100 Leaders: Cohort 1 Projects

Pack 8: Led by Neil Parks

Buddy system

neil.parks@nhs.net

Our courageous change

Creation of a ‘buddy’ system that provides a support for junior staff

Creation of a survey to demonstrate the need for the buddy system including utilising rostering systems

Creation of buddy support and training packages for senior and junior staff

Our highlights and challenges

Research at the beginning of the project demonstrated the need for the change

Positive uptake in the areas of focus for those who wanted to be trained to be a buddy support

Positive relationships were formed between those who utilised the system

Time constraints due to pandemic

Communication barriers due to utilising new technologies and limited face to face contact

Our ambition

To enable junior staff to deal with the many difficult and challenging scenarios the NHS throws at them.

It gave them access to skills and knowledge from senior staff members. The aim of the project was to give them confidence and the ability to resolve difficulties on their own in a timely manner.

One of our Trust aims is to value people. By investing in our junior staff, we will be empowering them to thrive in the early years of their careers. This will then help them to build confidence and increase their capability to care for our future generations of patients.

Our impact on patients, staff and the Trust

The project built relationships between different professions. Feedback indicates that people have benefited from the concept and found the experience positive overall.

These experiences help to expand skills and knowledge, having a positive impact on patients and the care they receive.