Healthcare workers’ perceptions of organisational culture and the impact on the delivery of compassionate quality care

Abstract

This paper explores the qualitative outcomes as part of a larger feasibility study which was developed to test a Cultural Health Check toolkit designed to assist healthcare workers and organisations in the provision of safe, dignified and compassionate quality care for older people. For the qualitative part of this project, 11 healthcare workers agreed to participate in a one-to-one semi-structured interview. The primary aim of the research was to identify the experiences of staff in relation to the different factors they feel contribute to the culture of the organisation. These data were analysed using Attride-Stirling thematic analysis. The data were coded and four global themes were evident: professional practice, support, workforce and service delivery. Professional practice included organisational themes of quality, communication and collaboration and how these impact on a health worker’s ability to carry out their role and the impact on the delivery of compassionate quality care. Support included organisation themes of personal and professional development, and facilitation by leaders and managers to access the available support. Workforce centred on the importance of having adequate levels of all staffing groups to be able to deliver safe, quality person-centred care and services. Service delivery identified the organisational themes of care, person-centred care and communication where staff have the desire, determination and enthusiasm to deliver safe, high quality compassionate person-centred care and services. These themes are key in the impact analysis relating to the delivery of compassionate quality care.