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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 07 July 2023
To promote the Royal College's core principles of sustainable psychiatry, Junior Doctors at Ayrshire Central Hospital formed the Sustainability and Well-being Committee. The principle aim through 2022, following the COVID-19 pandemic, was to maximise junior well-being - knowing a sustainable workforce is one that feels supported and fulfilled by work and working conditions.
Through meetings with junior doctors, qualitative information on factors impacting well-being in the work place was gathered, and three targets for improvement were identified.
The following domains and interventions were implemented:
1. Improve working environment: The doctor's office was sized for 2 staff maximum - despite staffing levels consistently in excess of 20 junior doctors. Additionally, there was no natural light. We obtained a new significantly larger office space, with natural light.
2. Comfort break area – Doctors identified that having an area with comfort seating to take breaks and socialise away from patients and visitors would be beneficial. We obtained a seating area and a coffee machine, maintained by the junior doctors.
3. Access technology – Absence of desktops and IT issues with older laptops was impairing productivity and morale. We obtained 4 new desktop computers, and personal laptops for core trainees.
A digital questionnaire was used to collect quantitative data retrospectively, from doctors currently working in the department, or who had done so in the last 6 months.
Likert scales were used to assess pre and post-intervention levels of well-being, and ranking intervention impact on this. Doctors also identified future areas of intervention going forward into 2023.
A total of 16 responses were obtained, and 100% of these agreed that feeling supported and good working conditions was important to maintaining wellness and productivity. Pre-intervention average wellness was rated 5.2 (with 1 being extremely poor, and 10 being extremely good), this increased to 8.1 post-intervention. Improved working environment had the most significant impact on well-being.
Respondents identified environmental sustainability as target for improvement in 2023, potentially through improved recycling, reducing meat consumption and car sharing. Further well-being interventions e.g., walks, promotion of Balint group and social events were also suggested.
Interventions from the trainee-led Sustainability and Well-being Committee through 2022 improved working environment and subjective well-being. This demonstrates that junior staff can successfully initiate and lead projects to promote and improve sustainability in psychiatry. Results indicate that junior staff are willing to actively participate in interventions to improve well-being, and environmental sustainability in 2023.
Abstracts were reviewed by the RCPsych Academic Faculty rather than by the standard BJPsych Open peer review process and should not be quoted as peer-reviewed by BJPsych Open in any subsequent publication.
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