Implementing the Dignity Challenge Eileen Sills CBE Chief Nurse/Director of Clinical Services Guy’s & St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust

Where to Begin Support from the Board and Executive Team Over coming the cynicism Drip feeding information to senior staff from: Patient feedback survey’s Complaints Patient choice Not seeing Dignity as a separate project, but intertwined in everything we do Executive leadership Don’t be overwhelmed

What did we do at GSTT Staff briefings, without setting expectations We used our ‘Fridays’ with a difference’ initiative to raise awareness We asked for volunteers from across the trust to participate in 10 working groups to look at each challenge We randomly selected staff into each group, identified a lead and gave then freedom to go away look at the challenge and do a stock take of what was happening within each challenge Each group is feeding back their findings over the next 3 months Themes will then be identified and work will begin

All members of the group signed up as dignity champions Trust wide communication This has become a Trust priority with Board commitment

Key Messages Don’t make it difficult, start small, recognise what is already happening and build on it It’s often the small things that make the biggest difference to our patients Put dignity at the heart of everything you do, its not a separate initiative You need executive leadership or sponsors to make this happen