Non-verbal communication, or body language, refers to the movements and positions of the head, limbs and body that convey meaning. As you know, during any interaction, approximately 50 per cent of the message comes from people's body language. So, more emphasis is placed on what we see rather than what we hear.

Types of non-verbal communication

Non-verbal or visual behaviour includes the following aspects:

Proximity €“ most healthcare professionals remain within the 'social' or 'consultative' zone, about four to 12 feet away from their patient

Touch €“ as a member of the pharmacy support team, you may not touch patients to treat them, but you might do so to reassure them or offer comfort. However, it's important to remember that not everyone likes to be touched. Use your instincts to judge what is appropriate for each customer

Eye contact €“ how much people look at one another during a conversation varies depending on whether they are speaking or listening. Listeners look at the speaker more and for longer periods of time

Facial expression €“ sometimes it is difficult to control our facial expressions, and they may tell the other person what our 'true' feelings are. So it's important as a healthcare professional to try to control your facial expressions

Head movements €“ nodding your head during a conversation acts as a 'reinforcer' and shows the other person that you are listening and paying attention

Gestures €“ things like facial expressions and hand or arm movements can 'leak' out information about our real feelings. So you need to be aware of your own and other people's gestures when communicating

Body posture €“ posture is important as it signals the strength of someone's emotional response.

There are also some other areas such as clothing, physique and general appearance, which are often more important than we might think.