Importance of Language Inclusivity in Healthcare

Here's something that keeps me up at night: Imagine having a condition or trait, but being unable to understand your treatment plan, or how to improve your wellbeing, because it might as well be written in another language. This isn't sci-fi, it's happening right now in the UK. The stats are shocking: 43% of working adults can't understand basic health information This jumps to 61% when numbers are involved. And for our neurodiversity community? The barriers are often to high What I've Learned: Working in the neurodiversity space has taught me that we're often our own worst enemy. We preach inclusion while writing in corporate-speak and medical jargon that excludes the very people we're trying to help. We say things like: ❌ "Neurodivergence manifests differently in each individual" ✅ "Everyone's brain works uniquely; what works for one person might not work for another" ❌ "Executive dysfunction may impact task initiation and completion" ✅ "You might find it hard to start tasks or finish them, even when you want to" ❌ "Individuals with RSD may experience heightened emotional reactivity to perceived rejection" ✅ "You might feel very hurt or upset when you think someone has rejected you or criticised you" This isn't just about simplifying language, it's about dignity and equal access to healthcare. The power of clear communication goes beyond just simplifying words, it's about creating connections through real stories and shared experiences. The current system is creating a knowledge gap that disproportionately affects those individuals who are already in the most challenging circumstances and those who process information differently. Do you have an oppinion on language and access to health support? Check out my latest article where I open up the topic for debate! #HealthLiteracy #Neurodiversity #InclusiveHealthcare #AccessibleCommunication #HealthEquity"

We say ‘patients’ and ‘beneficiaries’ but what if we said ‘partners’? When I was studying public health, I thought the impact began with interventions. Now I know, it begins with language. Every word we use carries invisible power. It shapes how people see themselves and how systems treat them. Let me explain 👇 1️⃣ “Patients” vs “People” When we call someone a patient, we place them in a system that waits - for care, for help, for permission. But when we call them people, we give them agency - to act, choose, and lead. Words like “non-compliant” quietly blame. Words like “facing barriers” acknowledge context. Same health behavior. Different human story. 2️⃣ “Beneficiaries” vs “Communities” In many programs, we talk about beneficiaries as if help flows in one direction - from experts to the “needy.” But real change happens when we treat communities as co-creators, not recipients. A 2021 World Health Organization framework on community engagement notes that “trust and shared ownership are stronger predictors of success than funding or infrastructure.” Translation? Language builds trust long before programs do. 3️⃣ The Hidden Curriculum of Words Every health poster, webinar, or policy carries a hidden curriculum, how we think of others. If a mother is “illiterate,” she’s seen as lacking. If she’s “navigating health information in her own way,” she’s seen as resilient. Public health isn’t just about reducing disease. It’s about restoring dignity and language is our first tool. The Shift We Need ✅ Replace awareness campaigns with conversation spaces. ✅ Replace target groups with communities we serve. ✅ Replace dissemination with dialogue. Because communication isn’t just transmission, it’s relationship. We don’t just design programs. We design narratives - of trust, belonging, and respect. “Change begins with how we talk about people - not just to them.” What’s one health term you think we should retire or rethink in our everyday work? #publichealth #healthcommunication #behaviourchange #healthequity #research #communityengagement #leadership #languagematters

“BAME.” “Minority.” “Hard to reach.” Three terms we still use in healthcare and three we need to rethink 👇🏽 As a GP working in women’s health, supporting many women from the global majority, I see how language shapes care every single day. These terms are often used with good intentions But intention doesn’t mitigate impact “BAME” (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) 👉🏻 Groups together communities with vastly different cultures, health risks, and lived experiences ➡️ Masks important differences in outcomes (e.g. maternal health, menopause care, access) 📊 In fact, the 2021 Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities recommended that terms like “BAME” should be dropped, and that we should focus on specific ethnic groups instead 💬 We should be specific or use terms like global majority where appropriate “Minority” 👉🏻 Implies inferiority and centres a Western perspective ➡️ Erases the fact that globally, these groups are the majority 💬 Consider global majority or name the community “Hard to reach” 👉🏻 Suggests the problem lies with the patient or community ➡️ Ignores systemic barriers such as language, trust, access, and discrimination 💬 A more honest framing is underserved or under-resourced communities Why does this matter in women’s health? 👩🏽⚕️ Because I see the consequences in clinic: -Women not being listened to because their symptoms don’t fit “typical” narratives -Cultural context being overlooked or dismissed -Delays in diagnosis from menopause to chronic pain -A growing mistrust in healthcare systems Language is not just descriptive, it is diagnostic 🧠 It shapes how we think And how we think shapes how we treat people If we want equitable care, especially for women from the global majority, we have to start by interrogating the words we use routinely So I’ll leave you with this 👇🏽 What language are you still using in your clinical practice that needs unlearning? #DecoloniseHealthcare #WomensHealth #HealthEquity #GlobalMajority #PrimaryCare #Medic

