I statements

Our refreshed I statements

Our report, What We Need Now, features co-produced recommendations as to how people would like to be treated, based on the insights gathered from the OurCOVIDVoices platform. From these recommendations, we facilitated the creation of a set of ‘I Statements’.

These are simple expressions of how patients would like to be treated which are presented as a straightforward, practical guide for application in health and care settings. The statements are accompanied by illustrations designed to represent the message at the heart of each.

Our report and accompanying I statements are designed to tell people who design and deliver services what people are actually experiencing and what they feel truly effective and just treatment should look like.

We have made our report, What We Need Now, available here in four versions for different requirements:

• Full report
• I Statements and Recommendations
• Recommendations only
• I Statements only

And we have made the illustrations available for your use if you would like:

• I Statements on one page

1. I am listened to and what I say is acted on.
2. I make decisions that are respected, and I have rights that are protected.
3. I am given information that is relevant to me, in a way I understand.
4. I am supported to understand risks and uncertainties in my life.
5. I know how to talk to the person or team in charge of my care when I need to.
6. I know what to expect and that I am safe when I have treatment and care.
7. I am supported and kept informed while I wait for treatment and care.
8. I am not forgotten.

Please take a look at What We Need Now film – a short explainer of our I Statements.

Our original I statements

Around a decade ago, we conducted work to explain, in easy-to-understand terms what good, coordinated and person-centred care actually means. We named the output ‘I Statements’ which were published by the Department of Health (as it was called at the time) in its publication Integrated Care: Our Shared Commitment. 

As well as providing an explainer to people working within the health and care system, our aim was also to empower people to challenge the system if it fell short of what good looks like. However, National Voices now refers to our more recent refreshed I statements, outlined previously. 

We also developed some short supplementary ‘I Statements’ that aimed to help people working in, and making decisions about, health and care understand need and close gaps where care did not meet good standards. These statements were on topics such as end of life care, older people’s care and care in acute mental health settings.