The Business of Healthcare Podcast with Tara Humphrey

For regular listeners of The Business of Healthcare podcast, Monique Carayol needs no introduction. She is my friend, ally, sounding board, informal coach; my champion; my go-to person when I need support or advice and an absolute inspiration. As well as being a key influence on me professionally (and personally), Monique is an experienced leadership coach, consultant, ex-NHS director and now MD of Your New Avenue. She’s an award-winning strategist and change agent and started her NHS career as a PA, navigating her way to a high profile board executive director of strategy and transformation role. In 2022, Monique co-founded Bravery in the Boardroom; a movement which focuses on increasing diversity in senior leadership, to ensure that boardrooms are more representative of the communities and staff they serve.  The movement has hosted a series of roundtable discussions and Q&As to help grow and sustain diverse talent at executive level across the NHS and will be launching a podcast and platform in Spring 2023. In this podcast, Monique and I cover the following key topics: The development of our own relationship as fellow female business leaders and entrepreneurs The importance of good communication and drawing on advice from those who know you best Making the move to a life beyond PAYE and the traditional 9 to 5 Growing your network and your business - and learning when you are most effective as a leader (and when you’re not!) Drawing on personal strengths to realise success; “Be Yourself, Back Yourself and Make It Happen” Driving change, tackling inequality and discrimination, challenging ourselves (and others) via the Bravery in the Boardroom webinar series and development of the soon to be launched Bravery in the Boardroom podcast If you’ve also been inspired by Monique and would like to get in touch, her key contact points are here: LinkedIn Twitter You can find out more about Bravery in the Boardroom, and access all of the resources available, via any of your favourite channels: YouTube LinkedIn Twitter Instagram   Work with me     I’m Tara Humphrey and I’m the founder of THC Primary Care, a leading healthcare consultancy. I provide project and network management to Primary Care Networks and consulting support to clinical leads. To date, I’ve worked with 11 Training Hubs and supported over 80 Primary Care Networks and 3 GP Federations.  I understand and appreciate the complexity of healthcare and what it takes to deliver projects across multiple practices.    I have over 20 years of project management and business development experience across the private and public sector and have an MBA in Leadership and Management in Healthcare. I’m also published in the London Journal of Primary Care and the author of over 250 blogs.    For more weekly insights and advice sign up to my newsletter.       Improving the Business of Healthcare – One Episode at a Time      Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of the Business of Healthcare Podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, head over to Apple Podcasts to subscribe, leave your honest review, and share your favourite episodes on social media. Find us on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn or visit our website – THC Primary Care.    

In this week’s podcast, I work through the often-thorny topic of recruitment and onboarding, and, at the opposite end of the spectrum, outline my approach when a hire is just not working out and facing down the challenge of letting staff go.   You’ll hear all about:  How promotion of strong content and a creative approach to recruitment can pay off for both recruiters and applicants  Why going with your gut instinct is key (hint: don’t ignore those red flags!)  Why I believe oversharing on information and expectation levels, right from the very beginning, is key to matching the needs of the business with your hire (because the former should always come first)   How to fire effectively and manage an exit in the best way possible  Why hiring slow and firing fast is a mantra I am now firmly subscribed to.  I also offer some simple tips on:  Making sure you stand out to potential employees in an incredibly competitive market  Putting together a polished, supportive, and professional onboarding process  Considering how accessible you need to be as a recruiter, and once your hire is in post  Embedding performance management from day one, giving your new joiner the best possible opportunity to flourish in their role  Work with me                I’m Tara Humphrey and I am the founder of THC Primary Care, a leading healthcare consultancy. I provide project and network management to Primary Care Networks and consulting support to clinical leads. To date, I’ve worked with 11 Training Hubs and supported over 80 Primary Care Networks and 3 GP Federations. I understand and appreciate the complexity of healthcare and what it takes to deliver projects across multiple practices.       I have over 20 years of project management and business development experience across the private and public sector and have an MBA in Leadership and Management in Healthcare. I’m also published in the London Journal of Primary Care and the author of over 250 blogs.                For more weekly insights and advice sign up to my newsletter.        Improving the Business of Healthcare – One Episode at a Time                 Sign up to receive our free download – click here If you feel your leadership and management meetings are unproductive or you are uncertain of where you should prioritise your focus for the week.                Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of the Business of Healthcare Podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, head over to Apple Podcasts to subscribe, leave your honest review, and share your favourite episodes on social media. Find us on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn or visit our website – THC Primary Care.       

