The Business of Healthcare Podcast with Tara Humphrey

Tara Humphrey

Tara Humphrey looks behind the scenes at the business side of healthcare by talking to NHS and private healthcare leaders. Throughout this podcast, she also shares her own leadership insights. Tara has an MBA in Healthcare Leadership and Management and is the Founder and CEO of THC Primary Care, a leading healthcare consultancy.

  1. 17H AGO

    #366 Innovation, Integration & Impact with Neil Modha – How It Got Commissioned

    This week on The Business of Healthcare Podcast, we're joined by Dr Neil Modha from Thistlemoor Medical Centre. Neil shares his insights on how primary care practices can identify opportunities, innovate services, and work collaboratively with hospitals to create sustainable, patient-focused solutions.       In this episode, we cover: Turning opportunities into action - How Neil transformed unused space into an endoscopy unit in partnership with a hospital. Stacking services for impact - Using one facility to support multiple services, including health & fitness, smoking cessation, and staff well-being. Workforce integration - Sharing staff between pharmacy and medical center to build community and enhance skills. Patient-focused innovation - Creating small group programs tailored to patient needs using a population health management approach. Networking and relationships - Why being active in your system and meeting the right people opens doors for new services.     Neil also shares his personal approach to health and fitness, and how leading by example helps inspire both staff and patients.     This episode is packed with actionable insights for anyone looking to innovate in primary care or create collaborative, community-focused healthcare solutions.     Listen back to Neil Modha's previous features on The Business of Healthcare Podcast below; The key ingredients of General Practice Getting rid of the Us & Them from General Practice  Tackling Health Inequalities and Transforming Patient Care      Connect with Dr Neil Modha here.

    26 min
  2. You Might Also Like: The Oprah Podcast

    17H AGO · BONUS

    You Might Also Like: The Oprah Podcast

    Introducing Tayari Jones: “Kin” | Oprah’s Book Club from The Oprah Podcast. Follow the show: The Oprah Podcast We are celebrating the 30th anniversary of Oprah’s Book Club and Oprah’s first pick of 2026 which is her 121st Book Club selection. The novel KIN by international bestselling author Tayari Jones explores the life-long friendship of two motherless daughters in the segregated South. The story explores how their decisions lead them to live vastly different lives causing them to grow apart. From page one to the stunning conclusion Tayari’s emotionally rich and witty novel inspires a soul-searching, introspective conversation about chosen family. Oprah and Tayari Jones talk with an audience of readers in New York City. BUY THE BOOK! https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/635411/kin-by-tayari-jones/ 00:00:00 - Celebrating 30 years of Oprah Book Club 00:03:20 - Oprah introduces ‘Kin’ by Tayari Jones 00:04:13 - Welcome Tayari Jones 00:06:42 - Thando on ‘Kin’ 00:08:30 - Letters as storytelling 00:10:30 - The professor that inspired Tayari 00:12:35 - Tayari on the 8 years between books 00:17:38 - The plot of ‘Kin’ 00:20:40 - Being a girl without a mom 00:22:00 - Belonging and sacrifice 00:23:57 - Tayari’s understanding of her mother 00:28:30 - What can save friendship? 00:30:15 - Honor your friendships 00:37:20 - The feeling of completing a novel 00:42:20 - Tayari on ‘Kin’ 00:43:48 - How Tayari sees the world SUPPORT THE SHOW https://www.tayarijones.com/books/an-american-marriage/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices DISCLAIMER: Please note, this is an independent podcast episode not affiliated with, endorsed by, or produced in conjunction with the host podcast feed or any of its media entities. The views and opinions expressed in this episode are solely those of the creators and guests. For any concerns, please reach out to team@podroll.fm.

