Moderator of 1 Session
, 
Presenter of 2 Presentations
SUPPORTING MEDICAL STAFF AT A TEMPORARY HEALTH SERVICE FOR VULNERABLE MIGRANTS
Abstract
Abstract Body
Background
During the pandemic asylum seekers and undocumented migrants were moved to hotel accommodation. Their medical staff felt responsibilities for infection control, protecting patients living in close-quarters and themselves, alongside managing physical, psychological and social needs, some long-neglected.
Methods
A professional conversation between the lead GP and their supervisor generated themes around the value of clinical supervision during stressful, emotive and unfamiliar situations.
Results
Building team rapport and managing emotional wellbeing in an unprecedented situation required rapid learning. Barriers to care were outside the usual experience of clinicians and included working with people who do not have safety-nets. The frustrations of exclusion, racism and lack of safeguarding were emotional and exhausting. Seemingly simple referral pathways became a focus for challenge, extending the clinicians advocacy roles. Values-based care came to the fore. Learning from the emergency situation effected a conversation about longer term needs of marginalised people.
Conclusions
Understanding the needs of primary care medical teams to manage the emotional impact of their work proved valuable. Through sharing the burden, focussing on what could be achieved and validating their work to advocate for rights to care, an effective team was built. Framing the work as challenging, but rewarding, is transferable to clinicians working with other marginalised groups. Supervision has been shown in other professions, where clinicians are part of people’s difficult lives, to help prevent burnout and retain skilled personnel. It is our contention that GPs make use of formal opportunities to share the impact of their work.
EQUALITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION: STAFF AND STUDENT CO-PRODUCTION
Abstract
Abstract Body
Background and purpose
Following the international Black Lives Matter protests and the murder of George Floyd, medical students felt empowered to contact their medical schools and demand action against racism in Higher Education. This student voice became a powerful enabler of activities, jointly co-ordinated through our Equality Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) committee, with a wider scope than anticipated.
Methods
The actions of the EDI committee were logged in meeting minutes. After six months these notes were reviewed and represented in diagrammatic form to show both the interconnectedness of this work and the rapid timescale in which it was achieved.
Results
The poster displays the multiple strands of involvement in curriculum review, design and development, staff development and student support and awareness raising that has been achieved in a short time frame.
Discussion
EDI issues are commonly described in Higher Education and form the topic of debate without any real action ensuing to challenge the status quo. The impetus gained by forming a committee with genuine staff and student co-production gave new life to making tangible interventions. It is a start to challenging the culture of acceptance of injustice in medical education.