Exploring communities of practice in the NHS: A core medical trainee experience

A community of practice was described by Lave and Wenger as a mutual engagement using a shared repertoire of resources to attain a shared goal. This study explored the extent to which NHS workplaces function as communities of practice for core medical trainees.

All core medical trainees in one region were invited to a semi-structured interview. A framework was produced using communities of practice themes and a hybrid deductive-inductive method used for data analysis.

NHS workplaces function as communities of practice by enabling engagement and by formation of mutual relationships. Joint enterprise was evidenced by multidisciplinary team working. Full participation was limited by service provision and short training rotations.

Trainee attendance in clinic and procedure lists should be facilitated. Trainees should be enabled to 'act up' as registrar. Flexibility is needed in jobs by allowing swaps between trainees and the facilitation of 'taster weeks'.