I’m incredibly excited to be joined this week by Accurx CEO and Co-Founder Jacob Haddad! For those of you who aren’t familiar with Accurx (where have you been?!) they are a health tech company who specialise in delivery of communications software, primarily (to date) across the general practice landscape. Put simply; if you’ve had a text from your own GP, it’s likely to have been powered by the Accurx solution.  As Jacob is co-founder of one of the healthcare industry’s fastest growing tech company, it will come as no surprise to our regular listeners that I was keen to quiz him on all things leadership, as well as find out more about the Accurx journey more broadly (and a key shift in their product focus and delivery along the way).  So, listen now to find out more about:  Jacob’s leadership style  His role, responsibilities, and ambitions now (versus when he first started out)  What a typical week in the life of a health tech CEO looks like and what Jacob enjoys doing most  Recognising opportunities and how to make the most of the lucky breaks  Reflecting on mistakes and misjudgements and how they can still positively shape progress  Accurx company culture, structure, and evolution  Why maintaining a strong user focus has been fundamental in the Accurx success story  ….and why post-it notes matter when it comes to marketing!  If you’d like to connect with Jacob, and / or find out more, he is contactable via Twitter or LinkedIn    Work with me          I’m Tara Humphrey and I’m the founder of THC Primary Care, a leading healthcare consultancy. I provide project and network management to Primary Care Networks and consulting support to clinical leads. To date, I’ve worked with 11 Training Hubs and supported over 50 Primary Care Networks and 3 GP Federations.  I understand and appreciate the complexity of healthcare and what it takes to deliver projects across multiple practices.         I have over 20 years of project management and business development experience across the private and public sector and have an MBA in Leadership and Management in Healthcare. I’m also published in the London Journal of Primary Care and the author of over 250 blogs.          For more weekly insights and advice sign up to my newsletter.     Improving the Business of Healthcare – One Episode at a Time           Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of the Business of Healthcare Podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, head over to Apple Podcasts to subscribe, leave your honest review, and share your favourite episodes on social media. Find us on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn or visit our website – THC Primary Care.      

I always work hard to dig a little deeper and deliver raw and honest podcast material, from my own perspective and that of others, and this week’s episode truly does not disappoint.   I had the total pleasure of interviewing Gus Kennedy; Managing Director of Hero Health, soon to be new Dad, cricket lover and passionate about all things health tech. Inspired by his GP Mum’s continued frustrations about the need for better tech in Primary Care, Gus founded Hero Health in 2017; building and delivering a software solution to streamline the patient booking process, and which is aimed primarily at improving patient experience when booking an appointment with their local practice.  By Gus’s own admission, realising success in the Primary Care tech space is more than challenging and with this in mind, he and I discussed:  The Hero product itself; the funding mechanisms used to bring the solution to life, the product journey, the system processes and capabilities, their learning curve, and the Hero vision  How Hero can add value, particularly when it comes to cross-organisational aspects of scheduling  Why it’s tough to deliver tech that supports both clinicians and patients, to ensure equal priorities are met  The challenges of having and maintaining exposure to both digitally savvy PCNs, and those PCNs who are further behind in their awareness of available tech (and in some cases, experiences of hostility when making an approach)   The flaws of a traditional procurement process for both PCNs and tech providers and a lack of funding when it comes to research and development  Gus’s advice for aspiring entrepreneurs who are hoping to penetrate the healthcare space    To find out more about Hero Health; the work they do, and the solution they offer, check out:  Hero's website  If you’d like to connect with Gus, you can do so here.    Work with me      I’m Tara Humphrey and I’m the founder of THC Primary Care, a leading healthcare consultancy. I provide project and network management to Primary Care Networks and consulting support to clinical leads. To date, I’ve worked with 11 Training Hubs and supported over 50 Primary Care Networks and 3 GP Federations.  I understand and appreciate the complexity of healthcare and what it takes to deliver projects across multiple practices.     I have over 20 years of project management and business development experience across the private and public sector and have an MBA in Leadership and Management in Healthcare. I’m also published in the London Journal of Primary Care and the author of over 250 blogs.      For more weekly insights and advice sign up to my newsletter.   Improving the Business of Healthcare – One Episode at a Time       Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of the Business of Healthcare Podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, head over to Apple Podcasts to subscribe, leave your honest review, and share your favourite episodes on social media. Find us on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn or visit our website – THC Primary Care.  

