HealthCross Talks

About HealthCross Talks

HealthCross Talks is a frontline-led podcast exploring whether the NHS can be saved and if so, how. With major reform underway and a new 10-Year Health Plan emerging, we go beyond headlines to focus on practical, workable solutions. Through in-depth conversations with doctors, nurses, leaders, and policymakers, we bring NHS voices to the forefront because they know what’s broken, and what it will take to fix it.

Publisher

Loveena Tandon

Category

health & fitness

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

10 Apr 2025

Latest episode

3 Sept 2026

Latest episodes

17 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   3 Sept 2026

   Is The NHS Failing Our Children?

   Is the NHS Failing Children and Young People? The NHS 10 Year Health Plan promises three major shifts: from hospital to community, analogue to digital and sickness to prevention. But will children genuinely benefit, or once again fall to the bottom of the NHS list? The latest figures make this question urgent. More than one million children were referred to mental health services in 2024–25, almost double the number in 2018–19. Meanwhile, 22.2% of Year 6 children are living with obesity, rising to 29.3% in the most deprived areas. The government says it wants to create the “healthiest generation of children ever”, with more mental health support in schools, restrictions on junk food advertising, expanded free school meals and greater care closer to home. But can these promises be delivered without protected funding and investment upfront? In this episode of BAPIO HealthCross Talks: Making the NHS Better, Professor Sir Terence Stephenson, Nuffield Professor of Child Health at UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, examines what the NHS 10 Year Health Plan really means for children and young people. We ask: 🔹 Why does so little NHS spending go towards prevention? 🔹 Should unhealthy food be taxed to subsidise healthier choices? 🔹 Can exercise alone tackle childhood obesity? 🔹 Should Britain restrict social media for under-16s? 🔹 How can children receive mental health support without waiting months for specialist care? 🔹 Can care move from hospitals into communities without investing first? 🔹 Should funding for children’s healthcare be protected? Sir Terence also explains why every £1 invested in a child’s early years could save society around £7 over their lifetime, and leaves policymakers with a powerful warning: “Don’t forget children. Today’s children are the parents, taxpayers and voters of tomorrow.” A timely conversation about whether the NHS can turn its promise of prevention into reality, or whether children will once again be left waiting. LIVE NOW Video: https://www.youtube.com/@loveenatandonproductions (https://www.youtube.com/@loveenatandonproductions) Audio: https://plinkhq.com/i/1807736085 (https://plinkhq.com/i/1807736085)

2. 

   2 Sept 2026

   HealthCross Talks: Are We Failing Children?

   The NHS 10 Year Health Plan promises to move care from hospitals into communities and from treatment to prevention. But where do children fit into that vision? Professor Sir Terence Stephenson, Nuffield Professor of Child Health at UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, joins BAPIO HealthCross Talks to discuss childhood obesity, rising mental health needs and why children must not be pushed to the bottom of the NHS list. Full episode LIVE TOMORROW

3. 

   3 Aug 2026

   Is Medicine Still Worth It?

   Would you still choose medicine, knowing what it costs to get in and what it takes to stay? Medical students are graduating with growing debt. Resident doctors say they are paid less, working more and learning less than the doctors who trained before them. And for years, thousands finishing foundation training found no job waiting for them. In this episode of BAPIO HealthCross Talks: Making the NHS Better, we speak to Professor Sanjiv Ahluwalia, Head of the School of Medicine at Anglia Ruskin University, about whether medicine still offers young people the career it once promised, and what it will take to make sure it does. Discussed in this episode: 1. The real cost of medical student debt over a five or six year course 2. Pay, morale and the daily pressures shaping resident doctors' working lives 3. The training bottleneck that left thousands chasing too few posts, and how that has begun to shift 4. Whether the NHS is training doctors it then fails to employ 5. What AI means for how the next generation of doctors is taught and tested Since this conversation was recorded, resident doctors accepted a government offer on pay and training places, and the Medical Training Prioritisation Act has come into force to ease the bottleneck at the centre of this episode. Whether that is enough is still an open question. This is not only a conversation about doctors. It is a conversation about who will be there to treat patients in ten years' time. Guest: Professor Sanjiv Ahluwalia Host: Loveena Tandon 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@loveenatandonproductions🎧 Podcast: https://plinkhq.com/i/1807736085#NHS #Doctors #Medicine #ResidentDoctors #Healthcare #MedicalEducation #NHSWorkforce #HealthCrossTalks #BAPIO #LoveenaTandon

4. 

