Professional Pause: The Importance of Peer Support for Healthcare Professionals
18th February 2025
What is Professional Pause?
Our Professional Pause sessions were created in response to the need for peer support spaces for NHS staff.
Resilience is a key focus in healthcare, helping staff cope with the challenges of their roles without negatively impacting their personal wellbeing. However, despite improvements in some areas, the 2023 NHS Staff Survey painted a concerning picture with 30% of respondents reported feeling burnt out, and 34% found their work emotionally exhausting.
But where can healthcare professionals find the support they need? We know that being heard and understood by others who have been through something similar can improve wellbeing, and help people feel less alone.
The Need for Peer Support
Peer support refers to colleagues providing emotional and social support to one another, especially within the same specialty.
The Miscarriage Association and The Ectopic Pregnancy Trust understand this need and have been running well-attended peer support groups that offer a safe space for those who have shared experiences.
Both charities recognised the gap in external support for NHS staff. Aside from occasional conferences or training events, there were few opportunities for healthcare workers to connect with others facing similar challenges.
Introducing Professional Pause
To address this, the Miscarriage Association and The Ectopic Pregnancy Trust teamed up to create Professional Pause—an initiative offering a safe space for NHS staff in early pregnancy care. Helen, a senior support worker at the Miscarriage Association, brings her 18 years of experience as a former- midwife and Joanne brings her background of mental health nursing, alongside her role at The Ectopic Pregnancy Trust.
“We both hope that by bringing our background as health professionals and our knowledge of those accessing early pregnancy care, we can create a safe space for people to network, offload and reflect on practice and the challenges they face.” Helen.
About the sessions
Professional Pause sessions take place once a month. We cover a different topic each month ranging from communication and breaking bad news, patient expectation vs reality of the care system, and how to support yourself and your colleagues.
“I really enjoyed the session, and I found it beneficial talking to a lovely group of ladies with the same aim in mind, so thank you for allowing me to participate.” Participant.
The sessions are interactive, and anyone who attends has the opportunity to share their experiences. Attendees often discuss the different ways in which their units work, and how they might have managed to bring about change in the workplace.
Meeting in this way is not just about supporting each other and networking, but it also helps to reflect and acknowledge the pressures you face. It’s a space in which you can be honest with the challenges of clinical practice, and balancing all this with seeing the positives in the care they provide.
“I love the sessions; it’s so helpful to listen to others and how their hospitals work.”
Join Us and Find Support
Anyone working in early pregnancy care is welcome to join Professional Pause. While we can’t change pay or staffing levels, we offer a supportive community where participants can reflect on their challenges, share experiences, and feel heard.
Our upcoming sessions can be found, here.