

NHS England Podcast
NHS England
At NHS England our aim is to support the NHS and help improve care for patients. Our podcast will be providing commentary and information about NHS health care services, policy and success stories.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Oct 16, 2024 • 10min
A different kind of normal
Tune into the South west Allied Health Professions (AHPs) 2024 Podcast series, featuring 12 episodes. Recorded at Westonbirt Arboretum, the series includes 8 live campfire stories and 4 additional episodes. AHPs from across the South West share stories that connect, inspire, and elevate, showcasing how they implement the AHPs Deliver strategy for England.
In this episode we hear the story of a specialist pain service curious about the number of patients the team were seeing with autistic traits but often without a diagnosis. This story explores prevalence of autism in chronic pain, how clinicians can support these patients better and capitalise on their unique strengths.
Jennifer Ford is an Advanced Practice Physiotherapist at Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation and the Bath Centre for Pain Services (BCPS) Therapy Lead, the BCPS is a National Specialist NHS Centre providing pain rehabilitation to people of all ages with complex pain associated disability and associated mental health difficulties. :
A transcript of this episode is available on our website - https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/ep4-a-different-kind-of-normal-jennifer-ford/
Contact us: england.ahpwte.sw@nhs.net

Oct 16, 2024 • 13min
Disabling barriers in the home - change should be easy
Tune into the South west Allied Health Professions (AHPs) 2024 Podcast series, featuring 12 episodes. Recorded at Westonbirt Arboretum, the series includes 8 live campfire stories and 4 additional episodes. AHPs from across the South West share stories that connect, inspire, and elevate, showcasing how they implement the AHPs Deliver strategy for England.
Listen to the story of one man’s journey from a tragic accident and discharge from hospital through to managing in the community, seeking a different, more accessible home and receiving major adaptations.
In this episode Neil Withnell a Specialist Housing Occupational Therapist at Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust talks about his role developing services related to Housing and people with disabilities.
Neil links the experiences of a patient to the work he does to improve the experience of people with disabilities receiving housing and adaptation services. It’s a challenging tale of delay and frustration but one that ultimately motivates Neil to seek solutions across a range of organisations, pushed on by his patient’s courage, to connect with other stakeholders to inspire positive change.
A transcript of this episode is available on our website - https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/ep2-disabling-barriers-in-the-home-neil-withnell-2/
Contact us: england.ahpwte.sw@nhs.net

Oct 16, 2024 • 11min
Leadership across the career span and the value of clinical leadership split placements
Tune into the South west Allied Health Professions (AHPs) 2024 Podcast series, featuring 12 episodes. Recorded at Westonbirt Arboretum, the series includes 8 live campfire stories and 4 additional episodes. AHPs from across the South West share stories that connect, inspire, and elevate, showcasing how they implement the AHPs Deliver strategy for England.
A fabulous adventure! Emma, Jo and Rachel discuss their experience of leadership and split placement models, with 360 reflections on the impact and learning across the career span.
In this episode you will hear the experience of a split leadership/ clinical placement from AHPs at different seats at the placement table. By sharing their reflections, occupational therapists discuss the impact, value and challenges of leadership placements and AHP leadership development.
This podcast was facilitated by Gina Sargeant the South West Chief Allied Health Professional (AHP) for NHS England and focused on the experiences of Emma Young a final year Occupational Therapy Student at Bournemouth University, Jo Mengell an Occupational Therapist and Service Manager at Dorset Healthcare Trust and Rachel Christian-Edwards an Occupational Therapist and Professional Allied Health Professions Lead at Dorset Healthcare Trust.
A transcript of this episode is available on our website - https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/ep11-360-reflections-leadership-across-the-career-span-exploring-the-value-of-clinical-leadership-split-placement-models/
Contact us: england.ahpwte.sw@nhs.net

