Paterson Programme Impact Report now live

Executive Summary

The Paterson Programme was established within The Christie Institute of Cancer Education to provide psychologically informed coaching, mentoring and professional development support for residents, fellows, specialty doctors and educators working within oncology and related specialties.

Since its inception in May 2022, the programme has evolved into a comprehensive educational and workforce development initiative that supports clinicians across all stages of postgraduate training and professional practice. The programme combines individual coaching and mentoring with leadership development, reflective practice groups, supervisor development, wellbeing resources and educational interventions designed to strengthen both individual resilience and organisational culture.

Evaluation of programme activity and participant feedback demonstrates positive outcomes across professional development, wellbeing, leadership capability, reflective practice, career progression and workforce sustainability. Participants consistently describe the programme as transformative, supportive and professionally valuable. Several report that the intervention occurred at pivotal points in their careers and enabled them to remain engaged in training, progress professionally and develop healthier approaches to managing workplace challenges.

The programme has developed into a whole-system model of support that contributes not only to individual development but also to the creation of psychologically safe and supportive educational environments.

• Four years of continuous programme delivery

• Individual coaching and mentoring programmes established

• Participants supported from Foundation level through to senior supervisory roles

• Dedicated support for fellows, residents, specialty doctors and supervisors

• Clinical Oncology and Medical Oncology reflective groups delivered

• Longitudinal leadership development programme established

• Educational supervisor development programme implemented

• Mental health and suicide prevention training delivered for supervisors

• Educational podcast series developed covering wellbeing, leadership and professional development topics

• Evidence of positive impact on wellbeing, resilience, career progression and training retention:

  •  ~45 individual participants supported

  • 9+ specialties and professional groups represented

  • 120–140 individual coaching and mentoring sessions delivered

  • 150+ total developmental and educational contacts

  • 13 leadership development groups

  • 11 specialty-based reflective groups

  • 5 educational supervisor groups

  • 10 educational podcast episodes produced 

This breadth of activity demonstrates a mature and integrated programme that supports both individual clinicians and the wider educational environment in which they work.

Introduction

The Paterson Programme was developed in recognition of the increasing complexity of postgraduate medical training and the challenges faced by healthcare professionals working within highly specialised and emotionally demanding clinical environments.

The programme provides protected opportunities for reflection, professional support and development through a range of interconnected activities designed to support both individual clinicians and the wider educational culture.

The programme comprises four principal strands:

Individual Mentoring

 Confidential mentoring provides reflective space for participants experiencing professional, educational or personal challenges, including difficulties relating to training progression, workplace relationships, professional identity and wellbeing.

Professional Coaching

Structured coaching supports participants in clarifying goals, developing leadership capability, enhancing work-life balance and progressing personal and professional development objectives.

Educational Resources

 The programme has produced educational podcasts and guidance resources addressing wellbeing, suicide prevention, leadership, conflict management, organisational dynamics, appraisal, quality improvement and service innovation. A monthly leadership and management skills group ran for a year.

Supervisor support

Two supervisor training events are provided every six months addressing mental health and suicide prevention, as well as supportive supervision skills. Previously, a supervisor reflective practice group has also been held. 

Together these components create an integrated framework that supports professional growth, wellbeing and workforce sustainability.

Programme Reach and Activity Participant Groups

Since May 2022, the programme has provided support across the full educational continuum.

Participants have included:

• Fellows

• Foundation Doctors

• Internal Medicine Trainees

• Specialty Trainees

• Specialty Doctors

• General Practitioners with Specialist Interests

• Physician Associates

• Educational Supervisors

The diversity of participant groups demonstrates the programme's flexibility and relevance across multiple stages of professional development.

Specialty Representation

The programme has supported participants from a broad range of specialties, including:

• Clinical Oncology

• Medical Oncology

• Haematology

• Urology

• Plastic Surgery

• Endocrinology

• Internal Medicine

• General Practice

• Educational and supervisory roles

Although oncology trainees and fellows represent the largest participant groups, engagement from other specialties suggests that the developmental challenges addressed by coaching and mentoring are shared across healthcare settings.

