Talking digital health

Charlotte Lewis quizzes co-host and IP law expert Sophie Burton-Jones to demystify intellectual property for digital health innovators.They break down IP rights, NHS guidance, and more to help you navigate the digital health landscape. Discover why understanding and protecting your IP is crucial to avoid accidental disclosure, ownership disputes, and investment due diligence issues.Listen to this podcast from Mills & Reeve as our experts break down IP rights, NHS guidance, and more to help you navigate the digital health landscape.

Neurodiversity Week took place last week (March 16-22, 2026). To mark the occasion, Sophie and Charlotte explore how neurodivergence affects the way digital health tools are used in busy NHS settings. Speaking with Band 7 Resuscitation Officer Matt Taiano, they discuss why user‑centred design, accessibility and inclusive implementation are critical to adoption. They talk patient safety and equity, and why digital tools need to work for everyone, especially in high‑pressure clinical environments.

Sophie and Charlotte are joined by Heather Cook, a system leader shaping access, prevention and innovation at Scale, and member of the Tech UK Health and Social Care Council.They discuss the key milestones in Heather's career in digital health, from leading global technology information proframmes to scaling high impact digital health businesses.

We're back for 2026, exploring more key topics for those procuring technology in the NHS and those selling tech into the NHS.This month, Sophie and Charlotte are joined by their colleague Amanda Narkiewicz, healthcare regulatory partner at Mills & Reeve, and Lucy Buckley, founder of the Digital Health Assurance Company. They discuss whether or not tech and digital health providers are subject to CQC regulation.

Welcome back to our 2025 roundup where Sophie and Charlotte are looking back over their favourite moments of the year.This episode focuses on selling to the NHS, with advice on:ComplianceMedical device regulations and recent changesGetting your terms ready for the UK regulatory landscapeBidding for NHS contractsNHS pilotsWe hope you've enjoyed Talking digital health. We will be returning next year with even more exciting guests to discuss key topics of interest to those procuring tech in the NHS and those selling tech to the NHS.

Sophie and Charlotte look back over their first year of Talking digital health by picking their favourite episodes.They'll provide clips on the best advice they received in their NHS digital transformation series, including:The role of clinicians in digital transformation projectsGetting ready for re-procurementStakeholder engagementSupplier relationship managementLessons learned from and digital wards programmeCompliance, security and assuranceTune in for part 1. In part 2 next week, we'll be looking over highlights for our selling to the NHS topics.

Welcome to the first episode in our "In conversation" series!NHS cancer doctor and health tech entrepreneur Dr Derrick Khor joins Sophie and Charlotte to share his journey from frontline oncology into digital innovation. The conversation explores the founding of Medical Consulting Group, the power of clinician-industry collaboration, building community through LinkedIn, and the realities of balancing clinical work, business, and family. A special focus is given to women’s health, the gender health gap, and why meaningful change in healthcare must be driven by purpose as well as profit.

What’s new in medical device regulation?Stephanie Caird, life sciences partner at Mills & Reeve, returns to update Sophie and Charlotte on the latest regulatory changes affecting med tech companies, including developments linked to the NHS 10-year plan. As AI adoption accelerates and innovation continues to reshape the NHS, tune in to learn what developers need to watch out for and how to stay compliant in a fast-evolving landscape.

Sophie and Charlotte are joined by special guest Alex Lawrence, an Improvement Fellow in the Innovation and Improvement Team at The Health Foundation. Alex co-authored The Health Foundation's recent report on electronic patient records (EPR), which includes interviews with five Trusts and one US medical centre on their usage of EPRs. The team discuss the key findings of the report and why the NHS urgently needs a roadmap to reap the benefits.

In this episode of Talking digital health, Charlotte and Sophie are joined by their colleague Gayle Curry, health partner at Mills & Reeve, to explore NHS pilots from a tech supplier’s perspective. They unpack what pilots really mean, how to set them up for success, and why partnering with existing suppliers may be a smarter route to market. From contract essentials to the NHS 10-year plan, this episode offers practical insights for health tech innovators navigating procurement, regulation, and adoption in the NHS.

