Heard, valued, supported? Doctors' wellbeing during transitions triggered by COVID-19.

INTRODUCTION: Supporting doctors' wellbeing is crucial for medical education to help minimise negative long-term impacts on medical workforce retention and ultimately patient care. There is limited study of how doctors' transitions experiences impact wellbeing, particularly socially and culturally. Multiple Multidimensional Transitions (MMT) theory views transitions as dynamic, incorporating multiple contexts and multiple domains. Using MMT as our lens, we report a qualitative analysis of how transitions experienced by doctors during the pandemic impacted on social and cultural aspects of wellbeing. METHODS: Longitudinal narrative inquiry was employed, using interviews and audio-diaries. Data were collected over 6 months in three phases: (i) interviews with doctors from across the career spectrum (n = 98); (ii) longitudinal audio-diaries for 2-4 months (n = 71); (iii) second interviews (n = 83). Data were analysed abductively, narrowing focus to factors important to social and cultural wellbeing. RESULTS: Doctors described experiencing multiple interacting transitions triggered by the pandemic in multiple contexts (workplace, role, homelife and education). Patterns identifiable across the dataset allowed us to explore social and cultural wellbeing crosscutting beyond individual experience. Three critical factors contributed to social and cultural wellbeing both positively and negatively: being heard (e.g., by colleagues asking how they are); being valued (e.g., removal of rest spaces by organisations showing lack of value); and being supported (e.g., through regular briefing by education bodies). CONCLUSIONS: This study is the first to longitudinally explore the multiple-multidimensional transitions experienced by doctors during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our data analysis helped us move beyond existing perceptions around wellbeing and articulate multiple factors that contribute to social and cultural wellbeing. It is vital that medical educators consider the learning from these experiences to help pinpoint what aspects of support might be beneficial to trainee doctors and their trainers. This study forms the basis for developing evidenced-based interventions that ensure doctors are heard, valued and supported.

The power of animation: encouraging doctors to access support for psychological wellbeing.

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated already high rates of poor psychological wellbeing in doctors. Many doctors perceive a stigma associated with acknowledging psychological wellbeing concerns, resulting in a reluctance to seek support for those concerns. The aim of this study was to develop a theoretically-informed and evidence-based composite narrative animation (CNA) to encourage doctors to access support for psychological wellbeing, and to evaluate the acceptability of the CNA.A composite narrative was developed from an evidence-base of interviews with 27 GP participants across Scotland (May-July 2020). The Behaviour Change Wheel was used to identify behaviour change techniques (BCTs) to be embedded within the CNA. The narrative was turned into a script in collaboration with an animation company. A brief animation 'Jane the GP' was developed reflecting specific BCTs.Scottish doctors (n = 83) were asked for their views on acceptability of the CNA concept, and subsequently asked to provide views on the acceptability of the CNA after viewing it. Participants thought the concept of a CNA was novel but may not appeal to all. After viewing the CNA, the widespread view was that it portrayed an authentic experience, could reduce stigma around seeking support for psychological wellbeing, and highlighted formal routes to access such support.CNAs are a novel and acceptable intervention method for encouraging doctors to access support for psychological wellbeing. The use of a theory driven intervention development framework to create the CNA facilitates the link between theory and practice.

Relocating patients from a specialist homeless healthcare centre to general practices: a multi-perspective study.

BACKGROUND: The relocation of formerly homeless patients eligible to transfer from a specialist homeless healthcare centre (SHHC) to mainstream general practices is key to patient integration in the local community. Failure to transition patients conferring eligibility for relocation may also negatively impact on SHHC service delivery. AIM: To explore barriers and facilitators of relocation from the perspectives of formerly homeless patients and healthcare staff involved in their care. DESIGN AND SETTING: Qualitative semi-structured face-to-face and telephone interviews conducted in the north east of Scotland. METHOD: Participants were patients and healthcare staff including GPs, nurses, substance misuse workers, administrative, and local community pharmacy staff recruited from one SHHC, two mainstream general practices, and four community pharmacies. Interview schedules based on the 14 domains of the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) were drafted. Transcripts of the interviews were analysed by two independent researchers using a framework approach. RESULTS: Seventeen patients and 19 staff participated. Key barriers and facilitators aligned to TDF domains included: beliefs about consequences regarding relocation; patient intention to relocate; environmental context and resources in relation to the care of the patients and assessing patient eligibility; patient skills in relation to integration; social and professional role and identity of staff and patients; and emotional attachment to the SHHC. CONCLUSION: Implementation of services, which promote relocation and integration, may optimise patient relocation from SHHCs to mainstream general practices. These include peer support networks for patients, better information provision on the relocation process, and supporting patients in the journey of identifying and adjusting to mainstream practices.