Patterns of Engagement

Analysis of programme activity demonstrates several notable features:

Sustained Participation

Many participants engaged over multiple months through structured coaching and mentoring relationships. While some participants required brief interventions, many attended repeated sessions focused on professional development, wellbeing, career progression and leadership development.

Engagement Across Career Stages

The programme has supported clinicians from Foundation level through to senior supervisory roles, demonstrating relevance throughout professional development.

Integration of Individual and Organisational Support

The programme combines individual interventions with wider educational initiatives, extending its impact beyond individual participants and contributing to organisational culture. Supervisor Development

The programme has delivered dedicated supervisor training focused on:

• Supportive supervision

• Psychological safety

• Learner wellbeing

• Mental health awareness

• Suicide prevention

• Reflective educational practice

These activities recognise the important role that supervisors play in shaping trainee experience, wellbeing and learning culture.

Educational Resources

The programme has developed a series of educational podcasts covering:

• Doctor wellbeing

• Navigating conflict

• Leadership skills

• Clinical management

• Working relationships

• Organisational dynamics

• NHS structures

• Appraisal and revalidation

• Quality improvement

• Service innovation

The programme has also produced educational guidance designed to support supervisors in recognising and responding to trainee distress and mental health difficulties.

Thematic Outcomes

1. Professional Development and Career Progression

A consistent finding across participant feedback is the programme's contribution to professional development and career progression. Participants reported increased clarity regarding career goals, greater understanding of workplace dynamics and improved ability to navigate professional challenges.

One participant reflected: "Having started mentoring though a somewhat unplanned route, I had assumed I was already a fully reflective and well-equipped professional in managing my own career development. I was very surprised by how valuable the experience proved to be."

The participant described how mentoring enabled them to reconsider previous professional setbacks: "Through discussion of previous professional disappointments and challenges, (the support has) helped me reframe these experiences as sources of learning, resilience, and growth." They further reported: "The mentoring also provided valuable insight into my career goals, priorities, and the aspects of work I find most rewarding."

The participant concluded: "Overall, this was an unexpectedly beneficial experience with lasting impact on my professional development."

These comments suggest that mentoring supports both immediate problem-solving and longer term professional growth.

2.Supporting Trainees Through Critical Points in Training

Several participants sought support during periods of significant training-related pressure. One trainee described struggling with: "The pressure for all the extra things required as part of training."

Their aim was to develop: "Coping mechanism and changing mindset to tackle it better."

Following coaching they reported: "We were able to delve into why I think the way I think and then break down the barriers to being able to tackle work related issues."

Importantly, the benefits extended beyond the workplace: "I also found that this change helped me with my personal life as well."

The participant subsequently reported sustained progress: "It's been some time since the sessions and so far I have found that I have continued progressing well."

This suggests that coaching can facilitate enduring behavioural and cognitive changes that support both professional and personal development.

3. Workforce Retention and Career Sustainability

One of the most significant findings emerging from the feedback is the programme's potential contribution to training retention and career sustainability. A participant who subsequently achieved consultant appointment following a CESR application reported: "The mentoring scheme has been nothing but a positive asset to my training and time at The Christie and couldn't have come at a more pivotal time in my training."

They further stated: "It allowed me to set goals, access the appropriate support and guide my career." Most notably: "I truly believe without access to the scheme I would have likely fallen out of training."

This testimony suggests that coaching and mentoring may play an important role in supporting trainees through periods of challenge and uncertainty.

4. Psychological Wellbeing and Emotional Resilience

The strongest theme emerging from participant feedback relates to wellbeing, psychological safety and resilience. One participant described coaching as: "One of the most transformative decisions in my professional journey as a doctor." They explained: "Having someone who stands beside me has been invaluable."

The coaching relationship enabled a level of openness often difficult to achieve within healthcare environments: "My coach creates a space where I can share both my failures and successes without fear." As a result: "This has helped me develop a healthier relationship with vulnerability, which I used to see as a weakness but now recognise as a strength." The participant concluded: "In a profession where we're often expected to be the strong ones, having someone who sees me has been a quiet revolution in my life." These comments highlight the importance of psychologically safe reflective spaces within postgraduate training.

