Schwartz Rounds

Supporting members of staff at East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust

Schwartz Centre Rounds are a forum where all staff (clinical and non-clinical) can come together regularly to discuss the emotional and social aspects of working in healthcare.

They have been running at ESHT since May 2015 and currently run in over 125 organisations throughout the UK.

All staff (both clinical and non-clinical) are invited to attend. There is a one hour external CPD available for attendance.

Accordion

The Round usually comprises of a panel of three or four members speaking for roughly five minutes each about their experiences or about the theme. With facilitation from trained facilitators, the Round is opened to the audience to reflect/talk about their experiences. The Round is not about creating outcomes or action points but more about having time to reflect and think about the impact that our work has on all of us.

The Rounds last for one hour with light refreshments available beforehand.

Results from a national NIHR funded study completed by researchers at Kings College evaluating the impact of the Schwartz Centre Rounds (SCR) in several centres showed*:

  • A clear, statistically significant beneficial impact on the mental health of those who attend
  • Poor psychological health reducing from 25% to 12% in staff who attend regularly

The report confirms that:

  • Staff who regularly attend Schwartz Centre Rounds suffer less stress than their colleagues who do not attend
  • Rounds are a unique intervention because they offer all staff, both clinical and non-clinical, the opportunity to share their emotional challenges safely
  • Staff who attend Rounds are more empathetic towards patients and their families
  • Staff who attend Rounds feel more able to communicate openly and effectively with colleagues

*Maben et al; presented at the annual Point of Care Foundation Schwartz Centre Round Communities Conference Jan 2018.

The team are also always looking for stories and themes. If you have an idea for a Round or have an experience/theme you would like to explore and you would like to be a panel member, please contact esht.wellbeingandhealthpromotionateam@nhs.net

*New: Team Time: an opportunity to reflect with colleagues on the challenges we are facing

Staff across the NHS are working under unprecedented pressure. East Sussex Healthcare Trust are working with the Point of Care Foundation, who support our Schwartz round programme, to offer Team Time sessions. Team Time is a safe, facilitated forum for colleagues to reflect together on the unique challenges we are facing.

Team Time aims to provide a safe space to help staff feel connected and supported. Trained Schwartz Facilitators, experienced in managing reflective forums, manage the sessions which take the following format::

  • Each session lasts between 30 to 45 minutes
  • Participants call into a video webinar platform, to join a protected team-based gathering
  • The session opens with an introduction from the facilitator emphasising the aims and objectives and reiterating ground rules including confidentiality
  • This is followed by two pre-prepared reflective stories from two members of the team, before the wider team are invited to share their own reflections
  • The session is drawn to a close, strictly on time, by the facilitators.

We believe Team Time sessions will bring staff together, reducing isolation and pressure during these difficult times.

to take part, please email esht.wellbeingandhealthpromotionateam@nhs.net