1d ago

Episode 56: Backstage with Rammya Mathew- early-career GP, Medical Director and BMJ columnist

Backstage with Rammya Mathew Dr Rammya Mathew is a GP, Medical Director for Brent Integrated Care Partnership, BMJ columnist and GP appraiser. She has built a portfolio career across clinical practice, leadership, writing and population health, while working part-time around family life. In this episode, Rammya shares the story behind her career - including how she got her first leadership opportunity, why she doesn't believe you need a grand career plan, dealing with rejection and imposter syndrome, becoming a BMJ columnist, and building a career that works around the rest of your life. We also talk about motherhood, boundaries, networking and why sometimes you simply need to get into the arena...and so much more: ⏱️ What we cover 00:00 - Introduction and Rammya's portfolio career 04:00 - Working part-time and building a portfolio career 06:00 - How Rammya first got into leadership 12:00 - Putting yourself forward when you don't have the experience 13:00 - Why networking doesn't have to feel like networking 16:00 - Imposter syndrome and saying yes when you're nervous 18:00 - Failure, rejection and losing your sense of career identity 22:00 - Leadership, motherhood and doing things on your own terms 28:00 - Building a portfolio career around clinical practice 30:00 - Staying clinically confident while doing less clinical work 34:00 - Why diverse voices matter in leadership 38:00 - How Rammya became a BMJ columnist 43:00 - Career plans, values and choosing where you can make an impact 46:00 - Quick-fire questions: goal setting, networking and joy 🎧 If you liked this episode... You might also enjoy some of our earlier conversations with leaders at the start of their careers: Episode 10 - Backstage with Sonali Kinra Listen to Sonali Kinra Episode 12 - Backstage with Imogen Staveley Listen to Imogen Staveley Episode 14 - Backstage with Rachel Steen Listen to Rachel Steen 📚 Stay in touch with Next Gen GP 🌐 Visit the Next Generation GP website📨 Sign up to our monthly newsletter - news, blogs, leadership resources, events and opportunities.🎧 Subscribe to The Next GenCast on Apple Podcasts The Next GenCast is hosted by Dr Nish Manek, founder of Next Generation GP. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 11

Episode 55: Backstage with Dame Caroline Clarke

It was an absolute pleasure to record this conversation live at NHS Confed Expo 2026 with one of the NHS's most respected leaders. In this special live episode of Next GenCast, I sat down with Dame Caroline Clarke, Regional Director for NHS England in London, to explore the leadership journey that took her from NHS finance trainee to leading health services for almost 10 million Londoners. What followed was one of the most open and honest conversations I've had about leadership, resilience and staying true to your values. We talked about: Her unexpected route into NHS leadership and why she never had a grand career planLeading one of the UK's largest health systems through enormous changeImposter syndrome - and why it never completely disappearsLiving with multiple sclerosis while managing one of the NHS's biggest leadership rolesMindfulness, exercise and protecting your energy in demanding jobsRaising an adopted daughter alongside a national leadership career…and so much more. Whether you're an aspiring leader, an experienced clinician, or simply interested in what leadership really looks like behind the scenes at the highest levels of the NHS, I think you'll really enjoy this conversation. ⏱️ What to expect 03:30 Early influences and entering the NHS 06:30 The finance perspective in healthcare 09:30 From finance trainee to CEO 13:30 Royal Free, technology and transformation 15:30 Imposter syndrome and finding your voice 20:30 Listening as a senior leader 22:00 What it's really like at the top of the NHS 26:00 Health, family and managing stress 30:00 Mindfulness, teams and work-life balance 33:00 Authenticity, inclusion and leadership 36:00 Failure, mistakes and learning 38:00 Career highlights and proudest moments 39:30 Neighbourhood health and primary care 41:30 Quick-fire leadership questions 42:00 Advice for the next generation 💡 Follow Next Gen GP: Sign up to the monthly newsletter to learn how to join one of our funded GP leadership programmes coming soonLinkedInTwitter/X Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jun 22

