Background The 2019 BMA report on ‘Caring for the mental health of the medical workforce’ found that 80% of doctors are at high risk of burnout with junior doctors being most at risk. The 2018 GMC Training Environment Report also found that 25% of doctors in training felt burnout associated with high workloads, rota gaps, and lack of a supportive environment.

Method Members of the Junior Doctors Representative Committee (JDRC) at University Hospitals Plymouth (UHP) NHS Trust, launched a bi-monthly initiative called Tea Break Talk. We put forward a proposal to our local BMA events organizer and arranged attendance of key people and services locally that we would like to promote as part of these sessions. Through open group discussions and questionnaires we assessed perceptions around seeking support from Clinical/Educational Supervisors and aim to support the wellbeing of junior doctors locally by signposting available services and peer-led discussion/reflection.

Results Over a period of 3 months, we obtained feedback from doctors ranging from F1-ST6 levels. All responders found Tea Break sessions to be beneficial and a safe platform to discuss concerns regarding their wellbeing and professional development. 44% of the attendees were not aware of the existing counselling services, and only 48% felt comfortable discussing these stressful scenarios with their supervisors. Only one third of responders would discuss other personal or health-related concerns with their supervisors and almost 20% felt that doing so would reflect badly on them.

Conclusion Tea Break peer-led sessions have formed the ideal platform to facilitate reflection and promote wellbeing for Junior Doctors, as well as signposting information about alternative support systems available. Our data proves these sessions as a successful leadership initiative at Derriford Hospital and highlights the importance of establishment of similar initiatives in other hospitals in the South West.