Sophie is joined by Tracey Laforte, a key figure in digital transformation at University College London Hospitals (UCLH).Tracey and Sophie explore the evolving landscape of supplier relationship management within the NHS. Tracey shares insights into how strategic partnerships, data-driven decision-making, and collaborative innovation are reshaping procurement and supplier engagement in healthcare.Whether you're in public sector procurement, digital health, or supply chain strategy, this conversation offers valuable lessons on building resilient, future-ready supplier ecosystems.

Sophie and Charlotte are live from Amsterdam as they attend HLTH Europe 2025.To discuss NHS tech pilots and adoption, they are joined by conference speakers Rishi Das-Gupta and Paul Jones.Rishi is the Chief Executive at Health Innovation Network, an organisation focused on spreading innovation, which has been proven to improve patient outcomes or staff experience. Paul is the Chief Digital and Information Officer at Leeds Teaching Hospitals where he leads a team of more than 400 digital, IT and information specialists delivering vital services.

Sophie and Charlotte are joined by Temi Akitikori, chief medical officer who was previously the clinical lead for the Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trusts' EPR programme.Digital transformation should be clinically led. This episode focusses on NHS digital transformation and the role of the clinical team, as well as the impact a successful digital transformation programme can have on clinicans and clinical teams. 

Sophie and Charlotte are delighted to be joined by David Hancock, an independent consultant working with the NHS on the definition and implementation of interoperability standards.Tune into our discussion on digital transformation in the NHS and specifically the drive to improve interoperability and the sharing of data between systems and organisations within the NHS and the wider health and social care setting.

Sophie and Charlotte are joined by special guest Charlotte John, a digital healthcare transformation consultant who specialises in supporting teams with their secondary care pathways, digital strategy, and system-wide transformation, ensuring that innovation is not only adopted but truly works for the people using it.Tune in to hear Charlotte's top tips for engaging and supporting people within an NHS organisation that are embarking on digital transformation projects. 

Nathalia Perera is back this week with even more specialist advice on public procurement law in regards to healthtech, specifically on bidding for NHS contracts.Sophie, Charlotte and Nathalia talk about how is best to get on NHS frameworks when you're ready to start selling a new healthtech product to the market. Note: This episode was recorded before the Procurement Act 2023 came into force.

This week, Sophie and Charlotte discuss getting your standard terms ready and compliant with the UK regulatory landscape when you're developing a new health tech product for the NHS.Listen to their key points on what tensions may arise between suppliers and customers and how to break into the wider public sector.

This week Sophie and Charlotte are joined by Nathalia Perera, Mills & Reeve principal associate who specialises in public procurement law. Sophie and Charlotte take on the role of a client preparing for re-procurement on one of their existing digital health contracts. Nathalia, their expert adviser, answers questions on what can go wrong if you're not prepared, things to bear in mind and how to run a compliant re-procurement process.Note: This episode was recorded before the Procurement Act 2023 came into force.

Sophie is joined by Dr Vivian Yiu, consultant nephrologist at West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust, as they talk about digital transformation in the NHS.Vivian shares with us what a virtual ward is and how she procured and implicated her first virtual ward for certain care pathways in 2022.

In the second episode of Talking digital health, Sophie is joined by Stephanie Caird, a partner in the Mills & Reeve life science team who specialises in med tech, to discuss medical device regulation and what you should be thinking about, and when, if you're developing a new health tech product for the NHS.

Welcome to our new podcast from Mills & Reeve, "Talking digital health", hosted by health and tech lawyers Sophie Burton-Jones and Charlotte Lewis. In our first episode, Sophie and Charlotte are joined by Nadia Kadhim, co-founder and CEO of NAQ, an automated compliance platform for organisations in the medical sector, as they delve into compliance related issues when selling technology to, or procuring technology for, the NHS. This episode will help answer your questions on requirements, security and assurance, and highlight critical considerations to keep in mind.