Our Trickle library contains examples for starting a conversation on a topic or challenge relevant to your team or organisation. These are written as plain-language statements, sharing a real experience or specific ask, to encourage others to contribute in a more open, less formal way.
Trickles work best when they raise a specific problem or challenge that can move through to a solution, general recognition or celebration belongs in a ShoutAbout instead.
Please note, every organisation is unique, so the Trickle examples below are for inspirational purposes only.
General / Ways of Working
Morale has taken a hit since a recent process change, and it feels like decisions like this get made without input from the shop floor. Please can we get more say before changes like this go live.
It's not always clear whose job it is to sort day-to-day issues, like broken equipment in the staff room. A clear point of contact would help.
I'd like to hear everyone's top three niggles about a process, whatever's slowing you down or adding hassle to your day. List them below and we'll use it to prioritise what to fix.
Patient Safety & Clinical Process
The two-break system is safer for patients at the front door, but it's had a real impact on staff wellbeing. I'd like to find a version that protects both.
After a difficult or traumatic incident, hot debriefs don't happen consistently, and some of us aren't sure what a good one looks like. Making this a reliable part of aftercare would help.
The resus checklist takes longer to complete than it should on a busy shift, so it sometimes gets rushed. Simplifying it would help us do it properly every time.
Escalating a concern to the coordinator on a busy shift doesn't always feel straightforward, it's not always clear who to go to or when to push something further. More clarity on the escalation route would help.
Innovation & Change
We trialled swapping areas at set times to break up the shift and reduce burnout. It's helped with patient care and confidence, but I'd like to flag what's not working so we can tweak it before it's made permanent.
The new handover form is a good idea, but a few sections duplicate what's already recorded elsewhere. Simplifying it would save time on a busy shift.
Team Culture
We're planning a team away session and want it to actually be useful, not just another meeting. What would make it worth your time away?
The daily huddles are meant to keep everyone in the loop, but I'm not sure they're landing for everyone. What's working about them, and what would make them worth the ten minutes?
Professional Development
Attending patient safety oversight sessions has been useful, but I don't always feel it's a fully open space to speak up. Making it feel psychologically safer would help people get more from it.
I'd value more structured feedback after being involved in an incident investigation, rather than just moving on to the next shift.
Diversity & Inclusion
I don't think there's been much conversation about what makes our workplace feel genuinely inclusive day to day. I'd like to hear what's actually getting in the way for people.
Talking about domestic abuse with patients is hard, and I don't always feel confident starting that conversation or completing the referral. More practical support here would help.
Wellbeing & Breaks
Breaks are getting missed most shifts because there's no one to cover, not because we don't want them. I'd like to trial a proper break allocation system so this stops being ad hoc.
The staff room and wobble room haven't had any investment in a while, and they're where people go to reset after a hard patient interaction. A small refresh would go a long way.
Flexible & Hybrid Working
Our team's hybrid policy says two days in the office but doesn't specify which days, so it's rarely the same people in together. Agreeing set anchor days would help us actually collaborate in person.
Meetings that include both clinical and corporate colleagues often get scheduled without checking who's on site that day. A shared way of flagging in-office days would cut down on wasted trips in.
Sustainability
We go through a huge number of single-use aprons on the ward, many for tasks that don't need full PPE. Reviewing when they're actually required could cut waste significantly and support the trust's Net Zero targets.
Print quotas mean staff often print single-sided by default. Switching this to double-sided for patient information leaflets and internal paperwork would save a lot of paper.
You can read more about Trickles, and how to raise one here.