Investigating discrepancies in perceptions regarding the  provision of  hospital Rest and Relaxation spaces in Scotland during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond: a qualitative study

Kim Walker; Kathryn Cunningham; Julie Ferguson; Kathrine Gibson Smith; Gillian Marion Scanlan; Joanne Elizabeth Cecil; Lisi  Gordon; Anita  Laidlaw; Lindsey Margaret Pope; Peter Johnston; Gill  Aitken

doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2024-096154

Investigating discrepancies in perceptions regarding the provision of hospital Rest and Relaxation spaces in Scotland during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond: a qualitative study

Kim Walker^*, Kathryn Cunningham, Julie Ferguson, Kathrine Gibson Smith, Gillian Marion Scanlan, Joanne Elizabeth Cecil, Lisi Gordon, Anita Laidlaw, Lindsey Margaret Pope, Peter Johnston , Gill Aitken

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Objectives To investigate discrepancies in perceptions regarding the accessibility and availability of rest and relaxation (R&R) spaces between hospital doctors in Scotland and NHS Scotland regional health boards (HBs), with the intention of informing best practices for organisational policy on the provision of R&R spaces both now and in the future.

Design A qualitative study, through an inhabited institutionalism (II) lens, of semi-structured interviews of hospital doctors across the career continuum in Scotland and all NHS regional HBs in Scotland providing written information relating to R&R space provision.

Setting NHS Scotland during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

Participants Hospital doctors (n=30) who had participated in a larger qualitative study and provided specific insights on R&R spaces. All NHS Scotland regional HBs (n=14).

Results Although HBs reported the provision of R&R spaces, numerous doctors reported R&R spaces had been removed, relocated or were inaccessible. Furthermore, limited awareness of their availability attributed to inadequate communication, compounded the issue. This divergence between institutional reporting and front-line experience can be interpreted through the lens of II, which posits that institutional polices are often interpreted and implemented differently.

Conclusions This study emphasises how crucial R&R spaces are to promoting doctors’ well-being especially during the time of high stress. HBs must not only guarantee the accessibility and physical availability of R&R spaces but also enhance their communication regarding the provision.

Original language	English
Article number	e096154
Pages (from-to)	1-8
Number of pages	8
Journal	BMJ Open
Volume	15
Issue number	8
Early online date	12 Aug 2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2024-096154
Publication status	Published - Aug 2025

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Copyright © Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2025. Re-use permitted under CC BY. Published by BMJ Group. This is an open access article distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Unported (CC BY 4.0) license, which permits others to copy, redistribute, remix, transform and build upon this work for any purpose, provided the original work is properly cited, a link to the licence is given, and indication of whether changes were made. See: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
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Walker, K., Cunningham, K., Ferguson, J., Gibson Smith, K., Scanlan, G. M., Cecil, J. E., Gordon, L., Laidlaw, A., Pope, L. M., Johnston , P., & Aitken, G. (2025). Investigating discrepancies in perceptions regarding the provision of hospital Rest and Relaxation spaces in Scotland during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond: a qualitative study. BMJ Open, 15(8), 1-8. Article e096154. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2024-096154

@article{ddeac4f985724193ae66958cbeac1c62,

title = "Investigating discrepancies in perceptions regarding the provision of hospital Rest and Relaxation spaces in Scotland during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond: a qualitative study",

abstract = "Objectives To investigate discrepancies in perceptions regarding the accessibility and availability of rest and relaxation (R\&R) spaces between hospital doctors in Scotland and NHS Scotland regional health boards (HBs), with the intention of informing best practices for organisational policy on the provision of R\&R spaces both now and in the future. Design A qualitative study, through an inhabited institutionalism (II) lens, of semi-structured interviews of hospital doctors across the career continuum in Scotland and all NHS regional HBs in Scotland providing written information relating to R\&R space provision. Setting NHS Scotland during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. Participants Hospital doctors (n=30) who had participated in a larger qualitative study and provided specific insights on R\&R spaces. All NHS Scotland regional HBs (n=14). Results Although HBs reported the provision of R\&R spaces, numerous doctors reported R\&R spaces had been removed, relocated or were inaccessible. Furthermore, limited awareness of their availability attributed to inadequate communication, compounded the issue. This divergence between institutional reporting and front-line experience can be interpreted through the lens of II, which posits that institutional polices are often interpreted and implemented differently. Conclusions This study emphasises how crucial R\&R spaces are to promoting doctors{\textquoteright} well-being especially during the time of high stress. HBs must not only guarantee the accessibility and physical availability of R\&R spaces but also enhance their communication regarding the provision.",

