Up, Up and Away - the digital health podcast

Hosted by Dom Burch and Saira Arif

Technology Health Fitness Education

Website RSS feed

Episodes

Latest episode

Apr 2026

Language

EN-GB

About the show

On Up, Up and Away we speak to thought-leaders and opinion formers in the world of digital health, be that clinicians, patients, young people or other tech innovators. We find out what things are making a real difference. Our talented team specialise in creating digitally enabled self-management programmes to the NHS for young people. We've spent the past eight years or so developing the Digital Health Passport - an evidence-based mobile app, which improves skills, knowledge and confidence to manage long-term conditions like asthma, epilepsy and sickle cell disease.

Listen to episodes

22 recent

April 9, 2026Episode 227 min

What does digital inclusion really mean in a world rushing towards AI, automation and digital-first services?

Send us Fan MailIn this episode of Up, Up and Away, Dom Burch and Saira Arif sit down with Emma Weston, founder of Digital Unite, to explore one of the most important—and often overlooked—questions in digital health and public services:Who are we leaving behind?As Digital Unite marks its 30-year anniversary, Emma reflects on why digital exclusion remains such a persistent challenge. The conversation explores how decades of well-intentioned effort have failed to shift the dial—largely because we’ve been trying to solve a systemic problem with short-term, project-based thinking.Emma makes a compelling case for reframing digital inclusion—not as a side initiative, but as a core organisational responsibility. In a world where digital is now the front door to healthcare, services and opportunity, inclusion must be treated as a long-term investment in people, access and outcomes.The episode also examines the growing impact of AI. While full of promise, it risks widening existing inequalities if we haven’t yet addressed the fundamentals—digital confidence, literacy and access. From people without email addresses to care leavers navigating a digital-first world, this conversation brings big ideas back to real human experiences.Crucially, it’s not all doom and gloom. Emma shares what is working—from Digital Champions to community-led support—and leaves listeners with a practical challenge:Where are we still treating digital inclusion as a bolt-on—and what would it look like to make it part of how we operate every day?🔑 Key ThemesDigital exclusion isn’t going awayDespite 30 years of effort, the problem persists—and in many cases is getting worse.We’re solving the wrong problem the wrong wayShort-term projects can’t fix a long-term, structural issue.Digital literacy is now a basic life skillAs essential as reading, writing and arithmetic in modern society.AI could widen the gapWe’re accelerating into the future without fixing the foundations.Access doesn’t equal inclusionDevices and connectivity aren’t enough—confidence, skills and usability matter.The power of Digital ChampionsPeer-to-peer support and community networks are key to scaling impact.From funding to investmentDigital inclusion should be embedded into how organisations operate—not treated as a nice-to-have.Start with conversation, not perfectionSmall, practical steps—especially across teams—can begin to drive real change.Find out more Emma Weston and Digital Unite.

February 18, 2026Episode 127 min

Dr Lewis Thomas — Sickle Cell, Burnout, Coaching, and Building The Sickleverse

Send us Fan MailIn this episode, host Dom Burch speaks with Dr Lewis Thomas, a former NHS GP and accredited life coach who lives with sickle cell anaemia. Lewis shares how lived experience, medical training, and coaching came together — and why social media may now be one of the most powerful tools for reaching patients the healthcare system struggles to reach.🔥 Key Topics Covered🩸 1) Living with sickle cell — and the fear that comes with misunderstandingLewis describes his first major sickle cell crisis at age 12 as “the worst pain imaginable” — but also explains how confusion and lack of understanding from others created fear and uncertainty.🏥 2) Becoming a doctor — and ending up admitted to the hospitals he worked inLewis explains how junior doctor stress made his symptoms worse, leading to hospital admissions inside the very system he was training in.🧱 3) The NHS reality: broken systems, limited time, limited resourcesHe shares how the system’s lack of capacity makes it difficult for clinicians to truly help — especially when conditions like sickle cell don’t fit “tick-box” patterns.🌊 4) Post-Covid general practice: “a tsunami” of angry, exhausted patientsLewis describes how the emotional weight of post-Covid demand wore him down over time, as patients returned with unmet needs, delayed care, and mounting frustration.🧠 5) The turning point: discovering Flow on holiday in GreeceWhile on holiday, Lewis read Flow by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi — and realised there were people who loved their work and lived in a state of purpose… and that he didn’t feel that as a GP.💬 6) Life coaching: “holding space” and helping people change their livesLewis shares how coaching gave him a new model of care — one based on listening, clarity, and helping people find their own answers, not just prescribing.📱 7) Why TikTok reached people a GP surgery never couldLewis explains how social media enabled him to reach people with sickle cell who might never seek help through traditional routes — delivering bite-sized, trusted education directly to their phones.🌍 8) The Sickleverse: building community, confidence, and agencyThe Sickleverse brings people together globally, giving access to education, peer support, and a space that reduces the isolation many people feel living with sickle cell.🤝 9) Trust, racism, and why partnership mattersLewis speaks openly about mistrust in medical systems — particularly in Black communities disproportionately affected by sickle cell — and why working with credible voices and influencers can help overcome barriers.🩺 10) Authenticity over authorityOne of the most memorable insights: Lewis doesn’t need to wear a suit or a stethoscope to help people — he can show up as himself, and that’s exactly why people listen.🔗 Links & ResourcesJoin The Sickleverse: www.sickleverse.comBook mentioned: Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience — Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

