The Sage Vision
"Cultivating care, compassion, and connection in healthcare."
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Sage Practices was born from the experiences of clinicians working in NHS primary care witnessing both the joy and suffering embedded in the system.
We were concerned about the erosion of the human dimension in healthcare and are deeply committed to the founding principles of the NHS. We want to contribute to healing the sickness in the system.
Our collective is driven by a belief that relationship-centred care - care that is careful, kind, and connected - must be at the heart of healthcare
Our Vision
The Sage Mission
We aim to support individuals and practices to foster relationships, advocate for change, and contribute to healing for people, communities, and the planet.
The Sage Manifesto
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Our manifesto is an evolving reflection of our shared commitment to the principles of Sage Practices. It is a guide and a promise—a ritual reminder of why we care and how we care. Rooted in humility, integrity, and compassion, it encourages us to act with head, heart, and hands in harmony, creating rather than destroying, mending rather than breaking.
Together, we revisit and renew this manifesto each year, composting what no longer serves us and regenerating it with the wisdom we’ve gained.
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We Begin with Care
We care for ourselves, for others and for the earth. We begin every interaction, every action with care as our compass.We Show Up Whole
We bring our full selves- head, heart and hands. We balance knowledge, compassion, and action.We Practice Humble Curiosity
We approach each moment with the humility to listen, learn and grow. We ask questions before offering answers.We Do Small Things with Great Love
We recognise that not everything needs to be grand. Sometimes, the tiniest gestures of kindness and attention ripple the furthest.We Hold the Light and the Dark
We celebrate joy, hold space for pain and trust in the process of transformation. What degenerates can regenerate.We Reclaim Time for What Matters
We resist the rush. We make space for meaningful moments, for deep connections, for the stories that heal.We Act as Part of the Whole
We recognise that we are not alone. Our actions are threads in the greater tapestry of care, interwoven with others.We Honour the Wisdom of Nature
Medicine has always been rooted in nature. We take lessons from its rhythms, its cycles, its quiet strength.We Keep It Playful
Laughter heals. Creativity inspires. Play is not a luxury but a necessity for flourishing.We Seek the Sage in Each Other
Everyone holds wisdom, and everyone is a beginner. Through curiosity and humility, we honour the exchange of teaching and learning across generations and experiences. We stay open to learning from every encounter while sharing what we can in a spirit of mutual growth.We Are Brave Enough to Begin Again
Mistakes will happen. Systems will fail. Together, we find the courage to try, fail and try again.We Keep Asking the Questions
As Rilke reminds us, we live our way into the questions. Let curiosity guide us. What does it mean to truly care? What might flourish if we let it?
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How We Use the Manifesto
Morning Ritual: Together or individually, we read it aloud before our workday begins. It grounds us in purpose.
Reflection Tool: We use it as a lens to evaluate our day or our practice. Where did we thrive? Where did we falter?
Community Reminder: We share it with our teams and communities. We discuss how it applies to our collective journey.
Let this manifesto grow with us. Each year, we will invite contributions to enrich and evolve these principles, ensuring they remain alive and true to the ever-changing landscape of care.
Together, we create a healthcare culture rooted in compassion, connection and hope.
“Hope begins in the dark, the stubborn hope that if you just show up and try to do the right thing, the dawn will come. You wait and watch and work: you don’t give up.”