Health On The Line

This episode of Health on the Line tackles the issue of worsening health inequalities across the UK and the urgent action required to address them.  With the theme of tackling these disparities running throughout the government’s NHS 10 Year Health Plan, there is an opportunity now to realign healthcare with this goal.  To discuss the topic in relation to respiratory disease and vaccine preventable diseases, Matthew Taylor is joined by Sarah Sleet, chief executive of Asthma + Lung UK, and Dr Tom Nutt, chief executive of Meningitis Now. The trio explore how community-based respiratory programmes can improve early diagnosis and treatment access, while expanding vaccine cohorts and raising awareness can help increase coverage against vaccine-preventable disease.  They also consider what kind of practical approaches can help bridge gaps to improve health outcomes and reduce health inequalities more broadly across the healthcare system.  Matthew is also joined by Sonia Nosheen, assistant director for the Acute Network at the NHS Confederation, to hear about the Confederation’s work supporting members in the area of ophthalmology. The new programme aims to help members deliver care closer to where patients live and work. This episode is non-promotional, sponsored by GSK and developed in partnership with the NHS Confederation. Health on the Line is an NHS Confederation podcast, produced by HealthCommsPlus. 

In this episode, Matthew Taylor is joined by Anita Charlesworth, senior economic adviser at the Health Foundation and Lee Outhwaite, chief financial officer of South Yorkshire ICB and President of the HFMA, to tease out the health sector implications of the Autumn Budget.   Together, they discuss measures intended to improve population health, such as scrapping the two-child benefit cap, increasing the gambling tax and extending the sugar levy, and reflect on funding earmarked for neighbourhood health hubs.  They also weigh in on other challenges facing the NHS, including productivity, the need for more incisive healthcare solutions and why long-term planning is needed to improve health outcomes.  Health on the Line is an NHS Confederation podcast, produced by HealthCommsPlus.  

For this episode of Health on the Line, Matthew Taylor is joined by former John Lewis boss Sir Charlie Mayfield. They discuss the thorny issue of ill health pushing millions of Britons out of work, and what can be done to tackle it.Mayfield’s recently published government review, which addresses the issue of worklessness and laying out some of the measures needed to deal with the problem, includes a greater role for employers in supporting the health of staff.The conversation explores why economic inactivity due to poor health has surged post COVID-19, and what this means for individuals, employers, and the UK economy. They also touch on how supportive workplaces can keep people healthy, engaged, and in work, to the benefit of everyone.According to Mayfield, the solution isn’t just about the NHS or personal responsibility. Instead, his report calls for a new partnership between employers, individuals and health services to focus on prevention and early intervention.We also hear from Sarah Walter, director of our ICS Network and interim deputy chief executive of the NHS Confederation, to discuss the latest state of ICSs report. The report found that while four in five ICS leaders are confident their system can fulfil their four core purposes, they also believe NHS reorganisation has created a significant distraction and barrier to systems' progress.Health on the Line is an NHS Confederation podcast, produced by HealthCommsPlus. 

In this week’s episode of Health on the Line, host Matthew Taylor is joined by interim permanent secretary for the Department of Health and Social Care in Northern Ireland and former NHS Confederation chief executive Mike Farrar. Together the pair discuss the ambitions of the reset plan for health and social care in Northern Ireland published in July this year. They also touch on the importance of empowering chief executives to act as partners in health care delivery.  Farrar stresses that finding new ways to engage and empower the public to improve their health is vital to successfully implementing the neighbourhood health model.  We also hear from Rebecca Gale, assistant director of the Primary Care Network at the NHS Confederation, to discuss issues relating the lack of availability of NHS dental care in parts of the UK. Health on the Line is an NHS Confederation podcast produced by HealthCommsPlus.  

In this episode of Health on the Line, Matthew Taylor speaks with Al Mulley, professor of medicine and professor of health policy clinical practice at Dartmouth University, where he has led a programme dedicated to forging partnerships around the world to build the capabilities essential to achieving sustainable healthcare economies. Together, they discuss the issue of variation in both performance and activity within the healthcare system, emphasising that decision quality, meaning the thoughtful consideration of options, outcomes and patient preferences, is essential for building sustainable neighbourhood health systems. Drawing on his past experience, Mulley also shares a model of primary care that prioritises relational skills and listening capacity over traditional clinical hierarchies.  In the context of the NHS’s push to implement neighbourhood health, he stresses the importance of cultural context and cultural intelligence, as well as emotional and social intelligence in clinical decision making.  We also hear from Heather Moorhead, director of the Northern Ireland Confederation for Health and Social Care (NICON), to hear about the challenges our members are facing in Northern Ireland and what NICON is doing to support them. Health on the Line is an NHS Confederation podcast, produced by HealthCommsPlus.