  3. FEB 18

    #365 Commissioning Without Waiting: A Primary Care Mental Health Solution with Faris Al-Ramadani – How It Got Commissioned

    In the fifth episode of The Business of Healthcare Podcast – How It Got Commissioned series, Tara is joined by Dr Faris Al-Ramadani, GP Partner and former Primary Care Network Clinical Director, to explore how a locally developed mental health service moved from frontline problem to a working, commissionable model during the COVID-19 pandemic.   As demand for mental health support rapidly increased, general practice teams were seeing patients struggle to access timely care, with long waiting lists and practical barriers preventing many from engaging with existing services. Rather than waiting for a traditional commissioning process, Faris and colleagues identified an opportunity to use the resources already available within primary care to design a new approach.   The conversation explores how the PCN brought together trainee psychological therapists, digital tools and local partners to create a coordinated mental health hub, simplifying referral pathways and reducing friction for patients. By piloting solutions, learning through iteration and demonstrating measurable impact, the team developed a model that improved access while supporting wider system priorities.   Tara and Faris also discuss the realities of developing services without guaranteed funding, the importance of collaboration and stakeholder alignment, and what this experience tells us about the future of integrated neighbourhood working.   In this episode, they explore: Identifying unmet need through frontline clinical experience Developing services without traditional commissioning routes Using existing workforce and digital solutions to unlock capacity Building a coordinated hub model to simplify patient journeys The role of collaboration across primary care and system partners Learning through iteration and adapting when models don't work first time Demonstrating impact to support sustainability and future funding conversations   Connect with Faris Al-Ramadani via LinkedIn here.

    25 min

  4. FEB 18

    #364 Innovating Healthcare Delivery: The Barnardo's Story with Rukshana Kapasi – How It Got Commissioned

    In this episode of The Business of Healthcare Podcast – How It Got Commissioned, Tara is joined by Rukshana Kapasi, Director of Health at Barnardo's, the UK's largest children's charity.   Rukshana shares the story behind a short-term pilot that placed family support workers in A&E to reduce avoidable and repeat attendances by children and young people. What began as a three month, winter-pressures pilot went on to generate compelling evidence, and ultimately informed a national NHS England rollout across seven regions.   This conversation is a practical, honest look at commissioning outside the usual tendering routes, the power of VCSE partnerships, and why looking beyond traditional NHS funding streams matters more than ever.   In this episode, we explore: The risks and realities of short term pilots, and when they're worth taking Why evidence, outcomes, and confidence data mattered more than access alone The importance of commissioner relationships and senior sponsorship Why starting small, testing, and learning can lead to scalable change   Rukshana also shares practical advice for anyone trying to get an idea commissioned that doesn't neatly fit an existing pathway, including why you shouldn't wait for "perfect" data before starting conversations.   Connect with Rukshana Kapasi here.

    27 min

  5. FEB 4

    #363 Same Day Access: The Tower Hamlets Story with Selvaseelan Selvarajah – How It Got Commissioned

    In the third episode of the 'How It Got Commissioned' series, Tara is joined by Dr Selvaseelan Selvarajah to explore how the Same Day Access service was commissioned and developed in Tower Hamlets.   Selvaseelan shares the real story behind designing a service from scratch to address one of the biggest pressures in primary care: same day access. Together, they unpack how collaboration between PCNs, commissioners, and local GPs led to a model that works for patients, practices, and the wider system.   This conversation goes beyond theory, offering practical insight into commissioning, piloting, workforce design, and the role of data in securing sustainable services.   Key takeaways: The three core problems the service was designed to solve: How early involvement of commissioners shaped the business case The difference between Enhanced Access and Same Day Access Why employing local GPs was critical to continuity, quality, and workforce retention How data, utilisation, and patient feedback strengthened the case for ongoing funding Why access alone isn't enough, and how continuity of care fits into the model Top advice for leaders looking to commission similar services

    15 min

  6. JAN 28

    #362 Delivering Digital Health: The SleepStation Story with Alison Gardiner - How It Got Commissioned

