King's values

"Our values have been created by the people of King’s - we see ourselves as a team, working together for the benefit of our patients."

Tim Smart, Chief Executive

Understanding you

Listening is the key to understanding what matters – whether it's one of our patients or another member of staff. Only by hearing what they say and trying to put yourself 'in their shoes' will you really appreciate their situation and understand their concerns.

• We appreciate each person as a unique individual
• We start by listening – then act based on what we learn
• We're open and we talk to one another
• We consider how our actions affect others
  

"I would like to know, if I get old or sick, someone is there to care for me, like we do at King's."

Ewart Levy, Porter

Inspiring confidence in our care

By providing the right information at the right time and attending to their needs in a calm and professional manner, patients will feel confident in their treatment and the people who care for them.

• We always put our patient's needs first
• We reassure our patients with our calm and confident care
• We act to protect our patients from harm
• We value all patients equally
• We do the right thing for our patients, even when it's difficult
  

"I visit every patient every day. I listen to them and ensure that they are involved in their care."

Maryqueen Okolie, Ward Manager

Working together

We can't always make the right decisions as individuals - no one person can hold all the knowledge and skills required to answer every problem. By working together as a team - learning from each other and co-operating, we can get the job done.

• We think and act as Team King's
• We value what each of us brings to King's
• We share information and give everyone a voice
• We co-operate and we support one another at all times
• We get things done with our can-do spirit
  

"There's a lot of mutual respect between staff at King's, which results in better patient care."

Eleri Wood, Ward Sister

Always aiming higher

With such a rich pool of talent at King's, there are always opportunities to make things better for our patients and for each other. We look to find innovative solutions to overcome the problems that arise and to learn from our experiences.

• We seize opportunities to make things better for our patients and each other
• We learn from our experiences - and from what others teach us
• We think differently and create new solutions
• We see problems as opportunities to try new things
  

"I like to be at the forefront of new developments, that's why I'm proud to work at King's."

Nick Thompson, Medical Secretaries Manager

Making a difference in our community

King's is a hospital with a world class reputation, providing services both nationally and internationally but our roots lie in the heart of our local community. Many of our staff are local people, a large number of local businesses provide services and support for the hospital and we in turn look to support and sustain the local community.

• We take pride in providing the best possible care
• We are active in community affairs
• We employ people who care about our community
• We use local businesses for supplies and services
  

"King's is not just a hospital. We are an employer and a beacon for the local community."

Michael Marrinan, Medical Director and Consultant Thoracic Surgeon

The future - how do we live the values?

We’ve begun by building them into some of the things we already do such as recruitment messages, interviews, induction and training. We’ll also think about new ways to spark dialogue among staff in all roles and levels at King’s.

This isn’t a one-off thing – it’s a journey - something that grows out of the personal stories and experiences we all share.

It isn’t always easy. It takes time and effort but together we can make King’s even better – for our patients, for ourselves, for our community.

"King’s has an extraordinarily good-willed workforce: they have a true and heartfelt desire to make things better. They have hope and resilience, and it’s focused on patients. What we do is a personal endeavour, a personal vocation."

Gary Ruiz, Consultant Respiratory Paediatrician