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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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:
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.
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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.
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In this episode of Health on the Line, we’re diving into all things digital and how it relates to the Ten-Year Health Plan for the NHS. To discuss the topic, we are joined by Andrea Winders, head of business development for life sciences and healthcare at MIDAS (Greater Manchester’s Inward Investment Agency), and Dr Nnenna Osuji, chief executive of North Middlesex Hospital, to unpack the NHS’s ambitious digital transformation plan.
The conversation explores how the NHS can harness data, AI and digital tools to create the most digitally accessible health system in the world. From the promise of the NHS App as a ‘doctor in your pocket’ to the challenges of infrastructure, interoperability and staff training, our guests offer candid insights into what’s working and where improvements can be made.
We also hear from Annie Bliss, senior policy advisor at the NHS Confederation, who delves into government plans to reintroduce performance league tables and what this means for the NHS.
Our guests for this episode are:
Health on the Line is an NHS Confederation podcast, produced by Health Comms Plus
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In this episode, Matthew Taylor is joined by Dr Ify Okocha, James Duncan and Rebecca Gray to unpack the mental health implications of the government's new Ten-Year Health Plan. From the rollout of neighbourhood health centres to mental health support in schools, the panel explores whether the plan’s bold ambitions can meet the realities of delivery. They also dive into harnessing digital tools, the social determinants of mental ill health, the role of integrated care boards and how working with local leadership can drive meaningful change.
Our guests for this episode are:
Plus, we hear from Tom Gurney, director of strategic communication and engagement at the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board for this week’s Leader in Six.
Health on the Line is an NHS Confederation podcast, produced by HealthCommsPlus
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Since its creation in 1948, the NHS has had to move with the times. But while change is an ever-present feature, can the NHS approach it in a different or better way? In this bonus episode, Matthew Taylor puts the question to Dr Richard Jones and Dr Llinos Jones from the ChangeACADEMY. The academy – a programme offered by AstraZeneca (AZ) in collaboration with the NHS Confederation – creates change leaders that can deliver strategic, system-level change on behalf of NHS organisations for the benefit of patients. Richard, a faculty member, and Llinos, alumnus of the academy, shed light on the academy’s approach to change and how it’s improving patient care and outcomes. They also unpack how to untangle the knotty issues of spreading and scaling good practice and innovation across the NHS.
The ChangeACADEMY programme is a non-promotional service which is initiated and funded by AstraZeneca and offered to the NHS as Donated Goods & Services. Intended audience is UK healthcare professionals and other relevant decision makers. The service is offered to clinical and non-clinical personnel who represent NHS healthcare organisations and meet the delegate criteria. The views and opinions expressed here are those of the speakers.
Health on the Line is an NHS Confederation podcast, produced by HealthCommsPlus
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For this episode of Health on the Line, we're joined by three expert guests to unpack the government's Ten-Year Health Plan, which has just been released. We'll be reflecting on the key elements of the plan – what it means for the health and care service and the kinds of shifts that will be needed for it to be successful. We also reflect on the current landscape that the plan lands in with changes within integrated care boards and acutes, in particular; the capacity needed to achieve the neighbourhood shift; and discuss what the barriers to success of the plan might be and how these could be overcome.
Our guests for this episode are:
Gubby-Ayida, chief executive of Evelina London’s Women's and Children's Services, part of Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust is with us for our Leader in Six.
Health on the Line is an NHS Confederation podcast, produced by HealthCommsPlus
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For this episode of Health on the Line, recorded live at NHS ConfedExpo 2025, we’re exploring all things comms and engagement within the NHS.
Our communications director Daniel Reynolds leads the discussion and is joined by three communications executives with deep experience in the sector: Edna Boampong, Ranjeet Kaile and Rory Hegarty.
The lively discussion covers everything from challenges facing comms professionals in the sector: whether the profession has a ‘branding’ problem; diversity in the NHS; and harnessing the power of AI.
Health on the Line is an NHS Confederation podcast, produced by HealthCommsPlus
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In this special episode of Health on the Line, recorded live from NHS ConfedExpo 2025, host Matthew Taylor is joined by Channel 4’s Victoria Macdonald and The Sunday Times’ Shaun Lintern to reflect on two packed days of debate, insight, and networking. With almost 7,000 delegates and over 150 sessions, the trio discuss their key takeaways from the conference—including health secretary Wes Streeting’s speech, Jim Mackey’s leadership style at NHS England, and the emerging contours of the government’s ten-year health plan.
