Reconnect

Robert Craig spent more than three decades at the heart of specialist heart and lung care, shaping the services at Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals with remarkable dedication. Arriving at Harefield in 1994, he quickly discovered a place unlike any other; one that blended deep expertise, pioneering research, and a distinctive sense of community.   As Chief Operating Officer, he played a central role in defending the hospitals’ congenital heart services, advocating publicly for the importance of maintaining one of the nation’s largest and most successful centres of expertise.  Join us as we discuss his journey with us, spanning two mergers, countless clinical innovations, and enduring friendships with extraordinary colleagues

Lawrence Tallon began his career working in Whitehall, as a Fast Stream civil servant at the Department of Health and Social Care. Following a range of government and leadership roles in hospitals in the UK and the Middle East, in 2020, he joined Guy’s and St Thomas’ (GSTT) as Deputy Chief Executive. A role he held for 5 years, in which he successfully led the merger of GSTT and the Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals.In April 2025, he became the chief executive of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).  Join us as we discuss not only his career, but also how his devotion to Tottenham Hotspur led to the creation of “NHS Spurs”; a community committed to public health, mental well-being, and mutual support.

Educated at Oxford University, Professor Richard Underwood has dedicated his career to advancing the field of cardiac imaging and improving outcomes for patients with heart disease. His research and teaching have influenced generations of clinicians, combining scientific innovation with a deep commitment to patient care. His work has helped bridge the gap between imaging science and everyday clinical practice, shaping how we understand and manage heart disease today.Join us as we discuss not only his over 40 years at our hospitals, but also his crucial role in developing and applying nuclear and cardiac imaging techniques that have transformed diagnosis and treatment in cardiology.

Alison Pottle became one of the first cardiology nurse consultants in the UK at Harefield Hospital in June 2000. In this position, she has played a pivotal role in developing and leading innovative nurse-led services, particularly in cardiac rehabilitation and secondary prevention. She has been a passionate advocate for patient-centred care and multidisciplinary collaboration, helping to improve recovery and long-term outcomes for her patients. Join us as we discuss not only her over 40 years at Harefield Hospital, but also her views on how the nursing profession has evolved. Her work has earned her recognition within the healthcare community, including the Silver Award in the Cardiovascular Nurse of the Year category at the British Journal of Nursing Awards in 2023.

Educated in his natal Egypt, Professor Sir Magdi Yacoub made his name at Harefield Hospital to become one of the world’s most eminent cardiothoracic surgeons. In 1983, he achieved worldwide recognition for performing the first heart and lung transplant in Europe and went on to develop many groundbreaking procedures. At Harefield, he established what was to become one of the largest and most successful heart and lung transplant units in the world.Join us as we discuss not only his over 60 years at our hospitals, but also his crucial role in research and cardiac surgery advances worldwide.Professor Yacoub was knighted for his services to medicine in 1991 and in 2014 he was granted the Order of Merit by Her Majesty the Queen.

Professor Anita Simonds joined the Royal Brompton Hospital in the 1980s as an SHO, and has been associated with it to this date. She has been instrumental in developing respiratory and sleep medicine at the Royal Brompton, and in turn influencing the care delivered to patients all over the world.Join us as we discuss not only her time at our hospital, but also her crucial role in informing the UK’s clinical response to the COVID-19 pandemic, during her tenure as President of the European Respiratory Society.Professor Simonds has received the Margaret Pfrommer Medal from the American College of Chest Physicians for her contributions to long-term mechanical ventilation, and the British Thoracic Society Medal for her contributions to respiratory medicine.

Educated at Cambridge University and Guy’s Hospital, Professor John Pepper was a consultant cardiothoracic surgeon at the London Chest Hospital and St George’s Hospital before moving to the Brompton in 1991.  His Brompton career as a consultant cardiac surgeon spanned over 30 years Join us as we discuss not only his time at our hospital, but also his crucial role in research and cardiac surgery advances worldwide. In June 2015, he was awarded an Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to heart and lung surgery, in Her Majesty the Queen's birthday honours. 

Professor Malcolm Green has been associated with the Royal Brompton Hospital in different capacities for over 55 years. From becoming a respiratory SHO, and being appointed a consultant respiratory physician, to serving as a Non-Executive Director.Join us as we discuss not only his time at our hospital, but also his role setting up the British Lung Foundation, his time as Dean of the National Heart and Lung Institute (NHLI), and his secondments at the Department of Health and Imperial College among others.Professor Green is a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Science and was knighted in 2007 for his contributions to medicine.