Problems Worth Solving

Transformation is pervasive but we rarely discuss implementation - the secret sauce of successful change.

In this episode, we explore one of the most persistent challenges: how to turn promising ideas into real, lasting impact.

Malte Gerhold, Director of Innovation and Improvement at the Health Foundation — and trustee of the Alzheimer’s Society — has spent his career at the intersection of policy and delivery. From No.10 and the Department of Health to the Care Quality Commission and now the frontlines of innovation, he’s seen why transformation efforts often stall, and what it really takes to make them stick.

He shares insights from national research and system experience, including evidence that only 15% of funding goes toward adoption — while most investment still flows to new solutions that may never be implemented effectively.

We talk about what makes implementation succeed, how to design services people can and want to use, and why transformation depends on culture, capability and relationships — not just technology.

From community-led innovation to AI and ambient scribing, this episode offers thoughtful, practical insights for anyone working to deliver change in complex systems.

Problems Worth Solving is brought to you by Healthia, the collaborative service design consultancy for transformation in health, care and public services.

Find out more about our work at healthia.services.

At some point in your life, the chances are that you'll either become a carer or be cared for. For Charlotte Newman, this reality became the foundation for groundbreaking social innovation.

With 5.7 million unpaid carers in Britain saving the public purse £183 billion annually—more than the entire NHS budget—Charlotte saw an overlooked crisis. Her charity Carefree found an unexpected solution in an unlikely place: empty hotel rooms.

Running more like a tech startup than a traditional charity, Charlotte's team of just ten people has already transformed thousands of lives. But how do you scale compassion? How do you use AI without losing humanity? And why did they turn down £150k in funding to protect their model?

Join us to discover how lean teams can create sustainable solutions to society's most complex challenges, why Charlotte believes the future of care lies in partnerships not policy, and what every health and care organisation can learn from startup thinking.

If you're wrestling with how to do more with less, this conversation will change how you think about transformation.

Problems Worth Solving is brought to you by Healthia, the collaborative service design consultancy for transformation in health, care and public services.

Find out more about our work at healthia.services.

Imagine passing your health data down like a family heirloom.

Not just a list of conditions, but a rich personal history — something that could help your children and grandchildren live longer, healthier lives.

But that future depends on what we do now. Right now, governments are pouring billions into electronic health records. But if the data inside them is siloed, inaccessible, or locked in outdated formats — what are we really building?

It’s a bit like building a library, but locking all the books away.

In this episode of Problems Worth Solving, we speak with Professor Rachel Dunscombe, one of the UK’s most influential digital health leaders, about how we can make health data work — for patients, for clinicians, and for the future.

Rachel is CEO at OpenEHR and formerly served as CEO of the NHS Digital Academy and Director of Digital/CIO for Salford/NCA Group. She’s advised the Secretary of State for Health, sat on the UK AI Council, and holds a visiting professorship at Imperial College London — bringing together frontline insight, academic rigour, and strategic vision.

Problems Worth Solving is brought to you by Healthia, the collaborative service design consultancy for transformation in health, care and public services.

Find out more about our work at healthia.services.

Dr Katharine Halliday, President of the Royal College of Radiologists and a leading voice in UK radiology, joins host Sam Menter to discuss how collaboration, authentic leadership, and ground-up innovation drive meaningful change in complex healthcare systems.

In this episode, they explore:

• Balancing AI with human expertise: Exploring how artificial intelligence can complement rather than replace clinical judgment.
• Collaboration as a catalyst for innovation: Breaking down silos and integrating diverse perspectives to solve pressing healthcare challenges.
• Harnessing hidden expertise through co-design: Revealing and leveraging frontline knowledge to spark effective change.
• Redefining healthcare leadership: Rethinking how clinical leaders are supported, enabling them to lead effectively.
• Improving patient communication through user-centred design: Closing the gap between clinical language and patient understanding.

Filled with practical insights and compelling examples, this conversation provides inspiration for anyone aiming to deliver impactful change by combining human insight with innovation in healthcare.

Problems Worth Solving is brought to you by Healthia, the collaborative service design consultancy for transformation in health, care and public services.

Find out more about our work at healthia.services.

In this two part episode, we talk to Dr. Jonathan Gregory, a former NHS cancer surgeon turned healthcare innovator, to explore the intersection of data, digital tools, AI, and patient-centred design in transforming cancer pathways.

With over 20 years in frontline surgery and leadership roles, Jonathan now works. as clinical advisor for Macmillan Cancer Support, and in roles at Imperial College, and NHS innovation programmes to rethink how healthcare is delivered—from AI-powered end-of-treatment communication to understanding the lived experiences of cancer survivors. He also runs his own consultancy Pivotal Health working with  the NHS, academia, startups, and third-sector organisations to develop and implement digital, AI, and data-driven tools.

