Bonus episode!
Dr. George Winder and I pick up from our impactful “Don’t Medicalise Poverty” conversation (Episode 58, Universal Healthcare mini-series).

George’s work is refreshing. It goes beyond prescriptions and appointments.
It makes healthcare about relationships, community and plain common sense.
More human and a lot more doable!

We dive into stories that show the true power of social connection – from walking groups that tackle loneliness to blood pressure checks held away from GP practice walls. George opens up about the realities of community-based health: the greatest successes come from local ownership and the simple yet profound impact of listening to people

We explore the "why" behind the data, the risks of inactivity, the courage it takes to start where you are, gradually building networks and trust

The stories show that healthcare is a team effort – a team that includes everyone.

Lemon lightbulbs 🍋💡🍋

🍋 Walking for Wellbeing – A simple walk, a friendly coffee, and a bit of music can do wonders
The best healthcare can start with bringing people together, not with prescriptions
🍋 Loneliness as a Health Crisis – Research shows that meaningful social interactions can be as important as vaccinations
Community activities like “move to music” and chair-based yoga aren't just exercise; they’re lifelines
🍋 Scaling vs. Staying Local – Not everything is meant for mass production.
True community-based health relies on local ownership, where the community shapes what they need most
🍋 The Power of Passion – Real change happens when people lead with passion. A retired teacher running a children’s reading group from a car park during Covid19 is a reminder that enthusiasm can surmount setbacks!
🍋 Inactivity Is a Risk – George nails it with “inactivity can be as dangerous as activity.” When fear of risk paralyzes action, community needs get sidelined.
Vital support can be lost.
🍋 Meeting People Where They Are – Health isn’t always in the clinic.
By bringing blood pressure checks to community spaces, George’s team is reaching those who might never go to a GP
🍋 The Pitfall of Opt-in Systems – bureaucracy often leaves behind people in vulnerable situations. This isn’t just an inconvenience; it can mean missing critical care
🍋 The elephant in the room - honesty re NHS Resources and prioritisation can help people understand the real cost and impact of services
🍋 Trust in the Team – Multidisciplinary work means no organisational walls. George’s weekly team check-ins are open and flexible, with colleagues calling in from the real world – creating a 'team hug' that’s both supportive and effective
🍋 Healthcare needs kindness and connection at its core
George’s 'team hug' and Gill’s kindness conversations remind us that sometimes simply listening and showing empathy can transform BOTH patient and practitioner experiences

Links
George Winder – Don’t medicalise poverty
Altogether Better
Bob Klaber - kindness matters
Alvanley Famil

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In this final episode of our mini-series on universal healthcare, in collaboration with LSBU and the Universal Healthcare Network, we bring it full circle with Prof. Becky Malby, who commissioned this enlightening journey.

Over recent episodes, we've delved into stories from remarkable guests who are making universal healthcare real in their communities – from children’s services to outreach for those experiencing homelessness. Together, they’ve shown us the power of curiosity, collaboration, and plain humanity in health care.

Becky reflects on their stories and challenges us with a bold question:
If they can do it, why can’t everyone?

Why aren’t these inspiring, people-centered approaches the norm?

It’s a call to reimagine healthcare beyond the appointment system and break down walls that hinder access for the most vulnerable.

We discuss everything from the need for team support in complex care, to the irreplaceable role of storytelling, which has shone brightly throughout the series.

This episode is an inspiring wrap-up and a rallying cry to make healthcare universal in every sense.

Whether you’re in healthcare, policy, or simply curious about a fairer system, this series has laid out the path forward – and it’s one we’ll need to walk together. Thank you for joining us in this exploration.

Lemon lightbulbs 🍋💡🍋

🍋 The Outliers' Challenge – If these guys can create truly universal healthcare, why isn’t everyone doing it?
Stop treating these stories as “exceptions”, start making them the norm.

🍋 Beyond the Appointment Factory – The NHS is more than an endless round of appointments.
Bring care to people; don't just wait for them to show up.

