SoWhoCaresAnyway

In this solo reflection, Ruth explores what happens inside us when we listen to other people’s stories, especially the difficult ones. Before we learn anything, we feel something, and those emotions can quietly shape how we respond. Ruth reflects on why stories don’t automatically create change, how defensiveness and overwhelm can block learning, and why psychological safety matters so much in pra...

In this episode I’m joined by Beryl Palmer | LinkedIn ,x a social worker and senior leader whose own experience of burnout, illness and disconnection led her to re‑examine how she was living — and ultimately to retrain as a sophrologist. This conversation follows on from Episode 23 with Dr Jane Stevens MD, MBA, PhD | LinkedIn , where we first touched on sophrology and the harmony we often forget i...

In this episode I’m joined by nurse and researcher @sandradyer_05 , whose lifelong commitment to justice, equity and care has shaped her work across primary care, palliative care and now her PhD at King’s. We talk about the roots of that commitment — from the peace movement and community activism of the 1980s to the moments in practice when health inequalities became personal and deeply human. Our...

In this short solo reflection, I share a moment that reminded me how change really happens — not through training days or modules, but through being listened to and recognised. I met with a woman who’d been trying for years to get the right support. She wasn’t lacking knowledge; she was lacking recognition. And when she said, “People improve when they feel listened to,” it stopped me in my tracks....

Do With, Can Do: What Happens When Communities Lead — with Tim Mason In this episode, I’m joined by Tim Mason, who leads Rotary Direct Membership. But this isn’t really a conversation just about Rotary, it’s about what happens when people come together to strengthen the places they live. We explore how small gestures, shared action, and “doing with” rather than “doing to” can transform communities...

In this episode, I’m joined by Sam Elliott -Olechnowicz, Senior Multi‑Professional Practice Educator and host of The International Care Collective. Sam brings a rare blend of compassion, cultural humility and deep commitment to the people who leave their homes, families and communities to join the NHS. Together, we explore what it really means to start again in a new country, not just professional...

A short reflection on Intelligent Kindness. In this solo episode, I share a small moment from a recent meeting that stayed with me, a moment that showed what Intelligent Kindness can look like in practice. A gentle story about presence, listening, and the micro‑moments that shape how we care for one another. If it resonates, please share it. Ripples matter.

In this deeply honest and eye‑opening conversation, I’m joined by Lucy Wilson , founder of The Matrescence Empowerment Programme , to explore the profound biological and identity transformation that happens when someone becomes a mother. Matrescence isn’t a metaphor. It’s a real, measurable neurological and hormonal shift, one that reshapes how a person thinks, feels, relates and copes. And yet, m...

In this episode, I’m joined by James Farrell , chartered environmentalist, accredited coach, and founder of both the Natural Coaching Company and the Human Nature Partnership. James brings a rare blend of ecological insight, systems thinking, and deep care for human wellbeing. 🌱 Together, we explore what it really means to reconnect with nature, not just through access, but through relationship....

In this solo episode, I share key learning from my NIHR Knowledge Mobilisation Fellowship, exploring how we develop the workforce to better meet the needs of autistic people and people with learning disabilities. Drawing on four workshops with people with lived experience, families, carers, and staff across sectors, I explore three core insights: •  It’s not just what staff know, it’s what they ne...

In this episode, I’m joined by Dr Tony Jones, retired GP, educator, clinical leader, and someone whose career has been shaped by a deep belief that our experiences are never wasted. Tony spent four decades in general practice, GP education, and system leadership. His roles included Programme Director, GP Tutor, and West Kent Training Hub Lead, as well as work with West Kent CCG and the Health Care...

What happens when life reshapes you, not by choice, but by necessity? In this deeply human conversation, I’m joined by Tom Jepson : full‑time carer, fuller‑time parent, and an ICF‑accredited life coach. Tom shares the story of raising his son Noah, navigating an ultra‑rare genetic condition, and rebuilding his identity around care, purpose and possibility. Tom speaks openly about the realities of...

In this episode, I’m joined by Senior Art Psychotherapist Claire O'Donoghue and CAMHS Registrar Safia Zaffarullah to explore a remarkable project bringing art therapy to resident doctors. We talk about emotional labour, burnout, and why supporting the people who care for others is essential. Claire explains the power of art therapy, not as something “creative on the side,” but as a deeply regulati...

