SoWhoCaresAnyway

So Who Cares Anyway - E39 From Knowing, To Understanding, To Acting

In this solo episode, I share key learning from my NIHR Knowledge Mobilisation Fellowship, exploring how we develop the workforce to better meet the needs of autistic people and people with learning disabilities.
Drawing on four workshops with people with lived experience, families, carers, and staff across sectors, I explore three core insights:•  It’s not just what staff know, it’s what they need to feel and understand.•  Trust has been eroded, and rebuilding it requires intention and consistency.•  Inclusion must be active, relational, and genuinely shaped by people’s voices.I also share some of the “golden threads” that emerged, and why the real work begins when we move from knowing → understanding → acting
 
Resources and Links 
New fellows take the lead in turning health research into action
 
 
 

So Who Cares Anyway - E38 Our experiences are never wasted

In this episode, I’m joined by Dr Tony Jones, retired GP, educator, clinical leader, and someone whose career has been shaped by a deep belief that our experiences are never wasted.Tony spent four decades in general practice, GP education, and system leadership. His roles included Programme Director, GP Tutor, and West Kent Training Hub Lead, as well as work with West Kent CCG and the Health Care Partnership before retiring in 2025. Alongside his professional life, Tony is married with three adult children and one grandchild, a trustee for three charities, a gardener, gym‑goer, and open‑mic enthusiast. He is also a committed Christian and is now training in lay leadership.In our conversation, Tony reflects on the early moments that shaped him, the anxiety and self‑doubt he carried into training, and how those experiences became the foundation for the support he later offered to hundreds of GPs through CLIC Clinical Leadership programme.We explore emotional intelligence, reflective practice, imposter syndrome, risk culture, and the quiet power of asking why we do what we do. Tony shares stories of trainees who found their confidence, stepped into leadership, or stayed in the profession because someone believed in them.This is a conversation about care, calling, and the courage to understand yourself so you can better support others. It’s about kindness, leadership, and the small decisions that shape who we become, in medicine and beyond.

SoWhoCaresAnyway E37 Everyone’s Something - Is Something

What happens when life reshapes you, not by choice, but by necessity?
In this deeply human conversation, I’m joined by Tom Jepson: full‑time carer, fuller‑time parent, and an ICF‑accredited life coach. Tom shares the story of raising his son Noah, navigating an ultra‑rare genetic condition, and rebuilding his identity around care, purpose and possibility.
Tom speaks openly about the realities of caring, the routines, the exhaustion, the humour, the grief, the joy, and how those experiences transformed his professional life. Today, Tom helps adults re‑identify with who they are and what they need from life, work and the world.We explore:• What caring looks like when no one’s watching• How identity shifts in unexpected ways• The emotional undercurrent that shapes every decision
Tom often talks about boundaries, owning your space, and making the most of the time you have without too much compromise. You can usually find him writing his daily email newsletter, connecting on LinkedIn, or drinking a large black Americano in a local coffee shop.This episode is a gentle reminder that the work carers do, seen and unseen, matters profoundly, and that small glimmers of joy can still be found even in the hardest seasons.
Show resources
Toms Website: https://tomjepsoncoaching.com
Email: hello@tomjepsoncoaching.com
Newsletter: https://newsletter.tomjepsoncreative.com
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/tomjepsoncoaching
SubStack: https://substack.com/@tomexistsonline
Footprints CIC: https://www.facebook.com/footprintscec.newsandinformation
BPAN: https://www.nbiadisorders.org/about-nbia/bpan

So Who Cares Anyway E36 The Power of Art at Work; Caring for those who care

In this episode, I’m joined by Senior Art Psychotherapist Claire O'Donoghue and CAMHS Registrar Safia Zaffarullah to explore a remarkable project bringing art therapy to resident doctors.
We talk about emotional labour, burnout, and why supporting the people who care for others is essential. Claire explains the power of art therapy, not as something “creative on the side,” but as a deeply regulating, reflective, embodied practice. Safia shares how their co‑created workshop helped doctors relax, reconnect, and rediscover their own emotional landscape.
We also explore why, even when you’ve got a million things to do, taking time to pause isn’t a luxury but a necessity, how creativity can offer a way back to yourself, and why our brains need to relax too.
With statistically significant improvements in wellbeing and overwhelmingly positive feedback, this project offers a hopeful, innovative approach to supporting staff working on the cold face of care.
Show resources
 BBC News – Art therapy could half burnout risk, study of London medics shows - BBC News
BJPsych Open – Art Therapy Experiential Workshops During Work Hours to Promote Doctors’ Wellbeing – A Quantitative Analysis | BJPsych Open | Cambridge Core
The British Association of Art Therapists - The British Association of Art Therapists | BAAT

