Shows
SoWhoCaresAnywaySo Who Cares Anyway E32 The Power of StoriesWhat happens when your story becomes your strength, and your strength becomes a force for change?
In this episode, I’m joined by Tracey Robinson, occupational therapist, coach, and founder of Mother Nature Coaching. Tracy shares her personal story of postpartum psychosis, the fear of being sectioned, and the long road to recovery and the quiet courage it took to rebuild. Tracey’s story didn’t just shape her healing; it ignited a passion to transform perinatal mental health from the inside out.
We reflect on the power of peer support, the importance of informed choice...
2025-11-2055 min
SoWhoCaresAnywaySo Who Cares Anyway E31 Whose Shoes? Bringing my creativity to workWhat happens when creativity meets courage, and co-production becomes a colourful invitation to think differently?
In this episode, I’m joined by Gill Phillips, whose journey spans social care, poetry, podcasting, and the creation of the Whose Shoes? co-production tool. Gill brings a rich tapestry of lived experience, from frontline practice to strategic roles in local government, woven with personal resilience and creative defiance. A cancer diagnosis became a turning point, sharpening her resolve to challenge jargon and tokenism in public services. What emerged wasn’t just a board game, but a vibrant tool for change: Whose Shoes? A pl...
2025-11-061h 00
SoWhoCaresAnywaySo Who Cares Anyway E30 With Passion & PurposeIn this episode of So Who Cares Anyway? I’m joined by Dr Jihad Malasi GP, educator, mental health lead, and global health strategist. Jihad shares how early experiences of complexity and conflict became a driving force behind his leadership, and how passion and purpose continue to shape his clinical, community, and systems work.
Jihads story unfolds into a career shaped by systems thinking, relational leadership, and a deep commitment to equity. We explore the NHS as a cultural institution, the invisible architecture of care, and the layered interplay between medicine, economics, and the humanities.
Jihad reflects on...
2025-10-2350 min
SoWhoCaresAnywaySo Who Cares Anyway E 29 Inclusive Future in Your PocketWhat happens when digital dignity meets lived experience, and co-production becomes a tool for trust, autonomy, and health creation?
In this episode, I’m joined by Dr Naveed Iqbal, GP, humanitarian, and founder of Triton Health, a platform shaped by and for people with learning disabilities. From refugee camps to frontline care, Naveed shares how fear became realism, neutrality became survival, and persistence became a way to work with the impossible.
We explore gamification as a therapeutic tool, Kiki the AI companion, and why learning disability nurses are quiet heroes whose value is recognised abroad but underplayed at...
2025-10-0956 min
SoWhoCaresAnywaySoWhoCaresAnyway E28 Creativity is like a compasWhat happens when trauma meets creativity and poetry becomes a way to survive, teach, and transform?
In this episode, I am joined by Thomas Delahunt, also known as The Hobo Poet, a neurodiverse A&E nurse, educator, and writer whose work spans trauma care, narrative teaching, and poetic reflection. From chaotic classrooms to Canterbury theatres, Thomas shares how creativity became his compass, guiding him through personal healing and professional transformation.
Together, we explore the concept of creative therapeutics, the emotional labour of nursing, and the power of art to deconstruct trauma, alter egos and rebuild...
2025-09-2552 min
SoWhoCaresAnywaySoWhoCaresAnyway E27 The Penalty of IgnoranceWhat happens when knowledge is out there, but inaccessible, unshared, or simply not embedded where it matters most?
In this episode, I am joined by Sue Lacey Bryant, former Chief Knowledge Officer for the NHS in England and Visiting Professor at Manchester Metropolitan University. From childhood stories of missed bus routes to national strategy on knowledge mobilisation, Sue reflects on the emotional, ethical, and systemic costs of not knowing, and what it takes to turn information into action.
Together, they explore how knowledge mobilisation can move from theory to practice: through relationships, workflow design, and tools that...
2025-09-111h 09
SoWhoCaresAnywaySoWhoCaresAnyWay E26 Scales Are For FishWhat happens when we stop measuring health by the number on a scale and start asking what really matters?
