We are listening - Tell us what matters to you

Irene

On and around Tuesday 6 June 2017 we will be encouraging as many people as possible to have a ‘What matters to you?’ conversation with people they are supporting or caring for. You can have more than one conversation if you choose and you can keep having them beyond Tuesday 6 June too!

Staff will be:

• Asking what matters to you
• Listening to what matters to you
• Doing what matters to you

 

‘What matters to you?’ day started in Norway in 2014 with the aim of encouraging and supporting more meaningful conversations between people who provide health and social care and the people, families and carers who receive health and social care.

This approach helps health and care providers to establish a relationship and understand the person in the context of their own life and the things that are most important to them. This insight then enables us to work with the person and their family to find the best way forward for them.

NHS Lanarkshire staff routinely ask patients and carers, “what matters to you?” The question may be asked in different ways, such as:

• What are the things that are important to you today?
• What would you like to achieve as a result of this support?
• When you have a good day, what are the things that make it good?

Different things are important to people at different times; it could be:

• that you want your family to be involved in decisions about your care
• you may be a carer who is anxious to return home from hospital
• you may want to keep an established routine to take your medicines in hospital like you did at home

We know from experience and evidence that the effect of focusing on what really matters to people and the things that are important to them can lead to better health and care experiences which is linked to better outcomes. This is good for the people who are supported or cared for; their family and carers, as well as the people who provide that support and care.

Whatever is important to you is important to us, so please have the conversation.

You can find out more by visiting the website www.whatmatterstoyou.scot

If you have an experience about NHS Lanarkshire that you would like to share please speak to a member of staff, respond on Patient Opinion, or visit the “Your Feedback” Section of the NHS Lanarkshire website to see the other ways to get in touch www.nhslanarkshire.org.uk