🍋 Break Down the Barriers – A phone call to get an appointment can be Everest for those without easy access or trust in the system.
Meet people where they are: in a clinic, on the street, or anywhere that works

🍋 Curiosity Is the Key – The best hcps aren’t the “know-it-alls”
Join the magic, curious people who keep asking, “Who else could help?” and “What’s the full picture here?”

🍋 Teamwork - it’s lighter with friends.
From school nurses to team huddles, complex care works better (and is way more fun) when you have support

🍋 Stories Over Stats – what are the stories behind the data?
George helped V get to China - shows the human impact in a way data never could

🍋 Start somewhere
Don’t overthink. Just start. Get moving. Small actions can spark big changes

🍋 Reignite the creative Pandemic Spirit – Remember the “VacciTaxies” bringing care to where people needed it?
Let's ditch the bureaucracy & reignite our drive to make healthcare accessible.

🍋 Universal healthcare is possible - it’s up to all of us to carry this momentum forward

Links:
EPISODES 56-61 in this series!
Universal HealthCare National Inquiry
Gill's Universal Healthcare work with MPFT

We LOVE it when you leave a review!
If you enjoy my podcast and find these conversations useful
please share your thoughts by leaving a review (Spotify or Apple are easiest to leave a review - navigate via 3 dots) and comment on your favourite episodes.

I tweet as @WhoseShoes and @WildCardWS and am on Instagram as @WildCardWS.

Please recommend 'Wild Card - Whose Shoes' to others who enjoy hearing passionate people talk about their experiences of improving health care.

We are nearing the end of our mini series of podcasts about universal healthcare, in collaboration with London South Bank University and the Universal Healthcare Network.

With the NHS experiencing overwhelming demand, we need radical transformation with more power and resources within communities.

So today, Bill Graham, who is a Community Coordinator with Modality Partnership, focuses on community-based solutions!

Bill talks about the need for primary care to engage with communities and gives examples of how this works in practice, e.g maximising COVID-19 vaccine uptake among Asian populations and increasing childhood vaccination rates.

Bill highlights the success of community-led initiatives, such as health checks at sports events and baby days in shopping centres.

Bill also mentions the multi-generational home visiting project and digital outreach initiatives to enhance patient engagement. He calls for more investment in community solutions and stresses the importance of practical, asset-based approaches in healthcare.

Lemon lightbulbs 🍋💡🍋

🍋 Magic happens when primary care breaks out of the day-to-day cycle and starts to do things differently … High Street health!

🍋 Engage with local communities - they have a vital role to play in helping people look after their health

🍋 Get out and about, build relationships with your community and find out what is important to them

🍋 This episode has lots of practical examples of how to make healthcare more accessible by taking it out to where people are

🍋 Be culturally curious and find out what works for different populations

🍋 Shift power and be imaginative with resources

🍋 Be proactive – if people are not coming forward for health checks, try multi-generational home visiting?

🍋 Support family carers too - often the unsung heroes of health care

🍋 Turn theory and data into ACTION to address health inequalities

🍋 Volunteers can help people access health-related technology and start to close the digital divide

🍋 Don’t overthink things – start somewhere!

Some links :
Universal HealthCare National Inquiry
Easy Read Executive Summary
10 Leaps Forward - Innovation in the pandemic
Noreen Bukhari - supporting women from ‘BAME’ communities
Gill's Universal Healthcare work with MPFT

#coproduction #communities #funding #equity #healthinequalities #storytelling #passion #QI

We LOVE it when you leave a review!
If you enjoy my podcast and find these conversations useful
please share your thoughts by leaving a review (Spotify or Apple are easiest to leave a review - navigate via 3 dots) and comment on your favourite episodes.

I tweet as @WhoseShoes and @WildCardWS and am on Instagram as @WildCardWS.

Please recommend 'Wild Card - Whose Shoes' to others who enjoy hearing passionate people talk about their experiences of improving health care.