How do we teach compassionate communication to healthcare students?
Cascading Compassion – how do we teach compassionate communication to healthcare students?: A UKCCC Conference 2025 blog
I had the pleasure of attending Maaya Modha-Patel’s insightful roundtable on Compassionate Communication at the UKCCC Communication Conference 2025, titled “Given the current pressures faced by the NHS, how do we teach compassionate communication to healthcare students?”
The session was an enriching and energising experience. Working in a dynamic small group, we rotated through four discussion tables, each focused on a different facet of compassionate care. This structure not only encouraged physical movement (always welcome during a conference!) but also built a collaborative, evolving dialogue. At each table, we read and responded to the reflections of previous groups—reinforcing points with underlines and asterisks (*) before adding our own. The session culminated in each group presenting the shared insights gathered from all four discussions. It was a refreshing alternative to the usual round-robin feedback format and created a sense of shared ownership over the ideas.
I was fortunate to join a group that journeyed through the following sequence of topics:
- Real-world limitations
- Experiences of (un)compassionate care
- Teaching compassionate communication
- The ideal ‘blue sky’ curriculum for compassionate communication
We began by acknowledging the tough realities of clinical pressure and burnout, then moved into a powerful conversation about our own experiences—both positive and negative—with clinicians’ capacity to “be human.” Some clinicians struggling whilst others could still connect deeply despite the circumstances. Our discussions concluded on an inspiring note: envisioning a future where compassionate communication is not constrained by current limitations. How lucky were we to end on such a high!
What struck me most was the shared sentiment across tables: the answer isn’t always “more.” It’s not necessarily about more resources or more curriculum time. Instead, we recognised the power of doing things differently—with intention, empathy, and humanity.
Here are my key takeaways for cultivating compassion in healthcare education:
- Cascading Compassion: By modelling compassion towards our students, we empower them to pass it on to colleagues and patients.
- Look and Listen: Truly seeing and hearing someone—including through non-verbal communication—can be transformative.
- Empathy and Self-Compassion: Step outside of yourself; it’s not about you. And when things are hard, be kind to yourself. We won’t always get it right, and that’s okay.
- Reframe the Narrative: Let’s shift focus toward the meaningful and privileged nature of clinical work, to counterbalance the often-negative narrative.
A heartfelt thank you to Maaya for modelling compassion throughout the session—validating every contribution and creating a space where empathy could flourish. I’ll be doing my best to cascade that energy into my own teaching.
You can read more on this Padlet containing the collated responses from attendees at this roundtable session, as part of the UKCCC conference 2025.
Dr. Leeanne Bodkin
University of Aberdeen
Dr Leeanne Bodkin is the former Co-treasurer of the UKCCC and a Senior Clinical Lecturer, MBChB Clinical skills team lead and Coordinator of the Medical Humanities SSC at the University of Aberdeen.
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