author = "Kim Walker and Kathryn Cunningham and Julie Ferguson and \{Gibson Smith\}, Kathrine and Scanlan, \{Gillian Marion\} and Cecil, \{Joanne Elizabeth\} and Lisi Gordon and Anita Laidlaw and Pope, \{Lindsey Margaret\} and Peter Johnston and Gill Aitken",

note = "Funding: The work was originally supported by the Chief Scientist of Scotland Rapid COVID Grant Call (COV\_ABN-20/06). Further funding was received from the SMERC Large Grant Programme.",

year = "2025",

month = aug,

doi = "10.1136/bmjopen-2024-096154",

language = "English",

volume = "15",

pages = "1--8",

journal = "BMJ Open",

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Walker, K, Cunningham, K, Ferguson, J, Gibson Smith, K, Scanlan, GM, Cecil, JE, Gordon, L, Laidlaw, A, Pope, LM, Johnston , P & Aitken, G 2025, 'Investigating discrepancies in perceptions regarding the provision of hospital Rest and Relaxation spaces in Scotland during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond: a qualitative study', BMJ Open, vol. 15, no. 8, e096154, pp. 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2024-096154

TY - JOUR

T1 - Investigating discrepancies in perceptions regarding the provision of hospital Rest and Relaxation spaces in Scotland during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond

T2 - a qualitative study

AU - Walker, Kim

AU - Cunningham, Kathryn

AU - Ferguson, Julie

AU - Gibson Smith, Kathrine

AU - Scanlan, Gillian Marion

AU - Cecil, Joanne Elizabeth

AU - Gordon, Lisi

AU - Laidlaw, Anita

AU - Pope, Lindsey Margaret

AU - Johnston , Peter

AU - Aitken, Gill

N1 - Funding: The work was originally supported by the Chief Scientist of Scotland Rapid COVID Grant Call (COV_ABN-20/06). Further funding was received from the SMERC Large Grant Programme.

PY - 2025/8

Y1 - 2025/8

N2 - Objectives To investigate discrepancies in perceptions regarding the accessibility and availability of rest and relaxation (R&R) spaces between hospital doctors in Scotland and NHS Scotland regional health boards (HBs), with the intention of informing best practices for organisational policy on the provision of R&R spaces both now and in the future. Design A qualitative study, through an inhabited institutionalism (II) lens, of semi-structured interviews of hospital doctors across the career continuum in Scotland and all NHS regional HBs in Scotland providing written information relating to R&R space provision. Setting NHS Scotland during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. Participants Hospital doctors (n=30) who had participated in a larger qualitative study and provided specific insights on R&R spaces. All NHS Scotland regional HBs (n=14). Results Although HBs reported the provision of R&R spaces, numerous doctors reported R&R spaces had been removed, relocated or were inaccessible. Furthermore, limited awareness of their availability attributed to inadequate communication, compounded the issue. This divergence between institutional reporting and front-line experience can be interpreted through the lens of II, which posits that institutional polices are often interpreted and implemented differently. Conclusions This study emphasises how crucial R&R spaces are to promoting doctors’ well-being especially during the time of high stress. HBs must not only guarantee the accessibility and physical availability of R&R spaces but also enhance their communication regarding the provision.

AB - Objectives To investigate discrepancies in perceptions regarding the accessibility and availability of rest and relaxation (R&R) spaces between hospital doctors in Scotland and NHS Scotland regional health boards (HBs), with the intention of informing best practices for organisational policy on the provision of R&R spaces both now and in the future. Design A qualitative study, through an inhabited institutionalism (II) lens, of semi-structured interviews of hospital doctors across the career continuum in Scotland and all NHS regional HBs in Scotland providing written information relating to R&R space provision. Setting NHS Scotland during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. Participants Hospital doctors (n=30) who had participated in a larger qualitative study and provided specific insights on R&R spaces. All NHS Scotland regional HBs (n=14). Results Although HBs reported the provision of R&R spaces, numerous doctors reported R&R spaces had been removed, relocated or were inaccessible. Furthermore, limited awareness of their availability attributed to inadequate communication, compounded the issue. This divergence between institutional reporting and front-line experience can be interpreted through the lens of II, which posits that institutional polices are often interpreted and implemented differently. Conclusions This study emphasises how crucial R&R spaces are to promoting doctors’ well-being especially during the time of high stress. HBs must not only guarantee the accessibility and physical availability of R&R spaces but also enhance their communication regarding the provision.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105013052383

U2 - 10.1136/bmjopen-2024-096154

DO - 10.1136/bmjopen-2024-096154

M3 - Article

SN - 2044-6055

VL - 15

SP - 1

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JO - BMJ Open

JF - BMJ Open

IS - 8

M1 - e096154

ER -

Investigating discrepancies in perceptions regarding the provision of hospital Rest and Relaxation spaces in Scotland during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond: a qualitative study

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