‘RegReflections’: building a culture of collaborative working that transcends clinical specialism at a busy district general hospital
Introduction: Registrars form the backbone of hospital care, often bearing significant responsibility in high-pressure environments. This role is inherently stressful and can lead to feelings of isolation, particularly within rotational resident doctors. Collegial relationships are essential in fost...
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Elsevier
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Future Healthcare Journal |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2514664525001407 |
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| author | Hannah Costelloe Charlotte Ainscough |
| author_facet | Hannah Costelloe Charlotte Ainscough |
| author_sort | Hannah Costelloe |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction: Registrars form the backbone of hospital care, often bearing significant responsibility in high-pressure environments. This role is inherently stressful and can lead to feelings of isolation, particularly within rotational resident doctors. Collegial relationships are essential in fostering a culture of professionalism, safety and quality within healthcare.1 Spurgeon and Klaber2 highlight that developing a culture of learning and feedback in ward settings is critical to both personal growth and effective teamwork. Furthermore, leadership within medicine requires collaborative efforts to deliver and enhance services, which are dependent on the development of interpersonal relationships and professional networks. This study explores the impact of semi-structured registrar-led meetings designed to improve communication, collaboration and overall workplace culture among middle-grade doctors in a district general hospital (DGH). Materials and methods: A novel initiative, ‘RegReflections’, was introduced to bring together cross-specialty middle-grade doctors for monthly meetings, facilitated by the chief registrars. These sessions included semi-structured discussions on key themes, such as the evolving role of registrars in leadership, the use of language in clinical settings, supporting junior colleagues, training challenges, and any other ongoing issues. To encourage attendance, lunch was provided. The sessions aimed to foster collaborative working and build interspecialty relationships, reduce professional isolation and improve equity of training opportunities. Additionally, they provided a platform for knowledge sharing, peer support and the development of quality improvement projects. Along with information about attendance and the types of topic discussed, feedback was gathered through informal discussions and structured surveys. Results and discussion: Attendance across specialties rose as awareness of the meetings and their benefit increased. Feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive. Registrars valued the meetings as an opportunity to build relationships, share experiences and address hospital-wide issues. Attendees reported improved communication during referrals and a reduction in instances of unprofessional behaviour, contributing to enhanced patient safety. The initiative led to cultural changes within the hospital, promoting a greater understanding of the challenges of different specialties and fostering a sense of collective responsibility.A recurring theme from discussions was the recognition that many challenges faced by registrars transcend clinical specialism. By focusing on pastoral aspects of working life, these meetings provided a safe space for registrars to voice concerns and seek peer support. The shared experiences strengthened professional bonds, reinforcing a collaborative mindset across specialties. Moreover, the initiative highlighted the importance of middle-grade leadership in shaping a positive workplace culture. Conclusion: ‘RegReflections’ continues to successfully foster a culture of collaborative working among cross-specialty registrars in a DGH. It is unique in its aim to promote collegial working and reduce friction between specialty teams as a method of improving wellbeing among residents. The initiative has addressed the professional isolation of registrars, improved communication and teamworking, and promoted a more compassionate leadership ethos. By creating an inclusive and supportive environment, registrars feel better equipped to navigate the challenges of their roles. This ultimately enhances patient care and safety.3 The findings suggest that similar initiatives should be implemented elsewhere to strengthen professional relationships, improve interdisciplinary communication and support leadership development within clinical training. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-5baa55dbcf8b4c3cab4f035d7b56df57 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2514-6645 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
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| series | Future Healthcare Journal |
| spelling | doaj-art-5baa55dbcf8b4c3cab4f035d7b56df572025-08-20T03:32:16ZengElsevierFuture Healthcare Journal2514-66452025-06-0112210036110.1016/j.fhj.2025.100361‘RegReflections’: building a culture of collaborative working that transcends clinical specialism at a busy district general hospitalHannah Costelloe0Charlotte Ainscough1Barnet HospitalBarnet HospitalIntroduction: Registrars form the backbone of hospital care, often bearing significant responsibility in high-pressure environments. This role is inherently stressful and can lead to feelings of isolation, particularly within rotational resident doctors. Collegial relationships are essential in fostering a culture of professionalism, safety and quality within healthcare.1 Spurgeon and Klaber2 highlight that developing a culture of learning and feedback in ward settings is critical to both personal growth and effective teamwork. Furthermore, leadership within medicine requires collaborative efforts to deliver and enhance services, which are dependent on the development of interpersonal relationships and professional networks. This study explores the impact of semi-structured registrar-led meetings designed to improve communication, collaboration and overall workplace culture among middle-grade doctors in a district general hospital (DGH). Materials and methods: A novel initiative, ‘RegReflections’, was introduced to bring together cross-specialty middle-grade doctors for monthly meetings, facilitated by the chief registrars. These sessions included semi-structured discussions on key themes, such as the evolving role of registrars in leadership, the use of language in clinical settings, supporting junior colleagues, training challenges, and any other ongoing issues. To encourage attendance, lunch was provided. The sessions aimed to foster collaborative working and build interspecialty relationships, reduce professional isolation and improve equity of training opportunities. Additionally, they provided a platform for knowledge sharing, peer support and the development of quality improvement projects. Along with information about attendance and the types of topic discussed, feedback was gathered through informal discussions and structured surveys. Results and discussion: Attendance across specialties rose as awareness of the meetings and their benefit increased. Feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive. Registrars valued the meetings as an opportunity to build relationships, share experiences and address hospital-wide issues. Attendees reported improved communication during referrals and a reduction in instances of unprofessional behaviour, contributing to enhanced patient safety. The initiative led to cultural changes within the hospital, promoting a greater understanding of the challenges of different specialties and fostering a sense of collective responsibility.A recurring theme from discussions was the recognition that many challenges faced by registrars transcend clinical specialism. By focusing on pastoral aspects of working life, these meetings provided a safe space for registrars to voice concerns and seek peer support. The shared experiences strengthened professional bonds, reinforcing a collaborative mindset across specialties. Moreover, the initiative highlighted the importance of middle-grade leadership in shaping a positive workplace culture. Conclusion: ‘RegReflections’ continues to successfully foster a culture of collaborative working among cross-specialty registrars in a DGH. It is unique in its aim to promote collegial working and reduce friction between specialty teams as a method of improving wellbeing among residents. The initiative has addressed the professional isolation of registrars, improved communication and teamworking, and promoted a more compassionate leadership ethos. By creating an inclusive and supportive environment, registrars feel better equipped to navigate the challenges of their roles. This ultimately enhances patient care and safety.3 The findings suggest that similar initiatives should be implemented elsewhere to strengthen professional relationships, improve interdisciplinary communication and support leadership development within clinical training.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2514664525001407 |
| spellingShingle | Hannah Costelloe Charlotte Ainscough ‘RegReflections’: building a culture of collaborative working that transcends clinical specialism at a busy district general hospital Future Healthcare Journal |
| title | ‘RegReflections’: building a culture of collaborative working that transcends clinical specialism at a busy district general hospital |
| title_full | ‘RegReflections’: building a culture of collaborative working that transcends clinical specialism at a busy district general hospital |
| title_fullStr | ‘RegReflections’: building a culture of collaborative working that transcends clinical specialism at a busy district general hospital |
| title_full_unstemmed | ‘RegReflections’: building a culture of collaborative working that transcends clinical specialism at a busy district general hospital |
| title_short | ‘RegReflections’: building a culture of collaborative working that transcends clinical specialism at a busy district general hospital |
| title_sort | regreflections building a culture of collaborative working that transcends clinical specialism at a busy district general hospital |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2514664525001407 |
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