Research shows that patients consistently rate empathy and the human aspects of care as top priorities.(1–5) The emphasis on person-centredness is reflected in international and national policy developments and initiatives, such as Primary care: putting people first by the World Health Organization (6) and Equity and excellence: liberating the NHS (2010) in England.(7) In Scotland, the need for healthcare practitioners to facilitate and optimise the necessary skills in encounters with patients is embedded in the recent Healthcare Quality Strategy for NHS Scotland.(8)
