Hallmarks

The central idea of the Gold Standards Project is that the patient should be the focus of all mental health services.

This positive relationship between service and service user is an emergent feature within mental health and is encapsulated by the 3 hallmarks which lay at the heart of every aspect of our Gold Standard Project.

Positive relationships are the binding force of complex living systems at all scales from individuals to organizations. The 3 core elements, which we call the hallmarks, of positive relationships have been identified as:

Maintaining Trust

  • Demonstration of honesty, competence and openness

Good Communication

A meaningful interaction between living beings, good communication can include:

  • All parties understand a common language
  • Ensuring a shared understanding
  • Fostering trust

Shared Values of Person-Centredness

The following features of person-centredness are for healthcare but can be adapted for non clinical situations:

  • The client as a person
  • The practitioners as a person
  • Sharing power and responsibility
  • A therapeutic alliance - recognizing the relationship is not just about management but also has a therapeutic potential
  • Expanding the scope of the consultation to include the social and psychological dimensions

For further information about our hallmarks and how they operate within our Gold Standards Project contact us via email at lhills@rcgp.org.uk or on 029 2050 4516.