Anxious People

Send us Fan MailWhat does justice look like when the system itself is flawed?In this episode, I'm joined by GP partner, LMC co-chair and patient information writer Dr Pippa Vincentto discuss Just Mercy, the powerful memoir by Bryan Stevenson, lawyer, activist and founder of the Equal Justice Initiative. First published over a decade ago, Just Mercy remains as relevant and thought-provoking as ever. Through his work representing people on death row, Bryan Stevenson exposes the deep inequalities, systemic racism and miscarriages of justice that continue to shape the criminal justice system in the United States. We discuss the extraordinary persistence required to challenge institutions that seem unwilling to acknowledge their mistakes. Our conversation also reflects on the wider themes of the book: how childhood experiences shape adult lives, the impact of trauma, the purpose of punishment, and society's tendency to reduce people to the worst thing they have ever done. We discuss the treatment of children within the justice system, the reality of life on death row, and the uncomfortable questions the book raises about rehabilitation, compassion and human dignity.

Send us Fan MailA really warm welcome today to Sawsan Saeid. who's here to talk about The Measure by Nikki Erlick. I'm embarrassed to say I've not come across this novel before. And if you know me in real life, you will know that I have been raving about it ever since Sawsan got me to read it because it is absolutely phenomenal. We had so much to talk about!Don't worry, there aren't any spoilers in this podcast, and e hope you'll open the book read and and think about whether you'd "open your box..."We mention the RCGP-NCCH SIG which can be found here: https://www.rcgp.org.uk/about/communities-groups/creative-healthand Nicola Gill's amazing website: https://www.theartofmedicine.co.uk/The charity Sawsan works for is here: https://www.tortureid.org/

Send us Fan MailMissFit Writes is a Pakistani author and creator based in Dubai exploring South Asian womanhood, faith, identity, and grief. Her debut book, I Did Not Survive. I Just Refused To Stop., is a moving collection of personal poetry and essays capturing the resilience of navigating life between different cultures.

Send us Fan MailWhat happens when a failed bank robbery becomes an accidental hostage situation, trapping a group of strangers in an apartment viewing over the festive period?In this episode, I'm joined by GP Dr Sophie Gerring to discuss Anxious People by Fredrik Backman, a novel that combines humour, mystery and humanity in equal measure. Together we explore why this deceptively light-hearted story has become such a favourite amongst readers and why its themes resonate so strongly with life in medicine. We talk about first impressions, hidden stories, loneliness, prejudice and the assumptions we make about other people. We are both delighted by the way Backman gently challenges readers to reconsider what they think they know about his characters, and how that mirrors our experiences as clinicians meeting patients every day. Our conversation ranges from retirement and identity, to relationships, parenthood and community.  As GPs, we also find ourselves reflecting on uncertainty, the limits of expertise and Backman's suggestion that so much of adulthood involves "making it up as we go along". What can healthcare professionals learn from a group of ordinary people finding their own way through an extraordinary situation? Whether you're already a Backman devotee or picking up Anxious People for the first time, this is a joyful conversation about compassion, connection and the stories that sit beneath the surface.

Send us Fan MailWhat do we reach for when our heart is broken, and reading an entire novel feels completely beyond us?In this episode, I welcome back poetry anthologist Ana Sampson to talk about her wonderful new collection, You Can Do It With a Broken Heart, a book of poems for anyone weathering the end of a relationship.Ana and I talk about why poetry can be particularly powerful when we’re distressed: short enough for a depleted attention span, but capable of delivering an emotional gut-punch in just a few lines. We explore the strange universality of heartbreak, from the devastation of a first teenage breakup to the grief, rage and disorientation of losing a relationship later in life. We also discuss the five stages Ana uses to shape the collection, moving from It’s Going Wrong through I Miss You and the gloriously necessary I Hate You, before reaching Picking Up the Pieces and A New Dawn. Not because recovery is ever neat or linear, but because sometimes we need a poem that meets us exactly where we are. Along the way we talk about reclaiming places haunted by memories, the comfort of discovering that someone else has felt what we are feeling, and why the arts may sometimes have more to offer a broken heart than conventional medicine. There’s also Wendy Cope, Edna St Vincent Millay, Derek Walcott, Sophie Hannah, the therapeutic possibilities of bedazzling, and the excellent concept of a "bedazzle and bitch” party.A warm, funny and very honest conversation about heartbreak, poetry, friendship and the gradual discovery that, eventually, there might just be a glimmer of light again.

