Earlier this month we decided to launch what we now fondly refer to as our ‘learn at lunch’ virtual meetings. The concept couldn’t be simpler. Meetings are supported via Zoom (which we much prefer to MS Teams) and last for approximately one hour. This far we have led the meetings and provided the content: on 6 August discussing data we have collected on clinical audit job vacancies since 2009 and on 24 August presenting huge swathes of data on local and national clinical audit that we have collected since 2010 via our annual survey. As part of the 24 August meeting Suzanne Henderson from AMaT gave a brief overview of their software and this demonstrated to us that other presenters anywhere in the world can join us and lead on future sessions. Oh yes, I forgot to say, all sessions are entirely free and open to everyone.
Setting up these sessions seemed a logical step. I’m sure that many of you have used the likes of Zoom, Skype, MS Teams and other similar virtual platforms to keep in touch with friends, family and colleagues over the years and perhaps much more so since the emergence of COVID. Of course we aren’t claiming to be doing anything unique here, but watching clinical audit world from afar while we were furloughed in April, May, June and the first-half of July we didn’t get a huge sense of lead organisations treading the virtual networking path other than NQICAN using a couple of online meetings to gain feedback on their important and new forward plan. As one would expect, the regional clinical audit networks intelligently opted for virtual meetings to keep their members connected, but other than that we didn’t see much.
To be honest, we weren’t sure what to expect and we knew we were taking a big risk. Can you imagine how bad it would have looked for us if both our August meetings hadn’t caught fire and generated interest? Stephen and Tracy talking to themselves with the tumbleweed blowing across the screen would have been a terrible look for our business!
But thankfully that’s not been the outcome. For our first meeting we had 60+ registrations with a peak of 40 online for the talk and for the second meeting we amassed over 100 registrations with a peak of 78 online. While these numbers need to be better and the DNA rate a little lower, we see this as a solid start given that these events took place at the height of the school summer holidays.
What have we learned? Overall the feedback has been truly astonishing with so many generous comments via our post-event evaluations, personal emails and on Twitter. We get the sense that in these difficult times people have enjoyed being given the platform to get together, take part in a shared experience and connect. The content of our talks and the AMaT presentation have been well received, but it has been more than that. People have told us they have been using the chat function to speak privately with others joining our meeting, sometimes catching up with old friends now not working in their area. We’ve had great feedback that participants have enjoyed connecting with others around the country and sharing common issues, challenges and successes. We plan to harness this going forward and the aim is to make future sessions international. Another surprising output has been that participants like the respect and sense that all are equal. There are no hierarchies involved. Irrespective of your experience and knowledge of audit and QI everyone is welcome and invited to take part. No silly questions, no pecking order.
There have been other benefits too. Zoom polls are a quick way to find out useful stuff. For example, we found out that over 60% of participants at our first two meetings are currently working from home. Other polls (see below) gave us great feedback in relation to the delivery of national clinical audit and we can both share this information with participants, everyone via Twitter and directly to key leaders with responsibility for this work. And by sharing the results of polls in the meeting in real-time this gives a sense of transparency and helps stimulate further debate. We record the meetings too, so those unable to attend on the day can watch back in their own time, when they want. Why not take a look, here.
Of course, we have much more to do and much more to improve. But as you will see we have worked super hard on this and now put in place a full programme of ‘learn at lunch’ events for the rest of 2020 with some topics selected via feedback from the first two sessions. We are particularly excited about the Mental Wealth session with Dr Andy Cope on 8 October. If you are feeling a little run or tired and in need of a little inspiration and energy, then be sure to sign up (same link as above). We want to get more people involved. From the leaders at NHS England, HQIP, national audits and NQICAN down to local staff who are doing fabulous work in such testing circumstances.
In recent dark times, virtual meetings appear to offer a beacon of light. We encourage you to embrace them and give them a go! Get people together. Collaborate. Make people feel part of something. The time is now…. tick, tick, tick, tick, BOOM!
And just for fun... you know you want to....
Yo! Back up now and give a brother room, the fuse is lit and I'm about to go click