Episodit
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In this episode, I speak with Douglas Hamandishe about the challenges and potential innovations within the NHS. Douglas brings a wealth of experience and a diverse background, including roles as a mental health nurse, CCIO, broadcaster, creative director, and local councillor. His insights are deepened by an engineering background and his practical, hands-on understanding of healthcare systems.
Douglas highlights the difficulties patients face when managing their health independently for most of the year, often with minimal support. He critiques the outdated digital tools and documentation still prevalent in healthcare, emphasising their inadequacy in supporting patient care.
Delving into the structural issues within the NHS that hinder significant innovation. Douglas is critical of the lack of transformational leadership and the resistance to change that persists within the system. We discuss the importance of feeling safe and valued within one's community and the need for sustainable practices, including supporting UK-based industries and addressing public health issues like noise pollution and domestic violence.
Douglas shares his vision for a strong manufacturing and engineering base in the UK, coupled with sustainable energy and British-owned industries. He reflects on how past industry losses have impacted communities, leading to anti-social behaviours and a distrust of authority. They also touch on the lack of trust in health services, especially during the early stages of COVID-19, and how this has further harmed minority communities.
Moving to mental health care, exploring its evolution from a more authoritarian model to a collaborative and autonomy-focused approach. Douglas critiques the current state of mental health facilities and the imbalance between clinician-led care and patient autonomy in electronic patient record systems. His vision for the future includes home-based care and increased emphasis on self-management, supported by monitoring devices.
Douglas also stresses the importance of addressing social determinants of health, advocating for a ‘well-care system’ that considers housing, education, and food as fundamental to overall well-being. Extending to discrimination within the NHS and suppliers, highlighting the need for accountability and the negative impacts of mistrust in technology. He commends the Jabali Men's Network for their work in challenging discrimination and calls for broader action to drive change in the sector.
Lastly, reflecting on Douglas's career journey—from engineering to mental health nursing—and his ongoing passion for digital transformation in the NHS. He underscores the necessity of holding authority figures accountable, fostering allyship, diversity, and inclusion, and simplifying communication within the sector.
If you found this episode informative, don't forget to leave a review and share your thoughts. Thank you for tuning in!
The Digital Ecology Podcast is part of the Talking HealthTech Podcast Network, your go-to audio destination for the latest in healthcare delivery, innovation, digital health, healthcare ICT, and commercialisation. Discover more at talkinghealthtech.com/podcast/network.
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In this episode, I speak with Matt Boazman, the Chief Executive of Birmingham Women's and Children's Hospital, about the evolving landscape of digital transformation in healthcare, focusing particularly on the crucial role of third sector organisations in engaging diverse communities. Matt, who brings a wealth of experience from his position at a prominent healthcare trust, delves into the intricacies of integrating digital strategies to improve healthcare outcomes and patient care.
We start our conversation by exploring the digital health inequalities present in Birmingham. Matt discusses the demographic variations and the socio-economic factors that are pivotal in shaping the trust's digital initiatives. He emphasises the importance of tailor-made strategies that account for this diversity to effectively address health disparities.
Shifting to the capabilities of healthcare staff and organisational investments in training. Matt underscores the meticulous efforts in upliftment of staff competences to bridge the digital divide, ensuring all personnel are equipped to handle the advanced technologies introduced in the healthcare setting.
Matt speaks about fostering a conducive environment for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the healthcare sector, highlighting the necessity of a seamless ecosystem that supports collaboration and integration across different stakeholders.
Furthermore, delving into the practical aspects of implementing new programs and technologies. Matt shares insights on the Electronic Patient Record (EPR) system's deployment within his organisation, describing it as a cultural shift rather than just a technological upgrade. He articulates the importance of redesigning care processes and the strategic investments needed to harmonise digital initiatives with broader organisational goals.
Finally, Matt reflects on the psychological and cultural impacts of these technological integrations on his trust and board. He provides a thoughtful overview of the balance required between innovating for efficiency and maintaining a human-centric approach in healthcare.
If you found this episode informative, don't forget to leave a review and share your thoughts. Thank you for tuning in!
