The Chief Nursing Officer, Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS), asked NIPEC to partner with the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) to produce a patient experience "statement" aimed at outlining the standards patients and clients can expect from services throughout health and social care sectors in Northern Ireland.

Patient Experience is multi-professional and multi-disciplinary in scope, a positive "patient experience" being the responsibility of all involved in providing health and social care. This "statement" therefore, was to impact at both organisational level as well as the practice and contribution of all individuals. 

NIPEC led this initiative in close collaboration with the RCN. The work took account of the RCN's wider UK Dignity campaign activities and previous work articulating standards of patient experience previously initiated by the DHSSPS. The programme of work involved collaboration and consultation with key stakeholders from the health & social care and voluntary sectors. The objective of the work was to produce a document for use by organisations and a small booklet for circulation to all staff in Health & Social Care Trusts. Work was completed on the organisational document in mid October 2008 and work is continuing regarding the development of the information booklet for staff.