Hey, and welcome back to the Business of Healthcare podcast…. recording from Nashville, Tennessee!    In episode 224 I talked about travel being firmly back on the agenda (since the height of the pandemic has passed) and how 2022 was a big travel year for me both nationally and internationally.    The reason I’m in Nashville is because I’m here on a business retreat with my business coach and mastermind group, and I thought some of you might find my approach to business coaching, consulting, and mentorship helpful. This is equally applicable to you as an employee, or business owner.    In this podcast, I talk about:     What a business coach is and can offer, and why I would recommend hiring one  The difference between coaching, consulting, and mentorship  The difference between a group coaching programme and mastermind group  The benefits of attending a business retreat  The costs of coaching     For those of you who are keen to listen to the podcasts I’ve mentioned relating to my former and current business coaches:    Biz Chix  https://bizchix.com/category/podcast/bizchix/   https://bizchix.com/category/podcast/team/      Eleanor Beaton  https://eleanorbeaton.com/podcast/      12 Hats Radio  https://pod.co/12-hats-radio      Diary of a CEO  https://stevenbartlett.com/the-diary-of-a-ceo-podcast/        And finally, further guidance about accessing NHS Coaching can be found via the following two links:    https://www.leadershipacademy.nhs.uk      https://www.england.nhs.uk/supporting-our-nhs-people/support-now/looking-after-you-confidential-coaching-and-support-for-the-primary-care-workforce/looking-after-you-too/       Work with me      I’m Tara Humphrey and I am the founder of THC Primary Care, a leading healthcare consultancy. I provide project and network management to Primary Care Networks and consulting support to clinical leads. To date, I’ve worked with 11 Training Hubs and supported over 80 Primary Care Networks and 3 GP Federations. I understand and appreciate the complexity of healthcare and what it takes to deliver projects across multiple practices.     I have over 20 years of project management and business development experience across the private and public sector and have an MBA in Leadership and Management in Healthcare. I’m also published in the London Journal of Primary Care and the author of over 250 Blogs     For more weekly insights and advice sign up to my newsletter.      Improving the Business of Healthcare – One Episode at a Time       Sign up to receive our free download – click here If you feel your leadership and management meetings are unproductive or you are uncertain of where you should prioritise your focus for the week.       Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of the Business of Healthcare Podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, head over to Apple Podcasts to subscribe, leave your honest review, and share your favourite episodes on social media. Find us on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn or visit our website – THC Primary Care.     

It’s International Women’s Day and with this in mind, today’s Business of Healthcare podcast guest really requires no introduction.   I am extremely proud to feature NHS England Director for Clinical Integration (and deputy lead responsible for the delivery of the Covid vaccination programme), GP, Mum of two and former NHSE first female Medical Director for Primary Care, Dr Nikki Kanani MBE.   To say I was super excited to do this interview would be an understatement and amongst the many things we managed to cover within our relatively short chat, I was particularly focused on finding out what it’s really like being Dr Nikki Kanani;  How does Nikki manage her time, day to day, in her professional, and her home life?  When did Nikki’s career evolve from GP to GP and national leader?  What does being a celebrity in her field really feel like and what are the practical impacts?  When is being better good enough versus delivering the very best, across Nikki’s multi-hatted portfolio?  How does she feel about her work right now?  Bearing in mind that her role has often involved overseeing the release of (sometimes not well received) policy and, particularly where the vaccination programme is concerned, potentially divisive strategy, how does Nikki deal with conflict and ensure she has ample time for self-care and access to  personal sources of support?  And of course….I had to ask about the future for PCNs!  This is a fascinating listen from a truly inspirational female leader…. enjoy!    Work with me        I’m Tara Humphrey and I’m the founder of THC Primary Care, a leading healthcare consultancy. I provide project and network management to Primary Care Networks and consulting support to clinical leads. To date, I’ve worked with 11 Training Hubs and supported over 50 Primary Care Networks and 3 GP Federations.  I understand and appreciate the complexity of healthcare and what it takes to deliver projects across multiple practices.       I have over 20 years of project management and business development experience across the private and public sector and have an MBA in Leadership and Management in Healthcare. I’m also published in the London Journal of Primary Care and the author of over 250 blogs.        For more weekly insights and advice sign up to my newsletter.    Improving the Business of Healthcare – One Episode at a Time         Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of the Business of Healthcare Podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, head over to Apple Podcasts to subscribe, leave your honest review, and share your favourite episodes on social media. Find us on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn or visit our website – THC Primary Care.   

