Assessment skills Steve Wood Lecturer

Planning Planning leads to effective management of time Think of the resources you will need Referral letter, and notes Measures Note paper Setting Think of the environment and interruptions Plan the goals of the session

Opening Engaging Greeting Set the scene, check expectations. Dealing with accompanying people

Opening Setting the agenda Confidentiality Timescale Overall structure of the consultation What you will do with the information Have they anything to add

Assessment skills Aim of the assessment Sufficiency Efficiency QuestioningQuestioning and listening skills Open/probing/closed questions Reflective questions Hypothetical questions Checking questions Paraphrasing Summarising

General skills Other skills Directing Providing feedback Rewarding Negotiating

Closing Offering a provisional formulation Negotiate a care plan or action plan Informing how the information will be used Inviting comment or views on the consultation Thanking

Types of Questions TypeExampleUsefulLess useful Open “Can you tell me how you’ve been feeling recently?” For openings and exploring new areas. For encouraging person to talk. With people inclined to be talkative or when clarification is needed. Probing “How has your low mood been affecting you at work?” For getting and checking information. For following up an open question. For emotionally sensitive areas. Too soon in the exploring phase. Closed “Have you actually taken any time off as a result of your low mood?” For establishing single points of fact. For a “ yes ” or “ no ” answer. For probing facts one at a time. For collecting descriptive or detailed information. Reflective “So you tend to blame yourself for things that go wrong in your life?” For establishing empathy. For handling emotionally charged situations. For checking factual information. Leading “I suppose you’re glad now that things turned out the way they did?” For eliciting a positive response of agreement or denial. If it puts person under pressure to accept your own view. Hypothetical “If a friend told you they’d been feeling like you have, what advice would you give them?” For helping someone see a situation from another viewpoint. For thinking about a possible future situation. With people who need time to ponder before they respond. Checking “Am I right in thinking that immediately after your relationship broke up you felt okay about it?” For making sure that an interpretation of what has been said is correct. If it cuts short an open exploration or reflective process. Multiple “What happened next? Did you have time off work? How did your mother react?” Never - confusing. Always – better to ask one at a time Assessment skills