The requirement for excellent skills of communication in healthcare is paramount in delivering optimal care and in facilitating health promotion. Good communication ultimately leads to increased patient satisfaction and is one of the key elements in providing patient centred care. Conversely, it is inevitable that patients will become distressed with health conditions when skills of communication are mediocre (Reynolds, 2004). Furthermore it must be recognised that effective communication extends beyond client and clinician and also includes carers of elderly patients whom may be involved in joint decision making. Hence the importance of the integration of the carer into the multi-disciplinary team. It will be argued that good communication