This book describes a different approach. The society in which we live has become toxic, we should no longer simply be trying to survive it, we should be seeking to improve it. The coronavirus pandemic has given us an opportunity to reset. This book suggests the direction of travel we should take

Practical General Practice is a highly practical manual, specifically designed for use during the consultation process. Containing over 1000 conditions, the unique underlying structure of the book allows the GP to see immediately what treatment is recommended and why. All recommendations are highly specific - giving a firm guide to the GP during the consultation process rather than a list of possibilities that the GP might wish to consider

How do you manage daily stresses and could you be suffering from burnout? Dr Euan Lawson and Dr Adam Staten talk about the importance of decision latitude in burnout, physical activity, and mindfulness and the role of digital technologies and the benefits of digital minimalism. We also consider how hobbies can protect us and how essential sleep is. Listen in and find out how to avoid burnout and thrive at work.

In 1974 a researcher working in Tanzania tracked a group of seven chimpanzees, six males and one female, as they moved swiftly and silently through the jungle. They ignored the calls of another group of chimpanzees in the neighbouring territory and stalked towards the border dividing their territory from that of their neighbours.

In his seminal book about managing relationships, How to win Friends and Influence People, Dale Carnegie asserted that you can never win an argument. What he meant by this is, whilst you may win the point, the person with whom you’ve argued will resent you for it and, particularly with reference to working relationships, you will lose out in the long run. In the cold light of day this seems rational, even obvious, but holding onto this thought in the heat of conflict and acting accordingly is easier said than done.

‘Thank you for making that cup of tea, it really made a difference to me’; ‘I really noticed how you took the time to explain something to that family’; ‘I’m so grateful to have you as a colleague’; ‘that was a really good piece of work, well done’.

Guest Blogger Dr Fiona Day explores the role of positive psychological strokes in happiness at the workplace.

Guest blogger Dr Euan Lawson writes….

Our brain is always playing tricks on us. We think it’s on our side but often it’s on a track of its own, leading us to making a bad decisions or misinterpreting signals. Here are two biases that smoulder when burnout affects us, our families, or our colleagues.

The philosophical and political aim of increasing the happiness of the population is not new; Aristotle wrote about it over 2000 years ago and the pursuit of happiness was enshrined in the constitutions of both post-independence America and post-revolutionary France in the 18th Century. However, what is more novel is the development of specific policies and governmentally sponsored institutions geared towards achieving this aim.

Guest blogger Dr Mike Forsythe writes….

The tally chart scribbled on the back of an old patient information leaflet sits on the desk in front of me, and it doesn’t make any sense. There’s a happy face on one side, a sad face on the other, and beneath each poorly drawn emoji a collection of dashes providing a pictorial representation of my morning clinic; a clinic that has left me exhausted and demoralised.  There were sixteen patients in all, and I have been left with the overwhelming impression that the morning has been an unmitigated disaster.