Next Gen +: Nabs

NEXT GEN NABS: RACHEL STEEN

What role(s) do you hold at the moment?

I’m Rachel and I am a GP ST3 in Sheffield. I do a number of things alongside clinical work.

I run the Trailblazer GP scheme, supporting GPs working in areas of deprivation across Yorkshire and Humber; I sit on the RCGP Health Inequalities Standing Group; and I’m also part of a group of GPs who have created a website called fairhealth.

Fairhealth is a website which provides an educational resource for health professionals on health equity.

As part of this online resource, I have been developing a podcast (Finding Fairhealth) interviewing experienced colleagues sharing some inspirational and interesting stories on some of the challenges and solutions to tackling health inequity. I also tweet about health inequity so do get in touch!

What brings you the most joy at work?

Put simply, working with likeminded colleagues to improve the lives of others. If I feel like I have made even a tiny step to achieve that then Iusually finish the day with a smile.

What is your biggest challenge?

At the moment it is thinking about practical ways in which we can minimise the impact of Covid on those who are most vulnerable. We are already seeing that the most vulnerable are feeling the worst impacts of this disease. I am concerned about the long term ramifications of lockdown too.

What would you like to achieve by the end of your career?

Wow this is a big question and I could probably write an interview answer for this if I was pushed! In reality I hope to feel proud of the contribution I have made to society and still be in good enough health to have some fun in retirement.

What have you learned about yourself in lockdown?

I am not someone who finds it easy to stop and slow down but lockdown has rather enforced this. I have noticed spring flowers and new lambs in the fields more than ever. I have read more, painted a few pictures, and spent more time with my husband too. There is something rather soothing when I am not at work knowing that there is no fear of missing out or nowhere else to be.

What are you reading at the moment?

I have just finished reading Nancy Klein’s “Time to Think”. I have been dipping in and out of this book for ages. Lockdown seemed an appropriate time to finish it. Her concepts are simple but I’ve already noticed a huge impact on how I think about conversations, meetings and decisions in and outside work. For anyone, who likeme, finds it difficult to prioritise stopping and taking time to think, this is a good ‘un.

……and (no judgement) the last film you watched..

My husband and I are keen fell runners so we watched a film about a runner called Kilian Jornet summiting Everest in (nearly) record time. He arrives in the middle of the night and has to run straight back down so doesn’t get much chance to look at the view. It seemed such a shame after all that effort. His achievement is incredible but I did wonder about all the sacrifices he made to get there and why he was so driven to achieve this. It reminded me to think about the ‘why’ in what I do and alsohow important it is to enjoy the journey and view on the way there. I also definitely don’t fancy climbing Mount Everest, I’ll stick to slowly plodding up hills in the peak district!

Who do you look up to? 

I am currently working with a leader who I know believes in me. They manage to be supportive and allow me to explore my own interests and opportunities but also hold me to account with high expectations. I don’t think they have ever forgotten to say thank you for something I have done or ask me how I am when we haven’t caught up for a while. It’s the small things that make a big difference.

NEXT GEN NABS: SAM FINNIKIN

What role(s) do you hold at the moment

Currently, I’m a salaried GP for 5 sessions a week, I work as a senior clinical tutor at the University of Birmingham and I am a Fellow for Evidence and Values at the RCGP. I am also joint Hon-Sec for the Midland Faculty of the RCGP and I undertake research in my spare time.

What brings you the most joy at work?

Generally, it’s seeing something I’ve said, done or written having an impact. Whether it be advice I have given a patient resulting in meaningful benefit, or a piece of research influencing policy; I just revel in the knowledge that, from time to time, something I do has a positive influence on the world.

What is your biggest challenge?

Turning my ideas into reality. I have no problem coming up with research ideas, or ways in which I could lead meaningful change in the system, but I struggle with converting these ideas into action. Some of this is due to lack of funding or time, and sometimes it’s just not knowing where or how to start. But it’s something I am working on….

What’s the best leadership/career advice you’ve ever recieved?

