Tech Pulse Healthcare: Transforming Healthcare with XR & AI

We speak with Lesley Soden about selling and scaling within the NHS.

Great conversation on the latest TechPulse Healthcare episode with Lesley Soden, Director at Succoris and former NHS innovation leader. Her background in NHS innovation and commercialisation brings a grounded perspective on what it really takes for healthtech to gain traction in the real world.We talked about why adoption is so hard in the NHS, what founders often get wrong, and why stakeholder engagement, evidence, procurement, and co-designed deployment matter so much. We also explored the role of AI, digital health, and innovation in improving care without losing sight of the operational realities.A really practical and honest discussion for anyone building, funding, or supporting healthtech.#TechPulseHealthcare #HealthTech #DigitalHealth #NHSInnovation #AI #Podcast #HealthcareInnovation #Commercialisation

Sonya Cullington on why patients feel "understood" by AI vs clinicians

TechPulse Healthcare: Transforming Healthcare with XR & AI Episode with Sonya Cullington MA MSc – Cyberpsychologist, NHS Communications AI Network Co-Chair In our first 2026 episode, Sonya Cullington reveals why AI adoption in NHS communications is stalling – despite 230 million weekly ChatGPT health queries from patients. From GP receptionist (complete with filing cabinet nostalgia) to European Parliament policy lead and Number 10 COVID misinfo campaign, Sonya brings battle-tested insight to: • Why patients trust "confidently wrong" AI more than clinicians • Cyberpsychology's role in tech adoption (it's 90% human behaviour) • The NHS Communications AI Operating Framework – ethical principles that work • Judgment frameworks > tool hype (Copilot licenses don't magically transform) • "Design for the AI-powered patient" – clinicians must adapt to reality Sonya debunks myths, shares failures, and gives practical steps for health tech innovators working with the NHS. Hosted by Atif Nasim & Jonathan Probets

Listen to how a patient used ChatGPT to self-diagnose a life threatening illness which doctors missed,

A mother. A healthcare executive. A near-fatal medication error.Two hospital IT systems couldn't talk to each other — and it nearly cost Kristen Valdes her daughter's life.That moment changed everything.Kristen left her secure career and founded b.well Connected Health — now the company powering health data connectivity for OpenAI's ChatGPT Health.We had the privilege of sitting down with Kristen on the TechPulse Healthcare Podcast this week, and the conversation was extraordinary.Here's what stuck with me:🔹 Her daughter has a rare disease that costs $550,000/year to manage. The family imports one medication from another country to save $250K/year. This isn't theory — it's their daily reality.🔹 b.well Connected Health has connected 2.4 million providers, 340 payers, and 600+ wearables into one platform — the largest connected health data footprint in the US.🔹 Kristen helped change US federal law to give patients the right to access their full health record through any app of their choosing.🔹 Her new initiative "Kill the Clipboard" lets patients push their medical records to any doctor via QR code. No more filling in forms at reception.🔹 Her boldest prediction? "It will soon be negligent for doctors NOT to use AI when diagnosing and treating."And here's what hit home for me personally — I went with my mother to an NHS appointment last week. In one department they had her details wrong. Different data in the same hospital. I'd assumed fragmented health data was a US problem. It isn't.Whether you're in healthcare, tech, or just a patient navigating the system — this episode is worth 30 minutes of your time.

Listen to Kez Spelman, Director for Innovation at Provide Community, tell us how Realwear was used to double throughput of patients seen. Listen to the Full episode for more insights from Kez

Innovating in healthcare when services are already at breaking point sounds impossible – but that’s exactly what this week’s Tech Pulse Healthcare episode is about.​In Episode 2 of Season 2, we sit down with Kez Spelman, Director of Innovation and Community Resilience at Provide Community, an employee‑owned Community Interest Company delivering NHS and local authority services. We talk honestly about what it takes to bring XR and AI into frontline care when “there’s a lot to do across a large area, and not enough people to do it.”​In this conversation, you’ll hear:🔸 Why extreme pressure in the NHS is actually forcing new ways of working rather than killing innovation​🔸 How RealWear smart glasses are used to virtually “bring another clinician into the room” and safely delegate tasks​🔸 A powerful case where podiatry teams doubled their throughput overnight by pairing newly qualified staff with remote experts​🔸 The real blockers: connectivity, wearability, licences and recurrent investment – not just “culture”​🔸 Where automation and AI can genuinely free staff, from back-office bureaucracy to AI‑driven data retrieval at the point of care​🔸 Kez’s take on agentic AI, guardrails, and why healthcare still sits behind defence and finance in most tech roadmaps​If you work in the NHS, digital health, XR, or are trying to scale innovation in complex systems, this one is for you.

In Episode 9, we sit down with Ryan Aga, System Director of Clinical Simulation at HealthPartners. Discover how simulation is reshaping patient safety and training in healthcare. Ryan explains why, in many organizations without simulation, clinicians are effectively practicing on real patients—contrasting this with aviation where pilots spend more time in simulators than in the air. Learn about VR/XR, high-fidelity mannequins, task trainers, actors, using simulation to pressure-test care pathways, the economic case for simulation, and democratizing simulation globally.

