183 U.K. and Ireland Healthcare Sites Join the Schwartz Center

We are pleased to announce that 183 healthcare sites across the United Kingdom and Ireland are now officially part of the Schwartz Center community.

This historic expansion represents the largest international growth in our organization’s history and reinforces our global commitment to compassionate care delivery.

The Schwartz Rounds^® program, which brings together clinical and non-clinical staff to discuss the emotional and social aspects of working in healthcare, has been operating across the U.K. and Ireland under the Point of Care Foundation’s stewardship since 2009. With the Foundation’s closure, these sites will now receive direct support, training, and resources from the Schwartz Center, ensuring continuity of this vital program.

“We are honored to maintain these 183 sites as a vital part of the international Schwartz Center community,” said Michael Gustafson, MD, MBA, CEO of the Schwartz Center for Compassionate Healthcare. “The Point of Care Foundation has done extraordinary work championing the Schwartz Rounds program throughout the UK and Ireland for over 15 years. As we take on this responsibility, we are committed to maintaining the excellence they established while providing seamless support to every site during this transition.”

“We are grateful to our colleagues at the Schwartz Center for enabling this vital counter-cultural work to continue in the U.K. and ROI,” said Charlie Brown, acting chief executive of the Point of Care Foundation. “We are confident that the Schwartz Center will continue to support the thousands of healthcare professionals who use Schwartz Rounds as an invaluable space to connect with and reflect on the emotional aspects of caring for others. We wish the Schwartz Center every success as they continue to contribute to the development of more humanised health and care services for patients.”

All current Schwartz Rounds programs will continue without interruption. We are working closely with site coordinators and facilitators to make this transition as seamless as possible, with dedicated resources to support our expanded international network.

Research shows that Schwartz Rounds strengthen compassion and enhance patient care, and we are dedicated to ensuring that healthcare professionals across the U.K. and Ireland continue to have this invaluable space for reflection and connection.

Questions?

Read our press release here. If you have any questions, contact us at community@theschwartzcenter.org.