In part one we explore:

• What it's like working as a surgeon
• Redesigning cancer pathways and why the NHS struggles, despite simple solutions being within reach
• Health inequalities in cancer care and how systems can be re-engineered to work for everyone

In part two we explore:

• Where the real power of AI lies—not in replacing doctors but to challenge bias and support better decisions
• AI's role in better patient communication
• A groundbreaking national research trial, which is rapidly becoming the largest of its kind

Jonathan’s insights will challenge how you think about healthcare transformation, showing how human-centred design, behavioural science, and digital innovation can unlock real improvements—if we let them.

If you’re interested in the future of healthcare, cancer treatment, health inequalities, or AI’s role in medicine, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

Problems Worth Solving is brought to you by Healthia, the collaborative service design consultancy for transformation in health, care and public services.

Find out more about our work at healthia.services.

In this two part episode, we talk to Dr. Jonathan Gregory, a former NHS cancer surgeon turned healthcare innovator, to explore the intersection of data, digital tools, AI, and patient-centred design in transforming cancer pathways.

With over 20 years in frontline surgery and leadership roles, Jonathan now works. as clinical advisor for Macmillan Cancer Support, and in roles at Imperial College, and NHS innovation programmes to rethink how healthcare is delivered—from AI-powered end-of-treatment communication to understanding the lived experiences of cancer survivors. He also runs his own consultancy Pivotal Health working with  the NHS, academia, startups, and third-sector organisations to develop and implement digital, AI, and data-driven tools.

In part one we explore:

• What it's like working as a surgeon
• Redesigning cancer pathways and why the NHS struggles, despite simple solutions being within reach
• Health inequalities in cancer care and how systems can be re-engineered to work for everyone

In part two we explore:

• Where the real power of AI lies—not in replacing doctors but to challenge bias and support better decisions
• AI's role in better patient communication
• A groundbreaking national research trial, which is rapidly becoming the largest of its kind

Jonathan’s insights will challenge how you think about healthcare transformation, showing how human-centred design, behavioural science, and digital innovation can unlock real improvements—if we let them.

If you’re interested in the future of healthcare, cancer treatment, health inequalities, or AI’s role in medicine, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

Problems Worth Solving is brought to you by Healthia, the collaborative service design consultancy for transformation in health, care and public services.

Find out more about our work at healthia.services.

Dr. Videha Sharma—NHS doctor, clinical innovation lead at the University of Manchester, and co-founder of Fava Health—joins host, Sam Menter from Healthia®, to explore how prevention-focused care, human-centered design, and genomic insights can reshape healthcare.

Dr. Sharma offers a unique perspective on the power of tailoring treatments to an individual’s genetic profile, shedding light on how this can help reduce adverse drug reactions and improve patient outcomes. From designing better digital tools and workflows, to ensuring clinicians and patients benefit from more coordinated data, this conversation shows how design-led thinking can drive change in the health system.

With examples drawn from Dr. Sharma’s frontline clinical experience and his work in digital health innovation, this episode offers valuable lessons for anyone looking to build a more proactive, patient-centred healthcare system. 

Whether you’re involved in service transformation, curious about integrating genomics, or simply passionate about prevention, this conversation uncovers practical and thought-provoking takeaways.

Problems Worth Solving is brought to you by Healthia, the collaborative service design consultancy for transformation in health, care and public services.

Find out more about our work at healthia.services.

Rochelle Gold—Head of User Research and User-Centred Design at NHS England—joins host, Sam Menter from Healthia®, to explore the challenge of making digital services more human.

They discuss how actionable insights from user research are delivering better outcomes for patients and healthcare professionals. From pioneering an AI-powered tool to manage research insights, to tackling the risk of “research vampires”, this episode uncovers innovative ways to create truly inclusive health services.

They explore how collaboration between digital, policy, and operational teams is transforming healthcare delivery, highlighting lessons from the pandemic where integrated working accelerated impactful solutions. Rochelle also shares why focusing on excluded groups isn’t just ethical—it’s essential for creating safer, more effective care for everyone.

Packed with examples from Rochelle’s work building NHS England’s user research capability, this conversation offers practical insights for anyone leading service transformation, commissioning research, or passionate about improving health outcomes.

Problems Worth Solving is brought to you by Healthia, the collaborative service design consultancy for transformation in health, care and public services.

Find out more about our work at healthia.services.

Dr. Lia Ali—consultant psychiatrist and clinical advisor at NHS England’s Transformation Directorate—joins host, Sam Menter from Healthia®, to explore the intersection of healthcare, human-centered design, and digital innovation.

Dr. Ali shares her unique insights on the bio-psycho-social model and how it aligns with user-centered design to create more personalised, effective health services. From using digital tools to improve patient outcomes, to exploring how the therapeutic relationship evolves in a digital age, this conversation dives deep into the role of design in transforming healthcare delivery.

With examples from Dr. Ali’s work at NHS England and her extensive experience in clinical practice, this episode offers valuable takeaways for anyone interested in the future of healthcare—whether you're leading service transformation, navigating digital health technologies, or simply passionate about improving patient care.

Tune in for practical, thought-provoking insights on how to shape the future of healthcare by putting people first.

Problems Worth Solving is brought to you by Healthia, the collaborative service design consultancy for transformation in health, care and public services.

Find out more about our work at healthia.services.