Your High Performing Compassionate Team training - the Velindre Experience

Published: 18/02/2026

Health Education and Improvement Wales (HEIW)’s Nursing and Midwifery Transformation Team and Leadership Team have delivered ‘Your High Performing Compassionate Team’ train-the-trainer workshops to health boards across NHS Wales. The workshops, which focus on practical, hands-on learning, were developed and delivered by Clinical Leads who are a qualified nurse and midwife. Their passion and lived experience has made this training a success.

The training is built around engaging activities that staff can use immediately within their teams, making the principles of compassionate leadership tangible, accessible and sustainable for all team members. These workshops will be spread and scaled throughout NHS Wales by the trainers we have trained.

This work has had a significant impact across NHS Wales, with more than 400 healthcare professionals trained to date and participation expected to exceed 600 by the end of the year. Together, the teams are strengthening a compassionate, confident and resilient workforce, better equipped to deliver high-quality care.

Rhian Wright, Lead Nurse for Workforce, Education and Standards and Naomi Horne, Trust Retention Lead at Velindre University NHS Trust recently shared their experience of working with HEIW. They took part in the pilot workshops and have since been delivering the training in Velindre University NHS Trust with their colleagues.

Naomi commented, “Without the resources you provided as an organisation, we would still be floundering around in Velindre trying to find time to put those things together. Without the hard work of the HEIW team it wouldn’t have happened, so thank you.”

They explained that the aims of the training were:

• • To demonstrate how compassionate leadership principles are everybody’s business and how to practise this.
  • Recognising the importance of appreciating the different strengths each member brings, the value of having one shared purpose to support healthy and strong team growth and development.
  • Create a workplace where TRUST, BELONGING and SUPPORT are a given.

Nurses representing the Trust (Velindre Cancer Centre, Clinical Trials, Welsh Blood Service and Executive Nursing team) attended a two-hour pilot session showcasing the resources and format. Resources were provided and a request made to trial them and provide feedback.

Feedback was immensely positive from the pilot including the following comments from participants:

Supporting staff who are distressed, disengaged or resistant to change requires skill and consistency…we need more of this type of support to grow our confidence as nurses and make it everyone’s business!

I have become more aware of the impact of my communication style, emotional responses and assumptions on others. Simply listening without interruption, checking in on colleagues and acknowledging the pressures does make a difference to my day. I need to keep practising and not forget the importance of practising self-compassion too.

I truly enjoyed the session, which was highly interactive and engaging. We participated in both individual activities and group work, which allowed us to reflect on ourselves as individuals and understand how others perceive us.

It was fascinating to discover that my self-perception differed significantly from how my team members see me. This insight was both eye-opening and valuable. I wholeheartedly recommend this session to all staff members, as it promotes personal growth and enhances team dynamics.

Rhian and Naomi shared the impact so far with HEIW board:

- Stronger team cohesion and collaboration

• Improved mutual respect and support

- Improved psychological safety

• More readiness to practice constructive challenge and raise concerns without so much fear and trepidation
• The sessions have offered an opportunity to share reflections on the barriers to speaking up

- Enhanced wellbeing

• A protected space and time - valuing the individuals need for this
• Validation of the emotional load of nursing
• Establishing that this a core need and not just a nice to have if we are to deliver optimal patient/donor care

- More consistent behaviours across the team

• Expectations are more aligned, and curiosity encouraged rather than treated with suspicion
• Core values behaviours framework revisited

Creating compassionate cultures in NHS Wales

A compassionate culture places kindness, empathy and inclusivity at the heart of patient care and staff relationships, improving wellbeing and reducing inequalities. Everyone has a role in fostering this culture. Colleagues who promote openness, continuous improvement and psychological safety create healthy environments where staff and patients can thrive.

HEIW’s Compassionate Leadership Hub on our Gwella digital platform provides practical tools and learning to help colleagues across NHS Wales strengthen teams, enhance wellbeing and improve patient care. These resources are accessible for all the health and social care workforce.

Looking ahead

HEIW will continue to expand compassionate cultures through Workforce Transformation and the Leadership Team, supporting a shift across Wales where compassion is embedded in everyday practice for the benefit of staff and patients.

For further information, please visit HEIW train compassionate nursing and perinatal teams to improve quality of care and staff wellbeing - HEIW or contact heiw.nursingworkforceplan@wales.nhs.uk