for the NHS and which is accountable to and open about our point of view and Parliament for its operation. However, what we can and cannot do. most decisions in the NHS, especially Commitment to quality of care. We earn those about the treatment of individuals the trust placed in us by insisting on and the detailed organisation of services, quality and striving to get the basics of are rightly taken by the local NHS and by quality of care safety, effectiveness and patients with their clinicians. The system – patient experience right every time. We – of responsibility and accountability for encourage and welcome feedback from taking decisions in the NHS should be patients, families, carers, staff and the transparent and clear to the public, public. We use this to improve the care patients and staff. The Government will we provide and build on our successes. ensure that there is always a clear and up-to-date statement of NHS Compassion. We ensure that compassion is accountability for this purpose. NHS values central to the care we provide and respond with Working together for patients. Patients humanity and kindness to each person’s pain, come first in everything we do. We fully involve patients, staff, families, carers, distress, anxiety or need. We search for the things we can do, however to give comfort communities, and professionals inside and relieve suffering. We find time for patients, and outside the NHS. We put the needs their families and carers, as well as those we of patients and communities before work alongside. We do not wait to be asked, organisational boundaries. We speak up when things go wrong. because we care. Improving lives. We strive to improve health and Respect and dignity. We value every wellbeing and people’s experiences of the NHS. person whether patient, their families – We cherish excellence and professionalism or carers, or staff as an individual, – respect their aspirations and wherever we find it in the everyday things that – make people’s lives better as much as in clinical commitments in life, and seek to practice, service improvements and innovation. understand their priorities, needs, We recognise that all have a part to play in abilities and limits. We take what others have to say seriously. We are honest
for the NHS and which is accountable to Parliament for its operation. However, most decisions in the NHS, especially those about the treatment of individuals and the detailed organisation of services, are rightly taken by the local NHS and by patients with their clinicians. The system of responsibility and accountability for taking decisions in the NHS should be transparent and clear to the public, patients and staff. The Government will ensure that there is always a clear and up-to-date statement of NHS accountability for this purpose. NHS values Working together for patients. Patients come first in everything we do. We fully involve patients, staff, families, carers, communities, and professionals inside and outside the NHS. We put the needs of patients and communities before organisational boundaries. We speak up when things go wrong. Respect and dignity. We value every person – whether patient, their families or carers, or staff – as an individual, respect their aspirations and commitments in life, and seek to understand their priorities, needs, abilities and limits. We take what others have to say seriously. We are honest and open about our point of view and what we can and cannot do. Commitment to quality of care. We earn the trust placed in us by insisting on quality and striving to get the basics of quality of care – safety, effectiveness and patient experience – right every time. We encourage and welcome feedback from patients, families, carers, staff and the public. We use this to improve the care we provide and build on our successes. Compassion. We ensure that compassion is central to the care we provide and respond with humanity and kindness to each person’s pain, distress, anxiety or need. We search for the things we can do, however to give comfort and relieve suffering. We find time for patients, their families and carers, as well as those we work alongside. We do not wait to be asked, because we care. Improving lives. We strive to improve health and wellbeing and people’s experiences of the NHS. We cherish excellence and professionalism wherever we find it – in the everyday things that make people’s lives better as much as in clinical practice, service improvements and innovation. We recognise that all have a part to play in
the-nhs-constitution-for-england-2013_0.docx