SoWhoCaresAnyway

ruthgermaine

So Who Cares Anyway with host Ruth Germaine with her inspirational guest speakers will explore the incredible work and initiatives being undertaken in and with health and social care, as well as voluntary and community-based groups. We’ll discuss why their work matters and what difference they make to the people in their communities. I will also invite individuals with key messages or ideas about what needs to happen to significantly enhance our communities health and well-being. To improve the health and wellbeing of people and achieve integrated care that focuses upon what matters to people, and what works for them, we all need to share learning, ideas and innovation, broadening our perspective of who cares, what they do and the difference that they make. My hope is that this podcast will provide a space for people to inspire and be inspired. So, if you have a passion to make a difference to the health and well-being of your communities, join me, tune in and listen. To find out more about me, or to Buy Me A Coffee to support this podcast visit https://linktr.ee/Reflective_Ruth

  1. Whose Shoes? Bringing my creativity to work

    6 NOV

    Whose Shoes? Bringing my creativity to work

    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 personal resilience and creative defiance. A cancer diagnosis became a turning point, sharpening her resolve to challenge jargon and tokenism in public services. What emerged wasn’t just a board game, but a vibrant tool for change: Whose Shoes? A playful yet profound invitation to walk in someone else’s reality, sparking empathy, dialogue, and systemic shift. Together, we explore the power of poetry, the metaphor of the beach ball, and the joy of seeing people truly listen to one another. Gill reflects on workshops that changed lives, from maternity services in Buckinghamshire to SEND roadshows and a neonatal unit in Liverpool. She reminds us that co-production isn’t a tick box, it’s a culture shift. This is an episode about colour, courage, and the quiet magic that happens when people feel truly heard.   🔗 References and Resources Whose Shoes? – Jill’s co-production tool and facilitation method 🌐 whose-shoes.co.uk Wild Card – Whose Shoes? Podcast 🎙️ Listen on Podbean Coventry University TechnoCentre – supported early development 🌐 Coventry University Enterprises NHS Graduate Management Training Scheme (GMTS) 🌐 GMTS NHS Careers Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust – Jill’s collaboration with Lisa Edwards 🌐 MPFT Alder Hey Children’s Hospital – site of co-production leading to neonatal unit 🌐 Alder Hey NHS Foundation Trust Liverpool Women’s Hospital – referenced in neonatal transport challenges 🌐 Liverpool Women’s NHS Foundation Trust Yvonne Newbold MBE – SEND advocate and collaborator 🌐 yvonnenewbold.com Liberating Structures – creative facilitation methods 🌐 liberatingstructures.com

    1 hr
  2. So Who Cares Anyway E30 With Passion & Purpose

    23 OCT

    So Who Cares Anyway E30 With Passion & Purpose

    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, relational leadership, and a deep commitment to equity. We explore the NHS as a cultural institution, the invisible architecture of care, and the layered interplay between medicine, economics, and the humanities. Jihad reflects on how community assets are reshaping mental health care in Kent and Medway, and why continuity in general practice is more than a model it’s a mindset. From catalytic converters to crisis houses, this conversation moves from the personal to the planetary, from policy to poetry, and back again. Whoever you are, however you lead, this episode invites you to stay passionate, stay persistent, and keep banging on about what matters. Resources Mental Health Leadership in Kent & Medway Dr Jihad serves as Clinical Lead for Mental Health at NHS Kent and Medway. His work includes strategic development of crisis pathways, safe havens, and community-based care. Kent & Medway Primary Care Training Hub – Meet the Team Crisis & Recovery Houses A partnership between NHS Kent & Medway, Pears Foundation, and Hestia  offering 24/7 community-based support for people in mental health crisis. KMPT News: Crisis House Opens in Kent and Medway Hestia: Medway Crisis & Recovery House Social Enterprise Kent – SE Kitchen Dr Jihad is a Non-Executive Director at Social Enterprise Kent, which runs social supermarkets in Ashford and Margate offering affordable food, wraparound support, and community connection. SE Kitchen – Social Supermarkets Sodexo Stop Hunger Funding for SE Kitchen

