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. 2020 Oct;7(3):e54-e56.
doi: 10.7861/fhj.2020-0065.

Rostering in a pandemic: Sustainability is key

Matthew Roycroft  1 , Neeraj B Bhala  2 , Susannah Brockbank  3 , Donal O'Donoghue  4 , Andrew Goddard  5 , Ajay M Verma  6
Affiliations

Rostering in a pandemic: Sustainability is key

Matthew Roycroft et al. Future Healthc J. 2020 Oct.

Abstract

In preparation for the peak of the first wave of COVID-19, many healthcare organisations implemented emergency rotas to ensure they were adequately staffed. These rotas - while addressing the acute issues - are in many cases not sustainable. As we move past the peak and services start resuming, many organisations need to reassess their rotas. There are considerable wellbeing benefits to optimal rostering. In this article we discuss how best to achieve this and suggest a number of key principles, including the following: involvement of staff affected by the rota; taking into account individual circumstances; building in flexibility and adequate time for rest; and designing rotas for different grades of staff together to create stable teams.

Keywords: COVID-19; Rostering; leave; rotas.

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