Stoneygate Centre for Empathic Healthcare
People
Core team
Professor Jeremy Howick
Centre Director and Professor of Empathic Healthcare
Learn more about Professor Jeremy Howick
Dr Andy Ward
Associate Professor of Medical Education and Honorary Senior Academic GP
Dr Rachel Winter
Associate Professor of Medical Education and Honorary Consultant in Psychiatry
Learn more about Dr Rachel Winter
Dr Amber Bennett-Weston
Research Associate
Learn more about Amber Bennett-Weston
Dr Leila Keshtkar
Research Associate
Learn more about Dr Leila Keshtkar
Dr Cleo White
Research Associate
Dr Raj Babla
Clinical Implementation Lead
Dr Jamanda Liddicott
Lecturer
Dr Felicity James
Associate Professor of Eighteenth and Nineteenth Century Literature
Learn more about Dr Felicity James
Catherine Eyres
Centre Manager
Ola Tomkowicz
Administrative Assistant
Centre Fellows
Dr Daniel Slavin
Honorary Fellow
Student representatives
Harry Dudson
Medical Student and Centre Intern
I am a Medical Student who began my studies as part of the University of Leicester's first cohort of Medicine with a Foundation Year.
I entered medical school after being inspired as a carer for a close family member and having experienced positive and negative clinical interactions. Coming from a single-parent council estate family, I have always been inspired to help others consider a career in education regardless of background. This is alongside using my life experience to focus on every patient in a holistic manner, appreciating the complexities of the human condition.
Throughout my 6 years at university so far, I have taken part in a significant number of outreach sessions to inspire school students to consider a career in education. This even led to me being able to share my experience in a conversation with the Prince and Princess of Wales as part of the University of Leicester's royal visit in 2018. I was also fortunate to be a subject of an NHS and Health Education England initiative entitled, "Dr You" to share how my experience of being a carer inspired me to pursue medicine and use this to motivate students to consider a career in healthcare.
In 2023, I graduated with a Master's degree in medical research by conducting a research project entitled "Evaluating the benefits of promoting social and community integration following a diagnosis of autism in adulthood". This project allowed me to explore my interest in research and inspired me to consider how clinical interactions could be optimised. Reflections on my project enhanced my curiosity for empathy as a skill and area of research. A topic which was first introduced during my foundation year back in 2017. I believe empathy is a skill which is fundamental to improve outcomes for patients as well as promote a healthier, supportive and efficient working environment interprofessionally.
Esther Kentish
PhD student
Supervisors
Biography
Esther Kentish holds a Bachelor of Arts (2017) in English Literature and Language with a minor in Philosophy from the University of Texas at Arlington, a Master of Science (2018) in Technical Communication from North Carolina State University, and a Master of Science (2020) in Medical Humanities from King's College London. Esther matriculated at the University of Oxford in 2020 and spent two years in the Faculty of English. Esther worked with patients in a hospital as a Mental Health Technician in the geriatric in North Carolina, United States, and is currently working in Britain on COVID-19 research. Her research focuses on scientific communication, medical humanities, poetry, life writing, autobiography, and biography. Authoring 6 books, one of which, The Emotional Healing Behind Words, is a poetic memoir featuring a critical, meta-data analysis of 47 poems written between 2009 and 2012. Esther is a member of the Royal Society of Literature and an Associate Member of the Royal Society of Medicine.
Research
TEDx speaker and published author, Esther Kentish, examines the interwoven parts and interactions between illness and narrative in projects that communicate the scientific aspects of medicine and illness through life-writing, patient narratives, and digital media. In addition, the publication of Esther's literary work promotes de-stigmatization of illnesses while investigating their origin and cause. Esther's study focuses on English literature and medicine, two specific subfields under Medical Humanities. Esther intends to use her research platform in medical humanities and literature to examine the impacts of mortality from diseases and illnesses, the realities of pandemics in both abstract and physical spaces, and its impact on both gender and race. Esther is enthusiastic about utilising qualitative tools such as metadata analysis and data visualisation as well as artistic tools (particularly performing arts such as spoken word poetry, music, and dance) to communicate statistical value and medical information regarding the aetiology and progression of disease. Esther is presenting her research on COVID-19, patient narratives, autobiographies, and biographies in the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and Japan.
Collaborators
Professor Elizabeth Anderson
Professor of Interprofessional Education and Patient Safety Lead
Terese Bird
Educational Designer, Leicester Medical School
Professor Flis Bishop
Professor of Health Psychology, University of Southampton
Jono Broad
Lived Experience Ambassador, NHS England
I have 30 years of experience working as a patient leader with a long-term condition helping to improve patient engagement, quality improvement and patient safety.
In my working life I am a matrix worker for NHS England working on personalised care, quality, safety as well as in primary care improvement.
I’ve had the privilege of working and knowing the NHS from bed to board. I’ve seen both the best and worst and I believe we can and should work toward a safe, reliable effective care system that supports both patient and staff in everything they do. I am committed to transforming the human experience of health and care for all.
Key to improvement in care is empathetic care. Working with the Stoneygate Centre for empathetic healthcare as a lived experience ambassador I want to see empathy at the centre of training for all staff.