The Digital Ecology Podcast is part of the Talking HealthTech Podcast Network, your go-to audio destination for the latest in healthcare delivery, innovation, digital health, healthcare ICT, and commercialisation. Discover more at talkinghealthtech.com/podcast/network.
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In this episode of Digital Ecology, I speak with Aahuti Rai, a remarkable voice and advocate for women's health and a proponent for sustainable innovation in digital health. Aahuti shares with us her extensive experience in digital transformation across different sectors before focusing her expertise exclusively on health tech.
With Aahuti's background in large multinational corporations, she brings a wealth of knowledge in leveraging technology to enable large-scale innovation. We navigate through a range of topics, including the pivotal role of women in healthcare innovation, the need for more female investors, and addressing the gender and sex-based disparities that pervade medical research.
Delving into the goals and formation of the Mental Health Innovation Network, which strives to foster transformative solutions in mental health by connecting a multifaceted community of innovators, researchers, and investors. This network champions diversity, uniting stakeholders from startups, the NHS, investment realms, academia, and charitable organisations to grapple with common challenges faced within healthcare innovation.
Aahuti gets to the heart of the matter by stressing the importance of first principles in women's health and recognising conditions that uniquely affect or disproportionately impact women. Shedding light on the uphill battle many women-led startups face, especially those founded by those from underrepresented backgrounds. Underscoring the need to keep women's health at the forefront of public discourse, she calls for ongoing advocacy and improvement in both national and international health strategies.
Finally, Aahuti weighs in on the sustainability of business models in digital health, suggesting systemic changes and government intervention as potential accelerators of progress. Despite the optimism for consolidation and sustainable capital flows, we touch on the risks of hype-driven innovation and the importance of maintaining foundational quality in digital health solutions.
If you found this episode informative, don't forget to leave a review and share your thoughts. Thank you for tuning in!
The Digital Ecology Podcast is part of the Talking HealthTech Podcast Network, your go-to audio destination for the latest in healthcare delivery, innovation, digital health, healthcare ICT, and commercialisation. Discover more at Talking HealthTech.
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In this episode of Digital Ecology, I have the pleasure of speaking with Natalie Hayes, the Chief Nursing Information Officer in a large acute trust in the Northwest. Our conversation centres on the impact of technology on nursing in the NHS and Natalie's experiences advocating for nurses in the digital transformation space.
Natalie has been in her role for three years and describes it as being an advocate for nurses and digital transformation, translating between nursing and IT worlds. Her responsibilities include focusing on projects, system usability, data usage, clinical safety, maintenance of existing systems, and communication with various stakeholders, making her role vital to the intersection of nursing and technology.
Natalie emphasises the tangible benefits of digital healthcare, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, and shares her passion for the CNIO role. We also discuss the "We Are Not Waiting" movement in the diabetes community, where families created closed-loop pancreas, highlighting the proactive approach to using technology in managing diabetes.
Delving into the evolving role of Chief Nursing Information Officers, the digital literacy challenges facing nursing staff, and the importance of technology being people-centric and efficient in healthcare. We also explored the potential for automating more processes in healthcare, the importance of involving nurses in procuring and assessing software, and the need for system integration in nursing to reduce redundant documentation.
We conclude on a reflective note, highlighting the operational challenges in the NHS and the necessity for a more structured career path for nurses in senior digital health roles, as well as the lasting understanding of the benefits of digital healthcare and remote clinics, particularly for specific patient groups.
If you found this episode informative, don't forget to leave a review and share your thoughts. Thank you for tuning in!
The Digital Ecology Podcast is part of the Talking HealthTech Podcast Network, your go-to audio destination for the latest in healthcare delivery, innovation, digital health, healthcare ICT, and commercialisation. Discover more at talkinghealthtech.com/podcast/network.
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In this episode of Digital Ecology, I delve into the dynamic world of digital health alongside my guest, Jenny Chong, a non-executive director at an NHS Trust. Our discussion traverses the myriad challenges, opportunities, and critical areas within the digital health sector, drawing from our personal experiences and insights.