In this special New Year’s Day episode, I’m marking one year since the very first So Who Cares Anyway went live. It’s been a year of conversations, learning, and deep reflection, and today I’m sharing some of what I’ve learnt, what has stayed with me, and what I’m carrying into 2026. From personal stories that spark passion, to the power of listening with curiosity, to the shift from doing for peo...

What does it mean to age with grace, dignity, and equity? In this episode, I’m joined by, Dr. Laila Khalfan Surani lecturer, researcher, Rotarian, and founder of EMAGE, a new community interest company supporting ethnic minority older adults. Layla shares her journey from Pakistan to the UK, her passion for serving underserved communities, and why aging should be reframed as contribution rather th...

What happens when we leave conversations too late? In this episode, I’m joined by Clare Fuller , nurse, palliative care specialist, and founder of Speak for Me. Clare shares her journey from hospices to Parliament, and why she believes advanced care planning is everyone’s responsibility. We explore her “house” infographic, the importance of public awareness, and why normalising conversations about...

What happens when your story becomes your strength, and your strength becomes a force for change? In this episode, I’m joined by Tracey Robinson , occupational therapist, coach, and founder of Mother Nature Coaching. Tracy shares her personal story of postpartum psychosis, the fear of being sectioned, and the long road to recovery and the quiet courage it took to rebuild. Tracey’s story didn’t jus...

What happens when creativity meets courage, and co-production becomes a colourful invitation to think differently? In this episode, I’m joined by Gill Phillips , whose journey spans social care, poetry, podcasting, and the creation of the Whose Shoes? co-production tool. Gill brings a rich tapestry of lived experience, from frontline practice to strategic roles in local government, woven with pers...

In this episode of So Who Cares Anyway? I’m joined by Dr Jihad Malasi   GP, educator, mental health lead, and global health strategist. Jihad shares how early experiences of complexity and conflict became a driving force behind his leadership, and how passion and purpose continue to shape his clinical, community, and systems work. Jihads story unfolds into a career shaped by systems thinking, rela...

What happens when digital dignity meets lived experience, and co-production becomes a tool for trust, autonomy, and health creation? In this episode, I’m joined by Dr Naveed Iqbal, GP, humanitarian, and founder of Triton Health, a platform shaped by and for people with learning disabilities. From refugee camps to frontline care, Naveed shares how fear became realism, neutrality became survival, an...

What happens when trauma meets creativity and poetry becomes a way to survive, teach, and transform? In this episode, I am joined by Thomas Delahunt , also known as The Hobo Poet, a neurodiverse A&E nurse, educator, and writer whose work spans trauma care, narrative teaching, and poetic reflection. From chaotic classrooms to Canterbury theatres, Thomas shares how creativity became his compass,...

What happens when knowledge is out there, but inaccessible, unshared, or simply not embedded where it matters most? In this episode, I am joined by Sue Lacey Bryant , former Chief Knowledge Officer for the NHS in England and Visiting Professor at Manchester Metropolitan University. From childhood stories of missed bus routes to national strategy on knowledge mobilisation, Sue reflects on the emoti...

What happens when we stop measuring health by the number on a scale and start asking what really matters?  In this episode, Ruth is joined by Helen James , CEO of Nutriri, whose work challenges the weight-centric culture of healthcare. From intuitive eating to trauma-informed care, Helen shares how stigma shows up in consultations, waiting rooms, and clinical pathways, and what it takes to shift t...

What happens when two consultant geriatricians decide to challenge the norm, not just in clinical practice, but in how care is imagined, led, and lived? In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Anna Folwell and Dr Dan Harman , whose work in Hull and East Riding is quietly reshaping what “left shift” really means. With clinical leadership rooted in community, they reflect on how integrated teams, co-loca...

What happens when a GP invites the whole team, receptionists, managers, clinicians and more into a simulation room, and a few fluffy pandas make an appearance? In this episode, I’m joined by, Dr Jane Roome  GP, educator, and Simulation Faculty Lead in West Kent. With insight and a grounded sense of care, Jane reflects on she has pushed open doors to create safe spaces for learning that shift not j...