BU research focuses on ‘humanising’ health care

1 October 2009

In the midst of the humanising health care debate, BU research has identified the need for patient care to be more personalised

A leading academic from BU has been invited to China to propose a framework by which the health care profession can further ‘humanise’ the care that is offered to patients.

Professor Les Todres from BU’s Centre for Qualitative Research at has been leading and overseeing a number of research projects, providing evidence that there is a need to personalise services provided to patients.

The research comes at a time when the humanising health care debate has intensified following the release of Lord Darzi’s recent ‘High Quality for All’ report.

Along with colleagues Professors Kate Galvin and Immy Holloway from the Centre for Qualitative Research, based in the University’s School of Health & Social Care, Professor Todres has developed a conceptual framework by which humanisation – the notion of upholding a particular view or value of what it means to be human – can be understood in a health and social care context.

His research has identified eight ‘dimensions’ of humanisation that provide “a comprehensive value base for considering both the potentially humanising and dehumanising elements in caring systems and interactions.”

The dimensions include ‘Uniqueness’ (ways in which a patient can feel that they are being seen for themselves and not being confined to a particular category or diagnosis) and ‘Togetherness’ (finding familiar interpersonal connections so a patient’s sense of isolation is reduced when facing various health conditions and treatment regimes).

Professor Todres will present some of his research during a keynote address at the Second Asian International Conference on Humanised Health Care in Nanning, China between 12 and 13 October.

Speaking ahead of his appearance at the conference, Professor Todres said: “I look forward to learning more about health care within the Chinese context, with [the country’s] rich tradition of community-oriented care. This is highly relevant to the theme of the conference with its focus on the human dimensions of care.”