Values into Action – a year after Francis
We started in the summer of 2012 to get people talking about 'what makes great care' so that we could start to get down on paper some of the behaviours that are displayed when great care is being delivered. This work was designed to underpin our then Trust Values and describe how we will put these into action on a day-to-day basis, hence the title of Values into Action. However through the work programme we developed a refreshed set of Trust Values altogether that fit our vision for the future.
We were told over and over again that it was the 'small things that matter' and the 'human touch' which made such a difference to people, so we made sure that these elements are reflected within our values and behaviours. We also heard some really heart-warming stories about the great care that we deliver day-in, day-out and we wanted to make sure that we continue to get this right for our service users and carers.
6th February 2014 marks a year on from the publication of the report of the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust Public Inquiry by Robert Francis QC. In the report, Francis recognised several recommendations for NHS organisations. Today we look at how the values incorporated by GMW around the time of the report’s publication took shape within our organisation:
- Trust Values and behaviours are provided as a link on the NHS Jobs website to all prospective applicants;
- The Values are integral throughout the Trust Induction for new staff, however a specific session is also included to get new starters to think about how they will put our values into action in their daily roles;
- Values are included in the IPDR (individual personal and development review) process where staff and managers talk about examples where individuals have put our values into action;
- Ward teams use the Trust Values as a framework to discuss with staff groups and/or service users what putting our values into action looks like on their wards;
- GMW Staff Awards of 2013 were based on solely on the values and awarded to those who most prominently demonstrated the values in one specific example or practise or across their entire approach to work;
- Trust Values and behaviours form part of managing performance in highlighting both what is positive and what needs to improve;
- In Salford, GMW services ran an Essential Skills programme for support staff which included a section on Trust Values and behaviours and what they mean in practice when delivering quality services.
Director of HR and Governance at GMW, Andrew Maloney said: “At GMW we are committed to continually improving the way we do things, including providing the highest quality of care and a good working environment for our staff.
“With this in mind the Trust launched the Values into Action initiative which includes the five core values that GMW subscribes to. These values are at the heart of the care that we offer, and help us to continue to make GMW a great place to work and receive care.
“The implementation of these values into our daily work shows that we are not merely making empty promises to those who use our services.”
