86% of maternity staff back empathy training driving seven NHS system changes

91% of participants felt confident applying the learning and 86% expected it to improve teamwork or patient care.

Empathy has increased in Leicester’s maternity services after empathy coaching was delivered to 177 staff in the unit, 76% of staff stated one month after the training.

The researchers report that 91% of participants felt confident applying the learning and 86% expected it to improve teamwork or patient care.
The programme was developed by the University of Leicester’s Stoneygate Centre for Empathic Healthcare and delivered in collaboration with University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust during 2023–2024.

Alongside the training, the project supported a series of practical changes within the service aimed at improving staff experience and workplace culture. These included initiatives such as staff recognition schemes, wellbeing support, improved staff spaces, learning sessions, and more flexible working approaches. A new Clinical Director role was also introduced to support leadership and embed these changes across the service.

Over the same period, results from the Care Quality Commission Maternity Survey showed a small increase in scores related to staff care, rising from 8.0 to 8.3 out of 10.

The work responds to national reviews, including the Ockenden Review and Kirkup Report, which have highlighted the importance of compassionate, respectful care in improving outcomes and reducing inequalities in maternity services.

Professor Jeremy Howick, corresponding author, 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 note that the findings are based on staff feedback from a single NHS Trust and recommend further research to assess longer-term impacts on patient experience and outcomes.

/ENDS

For more information or to speak with Professor Jeremy Howick, please contact Alexandre Lopez at alex@bluesky-pr.com or +44 (0)1582 797959.