That’s a difficult one. I find it difficult to pick out single pieces of advice, they all go into the mix and get mulled over in due course. But I know a lot of people worry about imposter syndrome and I remember someone pointing out that if you’re in a room, at a table, or involved in a discussion, whatever the forum, you are there for a reason. Someone has invited you to contribute. Someone else values what you have to say, so just say it. You may feel that your contributions are na ve or simple, but that’s your own ideas come easily to you – others are likely to value yourcontributions more highly.

Who do you look up to?

So many people. Forced to choose, I’d pick David Haslam as the type of leader I’d like to be. His compassion and generosity are clear, and he’s had a tremendous positive impact on healthcare in this country. When he speaks, he always says something worth listening to. I also admire the research, writing and advocacy of Victor Montori.

 What would you like to achieve by the end of your career?

In the last year or two I’ve given up planning my career. I found that my plans were getting derailed too frequently and I was devoting too much emotional energy to them. Iam now keeping an open mind and taking advantage of opportunities that come myway. So what I want to achieve by the end of my career seems an impossible question toanswer; I don’t know what I want to achieve in a years time! However, I would like to have played a part in leading the rebalancing of the medical model. Reducing the reliance onmedicine and healthcare and putting patients back at the centre of everything we do.

What have you learned about yourself in lockdown?

I’ve gone through all sorts of emotions over the last few weeks. Initially, I was frustrated at not being able to do more. Not being able to lead research, contribute to service planning, bring about positive change. I watched colleagues achieve great things whilst I was struggling to balance my existing commitments let alone take on newresponsibilities. But then I learnt to relax and recognize what’s important and my ownlimitations. I’m not good at relaxing….yet.

What are you reading at the moment?

Honestly, I’m not reading anything at the moment. So I’m going to answer my own question. “What book have you read recently that shows everyone else that you’re a thoughtful and intelligent human and you think everyone else should read?” That’s easy: Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman. It’s not easy, but it’s fascinating and relevant to anyone who wants to understand people better (including themselves).

……and (no judgement) the last film you watched..

Thelast film I watched was JoJo Rabbit. I love the humour in Taika Waititi’s films.

NEXT GEN NABS: DUNCAN SHREWSBURY

What role(s) do you hold at the moment?

I am now working as an academic GP – so I run the Clinical Practice component of the BSMS undergraduate course as one of their senior lecturers, and spend 2 days a week in clinical practice.

Just back in December I changed jobs, stepping down from my role as Local Medical Director – which was hard to do, but absolutely the right decision: I have since joined a small family practice, and feel right at home.

What brings you the most joy at work?

The balance of the two different aspects of my working week keep me on my toes and ensure that I never get bored of either. The best bits in GP are when I feel like I have made a difference to someone…sometimes that can be from being clever (or more likely lucky) with a diagnosis, sometimes (more often) it can come from just being, on ‘their side’ and listening.The university work is challenging and keeps me learning about leading growing and dynamic teams, especially in light of shifting sands, pressures and goal posts (having to re-write an entire term of teaching to work virtually in just a couple of weeks, with no access to the usual university resources, is just one such challenge)!

What is your biggest challenge?

One of the hardest things I have had to do is join an organisation in a leadership role, just as a programme of re-inspection is begun by the CQC. Some aspects of the organisation had been rated as needing special measures, whereas others were ‘unsatisfactory’. I had never had anything to do with a CQC inspection before, and felt many many pairs of eyes looking to me to see where it would go this time.

What I found made the best difference for me (I guess, compared to what people had experienced before in the orgnaisation) was going in with a view that ‘nobody is as clever as everyone’ (least of all me) – so to get the team to share their ideas, concerns and wisdom. The nurses were worried that some numbers relating to their work didn’t seem to tally with their experience, some of our admin team had great ideas about how to set up systems for recalling patients on certain registers. Taking all this on, I found that the way data had been managed and collected mis-represented immunisation and cancer screening rates, and found that there were some clunky bits of processes that were getting in the way of proactively caring for some patients with chronic diseases…most of which were easy to implement once the ideas were laid out and shared.

What’s the best leadership/career advice that you’ve ever recieved?

Be approachable. Be kind. Listen, and help people to feel heard and valued. Also: follow your gut. If something doesn’t feel right, it quite probably isn’t

Who do you look up to? 

