The Next GenCast

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 expect03:30 Early influences and entering the NHS06:30 The finance perspective in healthcare09:30 From finance trainee to CEO13:30 Royal Free, technology and transformation15:30 Imposter syndrome and finding your voice20:30 Listening as a senior leader22:00 What it's really like at the top of the NHS26:00 Health, family and managing stress30:00 Mindfulness, teams and work-life balance33:00 Authenticity, inclusion and leadership36:00 Failure, mistakes and learning38:00 Career highlights and proudest moments39:30 Neighbourhood health and primary care41:30 Quick-fire leadership questions42:00 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.

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.⏱️ Timestamps00:00 - Role overview03:00 - Early life & medicine06:00 - Becoming a GP09:00 - Life as a GP partner13:00 - Leadership emerges17:00 - Family & career balance21:00 - From local to national roles26:00 - Imposter syndrome & confidence30:00 - National leadership reality34:00 - Ministers & policy38:00 - Criticism & scrutiny42:00 - GP contracts & access46:00 - PCNs & neighbourhoods49:00 - Advice for future leaders💡 Key ThemesLeadership 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.

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.

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 cover04:00 – Growing up, early trauma, and becoming homeless at 1509:00 – Survival mode: what rough sleeping really does to your mindset14:00 – “Homelessness is an experience, not your identity”20:00 – Joining the fire service and choosing a different future27:00 – Decision-making under extreme pressure33:00 – Cognitive bias in high-stakes environments41:00 – Psychological safety: why it’s built in relationships, not policy49:00 – 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.

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 Notes00:00 – From academia to No.1005:00 – Inside Downing Street08:30 – Do leaders understand the NHS?12:00 – Clinicians as leaders17:00 – Risk and standing still22:30 – What makes a good Secretary of State27:30 – Returning to DHSC at 7532:30 – Why reform keeps failing36:30 – Technology and patient agency40:30 – “No money” myth45:30 – Neighbourhood healthcare explained52:00 – 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.