ED Run Club Boosts Wellbeing for Emergency Doctors

Emergency Department doctors in Wirral have discovered a powerful way to stay energised: regular runs with colleagues.

The Arrowe Park ED Run Club, a dynamic new initiative, has become a beacon for healthcare workers seeking wellbeing and camaraderie.

Established earlier this year, the club aims to counter the challenges posed by irregular work schedules by organising social exercise activities outside of work.

Dr Chris McCoy, a triathlon runner and one of the group’s founders, said, “The run club allows colleagues to become more physically and socially active in a positive way.”

Survey results show that members experience better work-life balance and increased self-worth since joining the club.

Before, participants averaged 10 exercise sessions per month. After weekly running sessions, this number jumped to 17, according to the study. Work-life balance scores also improved significantly.

Dr John Abraham and Dr Molly Hardwick presented their results at the North West Foundation Forum Conference in Manchester, earlier this month.

Chris, a lifelong exercise enthusiast, developed a passion for running thanks to his wife Michelle, who is also a doctor. The two of them would often run together after work. But, as an Emergency Medicine Registrar with weekend shifts, Chris struggled to fit organised training sessions into his schedule.

The solution came when he started running with a small group of like-minded colleagues. Over the next few months, more enthusiasts joined their ranks, and the run club was born.

The club, which began with informal meetups, now organises weekly sessions across Wirral and Liverpool, catering to ED staff of all fitness levels.

These sessions are often followed by social gatherings at cafes or pubs, creating a sense of community.

“Socially, it has been great to spend time with colleagues away from the day-to-day pressures of the Emergency Department and actually get to know each other better,” said Chris. “It has promoted a fantastic team dynamic within the department, but also as junior doctors rotate to other departments, we have maintained those friendships and camaraderie.

“It has been great to see members becoming more confident at running but also in themselves at work too.”