Appetite for more exchange, connection and collaboration among senior health professionals.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the value of global exchange around knowledge, skills and attitudes among senior healthcare professionals (SHPs). It has also revealed the need for strong peer-led networks and mentorship to tackle the high levels of burnout and 'brain-drain' already plaguing the National Health Service (NHS). We designed a survey to gauge the appetite for exchange programmes among SHPs. METHODS: Data collection was carried out via an online qualitative survey generated by SurveyMonkey software and analysed by three independent authors. RESULTS: 155 responses were collected of which 87.7% were pre-COVID-19 pandemic. 74.2% had ideas to improve healthcare but could not take it forward. 86.6% felt frustrated/down-heartened about work. 74.3% wanted more sharing of teaching resources. 74.2% expressed interest in sabbatical programmes. CONCLUSION: Our survey confirms the desire for more connection, collaboration and exchange among SHPs who are at high risk of burnout, silo-working and leaving the profession early. Sabbaticals have been used successfully in other industries, especially academia, for many years and show long-term investment and value from employers in their employees. Almost 75% of the SHPs in this survey were interested in this but logistics precluded easy access to them. HealthProMatch (HPM) is a platform where SHPs can connect, collaborate and arrange exchanges/sabbaticals with logistical ease. It focuses on bringing leadership, mentorship and quality improvement back home. HPM will pilot in the NHS within anaesthesia and hopes to increase job satisfaction and retention in this precious workforce group.