Ep.286 'Communication Skills For MSK Clinicians Part 3: Explaining Diagnoses' with guest Ben Whybrow

In Part 3 of our focus this month on Communication Skills for MSK Clinicians, entitled 'EXPLAINING DIAGNOSES', host Matt Phillips is joined by special guest Ben Whybrow, Clinical Communication Skills Facilitator at Norwich Medical School, specialist physiotherapist in an NHS Pain Clinic, and host of the Clinical Communication Podcast. In this episode, Ben explores how MSK clinicians can explain diagnoses clearly, confidently and compassionately. He discusses asking about patients’ expectations, meeting people where they’re at, timing explanations, using simple relatable analogies (like the "cocktail"), and checking understanding. Practical tips focus on keeping explanations simple, validating feelings over repeating facts, tailoring language to the patient, and prioritizing how patients feel so they leave reassured and able to move forward. Chapter Markers 00:00:00 - Welcome to the STA Clinician Podcast 00:03:00 - Introducing special guest Ben Whybrow 00:04:30 - Ben Whybrow speaking at Therapy Show 2026 00:06:56 - What Is a Diagnosis? 00:15:21 - Start With What The Patient Knows 00:27:26 - Keep Explanations Simple 00:30:25 - Using Analogies That Fit 00:38:30 - Check Patient Understanding Gently 00:44:14 - What To Do When Patients Are Not Listening 00:49:14 - Teaching and Reassurance Useful Links Ben Whybrow on Instagram Clinical Communication Podcast on Apple Podcasts  Other Episodes In This Series Part 1 - Motivational Interviewing for MSK Clinicians with guest Orla Adams - Available on YouTube & all popular Podcast Apps.   Part 2 - Awkward Conversations with guest Richard Shorter of Non-perfectdad.co.uk Part 4 - 8pm (UK time) Tues May 26th - Serena Simmons, founder of the psychologyschool.co, will be introducing the Psychological Patterning Process (PPP) - a structured way of recognising the patterns that sit underneath your client or patient’s behaviour, and understanding what to do next. Want to join the live recordings? Episodes of the STA Clinician Podcast are recorded live every TUESDAY at 8pm on the Sports Therapy Association YOUTUBE CHANNEL and FACEBOOK page. Everyone is welcome - you do not have to be an STA member! If you cannot join us live, be sure to subscribe to the 'Sports Therapy Association Podcast' on all popular podcast apps to be notified when new episodes are available. Interested in joining the STA? Use the code PODCAST25 to get 3 MONTHS EXTRA when you join for a single year! In other words, £75 will get you 15 months instead of 12!  Only valid for NEW members. If you are Level 3 (qualified after 2014) make sure you choose the ‘associate member’ option.