Q Exchange

#Worksmart events for junior doctors to support and promote better working lives

Running regional, cross specialty, wellbeing and peer support events for junior doctors focusing on to peer to peer support, what they can do to improve their working environment and wellbeing information. Helping people to get the best out of life and work and improve patient care, by improving staff wellbeing.

Read comments 9
  • Idea
  • 2018

Meet the team: #Worksmart

Also:

  • Anna Farris
  • Chris Mitchell
  • Zoe Burton
  • Dominic Reynish
  • Katharine Fairbairn
  • Phil Rushton
Using QI methodology to improve patient care by improving staff morale.
Bidding for funds to get more evidence of benefit and collaborate with other ideas around peer support
Key points –
Cross specialty, wellbeing and peer support for transient staff focusing initially on junior doctors
Improving patient care by improving staff wellbeing, peer to peer support and non clinical skills.
Assessement by
1. How happy are you with your life as a whole?
2. How happy are you with your life outside of work?
3. How happy are you with your life at work?
4. How valued due you feel as an individual at work?
5. How autonomous do you feel at work?
6. How supported do you feel at work?
Following the pilot the small group analysis shows improvement in all this areas.

After attending today’s WorkSmart event:

Strongly disagree

Disagree

Agree

Strongly agree

I have learnt strategies for managing challenges I may face at work

8

10

I feel better equipped to manage the pressures I experience at work

1

11

6

I feel better equipped to maintain my health and wellbeing

9

9

I feel more confident promoting these ideas to my colleagues or department

1

13

4

The aim of the event is to help doctors think about how to get the most out of work and life.

Considering the business in the community workwell model to think about all aspects of wellbeing at work https://wellbeing.bitc. org.uk/resources/workwell- model
A Pilot was run on 21st May 2018 #worksmart18. The venue was chosen away from the work environment, with opportunity for exercise as part of the day, a chance to learn useful skills for wellbeing such as mindfulness and yoga have sessions on mentoring and opportunity for individual coaching. Discussing and teaching QI skills to support changes and ideas they have for patients and improving working lives to allow a chance to feel listened to and know how to take innovation forward. Strongly positive feedback with delegates saying it was fantastic, they would definitely recommend it to others and agreeing they learnt strategies for managing challenges they faced at work. 

I believe doctors are neglected by a system that does not cater for the transient nature of their rotations and there has been loss of community, of knowing and supporting each other and feeling like part of a team. We need to change that culture. There is evidence that patient care improves with happy staff. This is not surprising when you consider Maslow’s Hierarchy of Need is grounded in meeting basic needs and a sense of belonging.

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Need

Junior doctors are constantly changing wards and hospitals, constantly expected to know new skills, meet new people, having to move house or commute long distances and losing support networks because if this. They have high expectations of themselves and high expectations from others and poor recognition of the need for self care. The fact that many persist nonetheless, shows how resilient doctors are. However our ability to watch out for colleagues is impacted by the circumstances of constant change.

I think it is vital to support and encourage work to improve junior doctor community, welfare and morale.

How you can contribute

  • Ideas, local experts that would be willing speak, funding for future sessions to establish them until they can run financially independently and advise on ways to assess and measure benefit.

Further information

Worksmart program and results (DOCX, 30KB)

Liked by

  • Photo of Jennifer Joiner
  • Photo of Ann Innes
  • Photo of Katie McCormack

Amount requested

£10,000

Areas of interest

Idea locations

Comments

  1. Guest

    Aroon Baskaradas 12 Jun 2018

    Totally support this initiative. From my background in orthopaedics I know that some specialties can really remove many of the levels of Maslow's hierarchy. As we progress in our careers, we need to be the voice of change. I teach on Eurekadoc's Mini-MBA course and we recommend Dan Pink's TED talk on motivation and the three essential elements - autonomy, mastery and purpose - of a better working life. Well done guys.

    1. Profile photo of Susan Hayward

      Susan Hayward 14 Jun 2018

      Thanks for this information. I will have a look. Where are you based. Would love to know more about the course and who can use it. Thanks, susan

       

  2. Profile photo of Susan Hayward

    Susan Hayward 11 Jun 2018

    Found this comment on the #Count me in applications from Wolverhampton. Interesting options.

    http://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/5/3/e006444

  3. Profile photo of Hawys Tomos

    Hawys Tomos 31 May 2018

    Hi there. I see that Susan is also involved in the ‘Peer support scheme for Junior doctors tailored around training rotations’ project. I was wondering if you could please summarise what the difference is between the two projects, as well as how they might overlap and feed into each other? Thank you. 

    1. Profile photo of Susan Hayward

      Susan Hayward 5 Jun 2018

      Thanks for your interest and comment. Its a great things to ensure is clear to others and to myself. Worksmart looks at Junior doctors regionally as a support network for each other, shared experience, psychological support from peers as well as learning skills around getting the best from themselves. The Tailored support #peer2peer4doc focuses on supporting doctors within their trust and linking them into projects, systems and contacts which without being a focused target means this is not achieved on short placements/rotation. I will not be leading on the second project but submitted due to deadlines. I of course will be moving on (as a junior doctor).

  4. Profile photo of Jonathan Mamo

    Jonathan Mamo 23 May 2018

    The Pilot was well attended and the verbal feedback on the day was extremely positive. Most attendees asked whether there would be any future events. As organisers, we have a better idea of how to organise even better WorkSmart events, and we look forward to being a part of future teams organising similar events.

    1. Profile photo of Susan Hayward

      Susan Hayward 5 Jun 2018

      I am excited to get the feedback forms and analyse the results. I will share and update as this comes in.

  5. Profile photo of Thomas John Rose

    Thomas John Rose 22 May 2018

    Wellbeing at work and outside work is often overlooked. Good luck with your project. Regards Tom

    1. Profile photo of Susan Hayward

      Susan Hayward 5 Jun 2018

      Thank you for your comment. I welcome feedback and look forwards to taking this into the future

       

Comments are now closed for this post.