Compassion

• Compassion has been described as 'sensitivity to the distress of . . . others with a commitment to try to do something about it'. 

• Includes creating psychological safety so people can speak up (students, patients, colleagues) regarding concerns

• Listening well, to the voices of all, in an inclusive way

• Connecting humanly with others

• ‘Being compassionate is not as simple as flicking on a switch or turning on a tap. Despite the best of intentions, compassion like other mental states (for example, joy, fear, sadness, gratitude, awe) is transient and impacted by internal and external variables’ 

• Compassion, hard to define, impossible to mandate 

GMC calls for compassion for self and other in Outcomes for Graduates 2018:

• demonstrate compassionate professional behaviour and their professional responsibilities in making sure the fundamental needs of patients are addressed

• Newly qualified doctors must demonstrate awareness of the importance of their personal physical and mental wellbeing and incorporate compassionate self-care into their personal and professional life.

Equal talk time, sensitivity to the group

What Google learned from its quest to build the perfect team - new research reveals surprising truths about why some work groups thrive and others falter:

 First equal talk time across the group, second social sensitivity across the group on how others were feeling...not how brilliant individuals are or style of leadership etc... the quality of relationships is key.

Psychological safety 

To measure a team’s level of psychological safety, Edmondson asked team members how strongly they agreed or disagreed with these statements :

1. If you make a mistake on this team, it is often held against you.

2. Members of this team are able to bring up problems and tough issues.

3. People on this team sometimes reject others for being different.

4. It is safe to take a risk on this team.

5. It is difficult to ask other members of this team for help.

6. No one on this team would deliberately act in a way that undermines my efforts.

7. Working with members of this team, my unique skills and talents are valued and utilized.

Team working, psychological safety and compassionate leadership

Blog by Michael West, Senior Fellow at The Kings Fund

Assessing and promoting compassion in the learning group

Drawing on this article please consider the following questions alone and together:

• 'What do I contribute to the learning experience of my fellow students that they most value in me? 

• 'What do my fellow students contribute to my learning that I most value in them?'

#Hello my name is

See here for patient-centred core values, developed by a clinician-patient Kate Granger: 

• Communication

• The little things

• Patient at the heart of all decisions

• See me

How 40 seconds of compassion could save a life

TEDx 

What if healthcare providers spent an extra 40 seconds showing compassion for their patients? The scientific evidence may surprise you. Through his pioneering work in the field of “Compassionomics”, Dr. Stephen Trzeciak has found that just 40 seconds of compassion can be a powerful therapy – not only for the receiver of compassion, but for the giver, too

Why we revolt

Great ideas and short videos on 'Careful and Kind Care for All' https://patientrevolution.org/ 

What matters to you?

This initiative encourages professionals to move their conversation focus from ‘What’s the matter with you?’ to ‘What matters to you?’ in order to more effectively support the development of high quality compassionate support, care or treatment focused around what people really need and want

Also human: the inner lives of doctors by Caroline Elton

In Also Human, vocational psychologist Caroline Elton introduces us to some of the distressed physicians who have come to her for help