Since its inception in Norway in 2014, ‘What matters to you?’ day has grown into an international phenomenon.
Two years after its launch, in 2016, Scotland was the only other country in the world to join Norway in the groundbreaking initiative. Since 2016, 41 countries have taken part in ‘What matters to you?’ day. New countries are signing up every year, with Argentina, Estonia, Germany, Kenya, Pakistan, Peru and Portugal all registering to take part for the first time this year.
It has truly become a global movement.
The purpose of ‘What matters to you?’ day is to encourage and support more meaningful conversations between those that provide health and social care and the people who receive care and support, as well as their families and carers.
In essence, it’s about encouraging healthcare professionals to move the conversations they have with patients from ‘What’s the matter with you?’ to ‘What matters to you?’
In many ways this may seem like such an obvious question, but it’s a fundamental one that can all too easily be overlooked, particularly given the pressures front line staff can face in delivering the best clinical care possible.
We must never forget that we all need to listen to patients and services users to ensure that we are providing the best care for them.
The shift in focus to ‘what matters to you?’ helps to reinforce the view that the person receiving care should be always at the heart of decisions about that care.
It is testament to the success of ‘What matters to you?’ day that the phrase has become commonplace in health and care settings in Scotland, and beyond.
This year more than 700 teams from all over the country have signed up to take part in the day and share their conversations.
Scotland has co-ordinated and hosted the annual ‘What matters to you?’ day since 2016 and Healthcare Improvement Scotland is privileged to play a leading role in the initiative, along with a number of partner organisations including Scottish Government, NHS boards and third sector organisations including the Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland (The ALLIANCE), CEMVO Scotland and See Me Scotland
The principles underpinning ‘What matters to you’ align perfectly with Healthcare Improvement Scotland’s role in driving improvement in person-centred care.
Within Healthcare Improvement Scotland, our person-centred care programme seeks to improve healthcare services so that they focus on the needs and wishes of people, their families and their carers. Allied to this, the Scottish Health Council, which is part of Healthcare improvement Scotland, ensures that the voice of the public plays a vital role in shaping care services within the NHS in Scotland.
‘What matters to you?’ day takes place on Thursday 6 June, and that day will rightly be the focus for us to share and promote the thousands of conversations and activities taking place all over the world.
However, it’s important to remember that this not just about one day. We want to ensure that those receiving care have the opportunity to say what matters to them every day.
~ Robbie Pearson, Chief Executive, Healthcare Improvement Scotland