Mahatma Gandhi - Bombay Hospital Motto I enjoyed speaking at a National Conference in Glasgow, Scotland last week.
The two day conference was hosted by the Scottish Primary Care Collaborative
About 200 NHS professionals were brought together to share good practice in Primary Care and I was asked to speak on how patient involvement can lead to change in healthcare services.
The talk was well received and it was great to see and hear the enthusiasm of the delegates and their willingness to welcome the patients’ input to improving services.
Although I am often critical that progress is slow within the NHS to involve patients more I never ‘blame’ the NHS front line clinical staff for this slow pace of change.
What is clearly needed is leadership from the top about this with Chief Executives showing by example that patients – the customers – are the reason we have jobs in the NHS.
If a simple reminder is ever needed about the role of staff working in the NHS this is it. I always use the Bombay Hospital Motto written by Mahatma Gandhi in my talks.
I have published this on my Blog before and I make know apologies for re-producing it again. Healthcare is not about complex management processes policies and procedures, it is about caring for people.
Please excuse the male emphasis as political correctness was not around when Mr Gandhi wrote this ….
'Bombay Hospital Motto
A patient is the most important person in our Hospital. He is not an interruption to our work, he is the purpose of it. He is not an outsider in our Hospital, he is a part of it. We are not doing a favour by serving him, he is doing us a favour by giving us an opportunity to do so.'
Mahatma Gandhi
The two day conference was hosted by the Scottish Primary Care Collaborative
About 200 NHS professionals were brought together to share good practice in Primary Care and I was asked to speak on how patient involvement can lead to change in healthcare services.
The talk was well received and it was great to see and hear the enthusiasm of the delegates and their willingness to welcome the patients’ input to improving services.
Although I am often critical that progress is slow within the NHS to involve patients more I never ‘blame’ the NHS front line clinical staff for this slow pace of change.
What is clearly needed is leadership from the top about this with Chief Executives showing by example that patients – the customers – are the reason we have jobs in the NHS.
If a simple reminder is ever needed about the role of staff working in the NHS this is it. I always use the Bombay Hospital Motto written by Mahatma Gandhi in my talks.
I have published this on my Blog before and I make know apologies for re-producing it again. Healthcare is not about complex management processes policies and procedures, it is about caring for people.
Please excuse the male emphasis as political correctness was not around when Mr Gandhi wrote this ….
'Bombay Hospital Motto
A patient is the most important person in our Hospital. He is not an interruption to our work, he is the purpose of it. He is not an outsider in our Hospital, he is a part of it. We are not doing a favour by serving him, he is doing us a favour by giving us an opportunity to do so.'
Mahatma Gandhi
3 comments:
I truly believe in Bombay hospital motto... i always tell my students the same and to follow it....
I truly believe in Bombay hospital motto... i always tell my students the same and to follow it....
Thanks Merlin - well done and keep on saying it!
The simple wisdom of Mr Gandhi is outstanding
Trevor
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