   2 Jul 2026

   Has NHS Changed?

   Fairness, Differential Attainment & the Future NHS Workforce Doctors from ethnic minority backgrounds and international medical graduates have long experienced different outcomes in exams, training, and career progression. So, has anything changed? In this episode of BAPIO HealthCross Talks, recorded atthe BAPIO Conference 2025, Professor Pushpinder Mangat the first ethnic minority Medical Director of the GeneralMedical Council (GMC) discusses how the regulator is tackling differential attainment and why creating a fairer NHS workforce is still a work in progress. In this conversation: 🔹 Why doctorsfrom ethnic minority and overseas backgrounds have historically experienceddifferent outcomes and what is changing. 🔹 How the GMC says referrals involving ethnic minority doctors have fallen by more than 50% in the last five years. 🔹 Why recognising cultural differences, tackling microaggressions and supportingtrainees earlier can improve outcomes. 🔹 Why many international doctors are passing PLAB but still struggling to secure NHS jobs and what that means for a health service that depends on overseas talent. 🔹 Professor Mangat's three priorities for the NHS 10-Year Plan a nd why education should matter as much as service delivery. This is a conversation about fairness, culture, leadership and building an NHS where every doctor can succeed. 🎥 Watch thefull conversation on BAPIO HealthCross Talks. HAS NHS CHANGED? WATCH ON: https://www.youtube.com/@loveenatandonproductions (https://www.youtube.com/@loveenatandonproductions) AUDIO SMART LINK plinkhq.com/i/1807736085 (https://plinkhq.com/i/1807736085) Thankyou, BAPIO, for bringing these important conversations to the forefront. #NHS#GMC #Doctors #IMG #PLAB #DifferentialAttainment #MedicalEducation#NHSWorkforce #HealthcareLeadership #BAPIO

5. 

   24 Jun 2026

   Teaser Ep4: Bapio HealthCross Talks: Can NHS Survive

   “The day after the NHS was created, it went into crisis,and it has been in crisis ever since.” And today, even the meaning of healthcare ischanging: “We don’t want to be called patients anymore. Weare consumers of healthcare.” Professor Sir Stephen Powis, former National Medical Director of NHS England,and Dr Navina Evans, former Chief Workforce, Training and EducationOfficer at NHS England, join BAPIO HealthCross Talks for a conversationon the future of one of Britain’s most valued institutions. The NHS was built on the promise of care, free atthe point of need but today it faces some of its biggest questions. Waiting lists. Workforce pressures. Doctors’training. Digital transformation. Changing patient expectations. As the NHS enters a new chapter with the 10 YearPlan, the question is: Can the NHS survive, and can it transform for thefuture? This sneak peek explores: ➡️ Why the NHS feels underpressure ➡️ The future workforce we need for 2030 and beyond ➡️ Hospital → Community ➡️ Analogue → Digital ➡️ Sickness → Prevention ➡️ The role of international healthcare collaboration The full conversation asks: Can the NHS 10 Year Plan actually work? Coming tomorrow the 25th of June on BAPIOHealthCross Talks. WATCH ON: https://www.youtube.com/@loveenatandonproductions (https://www.youtube.com/@loveenatandonproductions) AUDIO SMART LINK plinkhq.com/i/1807736085 (https://plinkhq.com/i/1807736085) #NHS #NHS10YearPlan #NHSWorkforce #Healthcare#FutureOfHealthcare #Doctors #BAPIO

6. 

   24 Jun 2026

   EP3- A Mission Beyond Medicine

   BAPIO HealthCross Talks Series 2- Few issues shape public conversations and even elections, like theNHS. From resident doctors’ strikes and workforce pressures toquestions around immigration and the future of healthcare, the challengesfacing the NHS impact us all. Which is why organisations like BAPIO supporting doctors of Indianand diverse international backgrounds across the UK for nearly three decadesplay a crucial role in building bridges and finding solutions. As BAPIO takes a significant step in its journey to become acharitable foundation, it strengthens its commitment to public good supportinghealthcare professionals, giving back to communities, and creating strongerconnections between healthcare systems. In this episode of BAPIO HealthCross Talks, Consultantin Emergency Medicine- Dr Joydeep Grover (MBBS MRCEM FRCEM), the firstPresident-elect of the BAPIO Charitable Foundation, talks about the road aheadtackling inequalities, supporting the next generation, building India-UKhealthcare links, and why the mission of healthcare goes far beyond medicine. “We are blowing the whistle. This is a problem. Now can we solve it?” EPISODELIVE https://www.youtube.com/@loveenatandonproductions (https://www.youtube.com/@loveenatandonproductions) AUDIO SMART LINK plinkhq.com/i/1807736085 (https://plinkhq.com/i/1807736085)

7. 

