Education
The core curriculum is divided into 14 Capabilities in practice (CiP’s). Each CiP outlines the key skills expected, along with a set of descriptors to help assess progress.
Within the curriculum specifically the following CiP’s address aspects of staff wellbeing:
CiP 6 is focused on the doctor taking an active role helping self and others to develop, provides pastoral care. Identifies and creates a safe and supportive working environment. Demonstrates an awareness of the characteristics of a colleague in difficulty. Provides support to second victims.Understands the importance of signposting colleagues to psychological support services either through employer or doctors support service.
Within the College's continuous professional development (CPD) offering, the ‘Professional behaviours’ section of the Professional dimension encompasses personal resilience strategies. The ‘clinical practice’ section of the Clinical dimension encompasses dealing with complexity and uncertainty.
The following E-Learning modules includes sections on staff wellbeing
- Advanced Training Skills Modules (ATSMs) courses that support doctors in difficulties, as well as workplace behaviours in resilience and improving workplace behaviour.
- Tacking racism The course outlines what constitutes racism, why we need to address it, differential attainment, the impacts of racism on lived experience and opportunities, and what we can do together to tackle racism
Guidance
The Guidance team have a new Good Practice Papers (GPPs) in development - Prevention and treatment of work-related post-traumatic stress symptoms in the maternity and gynaecology workforce.
In the certificate of eligibility Guidance for short and long-term locums, competencies of locums are addressed. It references the need for adequate induction and supervision for locums.
The Roles and responsibilities of consultant guidance identifies the need for mandated compensatory rest for consultants following overnight non-resident on-calls. This guidance also has a section on prioritising wellbeing.
Compensatory rest guidance highlights the importance of compensatory rest to negate the impact of fatigue. The guidance references the challenges of providing cover in small units, however a mechanism to facilitate compensatory rest must be in place and this should be actively supported by the management team, with constructive discussion between clinician and manager or clinical director rather than the decision to take rest being left to the individual consultant. Clinicians must consider the effect of disturbed sleep on patient safety and their own welfare. Similarly, there are situations such as when a consultant has been present and working overnight in the unit, with inadequate rest, where managers should ensure that clinical activity is not undertaken by a consultant even if they express a wish to do so.’
The Workforce report discusses fatigue, physical needs, providing adequate rest and effects of sleep deprivation.
The Workplace behaviours (WPB) toolkit supports the development of positive workplace culture and promotes an understanding of what poor workplace behaviour looks like and its impact on individuals, teams, organisations and importantly the women and families we care for.
The College has published a Good Practice Paper on Maternal Deaths which provides healthcare professionals with operational guidance for managing events surrounding a maternal death and ensuring that partners, families, and colleagues receive the best support at an incredibly difficult time.
Advocacy
Supporting the O&G workforce and ensuring doctors are equipped and supported to deliver the highest levels of care to women and girls is a key strategic priority for the RCOG. The College provides a wellbeing resources hub of resources, support for wellbeing, mental health and legal advice. The College also provides a Supporting our doctors service for members, which includes Peer to peer support services and workplace behaviour champions.
Undermining and bullying in the workplace especially amongst trainees has been a long standing problem. The College have a position on this and have resources to help deal with this.