When introducing anything in relation to our amazing people at Hampshire Hospitals, our Chief Executive, Alex Whitfield, always makes the link back to the NHS Constitution – the promise that outlines the principles and values which guide the NHS. The NHS Constitution starts with a very simple sentence – “The NHS belongs to the people”. For me this always serves as a reminder as to what is most important and in what seems to be an ever-increasing set of targets, demands and asks that get placed upon us it reminds me of where our priorities should start – with people.
We can of course define people in a number of ways – our patients who rely on our services to support their health and wellbeing. Their friends, relatives and loved ones who will rightly want and expect the best possible outcome for the patient. And of course our staff without whom we simply would not exist.
We often talk about Hampshire Hospitals as ‘The Trust’ but I have a challenge for you – have a conversation with ‘The Trust’. Go out for a coffee or lunch with ‘The Trust’. Introduce ‘The Trust’ to your family or friends. It’s impossible, because the Trust doesn’t exist in the way that you and I do. It is nothing more than an amalgamation of more than 8,000 people who come to work every day for the benefit of our patients. I would therefore venture that the only thing that really matters in delivering the best possible care and outcome to our patients is our staff.
Clearly there is a lot that we need to pack into that statement of our people being the thing that really matters – brilliant training, inspirational leadership, no barriers to fulfilling an individual’s potential, a voice that is listened to, health and wellbeing that is protected and supported, and an individual uniqueness that we all bring to our jobs that is valued and celebrated. But the purpose of this article is not to embark on a human resources master-class, rather a recognition that both collectively and individually our people are amazing. But being amazing doesn’t just happen, it requires effort and commitment from us all to ensure that those we work with have every opportunity to be amazing. How else do we expect to ensure outstanding care is provided to each of our patients if we don’t care for the people charged with that responsibility?
We were very fortunate to have Professor Michael West visit us earlier in the year talking about the importance of our people and the evidence that exists showing the very clear link between staff experience and the experience of our patients. This was evident not just in the link between treating our people with compassion and how this is transferred to the care of patients – but also in how that care translates to providing efficient services and a reduced cost. The cost of delivering care to patients in hospitals where staff satisfaction was high was almost 6% lower than in those hospitals where satisfaction was lower. I make no apologies for including the need to save money in the same article as the importance of our people – the evidence and the message is simple, great care (however you choose to define it) means investment in people.
I’ve been very fortunate over the course of the last year to spend time with our staff as part of our connecting with care programme. This means getting alongside our staff in a range of settings and learning what they do every day. This has been invaluable to me in recognising the importance of everyone’s role and also making sure I connect my role and the decisions I make every day to our people and therefore our patients. I’d encourage our staff to make time to get alongside colleagues who they don’t always get the chance to see and understand what it is they do – ultimately, we all have different roles, but we all have the same goals.
Here at Hampshire Hospitals, we celebrated the remarkable achievements of our staff at our annual People Awards ceremony on Thursday 26 June, and I was delighted to see the breadth of talent and commitment recognised. From nurses and our staff network chairs, to consultants and kitchen managers, each person and those 800+ nominees were deserving of their recognition and should take pride in knowing they are part of an organisation that can make such a meaningful difference.
And so, as we mark the birthday of the NHS today (5 July), let’s not forget that its greatest strength is its people. Whether you’re a member of staff, a patient, a family member or part of our wider community, you help shape what the NHS is. By valuing, supporting and investing in each other, we can continue to deliver the compassionate, high-quality care everyone deserves. After all, the NHS truly belongs to us all.
Tim Powell
Chief People Officer, Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Tim Powell (left) alongside the winners of the Inclusivity Award at the Hampshire Hospitals People Awards 2025.
