Charlie Jones

It can take months, sometimes years, to truly see and understand a person, a place or a culture at depth. There are no shortcuts without immersion — the more intimate and consistent your entanglement, the sooner patterns appear.

A question I ask in the context of chronic health conditions is:

What do you need to be more at peace?

Most responses fall into two themes: (1) is about access to medical care when needed; & (2) is about being heard & understood.

Both of these seem do-able, but sadly in reality are often missing.

Part of ending Psychology work can be to explore & work through disappointment. Maybe there was hope that the sessions would lead to a much improved life, or some amazing eureka moment. IME it's more realistic to find a quieter & bumpier process of acceptance, which includes a lot of grieving.

Aw I'm sorry. Yeah the geography of where everyone is is such a thing isnt it. Growing up I was very close to one set of grandparents- scrabble & music & ginger cake. For my kids, seeing their grandparents is an 'occasion', both about 2hrs away. My mum always says she wishes we could 'just pop in'😃😔

YES.
I have the same thing every day & i love it.

Called in to see Nana & Grandad. Aww. Isn't it brilliant that kids can make people's day by just turning up & being themselves. It's special that.

It's good for the soul Sarah.
Been a good day.
Hope you're ok, sad times I know. Sending best wishes👋

Mm😋 it was a bit brisk to hang around. Kinda walking at an angle. Fresh!

Hey Michael 👋
Moody. Wild. Churning...
And excellent hot choc x

🤍thank you

Getting out of Bristol today & heading down to East Devon. The plan is just to see the sea & feel the breeze. And take it from there. It's a "wrap up warm" day. The boys will be climbing on the rocks, we'll be chucking pebbles into the sea. Have a lovely day folks👋

It's very easy to talk a good game about valuing kindness, listening, empathy, relationships etc. And i mean, who would disagree?

But what about actually walking the walk?

Too many times, i've experienced people promoting these important ways of being, but not actually enacting them.

We're a tiny psychology team in the NHS. Our ability to function & offer a decent service has been really impacted by a loss of admin & management support. Our clinical resource hasnt reduced but our ability to be organised & effective has. And stress levels have gone up. This is happening all over.

Hi Tom yeah i'm with you thanks. I had a note from a friend today saying she'd had a meeting cancelled last minute, & while she was glad of the extra time created, she noticed how she'd been really looking fwd to seeing some colleagues. Important we notice & appreciate these little interactions. bw

Heading into winter, I'm reminded today how sustaining good work relationships are. Might just be the few minutes of chat before or after a meeting. Someone asking you about family, or remembering what's been going on for you. Making the time for a cuppa. Little moments of care that matter so much.

This is great. Love the point Benna makes about the skills deficit in having tricky conversations. People avoid these, instead seeking the 'safety' of sticking to formal processes, but actually a rigidity with formal processes can contribute to unsafety.

This work could be so transformative in nhs👏

Hi Steve yeah I remember this one, it's excellent. Gives me hope tbh reading something that 'gets it'. It feels validating thank you.

Yes i agree with you mike. I wonder if creating & holding space, with the intention you describe, is an important step.
Have a lovely day🖐️

I've been aware of it for yrs, but identifying a next step (out of it) I've found virtually impossible. The status quo is powerful, & I also need to recognise my privilege (maybe privilege reduces my urgency?). I'm in the process of trying to reduce my work to have more time/space (again, privilege)

Hi Mike, isnt this the frame that's fed to us all the time "things cost money, so more money = more things." It’s understandable to all of us (& most pressing to people in poverty). More hidden are power structures, vested interests, short-termism.
How do we meaningfully step outside of this frame?

👋Steve thanks for great piece.
There's so much simplistic, clickbait about NHS. I appreciate your critical thinking.

I've often heard the phrase "we wouldnt design it this way, it's just how things have evolved". There's surely room for more intentional design, & then backing that up with resource.

The mythbuster: A classic tale of NHS process failure Taking the time to find out how the NHS really works reveals huge opportunities for improvement, but too few leaders and policymakers bother to do so.

Grand strategy and top down visions won't fix the NHS. Paying attention to how typical clinical processes are designed and managed might:
www.hsj.co.uk/daily-insigh...

Thinking with a person "how can you get your needs met?" opens up questions like

Do my needs even matter?
How do my needs show up in relationships?
Do I tend to put others' needs before my own?
How can I communicate my needs?

It's often more complicated & emotional than it seems, & it's important.

Hey Lesley oh that's great re Level 2 training standards. I always cite the Level 2 training as 'what's possible' when i'm talking to colleagues in diabetes, gastro, etc. Cancer is miles ahead in terms of embedding psychological thinking throughout. Sets a brilliant example. Good on you guys🙏

The *experience* of healthcare is psychological- what someone feels & understands, what someone believes, how someone engages & relates. It's core to everything.

The proposed 'neighbourhood' health service model presents an opportunity to really front load psychology & psychological thinking.

Ah Jen, sending peaceful wishes to you. Night night.

There are patients i see where there's just stuckness, or limbo. Situations where there's no solution or different way of thinking about it, there's no clever question that's gonna unlock some new insight. It's a case of hanging in there- being alongside. It's hard for everyone. And it's possible.

🤣🤣LMAO

Classic honesty from the 10yo-

Me: "you call that 'shabby chic'"

Him: "you should call it 'old & knackered & needs repainting'"😆

YES, totally that👍