Scroll down or click on link to read: 1️⃣ Definition 1️⃣.1️⃣ Reality Reconstruction Info-graph. 2️⃣ The behaviours of Reality reconstruction. 3️⃣ Role in Complaint Handling 4️⃣ The negative Impact on you. 5️⃣ Which leads to you to behave 6️⃣ How to stop reality reconstruction.
1️⃣ Definition
The purpose of twisting and sculpting the truth by reconstruction the reality of the facts. Is to deceive you and others into believing that their ‘polished and edited’ account of the facts is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but. I call it reconstructing reality as its a form of investigative photoshop ‘editing’.
It works along the lines of redesigning your house. By say for example, replacing the pitched roof with a flat one. Knocking down the wall between your kitchen and lounge. Dividing the master bedroom into two smaller ones. Painting the white walls red and replacing the furniture to blend in with the new wall colour. Technically its still your house but it is difficult to recognise the once familiar space/s.
1️⃣.1️⃣ Reality Reconstruction Info-graph
The point of twisting reality is to deceive others into believing what’s false is true, based on:
if you repeat a version of events often enough, it becomes the truth.
2️⃣ The behaviours of Reality reconstruction are:
⏯ Misdirection and deceptions
▶️ Which is the skilful mixing and subtraction of truths and untruths to make the lies believable. To all but you.
▶️ is an attempt to deceive by inventing facts. Or more simply, this is lying.
▶️ They will often tell you things they wish were true. Rather than that are the truth.
▶️ It is useful as it diverts your attention away from the real issues by subtly changing the subject and or the facts.
⏯ Exaggeration
▶️ is reconstructing the truth by promoting non descript plus inconsequential facts to play the starring role in their investigation. Complaint handlers have an amazing ability to use minimisation to downplay your complaint and exaggerate the effects of your bad behaviour on them. Where in any other context ‘bad behaviour’ would be described as assertive.
▶️ or fact omission.
⏯ Complicated Counting
▶️ Where the organisation justifies its behaviour on the grounds that the processes are just to complex and complicated for you to understand. Because if you did understand, you would not need to complain.
3️⃣ It is used in Complaint handling to:
▶️ sculpt the truth by presenting misleading facts and figures.
▶️ paint them in a better light and
▶️ allow them to dodge uncomfortable questions.
▶️ allow them to Control your Response and the Outcome
Hence the term reconstructing reality. It is unethical and it makes a mockery of the NHS Complaints legislation and the ‘learn from mistakes’ mantra.
4️⃣ The negative Impact on you
Reality reconstruction is a violation of your trust and damages the healthcare/service user relationship.
Broken promises by a treatment provider can be especially damaging. As in the presence of anything related to healthcare, you are it is likely to make you feel:
▶️ highly anxious,
▶️ hypervigilant,
▶️ mistrustful
5️⃣ Which leads to you to behave:
▶️ in hostile and combative manner
▶️ withdrawn to keep them at a distance
▶️ acting in a manipulative way to try and maintain a sense of control over the process.
Which creates more conflict and stress.
6️⃣ How to stop reality reconstruction
▶️ Try to limit the hurt and betrayal you feel and focus on the reasoning behind the misdirection and deceptions . As it is not personal.
▶️ This may need to wait until you have decided what is the best way to respond. But this may include using a mish mash of telling them that you understand that mistakes can happen but it is important to you that all of the facts are correct.
▶️ All lies have consequence but try to put the reality reconstruction behaviour into perspective. Little lies do not need to be addressed. Big lies do. it may be helpful to tackle the reality reconstruction if you can pin point the behaviour/s as:
⏺ Due to human error?
⏺ Caused by not following the systems and/or inadequate and often outdated Organisational processes.?
⏺ Or due to Reckless behaviour?
▶️ Don’t forget to take ‘pictures’ of what the house looked like before. In other words, make sure as much communication is in writing as possible. At a minimum take and send copies of written minutes of all meetings as soon as possible after the end of the meeting and as a back up, record your side of any telephone call.
