The Healthcare Today Podcast

AI as a tool to reduce the admin burden with Harvinder Power

Our guest today is Dr Harvinder Power, a practicing clinician, and the co-founder and CEO of Motics, a healthcare automation platform that provides AI agents for clinical documentation, billing, and patient communication.
With its potential to streamline admin, increase capacity and provide a better patient experience, today we’re talking about how artificial intelligence can help private clinics scale without raising their operational cost…

Why AI is the real test case for women’s health with Paula Bellostas Muguerza and Elena Bonfiglioli

Our guests this week are Paula Bellostas Muguerza, Global Lead of Healthcare and Life Sciences at Kearney, and Elena Bonfiglioli, Global Business Leader for Healthcare, Pharma and Life Sciences at Microsoft.
According to the World Economic Forum, women spend 25% more of their lives in ill health than men. Additionally, only 5% of medicines are properly tested for use during pregnancy… As AI becomes part of everyday healthcare, there's a real risk these tools could lock in that inequality for another generation.
In this episode, Paula and Elena make a compelling case that the path to closing the women’s health gap doesn’t just run through more funding or policy change - it runs through better data.

The power of play for older adults with Ted Fischer

Our guest today is Ted Fischer, chief executive of Ageless Innovation, a tech firm aiming to improve the lives of older adults through the power of play.
As health systems grapple with ageing populations, staff shortages and rising demand, non-pharmacological ways of wellbeing support are being sought out…
This is what led Ted to explore the potential of robotic companion pets. Today, we’re talking about why technology designed to bring joy may have a more serious role in modern care than many assume…

A precision medicine approach to perimenopause with Vanessa Emslie

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”…

GLP-1s and the importance of nutrition with Lauren Struszczak

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...

How AI and nurse-led care can reduce waiting times with Greta Westwood

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…

Between moments of formal care with Ian Wharton

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…

A design for patient dignity with Olivia Burns

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...

The illusion of staffing with Darren Kilroy

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…

The National Cancer Plan and leukaemia diagnosis targets with Fiona Hazell

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…