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Friendly Friday and the Randomised Coffee Trial: Mental Health Awareness Week

mary.hill@christie.nhs.uk coffee-2456837_1920

What are Randomised Coffee Trials (RCTs)?

With busy workloads and lives, we talk to each other less. The idea behind RCTs is to get you talking to each other again. You register to take part and we will pair you up at random with someone else in the organisation to have an informal conversation. You meet in person, or via Skype, and have a chat for about 15-30 minutes.

Click here to see Health Education England – North West’s experience of doing this

Why take part?

RCTs help us connect with our colleagues, learn from, and about each other, and help break down silos. It’s easy and informal.  In particular, we are running it is part of Mental Health Awareness Week 14th – 20th May.  One of the five steps to mental wellbeing is to be connected and another is to learn. 

I want to take part – what should I do?

Register your interest by emailing mary.hill@christie.nhs.uk  by 4th May 2018.  Sorry but it is only available to The Christie NHS Foundation Trust staff but this does include our satellite sites.

After that this is what will happen:

  1. We will pair you at random with someone else at The Christie. It could literally be anyone from a clinical colleague to a volunteer to the Chief Executive., depending on who signs up
  2. We will email you before 14th May to introduce you to your RCT partner.
  3. It is then up to the two of you to get in touch with each other and organise a 15-30 minute chat over coffee (sorry you will have to provide your own drink).
  4. It would be nice if you can meet up in the week commencing 14th May but it is not essential.
  5. It need not be coffee – it can be any drink or refreshment, whatever works best for you.
  6. If the two of you are on different sites, you can have a virtual RCT, say over Skype or the phone, still with a cup of coffee.
  7. After the RCT, we will send you another email asking how you found the experience.

Click here to find out more about Mental Health Awareness Week.

The Trust will be running events all week from Mindfulness Monday, Treat Tuesday, Wake Up Wednesday, Therapy Thursday to Friendly Friday so keep your eyes peeled for these.