We kick off the conversation by sharing our personal hurdles in seeking assistance and the importance of lending a hand in the entrepreneurial world. A significant point of discussion is the evident scarcity of female and ethnic minority leaders in senior positions, highlighting the urgent need for role models in the field. Jenny opens up about her encounters with unconscious bias and microaggressions in corporate environments, underlining the necessity to support those facing similar issues.
An essential topic we touch upon is the need for amplified investment in femtech solutions. Jenny passionately advocates for greater diversity in venture capital deliberations. We also discuss the obstacles startups face when breaking into the healthcare industry and the invaluable role of mentorship in navigating funding and technical challenges. Jenny shares her expertise in presenting digital priorities to boards, emphasising the importance of compelling storytelling and meticulous research.
We then delve into the complexities surrounding the deployment of Electronic Patient Record (EPR) systems. Jenny elaborates on justifying investments in EPR, ensuring competent digital teams, and their pivotal role in cultural transformation, staff engagement, and recruiting digital champions.
Drawing from her rich experience in both the corporate world and the NHS, Jenny reflects on the similarities and disparities, particularly in attitudes towards risk and investment. She also expresses her concerns over funding digital infrastructure and the imperative to enhance digital tool experiences for staff and patients.
We wrap up the episode focusing on the importance of prioritising staff experiences, encouraging innovation, and the critical practice of actively listening to staff needs. Join Jenny Chong and me for a journey packed with insightful and actionable advice, making this a must-listen for clinicians, researchers, and professionals in the digital health arena.
The Digital Ecology Podcast is part of the Talking HealthTech Podcast Network, your go-to audio destination for the latest in healthcare delivery, innovation, digital health, healthcare ICT, and commercialisation. Discover more at talkinghealthtech.com/podcast/network.
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In this episode of Digital Ecology, I speak with guest Jo Robinson, Professor and Head of Suicide Research at Orygen, a leading youth mental health service in Melbourne, Australia. Jo Robinson leads research programs on suicide prevention, specifically focusing on reducing suicide risk among young people.
Our conversation centres around Jo's work with the CHATsafe intervention, a project focused on safe online communication about suicide and self-harm. Two pilot studies were conducted to test the effectiveness of the intervention, with the first study assessing young people's confidence, skills, and willingness to communicate about suicide online, as well as adherence to CHATsafe guidelines.
Results from the initial campaign were promising, showing that the intervention was safe, feasible, and effective in increasing young people's confidence and willingness to intervene against suicide online. A second study targeted individuals who were bereaved by or exposed to suicide, producing similar positive results and further confirming the safety, feasibility, and potential effectiveness of CHATsafe.
At the time of recording, a randomised control trial is underway to test the universal campaign, with the goal of providing care and support to young people in the environment where they already spend time, potentially overcoming barriers to seeking professional help.
One of the key aspects of Jo's work is the emphasis on co-design and youth participation. Bespoke co-design workshops were conducted to ensure that the content of the CHATsafe guidelines meets the specific needs of different subpopulations, including LGBTQIA+ youth, South Sudanese communities, and Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander groups.
The development of the guidelines involved input from young people from the beginning, and the content was co-designed with their input. The resources aim to educate adults about online safety tools and functionality, empowering them to support young people in having safe conversations about suicide.
Throughout the episode, we discuss the effectiveness of social media as a tool for mental health support, the need for investment in mental health services, and the importance of addressing gaps between awareness campaigns and available care. We also touch on the challenges regarding access to healthcare for mental health and suicide prevention in Australia and the UK, particularly in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Join me and Jo Robinson in this episode as they delve into the world of digital mental health interventions and explore the potential for social media to play a role in suicide prevention among young people.
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In this episode of Digital Ecology, host Victoria Betton is joined by Kayikunmi 'Kay' Sogo, a senior product manager specialising in product management and user research.
Kay emphasises the importance of discovery, assumption testing and working with cross-functional teams to build software.
Kay reflects on a recent decision-making process regarding a content management system (CMS) and how they decided to build a prototype as a minimum viable product (MVP) instead. He also highlights the significance of user interface (UI) in enhancing the user experience and solving users' problems properly.
