The NHS holds 6 core values which define how all staff should behave and act as a guide for decision making and actions taken. As a doctor, you must understand these values and be able to implement them in your work. This helpful guide explains what is meant by each value.

1. Working Together for Patients: 

 Always put patients first by acting in a way that ensures the best outcome for patients is met 👍

 Involves things like: admitting when you make mistakes, striving to improve, continue your professional development and act within your ability

 Fully involve patients, staff, families, communities etc. 👪

 Put patient needs ahead of organisational boundaries

2. Respect and Dignity

 Value everyone 👪

 Treat every individual who interacts with the NHS with respect and dignity (whether this be a patient, staff, relatives etc.) 😀

 Listen to them and take what they say seriously 👂

 This seeks to produce a culture in which communication is effective

 Be open and honest about the point of view the NHS holds, and what is possible or not ✅

3. Commitment to Quality of Care

 The NHS aspires for the highest standards (ensure professionalism, clinical excellence and provide services which are safe and patient-focused)

 Always get the basics of quality of care (safety, effectiveness and patient experience) right ✅

 Do not allow quality of care to be compromised in the face of increased pressure on the NHS

 Always welcome patient and staff etc. feedback to maintain quality of care 👍

 Identify and implement areas of improvement from the feedback gained 📋

4. Compassion

 Treat everyone who interacts with the NHS with kindness and sensitivity 😀

 Alongside providing clinical care, the NHS strives to alleviate pain, distress, anxiety and needs, and aims to ensure people feel their thoughts/concerns are respected/ valued 😖

 Seek to relieve suffering and provide comfort without being asked

5. Improving Lives

 Improving people’s lives (through their health and well being) is ultimately the reason the NHS exists ❗

 This value can be extended to encompass the idea that wider public health improvements can improve lives

 Clinical practice, service improvements and innovation can all contribute to improving lives

 This value includes both excellent medical care and also preventative measures to ensure health is maintained and improved (e.g.promotion of a healthy diet) 🍏

6. Everyone Counts

 NHS resources should benefit the entire community, excluding nobody ❌

 Alongside treating everyone with respect and dignity, this core value is important

 NHS resources must be fairly distributed to reflect this

 Fair distribution of NHS resources ensures no individual is discriminated against due to their geographic location/ demographic 👪