As part of the activities to support World Mental Health Day, we are going to run our 2^nd randomised coffee trial (RCT) and would like to invite you to take par. One of the five steps to mental wellbeing is to be connected and another is to learn.

 

The idea behind RCTs is to get people talking to each other again. Participants register to take part and are paired up at random with someone else in the organisation to have an informal conversation. Participants meet and have a chat for about 15 minutes or so. RCTs help us connect with our colleagues, learn from, and about each other, and help break down silos. It’s free, easy and informal!

I want to take part – what should I do?

Register your interest by emailing mary.hill@christie.nhs.uk  by 1^st October 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.
2. We will email you before 8^th October 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 8^th October 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.

So what did people get out of the previous RCT?  

These are just some of the feedback comments we got from those who participate in May

“It was lovely to meet X, we didn’t really talk all that much about work. We found out that we had a lot in common and ended up talking about well being and the well being champion scheme at the hospital. I am waiting for X to send me information about the well being group she is part of at the hospital, and I have sent her over some details of the offer for free yoga/meditation sessions we have had from a supporter.”

“Having never done this type of thing before I found this a very positive experience.”

Felt nice to meet someone who I ended up having some things in common with, feels like a friendly face around

” Chance to get to know someone from another department but turned out to be a health professional who would be involved with the same patient group. So we had lots to talk about! My coffee partner has asked to visit my department in the future so hopefully we can continue information sharing”

And even if something doesn’t work out, people felt positive about the idea.  100% of the people who responded to the follow-up survey said they would do it again include some who didn’t meet up.

We weren’t able to meet but I would be open to the experience of doing this again, I think it’s a wonderful idea and I’m still happy to be involved