Jennie Cox, GP registrar, Somerset

As those following the Next Generation GP twitter feed on Tuesday may be aware, my trip to the Unconference started pretty early. I made what I euphemistically refer to as the “silly o’clock” train from Bristol, coffee in hand, and managed to use the resulting bonus pre-event time to trundle around a few of the sights (after all a Somerset GPST3 has to hit at least a little Tourist Trail on a trip to the Big Smoke!)

 Once I arrived at the Oval, I was as such ready to face whatever else the day might have in store!

I had read Michael Marmot’s “The Health Gap” a few months earlier, and was fascinated by his assessment of economic and health inequalities. You may even have seen my short book review on the NGGP Facebook group and newsletters. As such I went into Dr Laura Neilson’s (@hope_citadel) Keynote session thinking I was on message.

I had read Michael Marmot’s “The Health Gap” a few months earlier, and was fascinated by his assessment of economic and health inequalities. You may even have seen my short book review on the NGGP Facebook group and newsletters. As such I went into Dr Laura Neilson’s (@hope_citadel) Keynote session thinking I was on message.

I was wrong. To paraphrase the immortal words of the Waterboys…

“I saw the crescent; she saw the whole of the moon” 

I am very honoured to have been manning the Twittersphere on behalf of the team, under the guidance of @aaliya_uk. This meant that I was aware of the collective reactions to Laura’s talk in real time.

To witness the power of her words on the crowd as she described her journey from gap year student to the development of Hope Citadel CIC– whilst finishing medical school, then working as a junior doctor, and bringing up her young family- was absolutely awe inspiring.

So many of us go into medicine with the aim ‘to help people’…but here is someone who has taken this to a new level, setting up 10 GP surgeries in a highly deprived area as a medical student, fuelled by a ‘holy anger’ towards the inequalities in her community. It was an incredible example of leadership transcending barriers of structures and seniority. The resulting standing ovation could not have been more well deserved. 

A final word on social media…

I would also like to use this blog to extend my thanks to @Aaliya_UK and the team for giving me the opportunity to help manage the views coming back to us on Twitter during the day.

Unlike some, I am only dipping my toes into the realm of social media and will admit to having been somewhat suspicious of such platforms before now. The lesson I will be taking forwards is that, if we use technology wisely, we can make connections with like-minded individuals…. alongside whom we have a far better chance to change the world.

I left the Oval brimming with ideas and enthusiasm, my phone still merrily bleeping with everyone’s excited reflections. We were encouraged to pledge to an action after the day, and I am well underway with mine already.

Despite completing the Bristol Next Gen GP programme this spring, and more recently becoming involved in arranging a new cohort, I admit I didn’t really know what I was letting myself in for with the Unconference. I merely intended to enjoy the experience…but the day surpassed any expectations I had.

I left with one particular sentiment resonating in my ears, which Laura Nielson quoted from Harry Potter: 

“We do not need magic to change the world. We carry all the power we need inside ourselves. We have the power to imagine better.”