One reoccurring thought I am having currently is around the concept of over-delivering. The age-old saying is that “we should under promise and over deliver and then everyone’s happy, but I don’t think this approach in the field of healthcare is sustainable. Most people just want what you said you would do, and for you to be nice to them during your interactions. If they get it quicker than what you originally said, then great, but I think the first thought should be what is the minimum high-quality standard we should be working to every single time, and to be consistent with this. At THC, I used to take pride in overdelivering, only to find ; ·      The additional service or thing we gave went unnoticed or unappreciated ·      The additional service ate into profitability ·      We created an expectation that we then felt we needed to maintain, which became stressful, and sometimes we resented the effort we put in, which was 100% our fault and not theirs   I think we do this because:   ·      We want to be liked ·      We are frightened of saying no ·      We are genuinely trying to be helpful ·      We think it’s good for business ·      We think it will give us that competitive edge ·      Because we don’t value our time ·      We are insecure   So, without this turning into a therapy session, look at all the activities in your portfolio ask yourself;   1.     What is working well regarding the delivery of your work? 2.     Are there any areas where you feel you are going above and beyond, which is not serving you? 3.     Be really honest and reflect on why you are in this situation, taking radical responsibility for your actions. 4.     Then ask yourself,  what one thing could I do to remedy this situation without making up stories and excuses as to why things can't change 5.     If you are not sure of what is expected of you, then ask your manager or client, or you set the expectation 6.     Finally, put your plan into action. And remember, most people simply want what you said you were going to do and then be nice to them in your communications.   Work with me      I’m Tara Humphrey and I am the founder of THC Primary Care, a leading healthcare consultancy. I provide project and network management to Primary Care Networks and consulting support to clinical leads. To date, I’ve worked with 11 Training Hubs and supported over 80 Primary Care Networks and 3 GP Federations. I understand and appreciate the complexity of healthcare and what it takes to deliver projects across multiple practices.     I have over 20 years of project management and business development experience across the private and public sector and have an MBA in Leadership and Management in Healthcare. I’m also published in the London Journal of Primary Care and the author of over 250 Blogs            For more weekly insights and advice sign up to my newsletter.      Improving the Business of Healthcare – One Episode at a Time             Sign up to receive our free download – click here If you feel your leadership and management meetings are unproductive or you are uncertain of where you should prioritise your focus for the week.            Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of the Business of Healthcare Podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, head over to Apple Podcasts to subscribe, leave your honest review, and share your favourite episodes on social media. Find us on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn or visit our website – THC Primary Care.     

Introducing Dr Juhi Tandon; superstar GP, wife, mother of two, and co-founder and Medical Director of Cognitant Group; a health technology group whose mission is to help people better understand their health by innovating the content and delivery of health information and digital services.  I had the great pleasure of meeting Juhi over dinner at a MedTech conference in Malta and after hearing more about her passion for preventative medicine, reducing health inequalities and empowering patients to make informed decisions about their care, I was determined to feature her on the Business of Healthcare podcast; to dig deeper into the work of Cognitant Group and Juhi as a medic and entrepreneur, both on a personal and professional level.  So, listen on to hear more about:  Juhi’s own journey into the fast paced and evolving world of medical technology; her goals and her altered perspective of the wider healthcare system since stepping outside of her role as a GP  Cognitant’s co-founders; what a good partnership should look and feel like (and their 10-year vision)  Identifying your USP and engaging with your target market  Tackling the fear of failure and being confident in decision-making  The importance of self-care and staying active, even when you’re under pressure  Managing the growing pains of a business  The Cognitant recruitment approach, balancing Cultural Fit and Cultural Add  What to do when you’re first starting out in business – juggling personal and professional demands, and overcoming personal challenges    Mentions:  WIRED Health  Matthew Syed’s Black Box Thinking - Marginal Gains and the Secrets of High Performance    To find out more about Juhi, and Cognitant (and the solutions on offer):  Juhi's LinkedIn profile  Cognitant website  Healthinote    Work with me              I’m Tara Humphrey and I am the founder of THC Primary Care, a leading healthcare consultancy. I provide project and network management to Primary Care Networks and consulting support to clinical leads. To date, I’ve worked with 11 Training Hubs and supported over 50 Primary Care Networks and 3 GP Federations. I understand and appreciate the complexity of healthcare and what it takes to deliver projects across multiple practices.      I have over 20 years of project management and business development experience across the private and public sector and have an MBA in Leadership and Management in Healthcare. I’m also published in the London Journal of Primary Care and the author of over 250 Blogs              For more weekly insights and advice sign up to my newsletter.       Improving the Business of Healthcare – One Episode at a Time               Sign up to receive our free download – click here If you feel your leadership and management meetings are unproductive or you are uncertain of where you should prioritise your focus for the week.              Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of the Business of Healthcare Podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, head over to Apple Podcasts to subscribe, leave your honest review, and share your favourite episodes on social media. Find us on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn or visit our website – THC Primary Care.   