    50 min
  3. So Who Cares Anyway E 29 Inclusive Future in Your Pocket

    9 OCT

    So Who Cares Anyway E 29 Inclusive Future in Your Pocket

    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, and persistence became a way to work with the impossible. We explore gamification as a therapeutic tool, Kiki the AI companion, and why learning disability nurses are quiet heroes whose value is recognised abroad but underplayed at home. Naveed reflects on trust as infrastructure, community as clinical frontier, and how tweets became partnerships, and partnerships became funding. Together, we ask what it means to build health rather than prevent illness, and how digital tools might help people create their own wellbeing. This is an episode about emotional realism, systems thinking, and the quiet courage it takes to keep banging on about what matters. Whoever you are, however you care, this episode invites you to reimagine what health could feel like, and who gets to shape it. Here are some relevant links and resources to accompany your episode with Dr Naveed Iqbal: Resources Tritone Health — A co-produced digital health platform designed for people with learning disabilities, blending mental, physical, and social health into one accessible space. Visit Tritone Health Interview with Dr Naveed Iqbal📖 Read the interview on Lancashire Digital Hub Medii App in practice Henley Standard article on Medii App

    56 min
  4. SoWhoCaresAnyway E28 Creativity is like a compas

    25 SEPT

    SoWhoCaresAnyway E28 Creativity is like a compas

    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, guiding him through personal healing and professional transformation. Together, we explore the concept of creative therapeutics, the emotional labour of nursing, and the power of art to deconstruct trauma, alter egos and rebuild identity. Thomas reflects on his Poetic Nursing Heart Blog, his Whispers in the Waiting Room, and his PhD research challenging organisational bias around resilience and mindfulness. He also shares the Butterfly Farmer Project, now active in Kent schools and care homes, and the legacy of love, trust, and transformation it’s cultivating. Whoever you are, however you care, this episode invites you to ask why and to consider how creativity might help you find your way? Resources;  Thomas's reflective blog https://thomasdelahunt.substack.com/p/creativity-really-is-a-compass  CCCU School of Nursing, Midwifery, Allied and Public Health School of Nursing, Midwifery, Allied and Public Health - Canterbury Christ Church University

    52 min
  5. SoWhoCaresAnyway E27 The Penalty of Ignorance

    11 SEPT

    SoWhoCaresAnyway E27 The Penalty of Ignorance

    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 emotional, ethical, and systemic costs of not knowing, and what it takes to turn information into action. Together, they explore how knowledge mobilisation can move from theory to practice: through relationships, workflow design, and tools that make learning stick. They unpack Sue’s ABCD framework (Apply, Build, Continue, Drive), her six-stage mobilisation model, and the roles needed to make knowledge flow, from curators and brokers to adopters and managers. From commissioning handbooks to clinical decision support, this conversation opens up the real work of embedding knowledge: not just publishing it, but making it usable, trusted, and sustained. Whether you’re leading change, working in care, or trying to bridge the gap between research and reality, there’s something here for you. Show resources Why does knowledge mobilisation matter? Braithwaite, J., Glasziou, P. & Westbrook, J. The three numbers you need to know about healthcare: the 60-30-10 Challenge. BMC Med 18, 102 (2020). Densen, P. Challenges and opportunities facing medical education. Transactions of the American Clinical and Climatological Association, 2011. Balas EA, Boren SA. Managing Clinical Knowledge for Health Care Improvement. Yearb Med Inform. 2000;(1):65-70. PMID: 27699347. Khan S, Chambers D, Neta G. Revisiting time to translation: implementation of evidence-based practices (EBPs) in cancer control. Cancer Causes Control. 2021 Mar;32(3):221-230. doi: 10.1007/s10552-020-01376-z. Epub 2021 Jan 4. PMID: 33392908.   Definition of knowledge management Stan Garfield: Knowledge Management: https://sites.google.com/site/stangarfield   Definitions of knowledge mobilisation Sue Lacey Bryant: Knowledge Mobilisation: an ABCD University of Ottawa: https://www.uottawa.ca/research-innovation/knowledge-mobilization University of Calgary: https://research.ucalgary.ca/engage-research/knowledge-impact/knowledge-mobilization NIHR: https://www.nihr.ac.uk/research-funding/application-support/plan-knowledge-mobilisation   Learning Health Systems Foley, T. et al. Realising the potential of Learning Health Systems, May 2021. https://learninghealthcareproject.org/realising-the-potential-of-learning-health-systems/   Knowledge Mobilisation tools and techniques Knowledge Mobilisation Framework: https://library.hee.nhs.uk/knowledge-mobilisation/nhs-knowledge-mobilisation-framework-postcards Knowledge Mobilisation self-assessment toolkit: https://library.hee.nhs.uk/knowledge-mobilisation/self-assessment-tool

