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Trainees4trainees: an innovative peer support project for junior doctors across specialties

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 June 2021

Sophie Behrman ,
Aisling Higham ,
Haido Vlachos  and
Gerti Stegen
Sophie Behrman*
Affiliation:
Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust
Aisling Higham
Affiliation:
Oxford University Hospitals, NHS Foundation Trust
Haido Vlachos
Affiliation:
Health Education England – Thames Valley
Gerti Stegen
Affiliation:
Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust
*
*corresponding author.
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Abstract

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Aims

The BMA's survey results (Caring for the Mental Health of the Medical Workforce, 2019) and HEE's NHS Staff and Learners’ Mental Wellbeing Commission report (2019) highlighted declining staff wellbeing. The COVID-19 pandemic has sharpened focus on this and the effects of moral injury on healthcare professionals. Shielding, social distancing and redeployment led to many medical trainees being increasingly isolated at a time of heightened anxiety and adversity. Psychiatry trainees tend to have good access to reflective groups, but this is not customary in other training programmes.

Method

Intervention

“Trainees4trainees” was set up by trainees across specialties as a HEE-TV well-being project, led by the Deanery Trainee Improvement Fellow. Peer support groups are run on Zoom, facilitated by 2 trainees with special training in peer support. Psychiatry trainees have been involved in designing and facilitating groups and training facilitators from other specialties; facilitators have regular supervision from a consultant psychiatrist in medical psychotherapy. Trainees are supported to discuss challenging experiences and think about their emotional responses in a supportive and validating group.

Result

Feedback

We are in the process of formal data collection to assess the impact of the intervention. Informal feedback suggests the groups are a powerful support to individuals who otherwise have no avenue to think about the psychological impact of their experiences. The groups have supported trainees to feel less isolated and bolstered their resilience.

Conclusion

Future plans

We have faced challenges in the practicalities of establishing and maintaining groups. We are working with Training Programme Directors to move towards running the groups in protected time within working hours and advocate that reflective groups, such as our peer support groups, are a key part of future medical and surgical Training Programmes.

Type
Education and Training
Information
BJPsych Open , Volume 7 , Supplement S1: Abstracts of the RCPsych Virtual International Congress 2021, 21–24 June , June 2021 , pp. S126
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the Royal College of Psychiatrists
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