One year in: the development of a unified paediatric mentoring scheme in the North West

ABSTRACT

AimsMentoring is recognised as a method to helping people enhance their training by supporting personal and professional development. It can be particularly helpful during periods of transition such as returning to work, moving to senior roles and making career decisions. In its Paediatric 2040 report on working lives, the RCPCH identified the importance of ‘looking after each other’ as one of the fundamental aspects required for sustainability of the paediatric workforce of the future.Within the North West deanery, there were two fledgling mentoring schemes in Mersey and Manchester which functioned separately. However, we were concerned that trainees were unable to benefit from the same opportunities and access support equally. Providing mentoring through the Covid-19 Pandemic also highlighted the advantages available to us working virtually, both to coordinate the scheme and allow mentoring partnerships to overcome geographical distance. We chose to collaborate as a single mentoring scheme across the North West. This has enabled all trainees to be provided with a unified, high quality mentoring scheme with equal opportunities regardless of base hospital, rotation or address.MethodsWe united to create the North West Paediatric Mentoring Scheme. We became a single team of mentoring coordinators and collaborated to create a unified scheme of training, standard operational procedures and values. We brought our existing pool of mentors and mentees together and provided significant additional training available to all paediatric trainees in the North West. We promoted the mentoring scheme across the deanery with clear guidance on expectations, contractual responsibilities and support availability. We placed particular emphasis on those trainees in periods of transition such as stepping up to registrar level, returning to training and entering Paediatrics. We submitted funding bids which were approved to develop the scheme through mentoring skills workshops, training and wellbeing events.ResultsFunding was approved to develop the integrated mentoring scheme with a subsequent increase in uptake and engagement amongst mentors and mentees. We now have approximately 100 members in the scheme. Feedback has been very favourable and demonstrates clearly the view of those involved that mentoring has a key role in well-being and development of trainees. Quotes from mentees include‘The scheme is useful, the guidance that I have gotten from my mentor has been awesome. That feeling of having someone to discuss with is just incredible.’‘I’ve found it so useful, both for advice but also just as part of a support network’ConclusionOne year on, we feel this collaboration has been a success and continues to provide excellent opportunities for trainees in the North West School of Paediatrics. We have received funding to develop the scheme through IT support which allows ease of access, momentum, quality assurance and easier feedback for all our members. Other schools within the North West have also taken interest in our work and are looking at the feedback we gain over the next year to consider adoption across their specialities. We hope to gain RCPCH accreditation and intend to work towards this in the very near future.