Organisational Values: Improving Care-Quality And Patient Experience

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Organisational values can be described as a “belief that a specific mode of conduct is preferable to an opposite or contrary mode of conduct” (Rokeach, 1973). Some organisations describe them as their ‘guiding beacons’ whilst others describe them as part of their philosophy. As Diageo explains ‘Our values are not just words on a page – they are in our DNA. They underpin everything we do and are reflected in the day-to-day behaviour of the company.’ – Diageo The importance of organisational values to improve care-quality and patient experience A strong value driven culture is critical to the success of a high performing organisation (Great Place to Work, 2014). Many organisations such as Twinnings and Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM) have values that underpin their vision. Strong values create a compelling purpose, build company resilience (Great Place to Work, 2014), improve staff wellbeing (Pruyne, 2012), staff practice (Aitken, 2000) and in the NHS improve patient outcomes (Gregory, 2009). This in turn has a significant impact on the patient experience. For example, staff who pay attention to detail and go the extra mile because of their organisational and personal values are likely to improve patients health out comes by reducing the risk of accidental errors, providing timely care, having quality and detailed patient and staff interactions and providing personalised care. Some organisations do not necessarily have formal written values. Instead, they may have a