Health on the Line is an NHS Confederation podcast, produced by HealthCommsPlus.
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Ahead of NHS ConfedExpo 2025, Matthew Taylor caught up with the new Chief Executive of NHS England, Sir Jim Mackey, for a wide-ranging discussion touching on the challenges facing the health system, the 10 year health plan, navigating politics and developing leadership across the NHS.
Plus, our Leader in Six with Lorraine Mattis, Chief Executive of University of Suffolk Dental CIC.
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FEED SWAP. Our Leading Improvement in Health and Care podcast is back for a second series. To give you a flavour of the show, we're putting out episode one on our Health on the Line stream.
In this episode we’re exploring how to mobilise change effectively within and between organisations, particularly in relation to the government’s forthcoming Ten Year Plan for the NHS.
With unique insights into how effective change has been implemented, core principles to apply and how to approach these in relation to the Ten Year Plan, we’re joined by Dr. Gary Howsam, Chief Clinical Improvement Officer NHS Cambridgeshire and Peterborough ICB and Annie Williamson, research fellow in health and care at the IPPR.
For more information on out Learning and Improving Across Systems Peer Learning Programme, please visit: https://www.nhsconfed.org/learning-improving-systems/peer-learning.
NEXT WEEK SIR JIM MACKEY - INTERVIEW WITH NHS ENGLAND CEO. He talks to Matthew Taylor ahead of Confed Expo 2025.
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The budget cuts to integrated care boards and their impact are a shock to many across the health care system, but also an opportunity for leaders to implement changes in the fundamental structures of primary and secondary care. Could this be the moment to make the investment shift to primary and community services?
To discuss the potential and pitfalls, Matthew is joined by Rory Deighton, director of the NHS Confederation’s acute network, and Ruth Rankine, director of our primary care network.
Our Leader In Six segment is with Daniel Elkeles, chief executive of NHS Providers.
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With the recent release of the ICB operating model blueprint, Matthew discusses the future for how ICBs may operate in the face of the 50 per cent cut in operating costs.
Crucial to the future success of ICBs will be the importance of working with local government and the need for strategic commissioning.
Joining Matthew on the podcast are two ICB leaders who were part of the working group that helped develop the blueprint: David Melbourne, chief executive of Birmingham and Solihull ICB, and Jan Thomas, chief executive of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough ICB.
This week's Leader in Six interview is with Kate Shields, Cornwall and Isles of Scilly ICB chief executive.
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On the eve of our Care Closer to Home conference, we explore the urgent need to shift healthcare from hospitals to primary and community settings. Despite decades of ambition, acute priorities still dominate. In this episode we hear from Birmingham and Solihull ICB on the shifts they’ve been making in this area.
Joining Matthew in the conversation is Paul Sherriff, executive director of Birmingham and Solihull ICB; Richard Kirby, chief executive of Birmingham Community Healthcare and Ruth Rankine, Director of the NHS Confederations Primary Care Network.
Plus, our Leader in Six with Helen Ray, outgoing chief executive of North East Ambulance Service.
And read more in the following publications:
Beyond the waiting room: reimagining primary care for the next decade | NHS Confederation
The future of primary care | NHS Confederation
Find out more about becoming part of our primary care network here.
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Public satisfaction with the NHS is at an all-time low according to the latest data, but what can be done in the short term to improve matters while NHS leaders try to make long-term change? Rachel Power of the Patients Association* and Leonora Merry of the Nuffield Trust delve into the data with Matthew Taylor and suggest what can be done.
This episode’s Leader in Six is with Steve Williamson, chief executive of Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust.
*The Patients Association's free helpline provides specialist information and guidance across all four UK nations to help service users make sense of health and social care. Call 0800 345 7115 weekdays 9:30am – 5:00pm, or email helpline@patients-association.org.uk
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Matthew’s joined by Richard Sloggett, founder and programme director at Future Health, for a deep dive into the significant recent changes in NHS leadership. The discussion highlights the evolving dynamics between NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care, the challenges posed by financial constraints and the importance of local leadership in implementing change.
Plus, a Leader in Six with Sarah Coltman-Lovell, York NHS place director.
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