_The big issue
achievable. It’s not a question of staff not wanting to care – the nurses at Mid-Staffs did try to speak out. This is a wider crisis in healthcare and one that requires a similarly wide-ranging solution.’ The initial NHS response came in the form
of Compassion in Practice, a strategy and vision for all nursing, midwifery and care staff in England launched in 2012. It included the 6Cs, a set of values intended to inform the behaviours and attitudes of staff. ‘The 6Cs cover Care, Courage, Communication, Commitment and Competence as well,’ says Lesley. ‘But perhaps unsurprisingly the one everyone really focused on is Compassion. It’s also no coincidence that the strategy itself was named Compassion in Practice – there was a clear goal to restore the public’s confidence in the ability of the NHS to care for them and their loved ones.’ Of course, as Lesley points out, compassion
already formed part of the NHS Constitution, while the Nursing and Midwifery Council’s Code of Practice has long talked of the need for kindness, respect and compassion. What Compassion in Practice did, though, was
Shaping perceptions of compassion Dr Louise Terry (above) is a Reader in Law and Ethics within the Adult Nursing and Midwifery team. She is leading an international research team in exploring how perceptions of compassionate care are shaped by books, articles, poetry, theatre and film
The NHS was set up to provide all people in need with healthcare, free at the point of delivery.
But the NHS took over hospitals that had been a mix of private and charitable foundations and even former workhouses. Buried away somewhere deep in our minds, I think there is still a distinction between those who are deserving and those who are not. Coupled with that, the NHS is very politically influenced. Our project also covers Ireland, which is still a predominantly Roman Catholic country,
16_South Bank | Spring 2016
and Canada, which also has a socialised healthcare model but with much less government direction. It will be interesting to see what comparisons that throws up. ‘Currently, the team is
working on two papers. The first focuses on how nurse educators understand care and compassion. One idea we’re exploring is the link between compassion and abandonment – an issue that cropped up in 23 of the narratives identified by our sample groups. Another common theme is invisibility, and the difficulty of really seeing the person
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