Care is Palpable: What Service Users Really Feel
Last week, I attended a 3-day International Autoethnography Conference on Mental Health at The University of Bolton and I met the CEO of Chiron Care (UK) Ltd a supported living organisation. He said something during one his speech that stayed with me:
"Care is palpable"
It was a reminder that service users who receive care and support know instinctively and immediately whether their care provider truly cares for them. Care is not something that can faked. It shows up in tone of voice, in body language, in the way staff respond to changing needs, and in whether flexibility and adaptability are prioritised in day-to-day support.
For service users, good care is not measured only by tick-boxes, regulations, or compliance checklists. It is measured by whether they feel seen, heard, respected, and genuinely valued. When frontline workers go the extra mile - whether that means adjusting routines to respect personal preferences, showing empathy in a difficult moment, or adapting support to meet new challenges, service users feel it.
And when service users feel cared for, the whole system benefits. Trust is strengthened. Relationships deepen. Outcomes improve. Staff themselves also find more meaning in their work because they are not just “delivering tasks” - they are making a difference.
So, what does “palpable care” look like in practice?
F=Flexibility – Adapting to each person’s unique circumstances rather than rigidly sticking to one way of working.
L=Listening – Actively seeking feedback from service users and carers, and being willing to change.
A=Authenticity – Showing empathy, warmth, and respect in every interaction, no matter how small.
C=Consistency – Building trust by ensuring reliability and continuity in support.
Do you have what I refer to as the F.L.A.C model in your organisation?
As we think about the future of public health and social care, perhaps this is the question we all need to keep at the centre of care practice:
👉 Is our care palpable? Can service users truly feel it?
Because, when care is palpable, it transforms services from being simply functional into being deeply human.
I invite you to consider what “palpable care” looks like in your own setting. What moments stand out when care was truly felt and what impact did it have on trust, relationships, or outcomes? By sharing and learning from these reflections, we can shape the future of care together. Because when care is not only delivered but deeply experienced, services move beyond compliance and become truly transformative.
