The Healthcare Today Podcast

Our guest today is Vanessa Emslie, chief medical officer at women's health and longevity company Willbe. Today, we’re taking a precision medicine approach to perimenopause, talking about the rapid change in the adoption of hormone replacement therapy, shifting clinical barriers and the “revolving door of patient attrition”…

Our guest today is Dr Lauren Struszczak, senior scientist at the British Nutrition Foundation. With obesity costing the NHS an estimated £6.5 billion annually, GLP-1 medications can help people living with obesity. But while these medications can support weight loss, they do not directly address dietary quality, which is fundamental to improving health in both the short and long-term. Today, we’ll be talking about how the rapid rise in the use of GLP-1 marks a shift in the treatment landscape for obesity care and why nutrition is central to supporting patients on weight-loss medications...

Our guest today is Professor Greta Westwood. A registered nurse of over 40 years, Greta has been the chief executive of the Florence Nightingale Foundation since 2019. A passionate proponent of the incredible work done by nurses and midwives across all sectors, Greta believes that, as the NHS looks to expand nurse-led care to reduce waiting times and tackle workforce shortages, nurses and midwives can lead new pathways using new technologies to ensure consistent and timely patient care. Today, we’re talking about the evolving role of nurses and the leadership needed to support them as they take on expanded clinical responsibilities…

Our guest today is Ian Wharton, the founder and CEO of Aide Health, an AI-driven health technology company helping to enable patient self-management… Following a 20-plus year career focussing on design and innovation, Ian places a duty of care on those living with chronic conditions and using Aide’s products to manage their health. Today, Ian makes a compelling argument that the future of healthcare lies not in more appointments, but in supporting the 99% of life that happens between them…

Our guest today is Olivia Burns, an independent healthcare consultant, healthtech entrepreneur, and a long-term NHS patient. As one of the first UK survivors of Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome, Olivia has undergone a total of 21 surgeries including three novel open-heart surgeries at Birmingham Children’s Hospital. This significant lived experience, combined with a desire to innovate, led her into the inaugural intake of the NHS Patient Entrepreneur Programme, where she plays a key role in championing patient involvement in medical innovation and policy development. Olivia is the founder of Hypoplas, a medical design company that reimagines patient care through dignity, sustainability, and practical design. Her star product - a redesigned, patient-centric hospital gown - secured Innovate UK funding, international design rights, and commercial licensing agreements. Today, we’re talking about the development of Hypoplas and how her own experiences led to its creation, while also covering the incredible importance of patient dignity, how it can lead to faster recovery, and how it can often be overlooked...

Our guest today is Darren Kilroy, medical director at RLDatix, a tech and AI firm offering solutions to better improve patient safety outcomes. A former Deputy Medical Director at East Cheshire Trust and Executive Medical Director in Chester, he has a particular interest in exploring the intersection of technology and human-centred care. Today, we’re talking about the currently available tools for job planning, the invisible shift in clinical work, and why consultant time is still being wasted…

Our guest today is Fiona Hazell, the chief executive of Leukaemia UK. Responsible for leading the charity's strategic goals and driving progress for people affected by leukaemia, Fiona is charged with raising awareness of the devastation caused by blood cancers. The fifth most common cancer type in the UK and the third largest cause of cancer deaths, blood cancers are nevertheless consistently overlooked in a system designed around stageable, solid tumours. Today, we’re talking about the government’s new National Cancer Plan, the vital importance of early diagnosis and a hope for real change…