In this episode, Ruth is joined by Helen James, CEO of Nutriri, whose work challenges the weight-centric culture of healthcare. From intuitive eating to trauma-informed care, Helen shares how stigma shows up in consultations, waiting rooms, and clinical pathways, and what it takes to shift the conversation.
Together, they explore how weight-neutral care, inclusive training, and behaviour-focused support can rebuild trust in healthcare. From chairs in the “naughty corner” to neighbourhood health hubs that replace slimming clubs...
2025-08-2856 min
SoWhoCaresAnywaySoWhoCaresAnyway E25 So Left Shift Should Be Easy, Right?What happens when two consultant geriatricians decide to challenge the norm, not just in clinical practice, but in how care is imagined, led, and lived?
In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Anna Folwell and Dr Dan Harman , whose work in Hull and East Riding is quietly reshaping what “left shift” really means. With clinical leadership rooted in community, they reflect on how integrated teams, co-location, and relational care can move us from pilot projects to lasting change.
Together, we explore what it takes to build trust across systems, how data and digital tools can su...
2025-08-141h 01
SoWhoCaresAnywaySoWhoCareAnyWay E24 Pushing Doors Open to Create Safe Spaces For LearningWhat happens when a GP invites the whole team, receptionists, managers, clinicians and more into a simulation room, and a few fluffy pandas make an appearance?
In this episode, I’m joined by, Dr Jane Roome GP, educator, and Simulation Faculty Lead in West Kent. With insight and a grounded sense of care, Jane reflects on she has pushed open doors to create safe spaces for learning that shift not just clinical practice, but safe cultures for learning in teams.
Together, we explore what it means to prepare emotionally for the work we do, to reh...
2025-07-3151 min
SoWhoCaresAnywaySoWhoCaresAnyway E23 The Harmony We Forgot in Chaotic SystemsWhen a consultant haematologist steps out of the system and walks into a forest, something begins to shift, in her, and in how she sees care.
In this episode, I'm joined by Dr Jane Stevens, Associate Medical Director at Darent Valley Hospital: clinical leader, organisational change-maker, and former haematologist. Jane’s journey through burnout, trauma, and rediscovery led her to Sophrology, Salutogenesis, and the creation of Out in the Fields, a retreat program quietly reshaping staff wellbeing across the NHS.
We explore what happens when we stop diagnosing dysfunction and start listening for vitality. It’s a...
2025-07-1743 min
SoWhoCaresAnywaySoWhoCaresAnyWay E22 Given wings to create ripple effectsAre you ready to make ripples, be creative, and develop an environment where everyone thrives?
In this episode, I am joined by Cheryl Young, an Advanced Clinical Practitioner and Professional Nurse Advocate working in Whitstable Medical Practice, a community-based Urgent Treatment Centre on the Kent coast. With over two decades of nursing experience, Cheryl brings a rich blend of clinical expertise and human-centred leadership and a fierce passion for making workplace wellbeing more than just a tick box.
From bluebell walks to balcony huddles, gratitude journals to recruitment innovation, Cheryl shares how a culture of...
2025-07-0345 min
SoWhoCaresAnywaySoWhoCaresAnyway E21 Would you like to put that wheelbarrow down?Are You Ready to Take Centre Stage?
In this episode, I am delighted and honoured to be joined by Barbara Stilwell who shares how the power of listening transforms people, communities and countries, why healthcare systems around the world are deeply interconnected, and why we all have a role in shaping better solutions for communities—whether in nursing, public health, or beyond.
Barbara Stillwell is a globally recognised nursing leader and health workforce specialist. From pioneering nurse practitioner development in the UK to shaping international healthcare policies at the World Health Organization (WHO), she has been...
2025-06-1051 min
SoWhoCaresAnywaySoWhoCaresAnyway E20 The Silent Strength of Resilient TeamsAre you ready to consider what resilience means and how to develop resilient teams?
In this episode, I am delighted to be joined by Grace Cook, a Person-Centred Practice Facilitator at the Foundation of Nursing Studies (FoNS), to explore how Resilience-Based Clinical Supervision (RBCS) shapes workforce wellbeing, recruitment, and person-centred care.
