Stoneygate Centre for Empathic Healthcare
Creating empathic systems
About the workshop
For empathy between patients and practitioners to thrive, “system-level” factors ranging from design and physical environment, friendliness of frontline staff, technology, patient education, empathy leadership training, and staff evaluation make a difference. Modifying just some of these factors has been shown to have a real impact.
Evidence has shown that empathic healthcare:
- improves patient satisfaction with care while improving patient outcomes (including reduced pain and enhanced quality of life)
- reduces practitioner burnout
- reduces patient complaints
Training individual practitioners to practice empathically leads to positive outcomes, but systems-level training empowers organisations to fully maximise the benefits.
Find out more about the research behind our teaching.
Who is the workshop for?
This workshop is aimed at healthcare organisations such as hospital departments or wards, and Primary Care Networks (or individual GP surgeries). Leading representatives from all stakeholder groups within the organisation (including clinicians, managers, receptionists and domestic staff) are encouraged to attend, with a minimum of two representatives per practice required for the workshop to have its full impact.
Delivery
With a focus on working in collaboration with your team, this one-day workshop proceeds in three stages, applying standard models of behaviour change and the nominal group technique:
- Gain insights into existing evidence for the benefits of empathic healthcare and how this builds a case for improved empathic systems.
- Explore the barriers and facilitators to empathy in the context of your healthcare setting.
- Use the nominal group technique to develop priorities for your healthcare setting or team, committing to those which are achievable within 6 months.
Sessions will take place over one full day to allow you and your team to work through a barrier to empathy faced by your organisation. This is your chance to focus in, learn and get support. All participants will receive a certificate for completing the full day. Optional pre-course reading will be provided before the session. It is possible for training to be tailored to meet the individual needs of the organisation. Please discuss directly with the Stoneygate Centre team.
Develop your knowledge in empathic care
We have brought together the latest evidence, thinking and expertise from across the world to enable an intensive learning experience. We will start with an introduction to the effects (including benefits and potential harms) of empathic care, and the need to go beyond empathy training for practitioners. Using a mix of presentations, practical case studies and group activities, you will explore the current and future context for your organisation. Working through core topics such as transformational leadership, behavioural and communication sciences, and wider opportunities to influence decisions.
Experience facilitated discussion sessions and coaching from recognised experts
The day will be delivered in-person or online through facilitated live sessions, as well as individual and group activities. If you are joining as a team, you will get a choice to work together or separately with others to gain a fresh perspective.
Apply shared expertise and your own learning to your own situation
As a future transformational leader, you will also have an opportunity to explore leadership challenges, and engage directly with other leaders within your organisation. Exposure to different care settings and approaches will help challenge assumptions and traditional thinking in order to create a sustained impact.
Identify new solutions
This rich learning environment will provide a safe space to nurture and develop new ideas and solutions by actively working through the case scenario you bring along.
Learning outcomes
This workshop will support your team to achieve:
- an empathy improvement action plan that is tailored to your individual healthcare setting
- improved staff satisfaction, wellbeing, and retention
- improved patient satisfaction and additional outcomes such as reduced pain and improved quality of life (to be determined based on specific needs of organisations)
- reduced patient complaints.
Workshop facilitators
This workshop has been developed by Professor Jeremy Howick and Dr Andy Ward and will be delivered by experienced educators from the Stoneygate Centre for Empathic Healthcare team, who aim to educate, inspire, and entertain. Find out more about the Centre team.
Cost
We can offer this workshop face to face and online for various group sizes, tailored to your team. To discuss your requirements and for current prices please contact us at empathy@leicester.ac.uk.
Booking details
Upcoming workshops are available to book on via the University’s conference and events.
Feedback from previous participants
I liked how interactive it was and supporting all colleagues to engage and work together for the same goals.
It was very relaxed and good humoured. It really made me think about the ideas being put forward and how these can make a difference.
I enjoyed the non-pressurised and supportive environment. The inspiration and creativity of the session.
I liked the interactive nature, free flowing ideas and no judgement.