Leadership & culture in healthcare

In this deeply moving episode, Matthew Winn speaks with Andrea Brady, mother of Jessica Brady, who died in 2021 at just 27 years old from stage 4 adenocarcinoma of unknown primary — a cancer that had spread throughout her body before it was ever diagnosed. Jess had been a healthy, non-smoking, health-conscious radio frequency engineer who designed satellites for a living. Over five months, she contacted her GP surgery 20 times with escalating and clearly concerning symptoms — a persistent cough, weight loss, night sweats, enlarged lymph nodes, and extreme fatigue. She saw six different GPs, never her named GP, and only had three face-to-face appointments. She was diagnosed with long COVID. When a private referral finally led to a biopsy, the truth was devastating. Jess died just three weeks later. Andrea describes how Jess herself was the driving force behind what followed. Even in hospital, Jess wanted her GP practice to understand what had happened, not through blame, but through awareness. For Andrea, channelling that grief into purpose was the only way forward. As she puts it, the doing cure, a phrase she borrows from author Michael Rosen who also lost a son, was the thing that kept her functioning. What began as a late-night campaign launch became a petition signed by nearly half a million people. After working with the Royal College of GPs, NHS England, and multiple Health Secretaries, Andrea recounts the persistence it took across four years and several ministerial changes— Jess’s Rule was formally implemented in September 2025. The rule establishes that when a patient presents to their GP on a third occasion without resolution, their case should be elevated for review and their symptoms thoroughly investigated, regardless of age or demographic. Andrea is candid about what gets in the way of good care. Unconscious bias is central, the assumption that someone young, healthy and articulate is unlikely to have something seriously wrong. She also highlights how quickly an unsubstantiated diagnosis, like Jess’s long COVID coding, can embed itself in a patient’s record and shape every subsequent consultation. And she references research showing that patients are interrupted, on average, within 17 to 23 seconds of speaking, before they’ve had the chance to fully describe what’s wrong. The Jessica Brady Cedar Trust, which Andrea co-founded in Jess’s name, has partnered with the RCGP to develop a learning module on early cancer diagnosis, funded the printing and distribution of Jess’s Rule posters to GP surgeries across England, and is supporting a three-year project developing an AI diagnostic tool for primary care. Interest in the campaign has now spread internationally, with oncologists and campaigners in Denmark, New Zealand, the United States, Scotland, Wales, and most recently the Isle of Man all making contact. The response from GP practices has been, in Andrea’s words, the most heartening thing. Surgeries emailing patients to express their support, referencing Jess’s Rule on their answerphone messages, and writing to the Trust to ask for more posters. Most powerfully, doctors have told Andrea they thought of Jess during a consultation and called a patient back. As Andrea says, quietly and with real emotion: Jess is doing the job. This episode is a testament to what quiet persistence, integrity, and love can achieve — and a reminder that behind every campaign for change is a family who simply wanted to be listened to.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

William Mead was a healthy, happy child. He was 17 days past his first birthday when he died from sepsis that should have been caught. His mother Melissa wasn’t listened to. The investigations that followed barely scratched the surface. But Melissa refused to let that be the end of the story. In this episode, she talks with raw honesty about loss, about fighting a system governed by fear, and about why the best apology in healthcare and in leadership is changed behaviour.

Professor Jugdeep Dhesi, President of the British Geriatrics Society, discusses the power of clinical leadership, the future of care for older people, and how evidence, shared decision-making, and compassionate innovation are transforming healthcare. From her journey into geriatric medicine to shaping national policy and driving integrated care, Professor Dhesi shares insights on leading change, challenging ageism, and putting patients at the heart of every decision.

What if hospital admission itself is the biggest risk for frail older people? In this powerful episode, Dr Shelagh O’Riordan — consultant community geriatrician and President-elect of the UK Hospital at Home Society — challenges long-held assumptions about safety, leadership, and care for older adults. Drawing on a decade of experience running one of the UK’s largest hospital-at-home services, she explains why delivering hospital-level care in people’s homes leads to better outcomes, more honest conversations about dying, and care that truly reflects what patients want. From redefining risk and reshaping national policy, to leading brave multidisciplinary teams and building the next generation of leaders, this conversation is a compelling call to rethink how — and where — we care for those who are frail, within the NHS.

Clinical leadership isn’t about job titles — it’s about influence. In this episode, Karen Poole, CSP Influencer of the Year and AHP Rehabilitation Consultant, shares her journey from specialist clinician to system leader, explaining what it really takes to “have a seat at the table” and shape patient care and services. She challenges why allied health professionals — the NHS’s third-largest workforce — still lack clear routes into consultant leadership, and makes a compelling case for stronger succession planning and investment in future clinical leaders. A must-listen for anyone interested in leadership, influence, and the future of healthcare.

Matthew Winn discussed with Dr Steve Turner, President of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, about leadership in healthcare and the role of professional colleges. Steve explains how the College sets standards, supports doctors, and advocates for children. He reflects on leadership as being about connection rather than hierarchy, the value of staying clinically grounded, and the importance of creating a supportive, risk-aware culture. The episode closes with a strong message about investing early in children’s lives and keeping young people at the centre of healthcare leadership and policy.

Sarah Brampton has been on the CEO development programme for the past year and shares her motivations; insights and hopes for leadership and tackles the question - what kind of CEO do you want to be. Spoiler alert - it’s about leadership! Matthew Winn, podcast host and an experienced leader in healthcare in the UK.

Saffron has worked in the most senior roles in NHS Providers over the past 18 years and is therefore well placed to comment on the structure, effectiveness of the provider sector in the NHS and digest some of the themes coming out of the 10 year health plan for England.

Shane DeGaris describes the approach taken to lead in Barts Health; the Group arrangements that were formed and then unravelled and the legacy of a strong acute care collaborative.

Developing a single Trust working across two sites, with cross site leadership has been the work of David Carter and his team since 2019. The podcast explores why they developed a merged organisation and how they have achieved a successful multi site acute organisation.

Bringing together two hospital Trusts is a tough process - even more when one is under huge regulatory pressure. Nick explain the development of his Trust covering two sizeable hospitals and community heath service integration. Matthew Winn, podcast host and an experienced leader in healthcare in the UK.

Series 4 has heard from chief executives from Local Government - Mark Lloyd summarises the series and gives his insight into leadership

As an experienced executive who has worked in the NHS and local grove ent - Stephen explains how it worked, the differences, similarities and symmetry.