NHS 'fast losing its compassion'

Excerpts:

There has been a deterioration in the level of compassion in the NHS in recent years, the head of a leading health think-tank has told the BBC.

The King's Fund is running a special project to try to get nurses and other staff to focus on being compassionate.

Its chief executive, Niall Dickson, said this was a fundamental issue that should be a top priority for every hospital board.

He blames work pressures for staff being less feeling.

"If we can't get compassion into our healthcare, the system is failing. It's as fundamental as that.

"The board of every hospital should be looking at this as one of their top priorities - what is it like for someone who's coming in to be treated, and how can we improve that experience?"

The King's Fund is piloting an idea called "Schwartz rounds" at several NHS hospitals.

The Patients' Association's head of special projects and research, Vanessa Bourne, said: "Compassion is not an extra - it is an essential of nursing care.

"It comes in many forms: privacy, dignity and, above all, caring for others as you would wish to be cared for yourself."

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