Reflecting on your practice and its emotional impact with Schwartz rounds

Our Corporate Strategy sets out our plans to develop a Registrant Health and Wellbeing strategy and action plan. A key focus of this work is better supporting registrants with their emotional wellbeing.

Schwartz rounds can be a way of doing that. You can learn more about Schwarz rounds below. 

What are Schwarz rounds?

The Point of Care Foundation describes Schwartz rounds as:

"A structured forum where all staff, clinical and non-clinical, come together regularly to discuss the emotional and social aspects of working in healthcare.

The purpose of rounds is to understand the challenges and rewards that are intrinsic to providing care, not to solve problems or to focus on the clinical aspects of patient care.

Rounds can help staff feel more supported in their jobs, allowing them the time and space to reflect on their roles. Evidence shows that staff who attend rounds feel less stressed and isolated, with increased insight and appreciation for each other’s roles.

They also help to reduce hierarchies between staff and to focus attention on relational aspects of care.

The underlying premise for rounds is that the compassion shown by staff can make all the difference to a patient’s experience of care, but that in order to provide compassionate care staff must, in turn, feel supported in their work."

The process and benefits

Whilst we know not every registrant will have access to Schwartz rounds, there are principles underpinning the process that can be adapted to individual practice.

In 2019, we asked the University of Surrey to produce a film evidencing the process and benefits of Schwartz rounds, in order to show this.

You can view the film below.

More information on reflective practice