This is one of the most important posts on LinkedIn because provider language matters! When patients advocate for themselves, they are too often met with dismissal or minimization. This is especially harmful in maternal healthcare, where being heard can save lives. We need to reframe how providers respond by choosing words that affirm, not silence. Here are examples of phrases to replace dismissive language with respectful, trauma-informed care: Language Shift for Providers: ❌ “You’re overthinking it…” ✅ “Let’s explore your concerns together.” ❌ “That’s just normal pregnancy pain…” ✅ “Can you describe it more? I want to make sure we’re not missing anything.” ❌ “I’ve seen worse…” ✅ “Your pain is valid, and I’m here to listen.” ❌ “Just trust me, I’ve done this before…” ✅ “You know your body best, let’s make decisions together.” ❌ “There’s no need to worry…” ✅ “I hear your concern. Let’s talk through what we can do.” ❌ “It’s probably nothing…” ✅ “Let’s run some tests to be sure.” ❌ “You’re not high risk…” ✅ “Even if it’s low risk, let’s take your symptoms seriously.” ❌ “We’ll check it next time…” ✅ “Since you brought this up now, let’s address it today.” ❌ “That’s just anxiety…” ✅ “Let’s talk about what’s making you feel unsafe.” ❌ “The chart doesn’t say that…” ✅ “Tell me more about your experience, I want to understand beyond the notes.” ❌ “We don’t do that here…” ✅ “Let me see how we can accommodate your request or find someone who can.” ❌ “We can’t offer that…” ✅ “Let’s look at your options together.” ❌ “I already explained that…” ✅ “I’m happy to go over it again, your clarity is important.” ❌ “There’s no reason for that test…” ✅ “Let’s talk through your concerns and decide together what makes sense.” ❌ “Just relax…” ✅ “I can see you’re uneasy—how can I help you feel more supported right now?” Words matter. In healthcare, they can build trust or reinforce trauma. Let’s choose to listen, affirm, and care deeply. #ALightAfterNine #MaternalHealthMatters #PatientAdvocacy #TraumaInformedCare #ReproductiveJustice #BlackMaternalHealth #EquityInHealthcare #PublicHealthLeadership #CulturallyCompetentCare #RespectfulMaternityCare

What we name, we shape. In medicine, language is often treated as neutral-like “noncompliant,” “failed back syndrome,” or “high-risk behavior” are just facts. But language isn’t neutral. It either reinforces bias or challenges it. “Noncompliant” often skips the why. “Failed back syndrome” centers failure-instead of complexity. Shorthand becomes identity, not just documentation. These words don’t stay in the chart. They shape how we see, speak to, and treat our patients. Language Becomes the Treatment-or the Trauma. I’ve seen patients transform when their story is reframed with respect instead of reduction. A young woman with chronic pelvic pain-dismissed as “dramatic”-finally felt heard when we shifted how we spoke about her case. A man with “noncompliance” on every note? He wasn’t defiant. He was unhoused and living with untreated PTSD. Language is clinical. It influences trust, compliance, outcomes-and how a person sees themselves. We Need More Than Clinical Precision. We Need Linguistic Awareness. If we’re serious about equity and whole-person healing, we can’t just update protocols. We have to audit our vocabulary. This isn’t softness. It’s strategy. Because language doesn’t just describe a patient’s reality. It helps create it.

