There is a mental-health crisis among doctors in the United Kingdom, with 51% experiencing poor mental health, nearly 50% wishing to reduce their working hours, and 10% planning to quit.¹ There are excessively high levels of burnout being reported among anaesthetists in training.² Burnout impacts on the delivery of high-quality patient care,³ and a ‘healthy’ work environment is associated with approximately 30% less intention to leave the profession.⁴

In an attempt to prevent burnout in our trainee cohort, we created a regular wellbeing initiative: Coffee Club. We wanted to provide a time and a place in which trainees could reflect on their individual and collective experiences. It was essential that this was a warm, welcoming, safe and confidential space.