Earlier this week, the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) visited Wrexham Maelor Hospital to meet with doctors in training, SAS and locally employed doctors, and consultant colleagues. The visit formed part of the RCP’s ongoing programme of regional engagement, listening to members and fellows across the UK and supporting them to deliver high-quality patient care.
Over the course of the day, RCP president Professor Mumtaz Patel and senior officers heard about the challenges facing staff and some excellent examples of innovation and good practice.
Resident doctors highlighted the supportive culture within teams and the value of initiatives such as regular simulation training, a structured teaching programme and pastoral support provided by associate college tutors. A recent quality improvement project to reduce ‘bleep burden’ has also helped resident doctors spend more time with patients. Many early-career doctors said these developments had influenced their decision to return to, or remain in, Wrexham.
Spotlight on local innovation: tackling the ‘bleep burden’
Associate college tutors in Wrexham have led innovative work to strengthen internal medicine training. Weekly teaching, simulation sessions and pastoral support have been highly rated by resident doctors, but it was their quality improvement project on the ‘bleep burden’ that stood out to RCP senior officers. By introducing a four-bleep rule and structured 3pm nursing handovers, the team has reduced unnecessary interruptions, allowing resident doctors to spend more time on direct patient care and improving both safety and training opportunities.
Consultant physicians described examples of service development and collaborative working, including a nationally recognised young adult diabetes transition service. However, they also highlighted the importance of meaningful clinical engagement on organisational changes, feedback which we passed directly onto the Betsi Cadwaladr health board chief executive and her team.
As in many hospitals, doctors also spoke about ongoing workforce and service pressures, including recruitment challenges and the impact on training and supervision. Colleagues expressed their commitment to working together with health board leaders to address these issues.
Speaking after the visit, Professor Patel said: ‘We are extremely grateful to all the doctors who shared their experiences with us. It is clear that there is real innovation, resilience and dedication in Wrexham, with many excellent examples of how teams are improving care and supporting their colleagues. At the same time, we recognise the challenges that staff are facing, particularly around workforce shortages and balancing training with service delivery. The RCP will continue to listen, learn and advocate on behalf of our members to help ensure doctors at all career stages can thrive.
‘I especially want to thank all the doctors who joined us on the day, told their stories, presented their work and contributed to a vibrant and constructive set of discussions.’
RCP clinical vice president, Dr Hilary Williams, who is also vice president for Wales said: 'Our membership networks really matter because they bring the RCP Cymru team together with local doctors, helping us to share ideas, learn from each other and feel supported. They’re where good practice spreads, and where colleagues feel part of a wider community working towards better care for patients – and advocating for the changes we all want to see.'
The RCP will feed back the themes from the visit to the health board executive team. We will also use them to inform our national policy and advocacy work across Wales and the UK.
The RCP’s 18 regional networks across England, Wales and Northern Ireland provide members and fellows with access to events, CPD, training and conferences close to home, supported by dedicated regional teams. They offer opportunities to connect with local physicians, stakeholders and RCP representatives, as well as the chance to ensure regional issues are heard at a national level. Find out more.