For a long time, I’ve felt there’s a noticeable gap in the podcast market of business leaders who are prepared to bare their souls and offer an honest and open, warts and all insight into their daily lives. And not just their professional lives; but how we balance the common conflict of being Managing Director and Mum, and maintaining ample self-care.  So here goes……  This week I bring to you the diary of me. Access all areas to six days in a very typical week where I talk about…  Why putting in a few hours on a Sunday can be invaluable in setting me up practically, and psychologically, for the week ahead  How I engage with others; my team, my networks, my mentors and mentees, and my friends- and the inevitable cold callers, good and bad…  Management of meetings and meeting outcomes, and the benefits of reflecting on the latter, in particular  Why being active, taking time out to meditate and knowing when I’ve reached my limit are all key to maximising my own productivity  How I manage my time (and inbox) to ensure I get the most out of my week, when I’m in and out of the office  Working on the move and how to remain productive, even when you’re stuck on the M25  Growing THC Primary Care and what’s coming next  Family time. How I mix business and pleasure in an average day and why my family are instrumental in shaping my approach and my decision-making.    Mentions in episode PCN Plus Conference - register here today! Ankish Patel's Podcast Episode 229 Creating the culture and leading by experience   Work with me      I’m Tara Humphrey and I am the founder of THC Primary Care, a leading healthcare consultancy. I provide project and network management to Primary Care Networks and consulting support to clinical leads. To date, I’ve worked with 11 Training Hubs and supported over 50 Primary Care Networks and 3 GP Federations. I understand and appreciate the complexity of healthcare and what it takes to deliver projects across multiple practices.     I have over 20 years of project management and business development experience across the private and public sector and have an MBA in Leadership and Management in Healthcare. I’m also published in the London Journal of Primary Care and the author of over 250 Blogs            For more weekly insights and advice sign up to my newsletter.      Improving the Business of Healthcare – One Episode at a Time             Sign up to receive our free download – click here If you feel your leadership and management meetings are unproductive or you are uncertain of where you should prioritise your focus for the week.            Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of the Business of Healthcare Podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, head over to Apple Podcasts to subscribe, leave your honest review, and share your favourite episodes on social media. Find us on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn or visit our website – THC Primary Care.     

“Creating the culture and leading by experience” is a mantra this week’s podcast guest, Ankish Patel, swears by.  As Chief Pharmacist and Head of Primary Care Workforce at Nottingham City General Practice Alliance, Ankish has responsibility for supporting over 150 members of staff spanning 8 primary care network areas and it’s clear; he knows his stuff when it comes to managing, developing, and getting the best from his team.   So I took this opportunity to quiz this self-confessed board game geek (and long time Man City fan) on all things leadership and workforce covering (and not limited to):  His preferred approach when it comes to workforce development and why a ‘bottom up’ method resonates so strongly  Consideration and modelling of staffing structures Balancing federation priorities alongside what’s most important to staff on the ground and ensuring their voices are heard Recruitment and hiring dos and don’ts Sowing the seeds for innovation The power in evidencing the impact of what we are achieving both in qualitative and quantitative terms Why the journey to success is just that (i.e., it’s a marathon, not a sprint)  And a top tip for aspiring future leaders, according to Ankish? To listen, listen some more, and help those around you to solve their own problems.  Mentions in this episode:  Mary Seacole Programme  NHS Leadership Academy’s Action Learning Set Facilitator Programme  The King’s Fund Top Manager Programme    Work with me          I’m Tara Humphrey and I am the founder of THC Primary Care, a leading healthcare consultancy. I provide project and network management to Primary Care Networks and consulting support to clinical leads. To date, I’ve worked with 11 Training Hubs and supported over 50 Primary Care Networks and 3 GP Federations. I understand and appreciate the complexity of healthcare and what it takes to deliver projects across multiple practices.    I have over 20 years of project management and business development experience across the private and public sector and have an MBA in Leadership and Management in Healthcare. I’m also published in the London Journal of Primary Care and the author of over 250 Blogs          For more weekly insights and advice sign up to my newsletter.     Improving the Business of Healthcare – One Episode at a Time           Sign up to receive our free download – click here If you feel your leadership and management meetings are unproductive or you are uncertain of where you should prioritise your focus for the week.          Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of the Business of Healthcare Podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, head over to Apple Podcasts to subscribe, leave your honest review, and share your favourite episodes on social media. Find us on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn or visit our website – THC Primary Care.