Wow! What an amazing residential! I’m still grinning and chuckling as I think back on the fantastic two days we had on Tuesday, May 14th, and Wednesday, May 15th, 2024. Cumberland Lodge was as reliable as ever, but this time, the positivity and love for our profession shone even brighter than usual. It’s been a long time since we’ve felt this kind of sustained energy, and it was truly heart-warming. I’m incredibly honoured to have spent this time with all you wonderful trainees and trainers – thank you! I hope it provided a much-needed oasis of calm amidst the relentless NHS workload. A time to reflect, reconnect, and recharge for the challenges ahead.
There’s so much to unpack! Personally, I can’t remember the last time I laughed so hard. It reminded me how important it is to keep a sense of humour when times are tough. I hope the photos and videos capture some of the joy we shared.
Tuesday Morning: Exploring the Shapes Toolkit
We kicked off Tuesday morning with the Shapes Toolkit, diving into key concepts like recognising your circle of control and leveraging it to effect change. The session on empowering ourselves to say no in our professional lives resonated deeply with many of us. Check out the Shapes Toolkit in the Educational Content section of the website to maximise your learning from the sessions. And if you haven’t yet, give the “You Are Not a Frog” podcasts a listen – they’re perfect for more discussions like these.
Tuesday Afternoon: Health and Wellbeing
Tuesday afternoon was all about reconnecting with our health and wellbeing. The yoga session was fantastic, reminding us that self-care is essential to caring for others – just like putting on your own oxygen mask first. The walk and talk in Windsor Great Park was a chance to connect with nature, enjoy our peers’ company, and for some, sneak off to the Fox & Hounds!
Wednesday Morning: Performing Medicine
Wednesday morning turned us into drama students with Performing Medicine. Through insightful exercises, we gained a deeper understanding of body language and voice control, learning to use non-verbal skills more effectively in patient consultations. The emphasis on words exercise was particularly powerful, leaving many of us wondering, “Who did steal the red hat?” Check out the Performing Medicine leaflet (below) and the ‘Circle of Care’ Framework downloadable in the Educational Content section.
Lunchtime Highlight: The Julian Bradley Award of Excellence
During lunch, we presented the inaugural Julian Bradley Award of Excellence. A big congratulations to Humzah Baig, who impressed the judges the most! See the JB Award of Excellence 2024 post for more details.
Wednesday Afternoon: The SCA Extravaganza
Wednesday afternoon was the highlight of the residential, with the Silly Cumberland Assessment (SCA). It featured a mix of stand-up comedy, poetry, art, and physical tasks. It was hilarious to see how competitive some trainers got – remember, it’s all in good fun! The ST3-led session was phenomenal, and a massive thank you to everyone who made it such a memorable close to our residential. Special shoutout to Unaiza and Ting Ting, who were clearly taking notes in the ‘saying no’ session by standing firm against a certain PD’s pressure for more points. Spoiler alert: this was obviously a secret test of professional integrity, and you both passed with flying colours as shown in this video:
Wrapping Up: The 2024 Keepsake Video
Enjoy the video of the residential – it’s our keepsake of these wonderful days. 2024 broke the record for the largest West Mid residential ever, and I think the joy and positivity we experienced will be tough to beat next year. Remember, even in the darkest times, joy can be found through spending time with our peers, supporting one another, and taking moments to reflect on our own needs. It was a privilege to share this moment with you all. If in doubt…breathe out!
Lots of love,
Your PDs
