Background Burnout is well-documented among junior doctors, contributing to low morale, physical and mental health issues. There are various deanery and national initiatives to support doctors, however local support is variable, particularly in district general hospitals. Paediatric and neonatal doctors often work in isolation, rarely getting the opportunity to share their experiences and discuss difficulties with colleagues.

Aim To establish a peer-led scheme called ‘Holding Hands’, consisting of monthly meetings enabling trainee and staff-grade junior doctors to have a platform to discuss clinical and non-clinical problems, challenging situations, plan for solutions to overcome specific training requirements, and celebrate achievements, with attendance by a designated consultant every 3 months.

Method We organised monthly meetings, with objectives based on our project aims. We also introduced EPiC (Encouraging Praise in Colleagues), a formal positive feedback system, and from this we nominated a Star of the Month, which was awarded at the meetings. Specific time during the meeting was dedicated to planning departmental social events. We distributed questionnaires based on the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire at the start of the project and after 6 months of Holding Hands meetings.

Results 9 of the 16 Holding Hands attendees completed the post project questionnaire. We used Likert scales to measure a number of outcomes, and in comparison to the pre-project questionnaire, less people felt their work was unevenly distributed, more people felt motivated and involved in work, and more people felt they received support from colleagues. In addition, 88.9% knew where to find support following an emotionally challenging situation. We also gained qualitative data confirming that this initiative was helpful to those who attended.

Conclusion To be able to deliver the excellent levels of care we want to provide to children and young people, we have a responsibility to look after the wellbeing of ourselves and our colleagues. Holding Hands and EPiC have provided a safe, supportive atmosphere for trainees to develop and improve resilience, equipping junior doctors with the emotional skills to be able to handle the pressures of clinical work in paediatrics.