Person Centred Voices round up 2024

PCV has continued inspiring meaningful change within health and social care, both in the UK and internationally.

2024 Overview

In 2024, the Person Centred Voices (PCV) programme continued its impactful work, hosting over 310 talks and workshops across the UK, engaging with nearly 13,100 people, including health and social care staff, university and college students and professionals from various sectors and roles. 

This year, the team launched ‘Stories of Caring – A Concert for Caring Special’, a publication offering a glimpse into the lives of attendees and their experiences of love, care, and support, along with two Concert for Caring films.

From February 2023 to March 2024, the ALLIANCE, in partnership with Perth and Kinross HSCP, conducted approximately 75 learning and development sessions inspired by the What Matters to You? (WTMY) movement. These sessions, reaching nearly 1,500 people, emphasised the importance of compassion, active listening, and kindness in health and social care, culminating in a joint report featuring 10 cases that have embedded a WTMY approach in their practice. The team also celebrated a flash report publication by Fife Health and Social Partnership, evidencing the impact of Person Centred Voices workshops, which reached nearly 1,000 people across Fife. The report outlines next steps, such as introducing WTMY boards in care homes and staff workspace Earlier this year, the team announced a year-long partnership with NHS Ayrshire and Arran Care Home Professional Support Team, aiming at producing six unique art installations in care homes across Ayrshire and Arran, exploring what matters to staff, residents and families and delivered by ALLIANCE Artist in Residence, Xuechang Leng. Another partnership with Angus HSCP is also underway, with the first workshops already held in health and social care settings in the region.

In addition, the PCV team, alongside colleagues from the Integration team, co-produced the second part of the Getting It Right for Everyone (GIRFE) video series. The video highlights the benefits of a co-design, person-led approach, featuring insights from individuals with lived experience and professionals shaping GIRFE.

The opening of the Tommy Whitelaw Training Room at Social Security Scotland headquarters marked the programme’s growing impact. Expanding internationally, Tommy visited the US, speaking at institutions like Montefiore Medical Center and Maimonides Medical Center and serving as keynote at the Patient Experience Symposium. Altogether, he connected with nearly 1,500 healthcare professionals, advocating for compassion in health and social care. In Scotland, Tommy introduced the NHS Lothian Nursing Strategy, headlined the Anticipatory Care Conference, and spoke at the 35th Palliative Care Conference. In England, he addressed the Gold Star Awards for Care Homes England and the RCN Acute Care Symposium in London. At the UK Dental Conference, 96% of respondents rated the PCV workshop as ‘excellent’ using a rating system of 5 (excellent) to 1 (poor), and nearly 100% of respondents gave a 5 or 4 rating when asked about the usefulness of the workshop.

Looking ahead, the programme aims to broaden its outreach, building partnerships to embed compassion, kindness, and a WTMY approach across sectors and roles.

Quotes highlighting 2024

• “ The campus is still buzzing after your [Tommy’s] visit. I am hearing lots of relief from folks who are on the verge of burnout. They say they have something to do now! Listening and eliciting patient stories is bringing us back to the reason we are nurses.” Maura Porricola Chief of Operations, Wakefield Hospital Montefiore Medical Center
• “Your [Tommy’s] talk was inspirational and touched so many in the audience who were also personally struggling with care giver roles for loved ones with dementia at home while also providing care in the clinical setting for our patients. Having the time to reflect on “what makes a good day a good day?” provided space to take care of ourselves and also think about how we can make good days for others!” Damara Gutnick, MD Senior Director, Office of Community and Population Health Montefiore Medical Center

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