In Episode 8, we speak with Nils Hellberg (CTO) and Luke Willets from VIRTI, providers of award-winning immersive XR solutions for the healthcare industry. Learn how VIRTI's enterprise learning platform is revolutionizing healthcare training through VR and AR. Discover real-world applications in clinical education, how immersive technology improves learning retention, and the future of healthcare workforce development through extended reality.

Episode 7 features Dr Umang Patel, Chief Clinical Information Officer at Microsoft UK and Paediatric Doctor. Discover his journey from paediatrician to healthcare innovation leader at one of the world's largest tech companies. Learn about AI in healthcare, responsible AI practices, mitigating biases, improving patient outcomes, and the critical importance of collaboration between clinicians and IT teams. Explore how technology can empower healthcare workers and address workforce challenges.

In Episode 6, we speak with Professor Sam Vine, Professor of Applied Cognitive Science at the University of Exeter. Learn about the formation of Synion and their evidence-based approach to healthcare innovation. Discover cutting-edge applications of eye tracking technology in surgery and exposure therapy. Explore the challenges of using eye tracking as a measurement tool and how cognitive science is improving clinical outcomes and surgical training

Episode 5 features Dr Oliver Runswick, Deputy Director of BSc Psychology at King's College London and Principal Investigator at MORPH Lab. Discover how immersive technology is being used in sports science, particularly in cricket with England Pathway players. Learn about XR applications for exercise perception, rehabilitation challenges, tackling COPD and fear of exercise, home-based immersive exercise, XR's role in mental health, and teaching XR in academia. Explore career paths for students in immersive technology and healthcare.

In Episode 4, we discuss innovation in healthcare with Ryan Kerstein, Consultant Plastic Surgeon, Medtech & Innovation Leader, and Entrepreneur. Topics include why plastic surgeons innovate, building a culture of clinical innovation, the Brain (Bucks Research & Innovation Hub), XR and VR initiatives in healthcare, making innovation pay within the NHS, how AI will transform healthcare, and preparing future clinicians for technological change. Learn about supporting medtech startups and the intersection of clinical practice with consulting at BCG

In Episode 3, we speak with Professor Jag Dhanda, Maxillofacial/Head and Neck Consultant Surgeon and Founder of VRiMS. Discover how VRiMS is revolutionizing surgical training and medical education through XR technology. Learn about groundbreaking work bringing immersive surgical training to Africa, addressing global healthcare equities, and using virtual reality for complex surgical procedures. Professor Dhanda discusses the future of medical education and how XR is democratizing access to world-class training

Join us as we speak with Nick Perez, Director of Digital Innovation and Transformation at Torbay and South Devon NHS Trust. Nick shares inspiring stories of his pioneering work integrating XR technology into healthcare delivery. Explore how the NHS is leveraging immersive experiences to improve patient outcomes, enhance clinical training, and transform care pathways. Discover practical insights from real-world implementations and lessons learned from digital transformation in healthcare

In the inaugural episode of Tech Pulse Healthcare, host Atif Nasim shares insights into the challenges facing the XR industry and the founding story of Immersive Horizons. Discover how this company was created to address critical obstacles in extended reality implementation within healthcare settings. Learn about the barriers to XR adoption, scaling challenges, and innovative solutions for integrating immersive technology into clinical practice

Prof Bob Stone is an XR Pioneer since 1987, Emeritus Professor & Human Factors Specialist., "XR's loveable curmudgeon"In this episode of the Tech Pulse Healthcare podcast we sat down with Prof Bob Stone, an XR pioneer with nearly 40 years of experience across defence, healthcare, space, and heritage—and one of just 10 people inducted into the AWE XR Hall of Fame in 2024 (the only British/European in the inaugural class).What struck me most? After four decades, Bob is still saying the exact same things about XR adoption that he was saying 30 years ago. And very little has changed.Here's what we discussed:The Human-Centred Design DifferenceWhy the MIST surgical trainer became the de facto standard across Europe for 10 years (hint: no headsets, no gloves—just a screen and laparoscopic instruments)How 4 afternoons watching a surgeon work beat years of technical iteration. The critical difference between putting humans first and keeping them involved throughoutWhy Headsets Are Killing AdoptionContact lenses, AR, and neural interfaces are the actual future—not fancy consumer headsets The real barrier? Getting people to wear bulky equipment they don't trust when you take VR into hospitals, care homes, hospices, full headsets are impractical and counterproductiveThe Hype Trap (Then and Now)VR nearly died in the late 90s due to false promises. We're repeating the exact same cycle today the tech is good. The content can be created. The problem is implementation and people—not the technology itself.What Actually WorksThe Wembury Bay project: nature-based VR for physical and mental restoration, now deployed globally (Hawaii, Arctic, UK hospitals)—started as a small project for amputees returning from the Middle EastMotomed + VR + spriometer = measurable patient outcomes. Why iterative design with real users changes everythingThe Bottom LineWe're leaving massive value on the table in healthcare XR adoption. The tech isn't the bottleneck. People, processes, and human-centered design are. And if we don't learn from the last 30 years, we'll keep repeating the same failures.If you're working in healthcare tech, XR implementation, or digital health, this is essential listening.Special thanks to Prof Bob Stone for 40+ years of wisdom and for calling the industry out on what actually matters.