How compassion enhances safety for babies, families, and staff

Join us online for an expert MDT discussion of these current issues and hot topics. These sessions are live only.

How compassion enhances safety for babies, families, and staff

Compassion is a term now used widely, including in the 3-year Mat/Neo plan. Baroness Amos mentioned compassion extensively in her final report and Donna Ockenden talks about the need for compassion. Both reports explicitly link safety and compassion, noting that where compassion is lacking, this is a key safety concern.

We are encouraged to be compassionate but might not understand what this means, or how it can make services, kinder, safer and more cost effective. “When an organisation nurtures a psychologically safe environment for staff, those staff feel more contained, which reciprocally allows them to work in collaborative and prosocial ways, contributing to that psychologically safe environment. Similarly, staff who are experiencing soothing and safeness are better able to provide care that is compassionate, meaning families feel safer and more contained, contributing to collaborative relationships with the staff team” (Evans et al 2023). Strategies to enhance compassionate care, and what can get in the way of this will be discussed.

These sessions are open to all Neonatal staff and all those who support parents and babies.

Please sign up in advance using the link / button below.

For further information please contact:
Dr Ellie Atkins (Lead Psychologist for the London Neonatal ODN),
Dr Kirsty Abbas (NCEL Hub Clinical Psychologist) or
Dr Alanna Gallagher (South London Hub Clinical Psychologist.