   5 Mar 2026

   Doctors Without Jobs

   Doctorsunemployed… while patients are treated in corridors. How did the NHS reach thispoint? In this episode of HealthCrosstalk, recorded at the BritishAssociation of Physicians of Indian Origin (BAPIO)Conference 2025, we unpack one of the most urgent questionsfacing the UK healthcare system today: Why are both International Medical Graduates (IMGs) and UK graduates struggling for trainingjobs even as NHS waiting lists and workforce shortages remain high? Since this conversation was recorded, the UK government hasintroduced the Medical Training(Prioritisation) Bill, proposing priority for UK and Irish graduatesfor foundation and specialty training posts. As the bill moves throughParliament, the debate around IMGs and NHS workforce planning has become evenmore intense. In this conversation, we explore: ·      The myth that IMGs are “flooding” the job market. ·      Why doctors are unemployed despite NHS vacancies. ·      The workforce planning failures building over the last decade. ·      Corridor care, staff burnout, and doctors leaving the NHS. ·      What solutions might actually work? With around 40% of doctors in the NHStrained overseas, the question is no longer simply about IMGsvs UK graduates. Is the NHSsleepwalking into a staffing crisis of its own making? Unpacking all this: We speak to: Consultant Physician, St George's University Hospital,London Chair, BAPIO Institute for Health Research (BIHR) Tista Chakravarty Gannon Vice Chair, Asian Professionals National Alliance (APNA),UK 🎧 Episode LIVE NOW: WATCH ON: https://www.youtube.com/@loveenatandonproductions (https://www.youtube.com/@loveenatandonproductions) AUDIO SMART LINK plinkhq.com/i/1807736085 (https://plinkhq.com/i/1807736085) Prof. Indranil Chakravorty MBE

8. 

   4 Mar 2026

   The NHS Paradox

   Doctors unemployed… while patients are treated in corridors. In this teaser, we bust the claim that “IMGs are flooding the job market” and look at why the narrative has shifted towards prioritising UK graduates. And as the Medical Training (Prioritisation) Bill fast-tracks through Parliament, this debate has become even more intense. So, here’s the bigger question: is the NHS sleepwalking into a staffing crisis of its own making? We unpack the myths, the money squeeze, and the workforce planning failures behind this breaking point and ask: what’s the real solution? We speak to: Prof. Indranil Chakravorty MBE Consultant Physician, St George's University Hospital, LondonChair, BAPIO Institute for Health Research (BIHR) Tista Chakravarty Gannon Vice Chair, Asian Professionals National Alliance (APNA), UK Full episode goes live Thursday 5 March. WATCH ON: https://www.youtube.com/@loveenatandonproductionsAUDIO SMART LINKplinkhq.com/i/1807736085 This Episode was recorded  ⁨@bapio⁩  (https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UCr6Ak5CTW5vwJbLyYiLPdrQ) conference November, 2025. #healthcare #healthcrosstalks #immigrants #doctor #internationalmedicalgraduate #nhs

9. 

   16 Feb 2026

   Will AI Replace the Doctors?

   Will it reduce NHS waiting lists or create new risks? And if surgery is “robotic” … who is really in control? As the global AI community prepares to gather in New Delhitoday, the 16th of February for the next five days, we ask whathealthcare must get right before the hype overtakes the science. Filmed at the BAPIO Conference 2025, this firstepisode of Series 2 of HealthCross Talks: Making the NHSBetter brings together two leaders at the forefront of medicine and innovation: Prof Prokar Dasgupta OBE: one of the world’s leading robotic urological surgeons and recipient of the John Wickham Lifetime Achievement Award in Robotic Surgery (2023). Prof Ajay Shah: Executive Dean of the Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine and BHF Professor of Cardiology at King’s College London. Inside the conversation: ·       Why robotic surgery is not what most people think? ·       What AI is genuinely good at — and where it still struggles? ·       Whether AI can ease pressure on the NHS? ·       Why public trust may be the biggest challenge of all? ·       What healthcare could look like in ten years? As Prof Dasgupta prepares for the AI Summit in India, the bigger question remains: Are we ready to embrace AI responsibly without losing the human touch? Hope you enjoy the episode, Will AI Replace theDoctors? #AI #Healthcare #NHS #HealthTech #RoboticSurgery #HealthCrossTalks #AISummit

10. 

