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

2. 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

3. 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

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

5. 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