In this episode of Health on the Line, we mark the beginning of Black History Month with a timely conversation featuring two long time champions of diversity in the NHS: Dame Professor Robina Shah, consultant chartered psychologist and Professor of medical education and psycho-social medicine at the University of Manchester, and Joan Saddler OBE, director of partnerships and equality at the NHS Confederation.Against a backdrop of rising reports of abuse and discrimination faced by black and minority ethnic NHS staff, this episode explores the theme of this year’s celebration: standing firm in power and pride.Dame Professor Shah reflects on her decades of leadership in the NHS and beyond, sharing personal experiences of being one of the few people of colour in senior roles and the resilience it takes to lead with dignity and purpose.Joan Saddler brings her deep expertise in equality and public engagement to the discussion, highlighting the importance of collective action and the NHS’s ongoing commitment to becoming a truly anti-racist organisation.

In this episode of Health on the Line, host Matthew Taylor is joined by two NHS Confederation colleagues Rebecca Gray, director of the Mental Health Network, and Rory Deighton, director of the Acute Network, to unpack the reintroduction of NHS league tables and their implications for NHS trusts.The trio discuss the intended role of league tables in driving improvement and accountability with the caveat that they also carry risks, particularly when misinterpreted or used to name and shame providers. The group discusses how misleading headlines and lack of context can undermine public trust and demoralise frontline staff.Together, the guests consider how league tables must be designed and communicated with care, ensuring they reflect what truly matters to patients and avoid unintended consequences. With winter pressures looming and leadership under scrutiny, this episode calls for a more intelligent, balanced debate about performance, accountability, quality data and NHS oversight.The conversation also touches on the seismic news of ‘fearless’ Claire Murdoch’s resignation as NHS England’s national director for mental health. Rebecca Gray reflects on Murdoch’s legacy, describing her as “a phenomenal force” and someone who consistently challenged the system to ensure mental health remained a national priority. Health on the Line is an NHS Confederation podcast, produced by HealthCommsPlus.

In this episode of Health on the Line, we dive deep into the challenges and future of the ambulance sector, often described as the ‘canary in the coalmine’ for NHS pressures.  Host Matthew Taylor is joined by three leading voices in the field: Anna Parry, managing director of the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives  Simon Weldon, chief executive of South East Coast Ambulance Service Dr John Martin, chief executive of South Western Ambulance Service Together, they explore the implications of the NHS's 10 Year Health Plan and the Urgent and Emergency Care (UEC) Plan for ambulance services. From digital integration and neighbourhood health to the evolving role of paramedics, this conversation highlights both the ambition and the complexity of transforming urgent care while "flying the plane" of daily service delivery. Health on the Line is an NHS Confederation podcast, produced by Health Comms Plus.We also hear from Sarah Walter, director of the ICS Network at the NHS Confederation, to discuss the model region blueprint, a document that will set out how the English regions will be managed in the future and what that means for integrated care boards and providers alike.  

This week on Health on the Line, Matthew Taylor is joined by Andrew Bland, ICS lead for South East London, and Ruth Rankine, director of the NHS Confederation’s Primary Care Network, to discuss the shift to neighbourhood health as outlined in the 10 Year Health Plan. Together they delve into the merits of the plan and possible barriers to its delivery, while reflecting on the emphasis on proactive, preventative and population-based care.  Andrew shares insights from South East London’s rapid progress in implementing integrated care across boroughs like Bexley, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark in London. We’ll also hear from Ian Perrin, assistant director of the ICS Network at the NHS Confederation, on latest developments around integrated care board (ICB) redundancies and reports that at least one ICB is pausing plans over funding concerns. Liked this podcast? Share your thoughts, comments and questions with us by emailing healthcommsplus@nhsconfed.org   Our guests for this episode are:   Andrew Bland - ICB Chief Executive Officer Designate, South East London ICS Ruth Rankine - Director of the Primary Care Network at NHS Confederation Ian Perrin - Assistant Director for Policy, ICS Network  Health on the Line is an NHS Confederation podcast, produced by HealthCommsPlus.