Medstars Podcast channel

Dr Syeda Ali is a consultant psychiatrist specialising in forensic psychiatry and women’s mental health. Syeda has worked as Medical Director and lead psychiatrist for a women’s secure psychiatric service in the North West of England, where many patients have experienced sex-based violence and complex trauma. She’s also a contributor to discussions on femicide, sex-based violence and women’s mental health, via the Women in Mental Health Group at the RCPsych Books mentioned in the podcast:Naga Munchetty: It’s Probably Nothing: Critical Conversations on the Women’s Health Crisishttps://amzn.eu/d/08KzGjjuLisa Appignanesi : Mad, Bad And Sad: A History of Women and the Mind Doctors from 1800 to the Presenthttps://amzn.eu/d/07lOZrrDCaroline Criado Perez: Invisible Women: Exposing Data Bias in a World Designed for Menhttps://amzn.eu/d/02TPAzoC

We’re joined by Lauren Williams, a women’s health physiotherapist with a specialist interest in postnatal recovery, pelvic health, pregnancy-related pain, and helping women return confidently to exercise and everyday life after childbirth.We’ll be exploring some of the things women are very commonly told after pregnancy — and why much of the advice around postnatal recovery may not be enough.Lauren Williamshttps://warwickshirehomephysio.co.uk/team/lauren-williams/Lauren's book recommendation: Alex Light - The Price of Prettyhttps://amzn.eu/d/0gOtwW2I

In this episode we are joined by Joanne Lockwood-Smith – Nurse Consultant in a Major Trauma Centre in central London who has spent her career at the front line of trauma care. Joanne has been a key voice in advocating for better psychological support for the survivors of traumatic injuries - an area that has often been underfunded and overlooked.

What’s it like to deliver life-saving care in a war zone? NHS consultant anaesthetist Dr Elma Wong shares with Dr Barry Lambert her frontline experiences with Médecins Sans Frontières in Yemen, Gaza and the West Bank, revealing the realities of medicine under fire and the resilience it demands.https://msf.org.uk

Professor Elizabeth Dick is a Consultant Radiologist and Professor of Practice at Imperial College London, where she is Associate Director of Medical Education. She is internationally recognised for her work in Emergency and Trauma Radiology, having been instrumental as the Radiology lead in the development of Major Trauma Centres across London and the UK, which have halved mortality rates for major trauma cases since 2010.Elizabeth is an outspoken advocate for addressing bullying, racism, and toxic workplace cultures within the NHS, and for promoting compassion, diversity, and inclusion in healthcare training and practice.

In this episode we look into one of the most influential but least understood institutions in British healthcare: NICE, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. We are joined by Dr Raju Reddy, Chair of one of NICE’s Technology Appraisal Committee. A consultant anaesthetist by training and MBA-qualified, Dr Reddy sits at the heart of decisions that affect billions of pounds in NHS spending — and, crucially, where that money is spent

Professor Elizabeth Dick is a Consultant Radiologist and Professor of Practice at Imperial College London.A former President of both the British and European Societies of Emergency Radiology, she is also a passionate educator and advocate for social mobility in medicine. Her award-winning ‘Getting into Medicine’ and Virtual Work Experience programmes at Imperial College NHS Trust have opened pathways for thousands of 16–18-year-olds from non-selective state schools. In 2025, Elizabeth and her team and received the UK Social Mobility Gold Award at the national SOMOs, which honour leaders creating tangible change in access, opportunity and inclusion across the UK workforce.

Alan has worked as lead consultant psychotherapist to major private manufacturing businesses and emergency services. He has spoken at the World Congress in CBT regrading mental health and work. His specialist interest in burn-out has developed over the last 5 years. In this episode we’re delving into something most of us spend our lives avoiding – our awareness of mortality. How does the knowledge that life is finite shape the way we live, love, and work? Alan is also a Medstars champion