Episode 6 – Keeping the Momentum
Mini-Series 2: Making It Work

Starting is one thing. Sustaining? That’s where the real work lies.

In this final episode of the Making It Work mini-series, James Johnstone explores what it really takes to keep change alive in your GP practice — long after the project buzz fades and real life takes over.

Because just like a patient who stops their inhaler when they start to feel better, practices often let go of the routines that made them stronger. Slowly, the old problems creep back in.

This episode is about preventing that relapse — keeping your improvements breathing, your systems stable, and your team motivated.

In this episode:

• Why most improvements slip back — and how to spot the early warning signs.
• Turning short-term projects into embedded habits.
• Building visibility, ownership, and accountability into your systems.
• Using celebration and feedback to keep motivation alive.
• Guarding against drift through reviews, induction, and “symptom spotting.”

You’ll hear practical ideas and examples drawn from real practices — from five-minute huddles and “Friday fixes” to creating visible change logs and celebrating the wins that matter.

Because sustaining improvement isn’t just about efficiency — it’s about trust, resilience, and creating the headspace to lead rather than firefight.

James breaks down the tools and mindsets that help you:
✅ Make change stick.
✅ Keep staff engaged and proud of their progress.
✅ Build a culture where improvement becomes the everyday habit — not the occasional project.

Reflection prompts:

• Which of your recent improvements are already starting to slip?
• Do your team know the impact of their efforts?
• Who owns your systems, and how do you keep them alive?

As James puts it: “Momentum isn’t something you find. It’s something you maintain.”

This episode closes the Making It Work mini-series, following:

• Ep 4 – Finding the Wins That Matter
• Ep 5 – Working Smarter, Together

Together, these three episodes guide you from finding your first quick wins to embedding lasting systems that free your team to focus on patient care.

Next time, we shift from stability to growth — helping you move from inward focus to outward leadership as a future-focused GP Partner.

💬 Connect & Learn More
James Johnstone is a Primary Care Transformation Manager and Business Consultant. Through his consultancy, freemeup SOLUTIONS, he helps GP Practices tackle operational challenges, enhance efficiency, and strengthen financial performance — freeing GPs to focus on the business behind the care.

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🔗 Visit www.freemeup.co.uk
📧 info@freemeup.co.uk

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