Abstract Background The 2022 revised Geriatric Medicine training curriculum requires trainees to spend more time with a range of healthcare professionals outside their ward placements, including in the community. Contacts and recommendations need to be shared to enable trainees to arrange these placements efficiently. Introduction Arranging placements was largely ad-hoc and time consuming with communication limited to emails and an informal WhatsApp group. This project aimed to establish a secure space for trainees to share information. Methods In January 2022, a SharePoint site was created through the trust’s IT service. South Yorkshire geriatric trainees were given access and encouraged to upload useful contacts and recommendations. Trainees were surveyed in January 2023, followed by reminders to update information at the end of each placement and a second survey in March 2023. The number of contacts uploaded was tracked from March to July 2023, with reminders to use the site sent in April and July 2023. Oversight of the SharePoint was assigned to the Specialty Training Committee representatives. A final survey was carried out in January 2025. Results Initial use of the SharePoint was limited; only 50% of trainees used the site by January 2023 with minimal improvement by March 2023 despite reminders. Prompts in March and June 2023 led to increased contacts being uploaded, from 21 to 44. By January 2025 all trainees were using the SharePoint and the number of contacts uploaded reached 98. The final survey showed unanimously positive feedback. Trainees now encourage each other to use and maintain the site without prompting, and usage has expanded to include wider information and shared project documents. Conclusions Set up of the SharePoint was straightforward, however, initial engagement was limited. Over time a ‘tipping point’ was reached with sufficient data available on the site; trainees now consistently use it when arranging placements.
Peters et al. (Sun,) studied this question.