by Jake Knapp

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 A friend and colleague recently asked a group for ideas and advice on how she could support her practice in their ambitions to improve patient access as they were planning to hire in an external organisation to help. Lots of ideas were suggested and, in the middle of the discussion, this book popped back into my mind. Written by 3 designers from Google Ventures, the venture capital branch of the company, it documents an intensive 5 day ‘sprint’ process to develop and test new ideas in an organisation.

Now, I know most general practices and healthcare organisations don’t have that a whole week to spend on developing and testing ideas for improvement… but what stuck with me was the realisation that – unlike most of my prior experiences trying to change things in my workplace –  quality improvement doesn’t have to take a long time. Although the time frames suggested in this book are a thing of fantasy for most teams there are still loads of ideas that can be taken and used individually as part of a (slower) QI process. Suggestions for rapidly understanding processes and problems, for developing creative ideas and consensus in decision making, and for quickly prototyping changes to get rapid evidence of impact (or lack thereof). This book won’t be for everyone, but for those interested in refining Quality Improvement processes it might be worth a look.

Will Owen, Next Gen GP

by By Charles Duhigg

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I’ve read this book twice in recent years, and both times have found ways to break some bad habits and start some good ones! Duhigg is responsible for me being able to drag myself out of bed at 5am in winter for a run- something I spent years trying to get into the habit of doing!

He presents the science behind habit formation in an easy-to-read way, and is optimistic about our ability to break them: “Once you understand that habits can change,” he concludes, “you have the freedom — and the responsibility — to remake them.” 

He makes his case by presenting fascinating stories and case histories. You’ll learn how and why Target can tell which of its female customers are pregnant before they tell anyone; how Rick Warren went from a depressed minister of a small congregation to the leader of one of the biggest megachurches in the world; and why Rosa Parks’s refusal to give up her seat started a movement when similar refusals by others had not.

I won’t spoil it for you….needless to say the “Power of Habit” is a fascinating read, and a permanent fixture on my bookshelf  to return to when I find those bad habits creeping back in. 

Nish Manek, Next Gen GP

by Hilary Cottam

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This inspiring book is based on a social activist’s series of experiments giving people the control to improve their own lives. At the heart of this way of working is human connection. Upending the current crisis of managing scarcity, we see instead that our capacity for building relationships to make sustainable, holistic change are abundant. Her research is painstaking and her practical examples are inspiring, casting a compelling vision for doing things differently. Definitely worth a read!​

Nish Manek, Next Gen GP

by Carol Dweck

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A thought-provoking journey through a lifetime of work into this fascinating subject. A greater understanding of  the fixed and the growth mindsets is definitely going to help me both in my consultations and within my leadership roles. 

Oblige your growth mindset for a few hundred pages and read this excellent book.

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Ed Klaber, Next Gen GP Jersey