Peer support in hospitals
Training in any field of
medicine causes stress from
a number of areas, whether
through exams, emotionally or
challenging cases, frequently
moving around the country,
or being separated from close
friends and family. You are
doing a job that you may not
feel comfortable with, and as
soon as you find your feet you
move specialty, role or trust.
As a group of juniors, we felt that we could do more to support our
colleagues and each other. We have organised a time for junior
doctors from across the hospital to meet and share experiences and
discuss problems. The aim of the monthly meetings is to provide an
informal setting for support, acknowledgement and reassurance, as
well as share ideas and provide a space for reflection. Additionally,
we aim to signpost sources of support such as a supervisor,
counsellor or general practitioner. The basic starting point for the
meetings is that quite often the things that cause stress and anxiety
are common to us all. The uncertainty inherent to our job and the
feeling that we can’t live up to what’s expected of us can weigh
heavily. It’s easy to feel that everyone else is managing brilliantly and
excelling, when in reality they are as stressed as you are and aren’t
quite sure how you are doing it all so well.
The meetings are open to all junior doctors and held at lunchtime
to make attendance easier. We introduce the purpose of the
meeting as a reminder for people who have been before and
as an explanation to new attendees; we also remind people to
respect each other’s confidentiality (but adding that we will break
confidence if we feel anyone is at risk of coming to harm). People
are then free to talk about things that are causing them stress and
we discuss the surrounding points. Practical advice can be offered
by anyone, as none of us are experts, and side discussions are
encouraged as people are likely to feel more comfortable talking in
smaller groups. Sources of help are signposted and coffee is drunk.
Sometimes the conversation is serious throughout and at other
times less so. Feedback from attendees has been positive over the
course of a year and has encouraged us to continue with the project.
The qualitative feedback from junior doctors attending the sessions includes:
“Good to hear other people’s experiences”
“Relieves stress”
“Interesting discussions.”
We know we aren’t the only people who have set up meetings like this. The
Association of Anaesthetists Coffee and a Gas is based on the same concept,
but why stop with anaesthetists? Meeting up with colleagues from around
the hospital can give a different perspective and helps tackle isolation. This
‘all juniors welcome’ approach can also help increase cohesion between
teams, which in turn must be good for patients.
At the end of July 2017, a colleague one of us knew well took his own life
while ‘on shift’. Within the last two years we have become aware of similar
tragedies in every other trust in the region, including where one of us
currently works in North Devon. The majority of us will have been affected by
suicide, whether it is a friend, colleague or acquaintance. It happens to good
people too often for us to stand back and remain inactive.
One year on from starting these meetings they are still well attended, and
feedback has been very positive. These groups take only a small amount of
effort to organise and a little more effort to promote, but all in all are easy to
set up. They can reach a lot of people directly and hopefully help those
attending to find like-minded people to talk to or provide signposting for
more formal help.
Peter Rogers
Anaesthetic ACCS CT3
North Devon District Hospital
Elisabeth Wilson
CMT CT1
Musgrove Park Hospital
Some tips:
- Run the sessions as a group;
it’s difficult to attend sessions
regularly as a single person with
rota constraints
- Recruit from all over the hospital
for different opinions
- Promote sessions via the medical
education centre, the mess and
word of mouth
- Encourage people to feel free to
submit subjects/themes they’d
like to discuss ahead of time if
they would like things raised
anonymously
- Choose a private room that is
accessible to all
- Set a regular time to hold the
meetings so people know when
to expect them
- Establish confidentiality limits/rules at the start of the sessions
- Use frequent signposting and
provide leaflets/information
for local counselling/deanery
support sources
- Provide lots of coffee and cake
(our Trust supplies it)!