    14 Feb 2026

    Will AI Replace Doctors? Debunking the Myth in NHS Healthcare

    The Big AI Myth? Are robots really operating on patients? Is AI about to replace doctors? For over 20 years, there has been a major misconception aboutrobotic surgery, that machines are doing the operation. In this teaser from HealthCross Talks- Series 2, filmed at BAPIO Conference2025, two leading experts challenge that myth and ask what AI is actually here to do in healthcare. Prof ProkarDasgupta OBE: one of the world’s leading robotic urological surgeons andrecipient of the John Wickham Lifetime Achievement Award in Robotic Surgery (2023)explains why robotic surgery is entirely human-controlled, and how AI can takeon the “boring” tasks that steal time from patient care. Joining him is Prof AjayShah, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Life Sciences &Medicine and BHF Professor of Cardiology at King’s College London, on where AIgenuinely fits in the NHS and what still needs proving. This teaser lands as the global AI spotlight turns to New Delhi: The India AI Impact Summit 2026 runs from 16–20 February 2026,and Prof Dasgupta will be attending. Full episode goes live on 16 February 2026 ! Also available on You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/@loveenatandonproductions (https://www.youtube.com/@loveenatandonproductions) What do you think? Is AI replacing doctors or redefining what doctors do?

11. 

    15 May 2025

    Can We Fix A&E?

    We’ve seen the numbers. Too often, we scroll pastthem. But behind every statistic is a patient in pain — and a system atbreaking point. 👉 1.5 million patients waitedover 12 hours last year. 👉 Thousands in mental health crisis spend up to 3days in A&E. 👉 4,000 patients a day are left in corridors forover 12 hours. A&E is never out of the headlines — but nowit’s about dangerous delays, avoidable deaths, and a service stretched to itslimits. In this urgent episode of HealthCross Talks,Dr. Adrian Boyle, President of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine,joins us to confront the uncomfortable truth about Britain’s A&E crisis —head-on. No fluff. Just facts. And a 3-point solution for the PrimeMinister. 👇 💬 We discuss: Why 13% A&E beds are blocked by social care? What is the impact of delayed care? Will more money help A&E? 📢 “We’re delivering poorcare at high cost. That’s not sustainable.” – Dr. Boyle But there is hope — if we act with urgency andfollow the evidence. Watch the episode to hear Dr. Boyle’s clear, practical roadmap for turningthis crisis around. If you’ve ever waited in A&E — or worry aboutwhat might happen if you or someone you love ever has to — this is a conversation you can’t miss.

12. 

    1 May 2025

    The NHS Is Diverse- Can It Be Fairer?

    1 in 4 NHS staff are from a BAME background — yetonly 7% reach senior leadership. In episode 4 of HealthCross Talks , Dr Ramesh Mehta OBE, founder of BAPIO, reveals why racial bias still blocks career growth — and how cultural training can transform patient care. For over 25 years, as president of the BritishAssociation of Physicians of Indian Origin, Dr Mehta has boldly challenged injustice — taking on the General Medical Council, when necessary, yet collaborating with them to drive lasting change. Since founding BAPIO in 1996, he has championed therights of BAME doctors and fought for a fairer, more inclusive NHS that delivers better care for all. A must-listen if cultural cohesion — or its absence — has ever shaped your NHS journey. Discover how barriers can be broken and true inclusion built.

13. 

    24 Apr 2025

    How to Fix the NHS Workforce Crisis?

    The NHS workforce crisis is real. In January 2025, over 60,000 patients in Englandwaited more than 12 hours in A&E after a decision to admit them—a record high, accounting for more than 15% of all admissions that month. Simultaneously, the NHS faces a severe staffing crisis, with over 112,000 vacancies, includingnearly 43,000 nursing and 10,000 medical posts as of March 2023 .Sky News (https://news.sky.com/story/more-than-60000-patients-waiting-12-hours-in-ae-in-january-according-to-nhs-figures-13308385?utm_source=chatgpt.com) In Episode 3 of HealthCross Talks, we speak withProfessor Stuart Walker, Chief Medical Officer at University Hospitals Bristol, and Weston NHS Foundation Trust, to explore the daily pressures faced by NHS staff and discuss three critical actions the Prime Minister must take to address the workforce crisis. Join us as we seek practical solutions from thoseon the frontline.

