People are not the problem & deterrence is not the key

Trust thought for today - a new paper from me on trust, culture and a new approach to handling medical accidents which is having far-reaching effects on health services, patients and the law.

People are not the problem and deterrence is not the key - learning from healthcare for everyone

This was initially commissioned by a European healthcare organisation as part of the work I am doing with them on trust and culture. It draws mainly on chapters from an inspiring new book being written as we speak by Christopher Hodges OBE - ‘Outcome-Based Cooperation: In Communities, Business, Regulation and Dispute Resolution. (published Autumn 2022)
He kindly shared some early chapters and I was blown away by learning that, err, deterrence doesn't deter, and a much more compassionate approach to anticipating and dealing with medical accidents is possible.

Also healthcare is fascinating as a case study. I was astonished to learn through my trust work how vital public trust and distrust is for them. "For many organisations trust is a vital component of their license to operate. But it is not an exaggeration to say that for healthcare organisations trust is more important than that. It is a matter of life and death. If people trust the healthcare system, particular health services, individual hospitals and GPs, they are more likely to seek help at the right time, report symptoms, follow treatment plans, attend screenings, show up for surgery and follow health advice. More likely to live, less likely to die.

A core strategic question for all healthcare organisations therefore must be to understand why people trust and distrust them, what behaviours matter most and how to demonstrate they are trustworthy. This case study provides valuable lessons for organisations of all types."

No news to you Gill Kernick, Ruth Steinholtz, Roger Miles, Christian Hunt, Garry Honey, Markus Krebsz, Susie Alegre, Guendalina Dondé, Paulo Finuras - but love any thoughts from you or anyone.