    In this episode of The Business of Healthcare Podcast – How It Got Commissioned, Tara is joined by Alison Gardiner, Founder of Born Digital Health and Co-Founder & CEO of Sleepstation, a digital health service focused on improving sleep at scale across the NHS.   Alison shares the real story behind how Sleepstation was commissioned, scaled, and sustained through major system change, offering practical insight into what commissioners look for, how digital services succeed at scale, and why understanding budgets and context is critical.   This episode is about: How Sleepstation moved from a local project to national and regional commissioning Why digital does not automatically mean scalable Understanding NHS budgets and the percentage you're really asking for Working in partnership rather than relying solely on tenders Navigating system change, competition, and shifting commissioning structures The role of data, outcomes, and real-world impact beyond access Why many pilots fail to scale, and how to avoid getting stuck there   Alison shares openly what worked, what didn't, and what she's learned from delivering digital services at significant scale within primary care and wider NHS systems.   If you're building, commissioning, or supporting digital health innovation, this episode offers grounded, experience-led insight into how services really get commissioned, and sustained, in practice.   Visit the Sleepstation website Connect with Alison Gardiner on LinkedIn

    28 min

  7. JAN 21

    #361 Personal Health Records: Patients Know Best Story with Mohammad Al-Ubaydli - How It Got Commissioned

    In this episode of The Business of Healthcare Podcast – How It Got Commissioned, we speak with Dr Mohammad Al-Ubaydli, CEO and Founder of Patients Know Best, about the commissioning and rollout of personal health records in Northwest London.   Mohammad shares insights on the unique challenges of the tender process, the importance of patient consent, and navigating negotiations with key stakeholders.   We also explore the role of G-Cloud as a procurement framework and the lessons learned from rapid growth and deployment in the healthcare sector, highlighting how innovation and collaboration drive meaningful change in healthcar   In this episode, we explore: How a chance conversation led to a region-wide commissioning opportunity What the G-Cloud framework is, and why it can be a commissioning "superpower" The importance of price transparency The challenges of rapid growth, scale, and cash flow after winning a contract Common mistakes founders make, and what Mohammad would do differently Why understanding context and organisational culture matters as much as the contract itself Mohammad's top advice for leaders trying to get services commissioned outside traditional routes   This conversation offers honest reflections, practical insights, and valuable lessons for anyone working in healthcare innovation, commissioning, primary care leadership, or system transformation.   Visit the Patients Know Best Website here or connect with Mohammad Al-Ubaydli directly here.

    26 min

  8. JAN 14

    #360 The Importance of Context

    In this episode of The Business of Healthcare Podcast, Tara explores the importance of understanding the context in which we work, and why context shapes how people think, act, and respond to change.   Drawing on personal experience in leadership and consultancy, Tara reflects on why taking time to understand different perspectives has been central to her work for over a decade. She explains how policy, system-level decisions, organisational pressures, and personal experiences all influence behaviour, and why ignoring this context can make collaboration harder than it needs to be.   This episode encourages listeners to approach their work with curiosity rather than judgement, to listen more deeply to opposing views, and to recognise that effective leadership is rooted in understanding people's realities, not just strategy or policy.   Key Takeaways Why understanding context is critical to leadership and collaboration Why the same policy or programme lands differently in different places The importance of curiosity over judgement when working with others How understanding opposing views strengthens, rather than weakens, your own position Why context affects how people receive messages, priorities, and change agendas The risks of leading with fear rather than relevance How in-person relationships can deepen trust and understanding Questions to ask yourself as you move into 2026 about your own context and perspective   What's coming next Tara introduces the upcoming podcast and YouTube series - How It Got Commissioned, featuring conversations with health and care leaders who successfully got services commissioned by doing things differently, often outside traditional procurement routes.   The series explores: How services were commissioned within specific contexts What challenges leaders faced What lessons can be applied elsewhere, even when contexts differ

    17 min
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About

Tara Humphrey looks behind the scenes at the business side of healthcare by talking to NHS and private healthcare leaders. Throughout this podcast, she also shares her own leadership insights. Tara has an MBA in Healthcare Leadership and Management and is the Founder and CEO of THC Primary Care, a leading healthcare consultancy.

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