The conversation expands to include the role of product management in creating value for users and understanding their needs and challenges. Kay also delves into the need for continuous discovery and user research, as well as the importance of regularly engaging with customers.
Kay shares his own experience of starting an online food ordering and delivery service and the lessons learned from it.
Tune in to this episode to gain valuable insights into the role of product in creating value for users of digital systems.
The Digital Ecology Podcast is a proud member of the Talking HealthTech Podcast Network, the premier audio destination for cutting-edge insights and thought leadership in healthcare delivery, innovation, digital health, healthcare ICT, and commercialisation. Learn more at talkinghealthtech.com/podcast/network.
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In today's episode of Digital Ecology, I chat with James Freed, a seasoned expert in digital health. We kick off by diving into James's eclectic career journey—starting from biochemistry and oncology, pivoting into NHS cancer services, and finally making waves in digital health.
He offers wisdom on the essence of change management and even shares a personal story about how his daughter views failure as growth.
We discuss the technology time warp in the NHS back in 2000 and how this spurred James to make a difference on a national scale. He’s been instrumental in creating the Digital Academy and has done some groundbreaking work at Health Education England.
James delves into the need for a harmonised language and priorities in healthcare, based on the quadruple aim. He also touches on the challenges of recruiting digital talent in healthcare, underscoring the importance of empowerment and continuous learning.
He points out the slow uptake of tech in healthcare compared to other sectors and champions the role of user-centered design in bridging this gap.
As we look towards the future, James talks about the growing demand for digital skills in healthcare, highlighting what this means for staff development and public funding.
We wrap up with a look at the complicated landscape of healthcare policy and why digital competence isn’t just a 'nice to have' for clinical staff—it's essential for patient safety.
Don't miss this candid conversation packed with actionable insights on digital health and change management.
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In this episode Sam Shah and I converse on the topic of complexity in digital health, the tendency to tip into chaos and the fact that things are rarely just complicated.
Sam is a well known figure in digital health. In addition to his practice as a dentist, he's chief medical officer at Numan, senior adviser at Freuds, visiting lecturer at UCL and has a host of other roles besides. Sam reflects on his time at NHS England and chats about the role of central bodies in enabling adoption and spread of digital technologies.
We chat about his experience of commissioning user-centred design in redesign of urgent and emergency care services. Sam makes the case for decoupling strategy from changes in ministerial and leadership positions - the chaos that ensues from sudden shifts in strategy can result in very little getting done. We chat about the sorry state of the digital health market place and look to complexity faced by startups and medium sized companies working with the NHS. We finish up thinking about how underestimating complexity in digital technology implementation can result in chaos.
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In the first of my second series of the Digital Ecology podcast I host a panel conversation about the role of simulation in healthcare professional training and how it applies to all stages of design, development and implementation of digital technologies in the NHS.
I'm joined by James Woollard, a child psychiatrist and chief clinical information officer along with Wendy Chapman and Kit Huckvale from the University of Melbourne who run an immersive simulation space.
We chat about the role of simulation in mitigating risk of harm when implementing digital health interventions and in working out unintended consequences of how a technology might work in practice. Simulation has a role in assessing complexity - taking into account the technology itself, environment, culture, people, process and how data works. We discuss real life examples of simulation in practice and the groundbreaking Validitron at the University of Melbourne - how it works with technology companies and researchers - bridging the gap between implementation and evidence generation. Simulating common scenarios can assist in exploring what could go wrong, reducing the cost of failure and improving uptake as well as the peripheral factors such as devices and connectivity.
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Is it possible to innovate in the NHS? Spoiler alert - Charlotte convinced me that the answer is yes. Charlotte is an innovation dynamo - starting life as a volunteer in the NHS, she now leads on innovation for one of the largest acute NHS trusts in the country. In the final episode of the series, Charlotte shares her personal journey and how she found a niche, creating the conditions which enable innovation to flourish. I'm struck by Charlotte's personal qualities of curiosity and a phenomenal ability to nurture and network people together to facilitate positive change.
