Ryan FowlerA maternity empathy coaching programme delivered to staff at University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust has been linked to reported improvements in workplace culture, teamwork and compassionate care.
The programme, developed by the University of Leicester’s Stoneygate Centre for Empathic Healthcare, was delivered to 177 staff members working across maternity services between 2023 and 2024.
Researchers found 76% of staff reported increased empathy within the service one month after completing the training. The study also found 91% of participants felt confident applying the learning in practice, while 86% believed it would improve teamwork or patient care.
Alongside the training, the project introduced a series of wider workplace initiatives aimed at improving staff experience. These included staff recognition schemes, wellbeing support, enhanced staff facilities, learning sessions and more flexible working arrangements. A new clinical director role was also introduced to help embed changes across the service.
During the same period, Care Quality Commission maternity survey scores relating to staff care increased from 8.0 to 8.3 out of 10.
The work follows national maternity reviews including the Ockenden Review and the Kirkup Report, both of which highlighted the importance of compassionate and respectful care within maternity services.
Professor Jeremy Howick, corresponding author of the study, said: “We found that staff valued the training and reported greater confidence in applying empathy in their work. This suggests that combining training with wider service improvements may help support more compassionate care.”
He added: “Empathy is not only an individual skill—it can be supported by the systems and environments people work in. Our findings highlight the potential value of taking both approaches together.”
The researchers said further studies would be needed to assess the longer-term impact on patient outcomes and experiences.