Episode 54: Backstage with Amanda Doyle

What really happens behind the scenes when NHS policy is made? In this episode, Nish speaks with Dr Amanda Doyle OBE, National Director for Primary Care and Community Services for NHSE, to unpack how national decisions are actually negotiated, challenged, and delivered into frontline care. From GP partner in a deprived practice to shaping national primary care policy, Amanda shares a rare inside view of leadership, pressure, and influence at the top of the system - and how it really works when ministers, money, and medicine collide. ⏱️ Timestamps 00:00 - Role overview 03:00 - Early life & medicine 06:00 - Becoming a GP 09:00 - Life as a GP partner 13:00 - Leadership emerges 17:00 - Family & career balance 21:00 - From local to national roles 26:00 - Imposter syndrome & confidence 30:00 - National leadership reality 34:00 - Ministers & policy 38:00 - Criticism & scrutiny 42:00 - GP contracts & access 46:00 - PCNs & neighbourhoods 49:00 - Advice for future leaders 💡 Key Themes Leadership often emerges, not plannedNHS decision-making is shaped by tight constraintsClinical grounding matters at senior levelPolicy is negotiation, not controlOpportunity comes from saying yes, not chasing titles 🎧 Listen if you want to understand: How NHS decisions are really madePrimary care and GP contract politicsLeadership at national level in healthcareReal-world career progression in medicine 💡 Follow Next Gen GP: Sign up to the monthly newsletter to learn how to join one of our funded GP leadership programmes coming soonLinkedInTwitter/X Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mar 24

Episode 53: Backstage with Jim Mackey, CEO of the NHS

In this rare and candid conversation, Dr Nish Manek speaks with Jim Mackey, CEO of NHS England, about leadership at the very top of the NHS. Jim reflects on his journey from a working-class upbringing to leading one of the largest healthcare systems in the world, and speaks openly about the reality behind senior leadership - the burden of responsibility, the privilege of making a difference, and the self-doubt that even the most senior leaders experience. This is an honest and thoughtful conversation about leadership, imposter syndrome, career journeys that don’t go to plan, and what it really feels like to lead during one of the most challenging periods in NHS history. Timestamps: 00:03:00 – Childhood, early influences & competitive swimming00:07:00 – Career journey from accountancy to NHS CEO00:12:00 – Experiencing imposter syndrome in senior roles00:16:00 – Managing responsibility, stress & family life00:29:00 – Navigating elite spaces & staying true to yourself00:36:00 – Introversion, coaching, and personal energy management00:39:00 – Taking the helm at NHS England during major challenges00:49:00 – Shifting care to the community and the future of healthcare 🔔 Follow Next GenGP on LinkedIn for leadership insights and episode updates. 📩 Subscribe to our monthly bulletin for exclusive leadership resources and updates on programmes to come Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Feb 23

Episode 52: Backstage with Sabrina Cohen-Hatton, Chief Fire Officer

From sleeping rough at 15 to becoming one of the UK’s youngest female Chief Fire Officers, Sabrina Cohen-Hatton’s story is extraordinary- but this episode goes far beyond inspiration. This is a masterclass in high-stakes leadership, cognitive bias, psychological safety, and refusing to let your childhood define your ceiling. We explore what it really means to lead when decisions carry life-or-death consequences - and why the most powerful leadership lessons often come from outside healthcare. If you care about resilience, systems thinking, and building braver organisations, this conversation is unmissable. ⏱ What we cover 04:00 – Growing up, early trauma, and becoming homeless at 15 09:00 – Survival mode: what rough sleeping really does to your mindset 14:00 – “Homelessness is an experience, not your identity” 20:00 – Joining the fire service and choosing a different future 27:00 – Decision-making under extreme pressure 33:00 – Cognitive bias in high-stakes environments 41:00 – Psychological safety: why it’s built in relationships, not policy 49:00 – Failure, imposter syndrome, and redesigning systems instead of blaming people 🌍 Connect with Sabrina Cohen-Hatton on social media to follow her work and leadership journey. 🔔 Follow Next GenGP on LinkedIn for leadership insights and episode updates. 📩 Subscribe to our monthly bulletin for exclusive leadership resources and updates on programmes to come Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 19

Episode 51: Backstage with Paul Corrigan, strategic adviser at the Department of Health and Social Care.

In this episode of Next Gen Cast, Dr Nish Manek speaks with Paul Corrigan, one of the most influential figures in modern UK health policy. From advising Tony Blair inside No.10 to shaping the NHS 10-Year Plan today, Paul brings rare institutional memory and sharp insight into leadership, reform, and why meaningful change in healthcare is so hard to deliver. Together, we explore what leaders get wrong, why policy alone never works, how clinicians can step into system leadership, and why neighbourhoods, patient agency, and proactive care are central to the NHS’s future. A candid, wide-ranging conversation for clinicians who want to understand - and shape - what comes next. ✨ Episode Show Notes 00:00 – From academia to No.10 05:00 – Inside Downing Street 08:30 – Do leaders understand the NHS? 12:00 – Clinicians as leaders 17:00 – Risk and standing still 22:30 – What makes a good Secretary of State 27:30 – Returning to DHSC at 75 32:30 – Why reform keeps failing 36:30 – Technology and patient agency 40:30 – “No money” myth 45:30 – Neighbourhood healthcare explained 52:00 – Advice to early-career clinicians ✨ Links/resources: Paul's book- Shakespeare on Management ✨ Stay in touch with Next Gen GP: LinkedInXMonthly bulletin Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