We chat about the conditions for innovation to take root as well as some of the more technical issues of intellectual property, regulation and commercialisation. Innovation may be difficult, particularly in an NHS stretched beyond capacity, but it is possible and we need to find ways to unlock the creativity that will enable the NHS to survive and even thrive into the future.
Listen to the end - Charlotte's most proud moment will give you spine tingles!
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In this episode I chat all things user-centred design with Toby Avery, chief digital information officer at Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust. Toby shares the story of how an idea and an experiment with design has turned into a trust wide approach to designing for the outcome with multi-disciplinary fusion teams. Toby and his team have gone as far as designing SystmOne user interfaces for clinical teams that match their workflow, resulting in high levels of satisfaction with the electronic patient record - an unusual thing to pull off in the NHS! We also discuss how you create a culture of product, recruit and retain user-centred design roles in the NHS and challenges in building a diverse workforce.
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In this episode Anne Cooper and I chat about the relationship between quality improvement and digital transformation. Anne tells me about her Minerva programme, building the leadership skills of women working in digital health. I first met Anne when she was chief nurse at NHS Digital and she is now a non-executive director at an ambulance NHS trust as well as the chair of Ethical Healthcare Consulting. Anne mentions a blog post during our conversation, which you can find here Speaking the Right Language – a Triple Aim for Health Informatics – anniecoops. You can find Anne on Twitter @anniecoops
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In this episode I interview Tracey Watson about her research into the role of user-centred design in NHS digital transformation. With a previous role directing industry partnerships and engagement for the NHS, Tracey now leads digital transformation for the Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust. During our conversation,Tracey shares her not so usual pre-NHS background and goes on to talk through the qualitative research she did for her NHS Digital Academy masters degree. With a distinction under her belt, Tracey has many words of wisdom about why and how we should take a design-led and user-centred approach to digital adoption in healthcare.
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In this episode I continue my interview with Thomas Webb, founder and CEO of Ethical Healthcare Consulting. Thomas shares his thoughts about the current state of the electronic patient record market and why he believes we are on the cusp of some big changes. He makes the case for open source, open standards and investing in the community of people trying to accelerate this new approach to the core digital systems used within our NHS.
The Digital Ecology podcast creates a window into the backstory of technology adoption in UK’s healthcare system. Through interviews with experts in the field, we shine a light on the inner workings of digital health and uncover a world of complexity and challenge. We are in the foothills of technology adoption, where the hype doesn’t always match the reality.
The metaphor of a digital ecology expresses how we might take an holistic approach to adoption of digital in healthcare, transforming a system borne out of an analogue era into one fit for the contemporary world. Ultimately it is about making things better for patients, staff and the NHS as a whole.
Whether you’re a startup founder, investor, healthcare professional or just curious about innovation in the NHS, this podcast has something for you.
Hosted by Dr Victoria Betton
www.victoriabetton.com
www.peopledotcom.com
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In this episode I interview Thomas Webb who founded Ethical Healthcare Consulting back in 2016. Thomas shares his journey creating Ethical Healthcare, why he did it and what he has learnt along the way. His story is about finding a different way to help the NHS with digital transformation, one which aligns his company with the values and purpose of his NHS clients. Thomas makes the case that we need to spend more time focusing on the human dimensions of change if we are going to make a step change in adoption.
The Digital Ecology podcast creates a window into the backstory of technology adoption in UK’s healthcare system. Through interviews with experts in the field, we shine a light on the inner workings of digital health and uncover a world of complexity and challenge. We are in the foothills of technology adoption, where the hype doesn’t always match the reality.
The metaphor of a digital ecology expresses how we might take an holistic approach to adoption of digital in healthcare, transforming a system borne out of an analogue era into one fit for the contemporary world. Ultimately it is about making things better for patients, staff and the NHS as a whole.
Whether you’re a startup founder, investor, healthcare professional or just curious about innovation in the NHS, this podcast has something for you.
