On this page:

About us

This website is the home for our ‘conversation for kindness’, which is a monthly meeting that was set up in the summer of 2020 by a group of colleagues and friends working in healthcare across Sweden, the UK and the USA.

The initial purpose of getting together was to have some time together to continue some initial conversations around kindness, and to explore its role at the ‘business end’ of healthcare.

As the conversation has developed, interest in this work has grown and we have had contributors from almost 30 different countries across the globe. And some key themes have emerged from our discussions. 

See insights, presentations and videos from the meetings.

People involved

You can find out a little more about some of the people involved here:

Dr Bob Klaber – paediatrician in London, UK
Nicki Macklin – PhD Candidate, University of Auckland 
Gabrielle Mathews – a Children and Young People’s advocate from London
Maureen Bisognano – President Emerita and Senior Fellow, Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI)
Lucy Davies – Chief Operating Officer, East & North Hertfordshire NHS Trust.  Compassionate leader. 

Lucy runs our Twitter account: @Kindness_Health

Anna Hatchard, Laughter researcher, Founder, Laughter Lab
Anna Hatchard – Laughter researcher, Founder, Laughter Lab
Rupert Suckling – Director of Public Health for Doncaster Council
Anette Bygum – Danish dermatologist working in private practice. She also has a professorship affiliation to University of Southern Denmark, where she also works with compassion and narrative medicine.

We have had contributors from 29 countries so far

Denmark, Saudi Arabia, Norway, Singapore, England, Faroe Islands, Italy, USA, Scotland, Canada, Northern Ireland, Ireland, Sweden, Belgium, Netherlands, Iceland, Australia, Wales, Germany, Hong Kong, Spain, Slovenia, Malta, Brazil, Philippines, New Zealand, Portugal, Switzerland, China

We also have strong links to colleagues who are leading the What Matters to You? movement.

Eight themes have emerged from our discussions to date

Kindness is a choice of action
Kindness is a cycle – being kind stimulates more kindness
There is a strong therapeutic role for kindness

Challenging unkindness is a crucial part of the story
Small acts of kindness can have a big impact
Kindness has to be at the business end of healthcare
Kindness links to (and leads to) so much else

Leading with & for kindness – we can together grow kindness

Our conversation for kindness

  • Monthly virtual call on the 3rd Thursday of every month [6-7pm GMT]
  • A focus on listening, learning, thinking differently and mobilising for action
  • An open culture of sharing of resources, energy and ideas

If you would like to join the conversation for kindness, please fill in our contact form and one of us will be in touch.

The sessions are facilitated and convened by:

  • Bob Klaber, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust; England
  • Maureen Bisognano, Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI); USA
  • Gabrielle Mathews, Youth Expert Advisor, NHS England and NHS Improvement; England
  • James Mountford, Royal Free NHS Foundation Trust; England
  • Suzie Bailey, The Kings Fund; England
  • Göran Henriks, Region Jönköping; Sweden
  • Anette Nilsson, Region Jönköping; Sweden
  • Dominique Allwood, Health Foundation & Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust; England
  • Cath Crock, Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne & Hush Foundation, Australia
  • Nicki Macklin, University of Auckland, New Zealand

If you are on Twitter you may want to follow @Kindness_Health and also @WMTY.world