Future Health

Wiring Resilience: Neuroplasticity, Mental Health and Thriving in Uncertain Times.

As uncertainty becomes a constant feature of modern work, its impact on mental health is increasingly visible across in the workforce. But what if the key to thriving lies in understanding how our brains adapt to change?

In this episode of the Future Health Podcast, we are joined by Dr Hayley North, neuroscientist, Research Fellow at Neuroscience Research Australia, Conjoint Lecturer at UNSW and founder of Understand Your Brain. Hayley offers an accessible, science backed exploration of neuroplasticity - the brain’s natural ability to change - and how it can be harnessed to build resilience in high pressure environments.

You can also watch the podcast at the NSW Health YouTube Channel.

Subscribe on YouTube, Spotify and Apple podcasts so you don’t miss an episode.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this content are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of NSW Health. Any content provided is for informational purposes only and should not be interpreted as endorsement or approval by the organisation. NSW Health does not endorse any products, services, or companies mentioned in this content.

If you could redesign your organisation from scratch for the future, what would you keep, what would you let go of and what role would leadership play?

In this episode of the Future Health Podcast, we are joined by David Schmidtchen, Professor of Practice in Public Sector Management at UNSW Canberra, to explore the future of organisational culture and leadership in an era of complexity, uncertainty and rapid change.

Drawing on a career spanning the Australian Army, consulting, government and authorship, David reflects on the unseen forces shaping organisations over the next decade. He examines how leaders can balance stability and transformation, navigate the messy reality of change, and retain authenticity in highly visible, media driven environments.

David also explores the role of hope, imagination and dissent in resilient organisations, and how AI, automation and hybrid work models are redefining meaning and connection in public sector work.

You can also watch the podcast at the NSW Health YouTube channel.

Subscribe on YouTube, Spotify and Apple podcasts so you don’t miss an episode.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this content are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of NSW Health. Any content provided is for informational purposes only and should not be interpreted as endorsement or approval by the organisation. NSW Health does not endorse any products, services, or companies mentioned in this content.

From Space to Plate: Rethinking Nutrition, Sustainability and the Future of Food.

When we think about the future of food, space nutrition and mushrooms are rarely the first things that come to mind. But what if space could teach us how to eat better on Earth?

In this episode of the Future Health Podcast, we are joined by Dr Flávia Fayet Moore, scientist, space nutritionist and entrepreneur to explore science backed visions for adventurous, sustainable and nutrient dense foods of the future.

Flávia unpacks how insights from space nutrition, aero nutrients and bioactives are reshaping our understanding of micronutrients, chronic disease prevention and food as medicine.

The conversation spans childhood obesity, the challenge of nutrition misinformation, food scarcity as a growing megatrend, and what the future of hospital meals could look like across the 27 million meals served annually by NSW Health.

We also explore interdisciplinary workforce approaches to nutrition, the gut brain axis under extreme stress, and what sending fungi to space can teach us about sustainability, ethics and resilience.

You can also watch the podcast at the NSW Health YouTube channel.

Subscribe on YouTube, Spotify and Apple podcasts so you don’t miss an episode.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this content are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of NSW Health. Any content provided is for informational purposes only and should not be interpreted as endorsement or approval by the organisation. NSW Health does not endorse any products, services, or companies mentioned in this content.

Are you ready for the "decade of disorientation"?  

As technology redefines the boundaries of healthcare, the ability to unlearn the old is becoming as vital as mastering the new. 

In this episode, we are joined by Dr Kai Riemer, Professor of Information Technology and Co-Director of Sydney Executive Plus at the University of Sydney Business School. As a leading voice on the intersection of technology and organisation, Kai breaks down the key findings from the latest Skills Horizon report to help health leaders navigate a rapidly shifting landscape. 

We dive deep into the critical capabilities needed for the next decade – from mastering "complexity thinking" to balancing the four strategic clashes of modern leadership. Kai also warns of the risks of anthropomorphic seduction, exploring how we should realistically integrate digital humans into patient care without losing the human touch.  

Join us for a masterclass in future-proofing your workforce, workflow, and workplace. 

You can also watch the podcast at the NSW Health YouTube Channel.

Subscribe on YouTube, Spotify and Apple podcasts so you don’t miss an episode.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this content are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of NSW Health. Any content provided is for informational purposes only and should not be interpreted as endorsement or approval by the organisation. NSW Health does not endorse any products, services, or companies mentioned in this content.

What if the greatest barrier to a healthier world isn't a lack of technology, but a potential lack of imagination? 

In this episode of Future Health, we sit down with the remarkable Claire Marshall – Leader of Futures Initiatives, founder of If Labs, and a pioneer in the field of "narrative foresight."  

Claire has spent her career at the intersection of storytelling and systemic change, exploring how the stories we tell ourselves today dictate the health of our communities tomorrow. 

We dive deep into: 

• Narrative Foresight: What it is and why your personal "future story" defines your agency. 
• Regenerative Futures: Moving beyond "sustainability" to create systems – and buildings – that actually heal and breathe. 
• The Economy of Connection: Claire shares insights from her recent SXSW stage on building an economy that values resilience and creativity as much as profit. 
• The Museum of Futures: How a paradoxically named exhibition is helping us "curate" better tomorrows through collective imagination.