So Who Cares Anyway; E35 One Year On: Stories, Hope, and Welcome to 2026

In this special New Year’s Day episode, I’m marking one year since the very first So Who Cares Anyway went live. It’s been a year of conversations, learning, and deep reflection, and today I’m sharing some of what I’ve learnt, what has stayed with me, and what I’m carrying into 2026.
From personal stories that spark passion, to the power of listening with curiosity, to the shift from doing for people to doing with people; this episode brings together the threads that have run through so many of our guests’ experiences. I talk about empathy, co‑production, asset‑based community development, and the wisdom already present in our communities.
And as we step into 2026, I offer a message of hope: that even in challenging times, connection, curiosity, and community can help us create something better together.

SoWhoCaresAnyway E34 Challenging the stereo type of aging

What does it mean to age with grace, dignity, and equity?
In this episode, I’m joined by, Dr. Laila Khalfan Surani lecturer, researcher, Rotarian, and founder of EMAGE, a new community interest company supporting ethnic minority older adults. Layla shares her journey from Pakistan to the UK, her passion for serving underserved communities, and why aging should be reframed as contribution rather than decline.
We explore the challenges of loneliness, isolation, and discrimination, and hear how workshops and intergenerational programs can empower older adults to rediscover identity, joy, and meaning.
Podcast resources
Ethnic Minority Ageing with Grace and Equity

SoWhoCaresAnyway E 33 Speak for Me

What happens when we leave conversations too late?
In this episode, I’m joined by Clare Fuller, nurse, palliative care specialist, and founder of Speak for Me. Clare shares her journey from hospices to Parliament, and why she believes advanced care planning is everyone’s responsibility. We explore her “house” infographic, the importance of public awareness, and why normalising conversations about death and dying matters for us all.
This is an episode about honesty, empathy, and reclaiming the conversations that shape our lives.
References and Resources
Speak for Me – Claire Fuller’s consultancy🌐 speakforme.co.uk
Advance Care Planning
Mortals Book Club
Blog
podcast
Gold Standards Framework – national training programme for end-of-life care🌐 Gold Standards Framework
Action on Advance Care Planning – UK initiatives and resources🌐 Advance Care Planning UK
National Advanced Care Plan Day – co-founded by Claire with Danny and James Norris🌐 Advance Care Plan Day
Katherine Manix – author and advocate for normalising conversations about death🌐 Katherine Manix – With the End in Mind
 

So Who Cares Anyway E32 The Power of Stories

What happens when your story becomes your strength, and your strength becomes a force for change?
In this episode, I’m joined by Tracey Robinson, occupational therapist, coach, and founder of Mother Nature Coaching. Tracy shares her personal story of postpartum psychosis, the fear of being sectioned, and the long road to recovery and the quiet courage it took to rebuild. Tracey’s story didn’t just shape her healing; it ignited a passion to transform perinatal mental health from the inside out.
We reflect on the power of peer support, the importance of informed choice, and the shift from “what’s wrong with you?” to “what matters to you?” Tracey’s journey led her to coaching, where equal partnership and nature-based restoration became tools for confidence and connection. Her lived experience now informs national strategy, helping shape services that listen, include, and empower.
This is an episode about vulnerability, voice, and the systemic change that begins with being truly seen.
🔗 Resources
Mother Nature Coaching 🌐 https://mothernaturecoaching.com
🌐 Mother Nature Coaching Facebook
Action on Postpartum Psychosis (APP) – national charity supporting women and families🌐 app-network.org
Maternal Mental Health Alliance
      🌐 Support for mums and families | Maternal Mental Health Alliance
NHS England – Perinatal Mental Health Programme🌐 NHS Perinatal Mental Health

So Who Cares Anyway E31 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

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 MedwayHestia: 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 SupermarketsSodexo Stop Hunger Funding for SE Kitchen