare achieve? And how we can achieve this without burning out? On this episode Ben is joined by Dr Andy Ward, Director ofEducation and Training at Stoneygate Centre for Empathic Healthc...

Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder (HSD) & Hypermobile Ehlos-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS) are conditions that can often come with a variety of symptoms, well beyond being someone being extra flexible and having regularly dislocating joints. They can also be quite difficult and controversial conditions to discuss for various reasons, hence even more important they are discussed here. On this episode Ben...

Meniscal tears can be a significant knee injury with different treatment options available depending on a variety of factors, but how do we help patients understand the injury and management options available? On this episode Ben is joined by Carl Clifford, Lower Limb Advanced Practice Physiotherapist, and Dr Michael Cooke, Sports Medicine & Emergency Care Consultant, both from Simply MSK wher...

Shoulder dislocations and instability can affect patients ofmany ages, particularly in early adulthood or with aspiring athletes. How can we help these patients address the fears & uncertainties of having an unstable shoulder? On the episode Ben is joined by Edel Fanning, shoulder specialist physiotherapist with a PhD in relation to shoulder instability where they discuss; (00:00:00) – What Ma...

This episode is different to all the others. Every Clinical Communication episode so far has been around communicating and interacting with patients. This episode is on how we interact with each other and thesignificant effect it can have on our own wellbeing, the team around us and our patients. On this episode Ben is joined by Dr Chris Turner, A&EConsultant and Co-Founder of “Civility Saves...

Exercise and activity are one the pillars for improving overall health and well-being, but how can we encourage people to stick with it? On this episode Ben is joined by Sue Julians, staff writer for MSK Mag and Physio, where they discuss one of her articles earlier in the year on exercise adherence, including: (00:00) Introduction (00:40) – How Sue Became An MSKMag Writer (05:05) – What Inspired...

Cervical Myleopathy is a rare but very serious condition,which can result in rather difficult conversations, including around surgery and discussing long term expectations that could significantly affect someones life. On this episode Ben is joined by Dr Ben Davies, Neurosurgeon& Academic Researcher into Cervical Myleopathy where they discuss; (00:00) – Intro (00:44) – What Made Ben Choose Mye...

It's time for the 4th Bonus Content featuring extra content from recent guests including: David Alderton (00:42): If Doing Nothing Is Always An Option, Is There Always A ChoiceIn Shared Decision Making? Derek Griffin (06:06): Achieving Buy-In For Pacing, Finding The "Why" Behind Someones Activity Behaviour & Fibromyalgia Stigma And Beliefs Pauline-Clare Callaghan (14:00): Pregnan...

Clinicians are becoming more aware of the importance ofcommunication skills in clinical practice, but this doesn’t mean things always go to plan. On this episode Ben is joined by Vincent Kortleve, who is a published author and educator in communication skills, as well as being a trained Psychologist and Physiotherapist. On this episode they discuss: (00:00:00) – Intro (00:00:49) - How Much Has Vin...