You can also watch the podcast at the NSW Health YouTube Channel.

Subscribe on YouTube, Spotify and Apple podcasts so you don’t miss an episode.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this content are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of NSW Health. Any content provided is for informational purposes only and should not be interpreted as endorsement or approval by the organisation. NSW Health does not endorse any products, services, or companies mentioned in this content.

What happens when human intuition collides with machine intelligence?

In this thought-provoking episode of the Future Health Podcast, Professor Ganna Pogrebna and Dr Graham Kenny unpack the secrets of successful AI strategy and behavioural science in healthcare.

From human–machine teaming to the privacy paradox, they explore practical steps for using AI to solve real-world problems, why decentralised AI is reshaping organisations, and how executives can lead confidently in an era of rapid technological change.

If you’ve ever wondered how to balance innovation with trust or what the future looks like when algorithms and clinicians work side by side this episode is your roadmap. Tune in for insights that will help you navigate the next frontier of health workforce planning.

You can also watch the podcast at the NSW Health YouTube Channel.

Subscribe on YouTube, Spotify and Apple podcasts so you don’t miss an episode.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this content are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of NSW Health. Any content provided is for informational purposes only and should not be interpreted as endorsement or approval by the organisation. NSW Health does not endorse any products, services, or companies mentioned in this content.

How we approach the end of life is one of the most significant health challenges of our time.

As life expectancy in Australia is projected to reach over 87 years by 2050, the conversation around 'dying well' has never been more urgent for healthcare professionals and the communities they serve. 

In this episode of the Future Health Podcast, we are joined by Dr Shoshana Ungerleider – internal medicine physician, host of the TED Health podcast, and founder of the global non-profit platform, End Well.  

Drawing on her work with Academy Award-nominated documentaries like End Game and Extremis, Dr Ungerleider explores how we can move beyond the fear of death to build a more human-centred healthcare system. 

This conversation challenges us to rethink the role of healthcare in supporting not just a long life, but a dignified and meaningful end. 

You can also watch the podcast at the NSW Health YouTube Channel.

Subscribe on YouTube, Spotify and Apple podcasts so you don’t miss an episode.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this content are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of NSW Health. Any content provided is for informational purposes only and should not be interpreted as endorsement or approval by the organisation. NSW Health does not endorse any products, services, or companies mentioned in this content.

In an era of rapid technological shift and clinical complexity, the instinct of many health professionals may be to retreat into the safety of absolute certainty. 

However, award-winning author and social critic Maggie Jackson argues that this "certainty-centricity" is not only costly but may be the very thing holding us back. 

In this episode of Future Health Podcast, we sit down with Maggie Jackson to discuss her acclaimed research on why "not-knowing" is a vital cognitive skill for the 21st century. As NSW Health looks toward the future, the ability to inhabit the space between a question and an answer becomes a critical tool for high-performing teams. 

We explore: 

• Uncertainty as Wakefulness: Moving beyond the view of uncertainty as anxiety to seeing it as "good stress" that expands working memory and focus. 
• The Adaptive Expert: Why the best clinicians and leaders are those who can break the autopilot of routine to investigate new possibilities. 
• Overcoming Outcome Fixation: How a narrow focus on immediate results can close us off to the nuance and data needed for long-term solutions. 
• Humanity in the Age of AI: The role of "unsure AI" and why maintaining human doubt is essential for safety and innovation. 

This conversation offers a roadmap for shifting from a culture of quick answers to one of deep, effective inquiry. 

You can also watch the podcast at the NSW Health YouTube Channel.

Subscribe on YouTube, Spotify and Apple podcasts so you don’t miss an episode.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this content are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of NSW Health. Any content provided is for informational purposes only and should not be interpreted as endorsement or approval by the organisation. NSW Health does not endorse any products, services, or companies mentioned in this content.

Welcome to a new season of Future Health Podcast, where we consolidate the boldest ideas from the global stage to prepare our health system for 2026 and beyond.

This season, we are joined by an extraordinary lineup of international visionaries and local innovators who took the stage at SXSW Sydney 2025.

Together, we explore the "creative collisions" occurring at the intersection of technology, humanity, and health. From the ethics of AI in clinical strategy to the productivity of uncertainty, we are looking at the forces changing our world and how they will specifically impact the communities and clinicians of New South Wales.

Join us as we translate the energy of SXSW into a roadmap for a more resilient, innovative, and human-centred health system.

You can also watch the podcast at the NSW Health YouTube Channel.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this content are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of NSW Health. Any content provided is for informational purposes only and should not be interpreted as endorsement or approval by the organisation. NSW Health does not endorse any products, services, or companies mentioned in this content.

We all know the benefits of a healthy diet, but we aren’t always that good at following the well evidenced advice. So are there new channels, partnerships and tools we could use to have a greater impact when key decisions are being made – whether that’s online or at the check-out? Are there evolving opportunities for the health and commercial sectors to come together and advocate for a healthier Australia into the future?

You can also watch the podcast at the NSWHealth YouTube Channel.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this content are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of NSW Health. Any content provided is for informational purposes only and should not be interpreted as endorsement or approval by the organisation. NSW Health does not endorse any products, services, or companies mentioned in this content.