What is compassion? Although a fundamental value in healthcare, this concept is often misunderstood and difficult to navigate. The authors of this book aim to answer this fundamental question, as well as offer a practical approach to how to use it in medicine. Comprised of two parts, the first part of this book explores the background to compassionate healthcare, examines how it differs from other concepts and outlines its relationship to medical professionalism. The second part offers a practical guide full of strategies and exercises to assist healthcare workers in practicing compassion by cultivating mindfulness and awareness, deepening compassion in care. This book is essential reading for medical professionals and trainees across healthcare, providing a guide to incorporating compassion into daily practice to deliver better, more compassionate care for the benefit of all. This title is also available as open access on Cambridge Core.

‘This cutting-edge book is in two parts. Part I highlights that compassion is not about just being kind and empathic but is a precise motivational process with multiple competencies that can be cultivated. The editors highlight that contextualising and grounding personal and technical practices of compassionate brain states (which guide attention, thinking, body regulation and behaviour) in its delivery can have multiple effects. Part II brings readers to core communications on how to practise compassion and build our own compassion-focused brain states, how to create compassion-focused integrated relationships, and compassion-sensitive organisation. It is a book of deep scholarship and dedication to promoting science-based compassionate interventions at the centre of all aspects of healthcare delivery – from support for clinicians, to administrative staff and their interactions.’

Paul Gilbert - PhD, FBPsS, OBE, Centre for Compassion Research and Training, College of Health, Psychology and Social Care, University of Derby