Grace shares how she worked with Professor Gemma Stacey during her PhD research, which led to the development of RBCS, offering structured reflection for nursing professionals.
This episode links closely to previous discussions with Rebecca Myers, exploring the cost of emotional labour...
2025-06-0347 min
SoWhoCaresAnywaySoWhoCaresAnyway E19 Flying in ever decreasing circles“Are you ready to stop looking for problems to fix and start asking the right questions? What matters most to you, and how can I help you achieve that?”
In this episode of So Who Cares Anyway, I speak with Diya Sharma, a postgraduate researcher, associate lecturer at Canterbury Christchurch University, and advocate with Muscular Dystrophy UK. Diya’s journey challenges deep-seated assumptions about disability, happiness, and autonomy, demonstrating that true freedom begins with choice, not circumstance.
Despite facing ongoing physical and social barriers, Diya refuses to be defined by her wheelchair. Her passion for travel p...
2025-05-2248 min
SoWhoCaresAnywaySoWhoCaresAnyway E18 Seeing People for Who They AreAre you ready to have a friendly conversation to discover people for who they are?
In this episode of #SoWhoCaresAnyway, I chat with and Aaron Tebano, two inspiring Learning Disability Student Nurses from the University of Winchester. They are advocating for the profession of Learning Disability Nursing to empower, support, and advocate for people rather than define them by their challenges.
Together, we discuss:
The importance of not losing sight of people. Friendly conversations help us recognise individuals for who they truly are—seeing their strengths, passions, and aspirations rather than asking, “What’s wr...
2025-05-1552 min
SoWhoCaresAnywaySoWhoCaresAnyWay E17 Start with what's strong, not wrongAre you ready to take a challenge, starting conversations with three people in your own community?
In this episode I am delighted to be joined by Cormac Russell, a global leader in Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD). In this episode we explore how communities can shift from focusing on needs and deficits to recognising strengths and assets, ensuring change is driven by local people, relationships, and existing resources. Cormac talks about how, by ensuring that people are defined by their gifts they can actively contribute and interact within their own community. Cormac explains the true meaning of community...
2025-05-0956 min
SoWhoCaresAnywaySoWhoCaresAnyway E16 Talking Today, Preparing for TomorrowIn this episode, I have the pleasure of speaking with Harry Bannister, a Specialist Nurse in Organ Donation, Who works for NHS Blood and Transplant. Amongst other things Harry talks about how he guides families through some of the hardest moments of their lives, reflecting on the weight of these conversations, where families are asked to make life-changing decisions while navigating overwhelming grief.
Harry highlights the importance of fully understanding organ donation and having conversations with loved ones. Preparing for what we hope will never happen, but knowing decisions are best made in advance
Harry e...
2025-05-0139 min
SoWhoCaresAnywaySoWhoCaresAnyway E15 Breaking the Status Quo Through Place-Based LearningWhat if healthcare wasn’t just about clinical expertise and procedures, but about learning within communities and building networks to truly understand people's needs?
In this solo episode, I take you on a swift tour of my personal journey—one that started with a childhood dream of nursing and evolved into a mission to reshape how learning happens to meet the needs of people in ways that work for them. From frontline nursing in the 1980s to leading place-based learning initiatives, I explore how embedding learning cultures within systems can drive people-centred, integrated care.
In this e...
2025-04-2418 min
SoWhoCaresAnywaySoWhoCaresAnyway E14 Igniting CuriosityAre you ready to be curious, listen to naïve questions and explore the answers?
For too long, research has been seen as something reserved for “clever people,” locked behind academic walls and inaccessible to frontline healthcare workers. But what if research was really just about asking the right questions—even the seemingly naïve ones?
In this episode, Claire Pegg, joins me on #SoWhoCaresAnyway breaking down the mystique of research, redefining it as an act of curiosity rather than expertise and taking a wider systems thinking #DoWith perspective. Together we explore how research transforms healthca...