Hosted by Dr Victoria Betton
www.victoriabetton.com
www.peopledotcom.com
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In this episode I interview Kathryn Church about her journey from social worker to digital strategist and find out why social justice and human factors are so important to her. Kathryn has 20 years’ experience designing and executing digital transformation strategies, digital operating models, products and solutions in companies of all types: from start-ups to global corporates across financial services, utilities telcos and now the NHS. Joining Surrey Heartlands Integrated Care System as chief digital officer she found a yawning gap between expectation and reality and was shocked at the level of technical debt, cybersecurity risk and lack of investment in basic infrastructure. Despite the challenges, Kathryn is hopeful about digital adoption and believes a focus on human factors is imperative if the NHS is to make the step change it needs.
The Digital Ecology podcast creates a window into the backstory of technology adoption in UK’s healthcare system. Through interviews with experts in the field, we shine a light on the inner workings of digital health and uncover a world of complexity and challenge. We are in the foothills of technology adoption, where the hype doesn’t always match the reality.
The metaphor of a digital ecology expresses how we might take an holistic approach to adoption of digital in healthcare, transforming a system borne out of an analogue era into one fit for the contemporary world. Ultimately it is about making things better for patients, staff and the NHS as a whole.
Whether you’re a startup founder, investor, healthcare professional or just curious about innovation in the NHS, this podcast has something for you.
Hosted by Dr Victoria Betton
www.victoriabetton.com
www.peopledotcom.com
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In this episode I interview Andy Wilkins about how we approach complexity when it comes to digital adoption in England's National Health Service. Andy is a systems thinker and speaker on the international conference circuit as well as presenting and consulting on a wide range of human-centred topics, including re-thinking health and care for the 21st Century.
The Digital Ecology podcast creates a window into the backstory of technology adoption in UK’s healthcare system. Through interviews with experts in the field, we shine a light on the inner workings of digital health and uncover a world of complexity and challenge. We are in the foothills of technology adoption, where the hype doesn’t always match the reality.
The metaphor of a digital ecology expresses how we might take an holistic approach to adoption of digital in healthcare, transforming a system borne out of an analogue era into one fit for the contemporary world. Ultimately it is about making things better for patients, staff and the NHS as a whole.
Whether you’re a startup founder, investor, healthcare professional or just curious about innovation in the NHS, this podcast has something for you.
Hosted by Dr Victoria Betton
www.victoriabetton.com
www.peopledotcom.com
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In this episode I interview Lauren Bevan about the backstory of how the money moves in the NHS, how digital technologies get bought and sold, the barriers and the possibilities for doing things differently
The Digital Ecology podcast creates a window into the backstory of technology adoption in UK’s healthcare system. Through interviews with experts in the field, we shine a light on the inner workings of digital health and uncover a world of complexity and challenge. We are in the foothills of technology adoption, where the hype doesn’t always match the reality.
The metaphor of a digital ecology expresses how we might take an holistic approach to adoption of digital in healthcare, transforming a system borne out of an analogue era into one fit for the contemporary world. Ultimately it is about making things better for patients, staff and the NHS as a whole.
Whether you’re a startup founder, investor, healthcare professional or just curious about innovation in the NHS, this podcast has something for you.
Hosted by Dr Victoria Betton
www.victoriabetton.com
www.peopledotcom.com
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In this episode I interview Dr Ayesha Rahim to find out what life is really like as an NHS CCIO. As a Perinatal Psychiatrist, Deputy Chief Medical Officer and Chief Clinical Information Officer, Ayesha brings a clinician perspective to digital health in our public healthcare system.
The Digital Ecology podcast creates a window into the backstory of technology adoption in UK’s healthcare system. Through interviews with experts in the field, we shine a light on the inner workings of digital health and uncover a world of complexity and challenge. We are in the foothills of technology adoption, where the hype doesn’t always match the reality.
The metaphor of a digital ecology expresses how we might take an holistic approach to adoption of digital in healthcare, transforming a system borne out of an analogue era into one fit for the contemporary world. Ultimately it is about making things better for patients, staff and the NHS as a whole.
Whether you’re a startup founder, investor, healthcare professional or just curious about innovation in the NHS, this podcast has something for you.
Hosted by Dr Victoria Betton
www.victoriabetton.com
www.peopledotcom.com