11/26/2025

Episode 50: Backstage with Hannah Miller (author and coach)

In this episode, we welcome back Hannah Miller — the only guest I’ve ever invited for a second conversation so far. Hannah Miller is the Founding Director of Sidekick, a coaching and training company that helps individuals and leaders understand and use their strengths. She’s a certified CliftonStrengths coach, and the creator of The Purpose Pursuit, a programme designed to help people gain clarity and live with more intention. Hannah consistently receives some of the highest feedback scores in the entire Next Gen programme. Participants repeatedly describe her sessions as practical, energising, and transformative, often remembering and applying her insights years later. Hannah’s first episode (28) remains one of our most downloaded to date. Together, we dive into the practical wisdom behind her brand new book The Purpose Pursuit, which is about to be published. We explore how we reconnect with purpose, navigate life’s seasons, handle comparison and imposter feelings, and make small, everyday course-corrections that bring more meaning into our lives. This is a grounding, hopeful, and deeply useful conversation for anyone feeling a bit off-track, stretched thin, or ready for more intention in their day-to-day. ⏱️ Timestamps 01:00 — Hannah’s background and coaching journey03:00 — Moving from strengths to purpose06:00 — What people consistently underestimate about themselves09:00 — Purpose in high-pressure, purpose-driven roles11:00 — Why we drift off-course14:00 — Everyday course-corrections18:00 — Seasons of life explained30:00 — Comparison and how to handle it34:00 — Social media + scarcity patterns40:00 — Imposter feelings and the four types48:00 — The Four-Point Pursuit54:00 — Hannah’s advice to her younger self Links/resources: Hannah's first episode with usHannah's new book- The Purpose PursuitHer website and podcast 🎉 Giveaway! 🎉 Pre-order Hannah’s new book and you could win a one-hour coaching conversation with Hannah, valued at £150! Here’s how to enter: Pre-order or order the book.Send your receipt to laura@hellosidekick.coYou’ll be entered into a competition draw. ✨ The winning coaching session can be taken anytime until March 2026. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

09/29/2025

Episode 49: Backstage with Prof Sir Jonathan Van-Tam

In this episode, Professor Sir Jonathan Van-Tam, former Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England, shares his remarkable journey from a market town in Lincolnshire to the national stage during the COVID-19 pandemic. Known for his honesty, clarity, and trademark analogies, JVT reflects on his family’s extraordinary story, the challenges of breaking into medicine, and the pivotal choices that shaped his career in public health. He talks candidly about stepping into leadership “by accident,” managing the pressure of being thrust into the spotlight, and navigating the uneasy intersection of science and politics. Along the way, he opens up about imposter syndrome, the personal costs of public service, and the lessons he hopes will inspire the next generation of leaders. 🕰️ Highlights 02:00 – Early Life & Family Influence 04:00 – Getting Into Medicine 06:00 – Path to Public Health & Pharma 12:00 – Becoming Deputy CMO 17:00 – Thrust Into the Spotlight 25:00 – Imposter Syndrome 32:00 – Science, Politics & Pressure 39:00 – The Power of Communication 49:00 – Work-Life Balance & Personal Cost 58:00 – Reflections & Legacy 57:00 – Quickfire Round 🔗 Links and resources Sign up to our monthly bulletin to hear about more programmes, podcasts, events and opportunitiesFollow Nish on Twitter/X and LinkedIn Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Next GenCast

Episode 56: Backstage with Rammya Mathew- early-career GP, Medical Director and BMJ columnist

Episode 55: Backstage with Dame Caroline Clarke

Episode 54: Backstage with Amanda Doyle

Episode 53: Backstage with Jim Mackey, CEO of the NHS

Episode 52: Backstage with Sabrina Cohen-Hatton, Chief Fire Officer

Episode 51: Backstage with Paul Corrigan, strategic adviser at the Department of Health and Social Care.

Episode 50: Backstage with Hannah Miller (author and coach)

Episode 49: Backstage with Prof Sir Jonathan Van-Tam

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The Next GenCast

Episodes

Episode 56: Backstage with Rammya Mathew- early-career GP, Medical Director and BMJ columnist

Episode 55: Backstage with Dame Caroline Clarke

Episode 54: Backstage with Amanda Doyle

Episode 53: Backstage with Jim Mackey, CEO of the NHS

Episode 52: Backstage with Sabrina Cohen-Hatton, Chief Fire Officer

Episode 51: Backstage with Paul Corrigan, strategic adviser at the Department of Health and Social Care.

Episode 50: Backstage with Hannah Miller (author and coach)

Episode 49: Backstage with Prof Sir Jonathan Van-Tam

About

Information