Aim Large scale workforce redeployment was common during the Covid-19 pandemic, with junior doctors significantly affected. Royal College of Physician Chief Registrars helped facilitate redeployment and were affected themselves. They were able to compare strategies and leadership approaches between waves and different trusts.

Method Chief Registrars discussed their experiences during online discussions, collecting quantitative and qualitative data on a shared online template, with their Trust’s consent. Data collected included number and grade of junior doctors affected, leadership strategies and feedback.

Result Complete quantitative data for both waves were available from 4 trusts, and partial from 7 trusts. 8 District General and 6 Tertiary/Teaching hospitals were represented.

Mean length of redeployment in wave 1 was longer (10.4 weeks [range 6.5-20]), compared to 6.2 weeks [range 0–10], with more doctors redeployed (mean 167 [range 40-259] compared with 42 doctors [range 0-86], despite higher numbers of Covid inpatients during wave 2. 1 trust implemented changes to working patterns instead of staff redeployment. Higher proportions of Foundation Doctors were redeployed in wave 2 (42%) compared to wave 1 (30%), with Core and GP trainees relative sparing (26% vs 12%).

All trusts reported clinical representation in organising and communicating redeployment decisions, and all but one involved Chief Registrar. There was wide variation in stakeholder involvement, with no correlation to hospital size.

Junior doctors reported feeling valued with a sense of team during redeployment. Feedback reported from wave 2 was less positive; shorter redeployment, frequent work pattern changes, suboptimal communication and burnout.

Conclusion A more nuanced approach to redeployment was taken in 2021 compared to 2020. Clinical involvement in redeployment decisions, improving communication and collecting feedback of those involved, should be priorities during any future redeployment.