Send us Fan MailIn this episode of Bedside Reading, I’m joined by Emily Tammam to talk about Virginia Evans' The Correspondent, a novel told through the letters and emails of 73-year-old Sybil Van Antwerp. What begins as a conversation about a wonderfully prickly older woman and the lost art of letter-writing takes us into much deeper territory. Emily is  a writer, painter and speaker. She has a background in lactation support and now works across research, mental health support and children's palliative care. She  Her daughter Neve was diagnosed with brain cancer and died after being supported by children's palliative care, an experience that has profoundly shaped Emily's subsequent work and writing.We talk about writing as a way of making sense of our experiences, and about what letters might leave behind when we are no longer here. We explore Sybil's relationships, including the value of friendships across generations and the importance of the wider, chosen families who may sometimes provide something our biological families cannot.At the heart of our conversation is grief. Emily and I discuss how the death of a child changes not just an individual but relationships across a whole family, and whether grief and trauma sometimes need to be understood as related but separate experiences. We wonder how much attitudes to bereavement have changed between generations, and what happens when loss becomes something that simply cannot be spoken about.

Send us Fan MailThis week Tara is joined by fellow GP Francesca to discuss Lisa Ridzén’s beautiful and heartbreaking novel When the Cranes Fly South.Bo is an elderly man determined to remain in his own home, surrounded by his memories and, most importantly, his beloved dog Sixten. But as he becomes increasingly frail, his son and carers have different ideas about what is best for him.Tara and Francesca talk about ageing, family relationships, continuity of care and the difficult balance between keeping somebody safe and preserving the things that make their life worth living. They also consider a question that sits at the heart of both the novel and good healthcare: what matters most to the person themselves? There’s also discussion of dogs, difficult sons, wonderful carers, the joys and perils of audiobooks, and why this relatively short novel resulted in quite so many tears.A gentle, moving book that stays with you long after you’ve finished it.

Send us Fan MailI think Michelle Hills' book The Wrong Order of Things is a contender for my non-fiction read of the year in 2026. It is so readable. It is so engaging. It is funny. It is moving. It is kind. Michelle is an absolute inspiration. I have absolutely loved my conversation with her today and I can't tell you how much I loved The Wrong Order of Things. It is, ostensibly, a book about children's palliative care. But it is that. and so much more. It's about living well. It's about humour. It's about connection and love and life. It really is one of the most brilliantly life affirming and beautiful books that I think everybody should be reading and I have absolutely loved talking to Michelle.Follow Michelle on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/michellehills_dr/

Send us Fan MailCaroline Litman's memoir, Her Name is Alice, was one of my top reads of 2025. And so it feels like a real honour today to welcome Caroline herself to Bedside Reading to talk about her absolutely brilliant book.This is a memoir. It is about Caroline's life. She's a former doctor, turned Pilates teacher, turned writer and activist. And it is a book about her family.It's a book about her daughter, Alice, who died by suicide at the age of 20. It's a book about grief. And it's a book about identity and most particularly the fact that Alice was trans and the difficulties that Alice had in articulating this and then in receiving anything like appropriate care.There are so many lessons that we can learn from this book, and I feel really privileged that Caroline has chosen to come and join me today talk about it.It's a book I will never forget. it is absolutely brilliant, and I would thoroughly, thoroughly recommend it.The systematic review Caroline recommends is:Society for Evidence-Based Gender Medicine. The “Utah Review” of Hormonal Treatments for Gender-Dysphoric Minors: A Methodological Appraisal. April 2, 2026. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19388024

Send us Fan MailWelcome to Season 13 of Bedside Reading.In this episode, I am delighted to be joined by Dr Helen Haynes, to discuss her novel A Bridge Across Minds: Mental Illness, Grief and the Fragile Brain.Helen is an old age psychiatrist and, as the saying goes, writers are often encouraged to write about what they know. Set on an older adults' psychiatric ward, this is not a textbook or a clinical guide. Instead, it is a beautifully written work of reflective fiction that explores mental illness, grief, relationships and the complexities of being human. It is a thoughtful and compassionate novel that I thoroughly enjoyed reading.This conversation feels particularly timely. On 17 September, we mark the Memorial Day for Healthcare Professionals Who Have Died by Suicide. Helen felt strongly that we should acknowledge this day and the important conversations it prompts.Healthcare professionals face an increased risk of suicide, and many colleagues may be struggling in silence. In this episode, we reflect on the importance of recognising distress, supporting one another, and ensuring that help is available when it is needed.Although we touch on themes of mental illness, grief and suicide, this is ultimately a conversation about people, their lives, and the importance of compassion, connection and support. We hope listeners will find it thoughtful and hopeful rather than depressing.As we approach 17 September, we encourage everyone to take a moment to remember colleagues who have died by suicide and to familiarise themselves with the support services available for healthcare professionals.Resources and SupportLinks to resources, support services and information about the Memorial Day for Healthcare Professionals Who Have Died by Suicide can be found below.https://www.practitionerhealth.nhs.uk/national-suicide-memorial-day