Virtual Lunch and Learn sessions that fit into busy working lives
In NHS Ayrshire and Arran, the Library and Knowledge Services team is helping staff stay informed, inspired, and evidence-based, without adding to their workload. Their vision, “Saving you time so you can save lives,” underpins a new initiative: Lunch and Learn, a series of short, TED-style webinars designed to fit into a lunch break and support continuous learning in a flexible, engaging way.
Making learning accessible and relevant
The idea was to support the organisation’s Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professions (NMAHP) strategy by offering bite-sized, on-demand learning that staff could access at their own pace. Topics were chosen by staff, ensuring relevance and broad appeal. The format was deliberately informal and multimedia-rich, helping to keep learning fresh and engaging.
Adapting to challenges with creativity and resilience
The project involved 12 different stakeholders, each producing unique content under a shared brand. Coordinating timelines proved challenging, as did securing all the originally planned contributors. Some dropped out or didn’t respond, requiring the team to stay agile and rethink their approach.
One key learning? The best talent often lies within. By tapping into internal expertise, the team not only delivered high-quality content but also strengthened relationships across the organisation.
Real impact across the board
For staff: The sessions are short, engaging, and tailored to their interests—making learning feel manageable and meaningful.
For patients: Topics like “The Patient Voice” and “Civility Saves Lives” directly support compassionate, person-centred care.
For the organisation: The initiative complements existing training, raises the profile of Library and Knowledge Services, and demonstrates a modern, flexible approach to professional development. It’s also helped the team upskill and expand their network across NHS Ayrshire and Arran.
Advice for others
NHS Ayrshire and Arran recommend:
- Plan well in advance
- Contact more speakers than you think you’ll need
- Look internally—your best contributors might already be in your network
How does this align with the Leadership Success Profile?
Developing capability by sharing responsibility and influence; and
nurturing self-sufficiency, belief, and collective leadership.
This initiative aligns beautifully with the “Enabling Outcomes” cluster of the Leadership Success Profile, particularly under the “Building capability” dimension. By making learning more accessible, the initiative supports staff to stay current and confident in their roles, ultimately improving outcomes for patients and the organisation.
The Scottish Government has published Improving Wellbeing and Working Cultures (IWWC), which sets out a vision to support and enhance local cultures across our health, social care and social work organisations through programmes of work at a national level that focus on the three pillars of wellbeing, leadership and equality. You can find out more about IWWC by reading this blog by Dr Elizabeth Kelly.
