Sharing experiences improves mental health of NHS staff

Healthcare staff who regularly share the emotional, social or ethical challenges they face in the workplace experience less psychological distress, improved teamwork and increased empathy and compassion for patients and colleagues, a new study commissioned by the National Institute of Health Research reports.

In the first in-depth study in the UK, researchers from King’s College London, the University of Surrey, the University of Sheffield and the Kings Fund examined the impact of Schwartz Center Rounds^®(Rounds), on both clinical and non-clinical staff. Rounds are monthly forums that offer a safe space for staff to share experiences with colleagues and to discuss the challenges they face in their work and its impact on them.

The psychological wellbeing of 500 staff members who attended Rounds regularly, irregularly or not all, was measured using the clinically validated GHQ-12 questionnaire, over an eight-month period.

Researchers found that the wellbeing of staff who attended Rounds regularly significantly improved, with the proportion of those with psychological distress halving- down from 25 per cent to 12 per cent. There was little change in the psychological wellbeing of staff that did not attend Rounds over this period.  

When asked of the benefits of Rounds, participants noted that attending led to greater understanding, empathy and tolerance towards colleagues and patients and positive changes in practice.

Following the publication of the Francis report which highlighted Schwartz Center Rounds as being a way of fostering good teamwork and improving morale amongst staff, the implementation of Rounds in the UK rapidly increased. The research found that Rounds were implemented variably and challenges to implementation and sustainability included ward staff attendance, and the workload and resources required for planning and running Rounds.

Jill Maben, who undertook the research whilst in the Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery & Palliative Care at King’s College London and is now Professor of Nursing at the University of Surrey, said: ‘Delivering care to patients at some of the most challenging times in their lives has an emotional impact on staff, which undoubtedly impacts on their own wellbeing and on their work.

Our study is the first in the UK to demonstrate that those who regularly attend Rounds see significant benefits; their symptoms of anxiety and depression are reduced, they are better able to cope with the issues they face and have more empathy towards patients and colleagues, which undeniably has a positive impact on those in their care.

Given these impacts it is good to see Rounds running in over 160 organisations in the UK, particularly in light of the Francis report, which called for more compassionate patient care. The challenge is for organisations to continue to invest in Rounds in resource-constrained environments.’

Dr Mary Leamy, Research Fellow in the Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery & Palliative Care and member of the research team said:

‘Rounds were inspired by Kenneth Schwartz, a health-care lawyer who noticed that “small acts of kindness made the unbearable bearable”, and everyone can make a difference to a patient’s experience of care, regardless of their role within an organisation. This is why Schwartz Rounds are open to healthcare staff employed in all organisational roles, functions, disciplines and levels of seniority, and have the capacity to transform organisational culture.’

Commenting on the outcomes of the study, Dr Cath Taylor, Reader at the University of Surrey and formerly of King’s College London, said: ‘NHS and hospice staff are the unsung heroes of our society, but the physical and emotional demands placed on them often go unnoticed, leading to high rates of burn out and people often leaving the profession.

‘Rounds are a unique organisational wide intervention that we found benefitted many attendees.’

Professor Jeremy Dawson at the University of Sheffield said: ‘Schwartz Center Rounds offer a valuable support system to healthcare staff helping to improve wellbeing and increase compassion and empathy towards colleagues and patients.’