Follow me on Twitter @QIPatient or connect with me on LinkedIn @jonobroad.
Dr Mohammadreza Hojat
Director of the Jefferson Longitudinal Study
Professor Stewart Mercer
Professor of Primary Care and Multimorbidity, The University of Edinburgh
Keith Nockels
Academic Librarian (Medicine and Healthcare)
Dr Dinesh Palipana
Dr Dinesh Palipana
International empathy, disability and diversity expert.
Dr Barbara Powell
Consultant in Palliative Medicine and Senior Lecturer
An experienced Advanced Communication Skills Training course facilitator, who regularly delivers courses to senior health care professionals. Barbara has developed and delivers innovative teaching to medical students in their clinical years that focuses on patient-centred care in the context of managing serious disease such as cancer. Simulation and facilitated debrief promotes the value of empathy alongside managing clinical complexity.
Laura Power
Registered Midwife and Maternity Safety Champion for Community, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust
Laura currently holds the role of Maternity Safety Champion for University Hospitals of Leicester (UHL), with a focus on patient safety and staff wellbeing. In this role, she ensures UHL listens to the voices of service users and staff to improve the patient experience. Laura is also a clinical Midwife. As part of her journey, Laura has been privileged to work, as a lead for UHL, in collaboration with the Stoneygate Centre for Empathic Healthcare, training nurses and midwives in empathy. Laura has also embarked on the Maternity Project with Professor Howick and his team, looking to improve patient safety through empathic caregiving.
Dr Gary Redfeather
Global Executive Positive Psychology Coach
Gary is a 30+ year clinician, researcher, educator, and global business strategist, weaving together a deep understanding of neuroscience and neuroplasticity, positive psychology, and mind-body practices, with strategic and future-based scenario planning, cross-cultural team management, subconscious bias, and post-traumatic growth.
Daniel Stendall
Deputy Head of Nursing Alliance and Professional Nurse Advocate, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust
Daniel Stendall RN(A) is a Deputy Head of Nursing at the University Hospitals of Leicester. He has over 20 years nursing experience across a number of NHS organsisations and, as a qualified Emergency Nurse, he spent 12 years in the Princess Mary’s Royal Air Force Nursing Service. Undertaking his commission, he spent 3 years as a Leadership Instructor at the Royal Air Force College Cranwell. Educated to Master’s level, he is also a Professional Nurse Advocate and has a keen interest in leadership and empathy. After supporting our work with UHL last year, he is excited to continue to support the Stoneygate Centre working on a project with UHL Maternity Services.
Sam Winter
College Marketing and Recruitment Manager
Professor David Wright
Head of the School of Healthcare
International Advisory Board
Professor Sue Carr
Deputy Medical Director, General Medical Council; Consultant Nephrologist, University Hospitals of Leicester; Honorary Professor, University of Leicester
Harry Dudson
Medical Student and Centre Intern
I am a Medical Student who began my studies as part of the University of Leicester's first cohort of Medicine with a Foundation Year.
I entered medical school after being inspired as a carer for a close family member and having experienced positive and negative clinical interactions. Coming from a single-parent council estate family, I have always been inspired to help others consider a career in education regardless of background. This is alongside using my life experience to focus on every patient in a holistic manner, appreciating the complexities of the human condition.
Throughout my 6 years at university so far, I have taken part in a significant number of outreach sessions to inspire school students to consider a career in education. This even led to me being able to share my experience in a conversation with the Prince and Princess of Wales as part of the University of Leicester's royal visit in 2018. I was also fortunate to be a subject of an NHS and Health Education England initiative entitled, "Dr You" to share how my experience of being a carer inspired me to pursue medicine and use this to motivate students to consider a career in healthcare.
In 2023, I graduated with a Master's degree in medical research by conducting a research project entitled "Evaluating the benefits of promoting social and community integration following a diagnosis of autism in adulthood". This project allowed me to explore my interest in research and inspired me to consider how clinical interactions could be optimised. Reflections on my project enhanced my curiosity for empathy as a skill and area of research. A topic which was first introduced during my foundation year back in 2017. I believe empathy is a skill which is fundamental to improve outcomes for patients as well as promote a healthier, supportive and efficient working environment interprofessionally.
Associate Director and Scientist in the Centre for Health Education Scholarship, and Professor and Director of Educational Research and Scholarship in the Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia
Executive Director of the Oxford Centre for Triple Value Healthcare, and a Director of the Optimal Ageing Programme; Advisor to Public Health England and Chair of the NHS Health and Social Care Digital Service
Professor of Bioethics and Medical Humanities in the School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley; Co-founder and Co-Director, Berkeley Group for the Ethics and Regulation of Innovative Technologies
Chair of the Faculty of Medical Leadership and Management; Board Member and Chair of the Clinical Executive of NHS Leicester, Leicestershire, and Rutland Integrated Care System; GP Principal-Partner in Leicestershire
Medical Director for Education Reform and Professional Development, Workforce Training and Education Directorate, NHS England; Honorary Professor, University of Leicester and Honorary Fellow, University of Nottingham
Leicester Medical School Student