Leading with compassion: my journey as a Schwartz Lead
08 July 2025
For a day a week, Zoe Oram works in the role of Schwartz Lead for the newly formed Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. She writes about the challenges and rewards of embedding Rounds within a large and complex organisation.
Topics
In January 2025, I stepped into the role of Schwartz Lead for the newly formed Hampshire and Isle of Wight (HIOW) Healthcare Trust—a role that felt both exciting and daunting. This was a critical moment: three legacy trusts had recently merged, forming an organisation with over 13,000 staff across a large and diverse geography.
With over three years of experience facilitating Schwartz Rounds, I came in deeply committed to their power to support staff wellbeing, foster connection, and ultimately improve compassionate care. Yet stepping into a more strategic leadership role, working just one day a week, and navigating the complexities of a merging organisation brought new challenges and growth.
Growing our facilitator network
One of our biggest achievements so far has been expanding the Schwartz facilitator team. We’ve grown from seven to 22 trained facilitators, ensuring more localised leadership across our broad footprint.
To support this expanded team, we’ve created “meet the team” sessions, regular team huddles, and optional 1:1 mentorship. This has helped us build a connected community of practice, giving facilitators the confidence and shared purpose needed to deliver high-quality Rounds in the face of busy clinical demands.
Building a digital foundation
In a newly fused Trust with fragmented digital systems, building a solid digital foundation was essential. Working closely with digital and communications teams, we’ve integrated Schwartz into our staff intranet, built booking systems through our learning platforms, and boosted visibility through targeted campaigns.
We’ve also created a dedicated MS Teams channel for facilitators and a Padlet resource hub to improve access to key materials—particularly useful across sites with ongoing IT challenges. These tools have allowed us to work effectively across geography, build consistency, and ensure that Schwartz Rounds are easy to access and deliver.
Leading strategically
A key part of my role has been engaging senior leaders and positioning Schwartz Rounds as more than just a wellbeing initiative – they’re a powerful driver of compassionate culture, retention, and better care.
We’ve developed a vision, strategy, and clear KPIs to align Schwartz work with the Trust’s organisational goals. Our Schwartz Steering Group helps us bring together stakeholders, report on progress, and ensure our work aligns with the Trust’s CARE values: Compassion, Accountability, Respect, and Excellence.
Real-world impact
So far in 2025, we’ve delivered four Schwartz Rounds and ambitiously plan to deliver another 20 before the end of the financial year. Each round has drawn an average of 20 participants – a strong showing amidst ongoing service pressures.
Themes have included:
- Seasons of Change
- We Can’t Always Fix Everything
- The Day I Made a Difference
- Managing Psychological Safety Through a Period of Change
Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with most participants rating the rounds 4 or 5 stars. One participant wrote:
I love Schwartz Rounds. I think they are invaluable to our health and wellbeing. They create a sense of community, and being able to have that across all the merged trusts is wonderful.”
Another reflected:
Online was inclusive and felt connected to others of like mind! A good decision to adapt to all and bring it home.”
These voices highlight the emotional power of Schwartz Rounds to connect, humanise, and support staff across the Trust.
The power of mentorship
Mentorship has been key to my own development in this role. I’ve benefited from regular support from my mentor at the Point of Care Foundation, who has helped me reflect, refine my thinking, and gain confidence as a leader.
I’m also fortunate to work in partnership with my colleague Jacqui Wilkinson, whose positive energy, encouragement, and ongoing mentorship have been essential in helping shape our shared vision for Schwartz Rounds across the organisation.
Navigating challenges
Of course, it hasn’t been without hurdles. Working one day a week in a large, complex system has made it difficult to fully embed in every team or area. But I’ve leaned on the wisdom of local staff and facilitators who bring deep knowledge of their services and contexts.
By empowering facilitators to lead local delivery, I’ve embraced a model of shared leadership – one that has enhanced our capacity and deepened trust across the network.
We’ve also faced digital fragmentation, with different legacy platforms and systems still in use. But by building relationships with IT and digital colleagues early, we’ve been able to find workarounds and solutions. I’m hopeful future system changes will make this even easier.
Looking ahead
As we move into the second half of the financial year, I feel proud of what we’ve accomplished. With a growing team, a clearer digital infrastructure, and stronger strategic engagement, we’re in a great position to expand Schwartz Rounds and embed them more deeply across the Trust.
What keeps me going is the feedback from staff – stories that show how vital Schwartz Rounds are in creating a reflective, compassionate space. A space where staff can be honest, heard, and connected; a space where they feel valued.
That’s what matters most. When we support our staff to feel human and cared for, they’re better able to provide compassionate care to others. And in a post-merger environment, these spaces are more crucial than ever for building connection and shared culture.
I’m honoured to lead this work during such an important time in the Trust’s journey. Culture change can feel huge, but it starts small: one story, one conversation, one Round at a time.