Civility and kindness: not just niceties, but fundamental pillars of quality care

Wednesday 20 October saw the publication of a new independent investigation by Dr Bill Kirkup: Reading the Signals: Maternity and Neonatal Services in East Kent. The report is harrowing to read and lays out the devastating consequences of failings and harm and the indescribable loss experienced by families. We have all been asked to review the content, noting the expectations and actions that should be taken. Locally, with colleagues, I have discussed the wider potential for learning across all services. As senior nurses and midwives, we must consider what actions we may need to take to assure ourselves of the cultures in which we are leading and operating in.

The Kirkup report identifies four areas for action, stating that the NHS could be much better at:

Nationally, in reviews of leadership and culture, and, sadly, from my own local experience, the absence of civility and kindness is a common theme. The consultancy team at A Kind Life (https://www.akind.life), who have been developing ‘Kindness Into Action’ masterclasses for delivery with NHS England, state that around 25% of NHS staff say they have experienced bullying in the past year (A Kind Life, 2022). The team's research shows colleagues' poor behaviour is the number one cause of disengagement in the NHS. They reflect that it is these unkind behaviours, often seen daily, that break down the teamwork that is essential for high-quality care. These behaviours, they say, make mistakes and errors more likely, in turn making colleagues miserable - and sadly, these behaviours spread and influence a wider culture of behaviours.