Person Centred Voices round up 2023

The ALLIANCE Carer Voices project changed its name to Person Centred Voices, marking a new chapter for this project.

In 2023, The ALLIANCE Carer Voices project changed its name to Person Centred Voices to reflect its growing engagement work across the public sector; exploring the culture change required to embed more person-centred practices within organisations and services.

The ALLIANCE Person Centred Voices Project has been privileged to continue our programme of in-person engagement with health and social care staff and students to share the principles of person-centred care through delivering our ‘You Make a Difference’ talks and workshops.

This year, our National Lead Tommy Whitelaw hosted around 300 talks and workshops and had the chance to engage with more than 17,000 people from across the UK. Our work so far has led to improved outcomes for staff, patients, carers and families and has included collaboration with Perth and Kinross Health and Social Care Partnership, Fife Health and Social Care Partnership, Public Health Scotland, Department for Work and Pensions, NHS Tayside, City of Glasgow Health and Social Care Partnership, South Lanarkshire Health and Social Care Partnership, Universities and Colleges, Care Homes… to name only a few!

We also produced a survey to evaluate our work which showed that:

• 93.19% of respondents found the session to be “highly relevant” to their role.
• 93.72% of respondents felt the session will “greatly” support them in their role in delivering person centred care.

To celebrate the immeasurable work of unpaid carers, health and social care and third sector organisations that support many people to live well, The ALLIANCE hosted our third Concert for Caring in 10th September 2023. After two successful concerts in 2014 and 2019, with Partners, we brought together 1750 people from across Scotland to join us for an evening of performances from some of Scotland’s finest musical talents, as well as stories from our great community of caring.

Through our digital outreach, in collaboration with our colleagues from the Scottish Government, we have curated and participated in a series of national films, which include:

• Glasgow City HSCP art project and film titled ‘Covid Resilience in Our Care Homes’
• An introduction to Getting It Right For Everyone (GIRFE)

In addition, The ALLIANCE circulated a briefing to MSPs ahead of the Hospital at Home debate, held on 30 May 2023 and we shared insights gained from patient engagement on Hospital at Home, emphasising the benefits of delivering more personalised outcomes.

In collaboration with Healthcare Improvement Scotland and Scottish Government Strategic Advisor, Shaun Maher, Tommy Whitelaw delivered a webinar on What Matters to You approach and how we can turn ideas into purposeful action.

In 2023, Tommy continued his vital role in both the What Matters to You national group and the Scottish Government’s Social Covenant Group. He also regularly hosts Conversation Cafés for the group to allow additional and meaningful discussions about what truly matters to people in the context of the National Care Service.

As we step into 2024, we are eager to forge connections in new sectors and establish partnerships with Scottish Government directorates, statutory bodies, and third-sector organisations. This ongoing effort amplifies our key messages, reaching a broader audience each year, including more rural and remote communities, universities, teaching hospitals, and engaging with staff at the early stages of their careers through our expanded Induction Day sessions across the country.

If you wish to be part of Person-Centred Voices, please reach out to us at personcentred@alliance-scotland.org.uk. You can book a talk or workshop, submit a case study, or sign up for our newsletter!

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