Benefits of mindful compassion for staff, patients and carers

This study intended to examine the long-term effect on the emotional wellbeing and behaviour change of staff, patients and carers who attended a one-day Macmillan course on mindful compassion.

People who attended mindful compassion study days in 2016 and 2017 were invited to participate in an online questionnaire in 2019.

Nearly 50% (99) of the 200 people who received the invitation completed the survey. Immediately after the course, 38.78% practised mindful compassion as and when required, 28.57% practised when possible, 15.31% practised daily, 13.27% practised 3-4 times a week and 3.5% were not practising. More than half (56%) used mindful compassion to help with home and work life, relationships and family. Two or three years after the course, when asked again, 15.31% of those who answered still practised daily, 11.22% practised 3-4 times a week, 23.47% practised as and when possible and 42.86% did so as needed; 7.14% had not continued practising.

Training in mindful compassion benefits patients and carers. In both the short and long terms, mindful compassion was found to reduce anxiety, aid sleep, improve pain management and help people feel more empowered, calm and relaxed. It also helped people cope with stressful situations, gave them time for themselves and enabled them to become much more focused.