    1h 10m
  6. SoWhoCaresAnyWay E26 Scales Are For Fish

    28 AUG

    SoWhoCaresAnyWay E26 Scales Are For Fish

    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 the conversation. Together, they explore how weight-neutral care, inclusive training, and behaviour-focused support can rebuild trust in healthcare. From chairs in the “naughty corner” to neighbourhood health hubs that replace slimming clubs, this is a conversation about dignity, design, and doing with. Whether you’re working in care, shaping policy, or rethinking your own practice, there’s something here for you. Resources; To be added

    57 min
  7. SoWhoCaresAnyway E25 So Left Shift Should Be Easy, Right?

    14 AUG

    SoWhoCaresAnyway E25 So Left Shift Should Be Easy, Right?

    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-location, and relational care can move us from pilot projects to lasting change. Together, we explore what it takes to build trust across systems, how data and digital tools can support — not replace — human connection, and why joy, dignity, and shared purpose belong at the heart of care. From fire services responding to falls to stories of older people reclaiming agency, this conversation opens up the real work of shifting left: doing with, not doing to. Whether you're leading change, working in care, or simply curious about how systems can become more human, there’s something here for you. Show resources A place to meet the needs of people living with frailty | NHS Employers The Jean Bishop Integrated Care Centre – YouTube Ray’s story: The Jean Bishop Integrated Care Centre, Hull - Ray's story NHS England — North East and Yorkshire » Centre’s integrated services transform care for frail and elderly residents Developing a System-Wide Urgent Community Response Service for Patients Living with Frailty A non-randomised controlled study to assess the effectiveness of a new proactive multidisciplinary care intervention for older people living with frailty Experiences of a Novel Integrated Service for Older Adults at Risk of Frailty: A Qualitative Study National evidence: BGS Joining the Dots - A blueprint for preventing and managing frailty in  older people.pdf Be proactive: Delivering proactive care - Overview | British Geriatrics Society Be proactive: Evidence supporting proactive care for older people with frailty | British Geriatrics Society

    1h 2m
  8. SoWhoCareAnyWay E24 Pushing Doors Open to Create Safe Spaces For Learning

    31 JUL

    SoWhoCareAnyWay E24 Pushing Doors Open to Create Safe Spaces For Learning

    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 just clinical practice, but safe cultures for learning in teams. Together, we explore what it means to prepare emotionally for the work we do, to rehearse the conversations that shape our teams, and to create spaces where safety is learned as a shared responsibility. From GP waiting rooms turned into practice environments to debriefs that surface the emotional labour of care, this conversation opens up the gentle mechanics of building trust, readiness, and connection. Whether you’re in a healthcare role or simply curious about how care can become more connected and compassionate, there’s something here for you. For more about me and what I do, or if something from this episode has resonated and you'd like to show your support please head over to Linktree: Reflective Ruth There you'll find the podcast link, my website, and a way offer support for the show so that I can continue to invite my inspirational guests.

    51 min
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Ratings & Reviews

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out of 5
3 Ratings

About

So Who Cares Anyway with host Ruth Germaine with her inspirational guest speakers will explore the incredible work and initiatives being undertaken in and with health and social care, as well as voluntary and community-based groups. We’ll discuss why their work matters and what difference they make to the people in their communities. I will also invite individuals with key messages or ideas about what needs to happen to significantly enhance our communities health and well-being. To improve the health and wellbeing of people and achieve integrated care that focuses upon what matters to people, and what works for them, we all need to share learning, ideas and innovation, broadening our perspective of who cares, what they do and the difference that they make. My hope is that this podcast will provide a space for people to inspire and be inspired. So, if you have a passion to make a difference to the health and well-being of your communities, join me, tune in and listen. To find out more about me, or to Buy Me A Coffee to support this podcast visit https://linktr.ee/Reflective_Ruth

Information

  • Creator
    ruthgermaine
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    31
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    SoWhoCaresAnyway