Oct 16, 2024 • 11min
These feet are made for walking
Tune into the South west Allied Health Professions (AHPs) 2024 Podcast series, featuring 12 episodes. Recorded at Westonbirt Arboretum, the series includes 8 live campfire stories and 4 additional episodes. AHPs from across the South West share stories that connect, inspire, and elevate, showcasing how they implement the AHPs Deliver strategy for England.
Welcome to “These feet are made for walking”, the campfire conversation that will inspire you to embrace your own barefoot adventure making space and time to: CONNECT with yourself, with others, and with your surroundings; INSPIRE your thoughts, words and actions; ELEVATE yourself-personally, with your peers and professionally.
In this episode Nicola Dowdeswell a community Mental Health Physiotherapist and a Research Champion for Gloucestershire Health & Care NHS FT and Anna McNuff, adventurer, mischief maker and author of Barefoot Britain will be talking about our amazing feet, sharing their own barefoot adventures and inviting you wherever you are listening to take off your socks and shoes and accept the barefoot challenge!
A transcript of this episode is available on our website - https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/ep9-these-feet-are-made-for-walking/
Contact us: england.ahpwte.sw@nhs.net

Oct 16, 2024 • 17min
Growing connections and therapeutic allotments
Tune into the South west Allied Health Professions (AHPs) 2024 Podcast series, featuring 12 episodes. Recorded at Westonbirt Arboretum, the series includes 8 live campfire stories and 4 additional episodes. AHPs from across the South West share stories that connect, inspire, and elevate, showcasing how they implement the AHPs Deliver strategy for England.
At the far end of the city of Gloucester there was a baron, neglected allotment that was overgrown with weeds. Amongst the weeds, the outline of a long-forgotten cabin and some greenhouse shaped objects could be seen in the distance. It was obvious the place was once loved, but those times had clearly passed. Vicky wiped the cobweb encrusted sign near the gates – sun faded and tired, it read – Severn Enterprise.
“Oh, that’s the old sheltered workshop that used to be here – it closed years ago, shame really, it gave people something purposeful and productive to do”. Vicky looked around the site that had obviously offered so much to so many and was crying out to fulfil that role once again. “Do you think we can make this something special again?” Vicky asked. “What have you got in mind?” exclaimed Robert
Join Victoria Woodruff the Engagement, Activity and Physical Health Team (EAP) Team Lead/ Occupational Therapist and Robert Young, EAP Practitioner, from the Montpellier Unit – Wotton Lawn Hospital, Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS FT as they tell the story of an ever-expanding group of people who have collaboratively re-developed a therapeutic allotment resource to aid the recovery journeys of service users. The story shares the raw highs and lows of that journey and provides listeners with an insight into what the future holds.
A transcript of this episode is available on our website - https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/ep6-growing-connections-victoria-woodruff-rob-young/
Contact us: england.ahpwte.sw@nhs.net

Oct 16, 2024 • 13min
What does wellbeing mean to you?
Tune into the South west Allied Health Professions (AHPs) 2024 Podcast series, featuring 12 episodes. Recorded at Westonbirt Arboretum, the series includes 8 live campfire stories and 4 additional episodes. AHPs from across the South West share stories that connect, inspire, and elevate, showcasing how they implement the AHPs Deliver strategy for England.
You’re invited to listen to a campfire conversation on experienced based, co-designed exploration of psychological wellbeing at work. Kathryn Bamforth the Trust Lead Research AHP and Clinical Research Delivery Team Lead at Torbay & South Devon NHS Foundation Trust and a Physiotherapist by background, shares her research with you and encourages you to be curious about finding out what wellbeing at work means for you.
A transcript of this episode is available on our website - https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/ep5-what-does-wellbeing-mean-to-you-kathryn-bamforth/
Contact us: england.ahpwte.sw@nhs.net

Oct 16, 2024 • 12min
Liminal spaces and their therapeutic value
Tune into the South west Allied Health Professions (AHPs) 2024 Podcast series, featuring 12 episodes. Recorded at Westonbirt Arboretum, the series includes 8 live campfire stories and 4 additional episodes. AHPs from across the South West share stories that connect, inspire, and elevate, showcasing how they implement the AHPs Deliver strategy for England.
This episode shares the experiences of a contemporary/role-emerging clinical placement for two occupational therapy students with the Wave Project in North Devon. The student learners Lizzie and Caoimhe, share how the placement provided the opportunity to explore the value of the space between the beachhead and the sea, and how it can be utilised to support therapeutic interventions.
In a conversation with Sue Hilsden, a long-arm Occupational Therapy Supervisor and Volunteer with Wave Project North Devon, Lizzie Slater and Caoimhe Byrne students at the University of the West of England provide information on how the space has been used by adolescents, volunteers and themselves during regular surf therapy sessions.
A transcript of this episode is available on our website - https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/ep12-liminal-spaces-and-their-therapeutic-value-1/
Contact us: england.ahpwte.sw@nhs.net

