Culture

Why culture matters

Organisational culture has a strong impact on care quality. A positive culture helps teams deliver safe, high quality, person-centred care.

Features of a positive culture

Culture is shaped by shared values and beliefs of:

• staff
• patients
• leaders

Research shows strong cultures have:

• a clear vision
• clear goals for staff
• supportive managers
• effective teamwork
• a focus on continuous improvement

Culture and wellbeing

Positive cultures support patient wellbeing as well as staff morale and wellbeing.

Supportive workplaces help staff feel:

• more resilient
• more satisfied
• more likely to stay

A culture that creates psychological safety is important so that:

• staff feel safe to speak up
• experiences are used to guide decisions

This is linked to more compassionate care.

Culture, safety, and outcomes

Cultures that encourage:

• initiative
• innovation
• problem solving

are linked to fewer safety issues and better outcomes.

Highly hierarchical or bureaucratic cultures are linked to poorer patient satisfaction.

Healthcare Improvement Scotland provides details on culture and safety.