Artificial intelligence is frequently discussed in terms of technological capability: sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, turnaround times and workflow efficiency. Yet for those of us working in radiology, its most important effects extend far beyond performance figures. Over the last three years, through two interconnected studies on AI-assisted lung cancer detection and the establishment of a local […]
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Repairing the Seams: A Leadership View on the DHSC Call for Evidence on Mental Health Services in England. By Phil Whatling
Introduction The Department of Health and Social Care’s Mental health and wellbeing plan describes a system that is reactive, fragmented, and inconsistent. For clinicians working across primary and secondary care, this will feel familiar. In day-to-day practice, these difficulties rarely appear as failures within individual services. They emerge more often in the spaces between them […]
The NHS has a name for stranded costs. It still doesn’t have a strategy to deal with them. By Andi Orlowski, Nigel Edwards, Emma Knowles and Gwyn Bevan
Two of the most senior figures in NHS England have, between them, named the central problem. Sir Jim Mackey, chief executive of NHS England, says the service is “pretty much maxed out on what’s affordable.” [1] Dr Penny Dash, its chair, sets out the other half: “the biggest issue is you’ve got to take out […]
Why a research identity and community matter for global health workforce development. By Lisa Bunn and Rosi Raine
Across global health systems, developing a research‑skilled workforce has become a strategic priority, driven by growing evidence that research engagement is associated with better healthcare performance and improved patient outcomes [1]. Health systems across the world are investing heavily in research, yet many healthcare professionals remain interested in research but not actively engaged in it […]
Countering Nicotine and Tobacco Addiction through Regulation: the South-East Asia Experience. By Catharina Boehme
World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) 2026, “Unmasking the Appeal: Countering Nicotine and Tobacco Addiction,” reemphasizes regulation as critical for tobacco control and one of the most powerful tools in global public health. Since the adoption of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) in 2005, tobacco control has been reframed from […]
Cancer misinformation, social media, and the need for trusted evidence. By Vanessa Gordon-Dseagu and Lilly Matson
Cancer has been part of human history for millennia, as has misinformation about its causes and cures. From ancient theories about black bile and humours, to modern misinformation about miracle foods or biohacking (self-experimentation to optimise health), misinformation about cancer has continually evolved to reflect the concerns of its time. Today, however, technology means that […]
Building a Culture of Everyday Allyship: Our Journey to Creating the Allyship Learning Library. By Clare Cambray and Gemma Collins
In the NHS, we talk often about compassion, inclusivity and belonging – but for these values to shape everyday experiences, we need practical tools that empower staff to turn intention into action. This belief is what inspired the development of the Allyship Learning Library Catalogue on the NHS Learning Hub: a curated, accessible space where […]
Strategic commissioning: will the fifth attempt finally work? By Andi Orlowski
ICBs have been handed a familiar mandate. The history of commissioning suggests caution about the promises being made on their behalf. In November 2025, NHS England published the Strategic Commissioning Framework, confirming that integrated care boards (ICBs) will, from April 2026, act as strategic commissioners for their populations.1 The framework promises a move from transactional […]
If healthcare can’t cope with trainers, how will it manage with transformation? By Tom Boyle
Over the past six months, through work in the US and ongoing collaboration with healthcare organisations and their vendor partners, I found myself noticing something I had not expected to matter quite as much as it did. Across both in-person settings and virtual conversations, there was a visible range in how people chose to present […]
Aligning trust across the healthcare workforce: a missing ingredient in AI adoption. By Karen Wallace
Trust is widely described as essential for the safe and responsible deployment of artificial intelligence in healthcare. Yet trust is not a single, uniform construct. Clinicians, operational teams, and organisational leaders encounter AI through different forms of professional responsibility, risk, and accountability. National frameworks such as the NHS AI Playbook and FUTURE-AI emphasise transparency, fairness, […]