5. Decision-Making, Confidence and Leadership Development

Participants consistently described improved confidence, self-awareness and decision-making. One participant noted: "One of the most impactful aspects of this mentorship has been the support during critical decision-making moments."

They reported support with: "Ethical dilemmas, career transitions, or interpersonal conflicts." As a result: "I've become more confident in my decisions and more compassionate toward myself when things don't go as planned."

These findings suggest that coaching and mentoring support the development of reflective practitioners who are better equipped to manage complexity and uncertainty.

6. Managing Stress, Anxiety and Professional Challenges

Several participants sought support because workplace pressures and anxiety-related behaviours were affecting wellbeing and professional performance. One participant explained: "Having noticed anxiety driven behaviours, during my working practice, I sought support from the Coaching and Mentoring service."

They reported that these difficulties were: "Having a negative impact on my mental health and consequently my work." The coaching environment was described as: "Confidential, non-judgmental, and safe."

This enabled deeper reflection and understanding: "(the support has) expertly guided me through my experiences and thought processes at the time, enabling me to gain insight into the circumstances and issues I had."

As a result: "I may address it in a more healthy and constructive manner." The participant also reported improved training progression and professional development. 

Programme Reach and Impact Data

May 2022 – June 2026

The activity records provide evidence of substantial programme engagement across multiple specialties, grades and professional groups over the four-year evaluation period.

Participation and Reach

Programme activity records indicate that approximately 45 individual participants engaged with coaching, mentoring, supervision or leadership development activities between May 2022 and June 2026.

Participants were drawn from a broad range of professional groups and career stages, demonstrating the programme's relevance across the educational continuum.

Participants by Career Group

The majority of participants were residents and specialty trainees, reflecting the programme's core aim of supporting postgraduate professional development. However, the programme also engaged fellows, specialty doctors, supervisors and senior clinicians, demonstrating broad applicability across different stages of professional practice.

Participants by Specialty Participants were drawn from at least nine clinical specialties and professional groups.

Clinical Oncology and Medical Oncology together accounted for approximately one-third of all programme participants, reflecting the programme's position within a specialist cancer centre while also demonstrating wider reach across other specialties. 

Programme Activity

The programme has delivered a substantial volume of educational, developmental and supportive interventions since May 2022.

Programme records indicate:

Ongoing conservatively, this equates to around 200 coaching, mentoring, leadership and educational contacts delivered during the evaluation period. 

Key Themes Emerging Across the Evaluation

Analysis of programme activity and participant feedback identifies six recurring themes.

Psychological Safety

Participants consistently valued access to a confidential and supportive space where challenges could be discussed openly.

Professional Identity Development

Participants developed greater clarity regarding values, motivations and career direction.

Wellbeing and Resilience

Coaching and mentoring supported more effective management of stress, uncertainty and workplace pressures.

Reflective Practice

Participants reported increased self-awareness and improved ability to learn from setbacks and challenges.

Leadership and Professional Confidence

Participants developed greater confidence in decision-making, leadership and professional judgement.

Workforce Sustainability

The programme appears to contribute positively to retention, progression and career sustainability within postgraduate training.

Conclusion

The Paterson Programme has developed into a substantial and innovative model of postgraduate professional support within The Christie Institute of Cancer Education. Over four years, the programme has evolved beyond a traditional mentoring service into a comprehensive framework encompassing coaching, mentoring, leadership development, reflective practice, supervisor development, wellbeing support and educational innovation.

Evidence from participant feedback demonstrates consistent positive outcomes across professional development, wellbeing, resilience, leadership capability, career progression and training retention. Importantly, the programme's impact extends beyond individual participants. Through supervisor development, leadership training and educational culture initiatives, it contributes to the creation of psychologically safer and more supportive learning environments.

The consistency of participant feedback, the breadth of programme activity and sustained engagement across multiple professional groups suggest that The Paterson Programme is making a meaningful contribution to the development, wellbeing and sustainability of the future healthcare workforce.