14. 

    17 Apr 2025

    Episode 2: Rebuilding The NHS

    With over 112,000 staff vacancies and 20,000doctors projected to miss out on specialty training this year (BMA), the NHS faces a critical moment. Workforce, infrastructure, and training challengesare now impossible to ignore. In this episode, we speak with Dr. ParagSinghal, consultant endocrinologist and Honorary Chairperson of BAPIO, about frontline solutions shared at the BAPIO 2024 Conference. As NHS management may shift back to the Department of Health, these insights from those on the ground couldn’t be more timely. 🎧 Tune in April 17 — and have your say inthe comments. 🔜 Coming up next on HealthCross Talks: We speak to Professor Stuart Walker, Chief Medical Officer at UniversityHospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust, about real, workablesolutions to the NHS workforce crisis. #HealthCrossTalks #RebuildTheNHS #BAPIO2024#NHSCrisis #WorkforceDevelopment #HealthcareSolutions Thank you for joining in. Please follow and leave a comment.

15. 

    16 Apr 2025

    Rebuilding The NHS

    With over 112,000 staff vacancies and 20,000doctors projected to miss out on specialty training this year (BMA), the NHS faces a critical moment. Workforce, infrastructure, and training challengesare now impossible to ignore. In this episode, we speak with Dr. Parag Singhal, consultant endocrinologist and Honorary Chairperson of BAPIO,about frontline solutions shared at the BAPIO 2024 Conference. As NHS management may shift back to the Department of Health, these insights from those on the ground couldn’t be more timely. 🎧 Tune in on 17th April — andhave your say in the comments. 🔜 Coming up next on HealthCross Talks: We speak to Professor Stuart Walker, Chief Medical Officer at UniversityHospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust, about real, workablesolutions to the NHS workforce crisis. #HealthCrossTalks #RebuildTheNHS #BAPIO2024#NHSCrisis #WorkforceDevelopment #HealthcareSolutions Thank you for listening :)

16. 

    16 Apr 2025

    TEASER: Episode 2: Rebuilding the NHS

    What will it really take to fix the NHS (https://www.linkedin.com/preload/#)—more funding, better training, listening to the frontline? In this episode, we explore what it truly takes to rebuild the #NHS —from workforce challenges to training, infrastructure, and the power of listening to those on the ground. We speak with Professor Parag Singhal —consultant endocrinologist, CEO of Bapio Training Academy (https://www.linkedin.com/preload/#) , and Chair of the BAPIO (https://www.linkedin.com/preload/#) 2024 Conference—who’s had his ear to the frontline and brings fresh insight into what rebuilding the NHS really means. 🎧 Episode LIVE on the 18th April #HealthCrossTalks #NHSCrisis #BAPIO2024 #FrontlineVoices #RebuildTheNHS

17. 

    10 Apr 2025

    Making NHS Better

    The NHS is at a turning point. With NHS England set to be dissolved and control shifting to theDepartment of Health, questions around leadership, accountability, andmeaningful change are more pressing than ever. Around 7.5 million cases. 6.3 million uniquepatients waiting. Now, health workers could be sent door-to-door under drastic new NHSplans to tackle soaring sickness rates across England. Meanwhile, anxieties have resurfacedfollowing a BBC Breakfast question: "Is there any possibility this country might give the United Statesaccess to NHS medical records if that meant an end to the 10% tariff?" And although Health Secretary Wes Streeting responded firmly, “OurNHS is not for sale,” the very question has reignited concerns about thefuture of NHS data and its role in trade diplomacy. In this HealthCross Talks episode, we speakto the man at the centre of it all—Professor Sir Stephen Powis, NationalMedical Director of NHS England. We begin where Lord Darzi’s report leftoff—calling the NHS in “critical condition.” So we ask: Because while management may change, theproblems don’t disappear—and neither should the search for real solutions. 🎧 Watch now. Join theconversation about making the NHS better. With thanks to BAPIO, BTA, and SBIfor making this vital dialogue possible. Please do subscribe and leave your thoughts :)

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Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.