Neurodiversity 101: Doubling the disadvantage When we talk about access to neurodevelopmental services, we often look at one barrier at a time. In reality, many families face two — simultaneously. Around 15% of children are neurodivergent. Around 9% of people in England and Wales report a main language other than English. Taken together, this means that a significant number of parents are navigating neurodevelopmental pathways in a second language while also advocating for a neurodivergent child. That combination matters. Neurodevelopmental pathways rely heavily on: Written forms Nuanced descriptions of behaviour and development Confidence in professional conversations Understanding what to ask for — and when For parents with limited English or lower health literacy, this is already challenging. Add a child whose needs may be subtle, overlapping or poorly recognised (such as DLD or DCD), and the risk of delay, disengagement or misinterpretation rises sharply. This is not about motivation or capability. It is about system design. If pathways assume fluent English, high confidence and strong organisational skills, they will systematically disadvantage families who need them most. Neuroinclusion in healthcare is not just about diagnosis. It is about whether families can be heard, understood and supported early enough to make a difference. Accessibility is not an add-on.It is equity in action.

Language isn’t just about communication. It shapes how we see the world, and how the world sees us. I was reminded of this watching a clip of the late Egyptian feminist writer Nawal El Saadawi, who said: “That’s colonialism. That’s colonial language; we need to decolonise the language.” Her words struck a chord with me, because I see the impact of colonial language every day in nursing. When we talk about “non-compliant patients” or describe people as “minority ethnic”, we’re not being neutral. These phrases carry history. They reflect systems that judge, categorise, and often diminish. And the problem isn’t just the words themselves — it’s the worldview they reinforce. That’s why decolonising the nursing curriculum matters. It’s about more than adding a lecture on diversity. It means asking: • Whose knowledge gets taught, and whose is sidelined? • What language do we use in textbooks and clinical notes, and what values does it carry? • How does the way we speak about patients affect the care they receive? Language is care. The words we pass on to student nurses become the frameworks they carry into practice. If those words are rooted in colonial hierarchies, they risk reproducing inequity. If those words are re-examined, reclaimed, and re-framed, they can open the door to more equitable and compassionate healthcare. For me, decolonising language isn’t abstract — it’s daily practice. It’s in questioning the words I use. It’s in challenging the curriculum I teach. And it’s in holding space for patients and colleagues whose voices don’t fit neatly into inherited categories. I’d love to hear how others are navigating this in your own fields. What words or frameworks have you begun to question or reclaim? Council of Deans of Health The Nursing and Midwifery Council Royal College of Nursing - Company #NursingEducation #EquityInHealthcare #DecolonisingHealthcare #AntiRacism #HealthEquity #LanguageMatters

🌍 Language Should Never Be a Barrier to Life 🏥 In 2014, a nine-year-old girl lost her life simply because her parents and her doctors couldn’t understand each other. It’s a heartbreaking reality: over 30 million people in the U.S. alone face language barriers that lead to medical errors, longer hospital stays, and tragic outcomes. But where there is a challenge, there is an opportunity for innovation. 💡 I am incredibly moved by the work being done by Sid and Linh, the founders of Lexi. This Harvard-born startup is leveraging AI to provide real-time, accurate, and secure medical translation at a fraction of the cost of traditional services. Why this matters: Speed: In an emergency, every second counts. Instant translation saves lives. Equity: Everyone deserves quality healthcare, regardless of the language they speak. Empathy: Lexi gives a voice back to the "voiceless," ensuring patients can communicate their pain and their needs. It’s not just about technology; it’s about humanity. Seeing a team that speaks 14 languages and has lived through these challenges themselves is what true "purpose-driven innovation" looks like. 🚀 Let’s support the visionaries who are making healthcare truly accessible for all. Because no one should ever be misdiagnosed because of a language gap. Join the conversation: How do you think AI can further bridge the gaps in our healthcare system? *video courtesy to original creator #HealthTech #Innovation #HarvardStartup #MedicalTranslation #AIforGood #HealthcareEquity #Lexi #StartupLife #MedTech #SocialImpact #Inclusion #PatientCare #DigitalHealth #LanguageBarriers #FutureOfHealthcare #TechForGood #GlobalHealth #Entrepreneurship #AIInnovation #DiversityInTech #MedicalSafety #HealthForAll #NewVenture #TechSolutions #HumanRights #LifeSavingTech #Inspirational #BreakingBarriers Sharaanya Sharma