Case studies
Incorporating empathy in training standards for healthcare professionals
If healthcare professionals empathise with patients it improves their symptoms, enhances their satisfaction with care and promotes well-being. Professor Stewart Mercer from the School of Health and Wellbeing led research to develop the Consultation and Relational Empathy (CARE) Measure – the first validated, patient-rated questionnaire developed in a primary care setting that measures patients’ perceptions of healthcare professionals’ empathy and quality of care. The research involved patients from all walks of life and practitioners working in both affluent and deprived areas. The CARE measure was initially developed for use by GPs, but has since been validated for use with nurses and Allied Health Professionals, and it is now being used to assess healthcare professional training: more than 8,000 GPs are using it in GP appraisals and assessments for Royal College of General Practitioners Membership. The CARE measure has also been incorporated into the Scottish Government’s policy on Healthcare Quality and adopted by the General Medical Council and the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy.