Articles

Compassion, in its original meaning in Latin, means 'with suffering'. Compassion is usually expressed towards others when we experience their suffering, being there with them in some way that makes their pain more bearable (Firth-Cozens and Cornwell, 2009).

Working in partnership is central to reducing health inequalities – one department acting alone cannot tackle an issue that does not respect organisational boundaries.

With the new requirement that patients' experience of care be measured as part of the drive to improve quality across the NHS, acute trusts face the challenge of choosing from a potentially dizzying array of options for carrying this out.

The Point of Care programme wanted to know what kinds of intervention were more likely to achieve positive results and why.

As part of our Point of Care work, we undertook a literature review, starting with the term patient-centred care. What did we find out about the terminology used?

In December 2008 we published a review paper to launch the programme, Seeing the Person in the Patient, which drew on available published research and our own qualitative research with patients, their families and staff.

Purchasers should develop three new sets of skills and activities if they are to be effective.

Jo Maybin looks the essential elements of the Operating Framework, including adjustments to the three tiers of 'vital signs' introduced last year.

How can chief executives seize the new freedoms offered by David Nicholson and the Operating Framework? The King's Fund Director of Leadership Development, Karen Lynas offers some advice.