Oct 16, 2024 • 18min
You don’t have to be an academic to get involved in research
Tune into the South west Allied Health Professions (AHPs) 2024 Podcast series, featuring 12 episodes. Recorded at Westonbirt Arboretum, the series includes 8 live campfire stories and 4 additional episodes. AHPs from across the South West share stories that connect, inspire, and elevate, showcasing how they implement the AHPs Deliver strategy for England.
This episode provides food for thought for research curious clinical staff to think about ways that they could get involved in becoming more research aware and research active. Not everyone wants to pursue a career as an academic but that there are still plenty of ways that Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) can contribute to the design, delivery and consumption of research.
Whilst the podcast by no means covers an exhaustive list, Kate Coates a Research Physiotherapist at Southmead Hospital, North Bristol NHS Trust shares some signposts and top tips based on her own experiences with Carrie Biddle, South West Regional Head of Allied Health Professions, Psychology Professions and Healthcare for NHS England
Kate can be contacted on X @KCoatesBristol
A transcript of this episode is available on our website - https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/ep10-you-dont-have-to-be-an-academic-to-get-involved-in-research/
Contact us: england.ahpwte.sw@nhs.net

Oct 16, 2024 • 11min
Why are you surprised I work for the NHS?
Tune into the South west Allied Health Professions (AHPs) 2024 Podcast series, featuring 12 episodes. Recorded at Westonbirt Arboretum, the series includes 8 live campfire stories and 4 additional episodes. AHPs from across the South West share stories that connect, inspire, and elevate, showcasing how they implement the AHPs Deliver strategy for England.
Why moving 15205.31km from my home, friends and family to work in the NHS was a dream and one that surprises everyone I meet. The NHS offered a unique opportunity to expand my horizons, both professionally and personally – and I’m living that dream!
In this episode Laura Johns, a Therapy Lead for Early Careers and Career Development at University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust shares her journey from waking up to the kookaburras to cold water dips in Bournemouth; how she intended a 6-month locum stint, and it turned into a permanent leadership role. Learn how we focus on the ‘little things’ like fostering connection, growth, work-life balance, to ensure our AHP staff thrive in the South West.
A transcript of this episode is available on our website - https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/ep07-why-are-you-surprised-i-work-for-the-nhs-laura-johns/
Contact us: england.ahpwte.sw@nhs.net

Oct 16, 2024 • 11min
Bravery, Curiosity and the Magic of Storytelling in Research
Tune into the South west Allied Health Professions (AHPs) 2024 Podcast series, featuring 12 episodes. Recorded at Westonbirt Arboretum, the series includes 8 live campfire stories and 4 additional episodes. AHPs from across the South West share stories that connect, inspire, and elevate, showcasing how they implement the AHPs Deliver strategy for England.
Sometimes, things go wrong. This is part of everyday life and often we can quickly reflect, adapt, and move on. But when the adverse event is more significant, how do we acknowledge and understand the harm felt by all those involved so that we can truly learn and feel reconciled with what has happened?
In this episode Toni Hall, a Diagnostic Radiographer by profession and Associate Director of Patient Care at Somerset NHS Foundation Trust a large, shares the experiences of an operation that went wrong and resulted in catastrophic harm to a patient.
Following the methodologies of Restorative Practice, Toni explores how individuals and teams can work through their experiences to become reconciled with the impact of harm and uncover a deeper way to identify and share learning to support their healing and promote greater patient safety.
A transcript of this episode is available on our website - https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/ep3-bravery-curiosity-and-the-magic-of-stroytelling-in-research-melissa-reed/
Contact us: england.ahpwte.sw@nhs.net