What our People's Story Review Panels are telling us

Recent People’s Story Review Panels held in October 2025, February 2026, and March 2026 offer a powerful picture of the kind of care people across Lincolnshire need and value.

The three panels have reviewed and conducted thematic analysis of 31 people’s stories from a range of contexts and age groups. 

The themes align strongly with the Our Shared Agreement Five Foundations, and highlight where the Lincolnshire health and care system is making progress - and where change is still needed.

People’s experiences are indicating that we need a system that is more relational, more proactive, and more community‑powered.

The findings so far

A clear theme is around proactive support - designing services that reduce crises rather than respond to them. People’s stories consistently show the importance of prevention, early action, and clearer pathways, alongside better use of digital tools to support independence and knowledge. This aligns strongly with Our Shared Agreement's Foundation 1: Being prepared to do things differently

The stories also underline the importance of personalised, empathetic care. There were better health outcomes when people felt understood, emotionally, socially and physically.

The stories highlighted the value of compassionate relationships, healthy staff morale, and clear information that supports choice. This aligns with Our Shared Agreement's Foundation 2: Understanding what matters to ourselves and each other

The evidence shows that collaboration is also essential. Multi‑agency working, community connection, the role of voluntary and community groups, and better support for carers all emerged as critical components in helping people feel supported and reducing complexity in their care. There is strong alignment here with Our Shared Agreement's Foundation 3: Working together for the wellbeing of everyone

Linked to this, the data highlights the impact of having local community assets, community-based support, and digital tools, especially in a context of preventative, proactive care.

Peer support, local activities, and voluntary sector capacity all play a key role in helping people feel confident, connected, and motivated in terms of self-care. This aligns with Our Shared Agreement's Foundation 5: Making the most of what we have available to us

Communication and information is of course a strong theme. People’s experiences show the value of good quality, human conversations where they feel heard - with clear explanations, consistent information, and, where appropriate, a trusted person to guide them. This aligns with Our Shared Agreement's Foundation 4: Conversations with and not about people

So what?

If you’re reading this, chances are you’re already trying to work this way.  So, here’s the ask:

• We’d love to hear more stories about where things work well - and also what challenges there are for you and the people you work with.
• Where would you like us to share the insights from the People's Story Review Panels over the coming months? Which people, boards, committees or working groups need this information to inform their decision-making?

Drop us an email here with your thoughts or contact Caty or Kirsteen directly.

Submit your story for our next Review Panel session

If you have a story you'd like to be included in our next Review Panel, please send it to lhnt.itsallaboutpeople@nhs.net ​

Similarly, if you would be interested in joining a future Review Panel, don't hesitate to get in touch at hnt.itsallaboutpeople@nhs.net ​

Stories make a difference. Let's capture them and work with them to shape what happens in health and care in Lincolnshire.