Gosh… this caught me out – tricky, as it is so easy to compare yourself to others and massively admire what they do…but this can be a double edged sword, and sometimes I think we can often ache to emulate something that is not reasonable for us to follow in our own pair of shoes (if that metaphor makes sense)… There are some incredible academics and clinicians that I admire, and sometimes would love to be more like… but actually, I think it is important to acknowledge that it is ok to really appreciate bits of lots of different people you see around you… without necessarily holding that image as an icon on a pedestal to which you wish to aspire… 

What would you like to achieve by the end of your career?

Gosh… at the moment it is difficult to think beyond next month… World Peace?  ….no, but seriously: I would hope that my work within medical education and community healthcare would see a positive change in the way wider determinants of health are recognised and addressed, especially for marginalised groups. This touches on some of the curriculum reforms I have led in undergraduate medical education, and some of the work I have done with the RCGP and UK government on LGBT+ health inequalities.

What have you learned about yourself in lockdown?

Ugh…that I am nowhere near as good at baking as I thought I was… Also (shock) I am too much of a social being to thrive in isolation!

What are you reading at the moment?……and (no judgement) the last film you watched..

My brother bought me a book called Straight Jacket, although I am making slow progress with it. It does touch on many shared experiences in the gay community and offers some poignant observations.The last film I watched was Hidden Figures. I absolutely love Octavia Spencer, and she is just fabulous in this film – although it does (along with The Help) hold up a mirror to us as a species – how we treat others…there is a risk of seeing some of those patterns as being relegated to the ‘past’…somehow distant from our concern and responsibility…but there are troubling ripples to be seen in the present day at home as well as farther afield.

NEXT GEN NABS: JULIA HEMPENSTALL

What role(s) do you hold at the moment?

I am a GP in a rural practice in Wiltshire, Clinical Leadership Fellow at Wessex LMCs, Clinical Lead for a diabetes transformation project across Wessex, palliative care GP doc for weekend cover at a hospice and part time primary school teacher while schools are closed!

What brings you the most joy at work?

Working and connecting with people – be that friends, colleagues or patients.

What is your biggest challenge?

Usually juggling everything, I am a person who is always looking for opportunities and doesn’t say no to anything so my diary can get a bit hectic. Life in lockdown has been a change in the pace of life but it has remained varied, inspiring and mostly fun. Juggling the home contract to include home-schooling 3 children has definately provided the biggest challenge recently.

What’s the best leadership/career advice that you’ve ever recieved?

Oh that is hard to distil into “the best”, especially as the Next Generation GP programme gives you the opportunity to hear so much!! My top favourites are: It is often easier to ask for forgiveness than permission. Always aim to be the “best you” even in testing scenarios. Surround yourself with a great team. Recognise and understand your personal strengths so you can use them wisely and don’t have to try to be someone you are not, because ultimately that is exhausting and unsustainable. Investment in self growth is not self-indulgent – look for coaching opportunities and find a mentor. Use 10% of your income keeping your household going!

Who do you look up to? 

I am very fortunate to have had so many role models in my medical career to date and many who I currently work with. Before General Practice I spent 4 years living in New Zealand and I have since developed a leadership crush on their prime minister Jacinda Ardern. I find her compassionate leadership inspiring to watch.

What would you like to achieve by the end of your career?

A balance that has left me with a satisfied feeling that I have made a difference across all parts of my life.

What have you learned about yourself in lockdown?

I am not a good primary school teacher for my own children, it is ok “to just be” meaning I can find happiness and fulfillment without rushing around all the time, I am not very good at icing cakes, I do miss human face to face company but you can achieve so much on a video call so I can see that without driving around I will be able to fit in even more when lockdown relaxes!

What are you reading at the moment?……and (no judgement) the last film you watched..

Lockdown has been good for reading as I am finally reading “Black Box Thinking” by Matthew Syed which was recommended to me ages ago and I am really enjoying it. Last weekend I watched “Knives Out”, and it’s a brilliant who dunnit with a great cast and good twists…I would definately recommend as a good lockdown watch.