Introducing Combined Healthcare's Culture of Care Program

A new programme is being introduced to develop a culture of care that puts patient voices at the centre of decision making and quality improvement at a Staffordshire mental health trust.

North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust, a leading provider of inpatient and community mental health, learning disability, substance misuse and primary care services in the West Midlands, is working in collaboration with the Royal College of Psychiatrists to deliver the Culture of Care Programme across the trust’s mental health and older adults inpatient wards.

The Culture of Care standards are part of NHS England's Inpatient Quality Transformation Programme, which aims to improve the culture of inpatient mental health care, with particular consideration of the experiences of inpatients with learning disabilities and autism. The goal is to make these environments safe, therapeutic and equitable places for patients to be cared for, as well as creating fulfilling places for healthcare staff to work that are trauma and autism informed, and culturally competent.

The programme is based on co-production, with the voice of patients a central component to identifying opportunities for quality improvement. Ward teams, including experts by experience, have led regular community meetings, allowing patients and their loved ones to provide feedback on the care they have received and the environment on the ward. The programme is not limited to large-scale change; ideas and changes considered to be small can collectively make a big difference to the care provided.

The project team is also working closely with learning disability and autism specialist colleagues to ensure the voices of patients with learning disabilities and autism who have experienced mental health inpatient stays are properly captured and represented.

Sherrine Khan, Senior Peer at North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust said: "The Culture of Care Programme recognises that everyone matters. The programme helps us to tailor our quality improvement programme across our wards by capturing staff, patients and carers voices. I have also seen the positive impact of patient voices and feedback being heard and valued during the community meetings."

Rachel Bloor, Head of Nursing and Professional Practice at North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust, said: “The Culture of Care Programme represents a fantastic opportunity to make our wards the most therapeutic and recovery focussed environments for our patients by putting the patient voice at the centre of decision making on the wards. The Culture of Care standards represent the standards of care we all want to see upheld across our inpatient areas.”

Rachel continued: “Our aim is to ensure patients feel empowered to engage with their treatment by feeling welcomed, supported and heard. As a trust we are constantly striving to improve, and this programme is an example of our dedication to continuous improvement and putting our patients at the centre of our delivery of care.”

Introducing Combined Healthcare's Culture of Care Program - created 8.4.25