2025-04-1749 min
SoWhoCaresAnywaySoWhoCaresAnyway E13 Making Mischief, Mobilising ChangeAre you ready to make mischief?
What if growing older wasn’t about limitations, but about possibilities? What if care focused not on what you can’t do, but on everything you still can?
In this episode of SoWhoCaresAnyway, I welcome Angela Catley, a passionate disruptor in social care, who has spent her career challenging the status quo and sparking bold conversations. Angela, with Sian Lockwood, is now leading conversations on When I Get Old to push for more choice, dignity, and purpose as we age.
In this episode we uncover the massive gap betw...
2025-04-1036 min
SoWhoCaresAnywaySoWhoCaresAnyway E12 The Story Behind The StoryAre you ready to listen to a story and uncover the untold?
In this episode of #SoWhoCaresAnyway, I explore with Paul Stepczak how co-production and asset-based community development can transform the way communities and services work together. At its core, this approach is about listening—not just hearing words, but truly understanding the stories behind the stories, gaining real insight into people, their lives, concerns, and what matters to them.
Recognising people as assets rather than problems to solve, Paul embraces a real #DoWith approach—where collaboration isn’t imposed but built with communities.
Paul...
2025-04-0339 min
SoWhoCaresAnywaySoWhoCaresAnyway E11 The Natural Health ServiceAre you ready to take a walk and listen to the birds?
In this week’s episode of SoWhoCaresAnyway, I’m joined by James Metcalfe, CEO of the North York Moors Trust, to explore the transformative power of nature. With James we are taken on a journey to discover why reconnecting with the outdoors isn’t just a luxury but a crucial necessity for improving the health and wellbeing of individuals and communities.
James’s passion really shines through as he shares his journey from Westminster as an Advisor to a leader at the North York Moo...
2025-03-2752 min
SoWhoCaresAnywaySoWhoCaresAnyway E10 Leading with the HeartAre you ready to discover the true power of systems leadership?
In this episode, I’m delighted to be joined by Heidi Edmunds, Clinical and Operations Manager at Whitstable Urgent Treatment Centre. Having known Heidi since 2016, I’ve had the privilege of witnessing her incredible journey and the transformative impact her leadership has had—not just on her team and organisation, but across the wider healthcare system.
Heidi’s story is one of growth, dedication, and innovation. With over two decades of experience in urgent and emergency care, she has evolved from a newly qualified nurse to...
2025-03-2042 min
SoWhoCaresAnywaySoWhoCaresAnyway E9; The Five GiantsEmma Snow - Episode 9
The Five Giants
In this fascinating episode of #SoWhoCaresAnyway, meet Emma Snow CEO of The Five Giants Foundation. Emma shares her remarkable journey—from working in prominent roles within a variety of charities to navigating her own challenges as an end-of-life care patient with Huntington’s disease. These experiences fuelled her passion to embed #SystemsThinking, an approach that focuses on understanding and addressing interconnected challenges, into health and social care.
Emma takes us on a captivating journey, driven by passion and discovery, as she uncovers #TheFiveGiants, originally introduced in the Be...
2025-03-1341 min
SoWhoCaresAnywaySoWhoCaresAnyway E8 Connecting People, Creating Hope
Are you ready to be awed and inspired?
In this next episode of #SoWhoCaresAnyway, Dr Mark Spencer takes us on a transformational journey that starts with listening and litter picking and ends with creating hope and having fun.
Mark has been a GP in Fleetwood, a small ex-fishing town on the northwest coast of England, for over 30 years and is now the clinical director for Fleetwood Primary Care Network. Witnessing the decline in his community’s health and wellbeing after the fishing fleet's decommissioning in the 1970s, Mark set out to ignite change by...
2025-03-0653 min
SoWhoCaresAnywaySoWhoCaresAnyway E7 When the drugs don’t workIn this episode of "So Who Cares Anyway?" I am excited to introduce an insightful conversation with Sarah Trust, a clinical pharmacist who works across five general practices within one Primary Care Network.
