LSBU’s School of Health and Social Care Health Debate series kicked off with the 6Cs
London South Bank University's (LSBU) School of Health and Social Care kicked off the first in a series of topical debates with 'We need to talk about the 6Cs'The first debate covered a set of national nursing values known as the '6Cs' – Care, Compassion, Competence, Communication, Courage and Commitment. The event was organised by Dr Elaine Maxwell, Principal Lecturer in Leadership, with Professor Judith Ellis MBE, Chief Executive Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health chairing the debate.
The motion "The 6Cs can improve care" was proposed by Juliet Beal, Director of Nursing Quality Improvement and Care NHS England and Visiting Professor of Nursing at LSBU and Sue Hartley, Director of Nursing at Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust and opposed by Emeritus Professor Tony Butterworth CBE and Stella Backhouse, nurse and founder of blog "Grumbling Appendix".
The event was well received both with members of the audience and through followers on Twitter who participated in a simultaneous Twitter chat using the hashtag #LSBU6Cs. Jenni Middleton, editor of the Nursing Times, attended the debate and wrote a leader in the journal.
"This was our first Health Debate and we are really pleased with the quality of the arguments and the questions from the audience in the room and on Twitter," said Dr Maxwell.
"The majority of participants recognised that although the 6Cs can enhance the set skill of health professionals, they need to be set in the context of the underlying challenges of healthcare delivery today. The audience appear to be saying that, taken on their own, the 6Cs are unlikely to change behaviours and therefore ultimately improve care. The challenge appears to be to integrate the 6Cs with other policies that impact on healthcare professionals."
The next debate will be held in May and details will be available shortly. If you have an idea for a debate please contact Dr Maxwell.