Table 1 Skills utilised in a clinical yarning approach. Skills with some overlap with CCG skills are identified (O-CCG)

Social Yarn

Key skills:

• respectfully introducing oneself to the patient (O-CCG)

• attending to the patient’s comfort (O-CCG)

• welcoming body language (O-CCG)

• finding common ground

• sharing information about oneself

• demonstrating awareness/knowledge of Aboriginal culture

• where appropriate, working effectively with Aboriginal cultural mediators such as an interpreter

• where appropriate, using humour

• recognising verbal and non-verbal patient cues for the social yarn

Diagnostic Yarn

Key skills:

• active/deep listening to the patient’s story (O-CCG)

• facilitating the patient’s story e.g. through sensitive/responsive open-ended questioning (O-CCG)

• use of silence (O-CCG)

• recognising verbal and non-verbal patient cues (O-CCG)

• validating the patient’s perspective (O-CCG)

• summarising, prompting, and clarifying (O-CCG)

• demonstrating empathy (O-CCG)

Collaborative Management Yarn

Key skills:

• understanding what the patient knows about their health issue (O-CCG)

• explaining health information without medical jargon (O-CCG)

• using explanatory aids such as stories, metaphors, visual aids and online resources (O-CCG)

• checking-in with what the patient understands and will take-away with them (O-CCG)