Following the values of the NHS is a central part of working in the health service, helping to ensure that patients receive a consistently high standard of care.
The NHS Constitution, set out by the Department of Health and Social Care, defines these values for all NHS trusts to follow.
What are the NHS values?
- Working together for patients
- Respect and dignity
- Commitment to quality of care
- Compassion
- Improving lives
- Everyone counts
Each value is explored in more detail below, along with what it means in practice for NHS staff.
Working together for patients
Putting patients first means treating their health and wellbeing as the main priority at every stage of care.
This often means working as part of a wider team across different services and healthcare professionals, ensuring each patient can access the right care without being held back by organisational boundaries.
Involving patients in decisions about their own care, including clear explanations of what is happening and why, is one of the clearest ways this value is put into practice.
Respect and dignity
Treating every patient equally and with respect, regardless of personal views about their behaviour or circumstances, is one of the most important values healthcare professionals are expected to uphold.
Understanding a patient’s individual needs, priorities and limits allows care to be tailored appropriately, helping a patient feel seen and improving their overall experience.
Illness can leave patients feeling more vulnerable, so maintaining respect and dignity throughout their care can make a significant difference.
Commitment to quality of care
Patients in need of medical help are often in a vulnerable position and rely on the care they receive to improve their situation, making a consistent commitment to quality essential for every member of staff.
Understanding each patient’s physical and mental needs allows care to be tailored more effectively, improving the overall experience and outcome.
Listening to patient feedback is part of this commitment, helping standards of care improve over time across the wider service.
Patients and their families place a significant degree of trust in healthcare workers, making it important that care remains as safe, respectful and high-quality as possible.
Compassion
Patients receiving care are often in pain, distress or a vulnerable state, making compassion central to how that care is delivered alongside the necessary medical treatment.
Small acts of kindness, such as taking time to talk a patient through what is happening when they are scared or upset, can make a meaningful difference to their experience.
Building a professional but caring relationship with patients allows staff to provide emotional support during difficult moments, and the same compassion extends to patients’ families and colleagues.
Improving lives
Improving a person’s life, primarily through their health, sits at the centre of what healthcare work aims to achieve.
This extends beyond clinical care to small acts that improve a patient’s overall experience, as well as service improvements and new ideas that benefit the wider community.
Working together across roles allows the NHS to continue improving health and wellbeing for communities across the country.
Everyone counts
No patient should feel excluded or discriminated against when accessing healthcare, regardless of their circumstances or background.
Some patients require more medical support than others, and decisions about resources can be difficult, particularly where resources are limited.
Using resources in a way that benefits the whole community, rather than allowing them to go to waste, helps ensure that patients receive the care they need when they need it.
Testing knowledge of the NHS values
Staff working for the NHS, or those applying for an NHS role, are expected to understand and demonstrate these values.
The NHS Values tool offers a way to test this knowledge and can also be used as a training resource for new starters.
Further guides for NHS staff are covered in the blog section of this site.