Sarah shares her evolving perspective on prescribing and how her experience has shaped her approach to patient care. "The more experienced I get, the less I prescribe," she states, emphasising the importance of supporting people to understand their condition and the medications they take, and in turn, understanding each patient's unique context, finding the most effective ways to support their health and well-being.
2025-02-2741 min
SoWhoCaresAnywaySoWhoCaresAnyway E6 An Inconvenient TruthIn this next episode of "So Who Cares Anyway?" I am thrilled to introduce Dr Rebecca Myers, an incredible advocate for healthcare transformation.
Having first encountered Rebecca on LinkedIn, where she shared an insightful article co-authored with Alison Leary titled "Why are healthcare professionals leaving NHS roles?" I knew I had to invite her to discuss this further. As I read this article, so much of what it said resonated with me from my own personal experience of working as a nurse in the NHS.
Rebecca, a registered nurse with a strong community background, is a...
2025-02-2043 min
SoWhoCaresAnywaySoWhoCaresAnyway E5 Heratige and Health?In this next episode of SoWhoCaresAnyway, I am delighted to introduce Phil Ward, director of the Eastern Applied Research Consortium https://easternarc.ac.uk/ Having first met Phil in 2020, I became intrigued by how a collaborative of research-intensive universities might support the health and wellbeing of their communities. My initial thoughts were, heritage and health? How does that link? But as Phil explains in this episode, the work of the Eastern ARC is much broader, and its impact on health and well-being is vast. So, listen in to hear more about how, under Phil’s leadership, four key focus ar...
2025-02-1341 min
SoWhoCaresAnywaySoWhoCaresAnyway E4 No Transformation without workforce transformationWelcome to another episode of "So Who Cares Anyway" Where I am delighted to introduce my extraordinary guest, Kim Manley. Kim has had a huge impact upon me, how I work, think, and what I do, supporting and challenging me along the way.
Kim’s impressive career includes establishing multi-professional consultant practice, seamlessly integrating professional expertise, system leadership, embedded research, and workforce transformation. In this episode Kim shares her insights into this practice, emphasising the development of consultant practitioners who are empowered to act as collaborative systems leaders with the credibility and influence needed to drive transformation. Ba...
2025-02-0644 min
SoWhoCaresAnywaySoWhoCaresAnyway E3 Being a respectful disruptorIn this episode, I am delighted to be joined by Farah Virani. Farah, who worked as an orthoptist for ten years, shares how her redeployment during the Covid-19 pandemic was a moment of awakening. She witnessed the real challenges and complexities faced by people working in large organizations and the cascade of ramifications one decision might have.
Since then, driven by her passion for hearing and supporting others, Farah has taken on roles where she can be creative, respectfully disruptive, ask powerful questions, and lead transformative change. From tackling a Darzi Fellow challenge, listening to 4,684 people and...
2025-01-2937 min
SoWhoCaresAnywaySoWhoCaresAnyway E2 #DoWithIn this second episode of #SoWhoCaresAnyway I'm delighted to introduce Adam Lent, a senior consultant in the leadership and organisational development team at the King's Fund. In this episode Adam will introduce the #DoWith movement. Recognising the innovative and impactful work that people are doing Adam discuss the challenges of achieving these innovations that focus on doing things with people, emphasising what matters and works for them—whether they are people in our communities or frontline staff providing care.
Join us as Adam shares insights, inspiring stories, and launches the #DoWith movement.
“Don’t take the st...
2025-01-2344 min
SoWhoCaresAnywaySo Who Cares Anyway E1 From Silence to VoiceFrom Silence to Voice: The Journey of Professionalisation with Dr. Debbie Reid
In the inaugural episode of 'So Who Cares Anyway?', host Ruth introduces Dr. Debbie Reed, a Reader at the Faculty of Science and Medicine at King's College London. Dr. Reed shares insights from her extensive career, beginning with her tenure in the Royal Navy, her pivotal role in professional development at the University of Kent, and her current work at King's College. Central to the discussion is the concept of professionalisation, the importance of continuous education, and how occupations evolve into recognised p...
2025-01-1644 min