February 9, 2026Episode 2033 min

Terri Quigley: Lived experience, severe asthma, and why digital tools can save lives

Send us Fan MailIn this episode of Up Up and Away, Dom Burch is joined by Terri Quigley — a Project Manager at NHS Cheshire and Merseyside, an award-winning Participation & Engagement Coordinator, and a passionate advocate for respiratory health and lived-experience-led change.Terri brings a uniquely powerful perspective. She works inside the system, helping shape services for children and young people — but she’s also a parent, and she and her teenage son Ethan both live with severe asthma. That combination of professional insight and lived experience makes this a conversation that’s as practical as it is emotional.Terri shares why the Digital Health Passport has been a genuine “game-changer” for their family — not just in improving asthma control, but in helping Ethan build confidence, reduce anxiety, and take ownership of his condition as he becomes more independent. One of the standout moments is Terri’s story of Ethan going on his Duke of Edinburgh expedition, managing asthma, allergies and a complex routine of medications — including inhalers and biologic injections — and how the app helped make that possible in a way that felt safe for both of them.The conversation also explores the bigger system challenge: what meaningful participation really looks like, why “sending out a survey” isn’t enough, and why lived experience needs to be present in the board-level meetings where decisions are made. Terri describes the moment that spurred her into action — seeing a meme of a board meeting about young women’s health made up almost entirely of older white men — and how that pushed her to help create a clearer framework for involvement, including simple “crib sheets” that make participation less intimidating and more effective.Terri also speaks candidly about asthma anxiety, why many children avoid PE and physical activity, and how fear can sometimes be unintentionally passed down from parents who simply don’t feel confident about what to do when symptoms flare.And towards the end, Terri leaves listeners with a message that’s hard to ignore: asthma deaths are overwhelmingly preventable — yet families are still being let down. Her call is simple and urgent: if we empower patients and carers with better understanding, better tools, and better support, we can prevent avoidable A&E visits — and save lives.Terri also highlights the campaign “Too much blue, get a review” — a simple but vital reminder that if you’re using your blue reliever inhaler more than three times a week when you’re well, it’s time to speak to a healthcare professional.Links & resourcesToo much blue, get a review — if you’re using your blue reliever inhaler more than three times a week when you’re well, it’s time to speak to a healthcare professional.Learn more about the Digital Health Passport from Tiny Medical Apps.

January 24, 2026Episode 1928 min

From the Clinic to the System: Asthma & Lung UK's Naomi Watt on Designing for Engagement

Send us Fan MailIn this episode of Up, Up & Away, host Dom Burch is joined by Naomi Watt, from Asthma + Lung UK, for a wide-ranging conversation about behaviour, motivation, and what it really takes to design digital health tools that people actually use.Naomi reflects on her early career as a respiratory nurse — from reading X-rays on lightboxes to working in A&E, general practice and helplines — and how her passion for learning helped her absorb knowledge almost by osmosis. But she also shares a pivotal realisation: just because she cared deeply about respiratory health didn’t mean everyone else did, or could, in the same way.That insight became central to her later work. Post-COVID, Asthma + Lung UK recognised that healthcare professionals themselves were a missing link in improving care for people with lung conditions. Clinicians were coming from a huge range of backgrounds — GPs, paramedics, pharmacists, practice nurses — with very different levels of confidence, knowledge and support, often working in isolation within a stretched NHS.This led Naomi to design the Health Professionals Hub: a dedicated digital portal built not around information overload, but around how people feel when they go looking for help. Drawing on self-determination theory, she explains how autonomy, competence and relatedness underpin engagement — particularly when healthcare professionals are dealing with imposter syndrome or uncertainty.Naomi introduces the memorable idea of three “knowledge moments” — the “oh no”, “oh” and “ah” moments — and how designing for psychological safety, accessibility and plain English can turn panic into curiosity. She shares practical examples of how small, thoughtful tools can lead to meaningful changes in clinical practice and patient outcomes.The conversation then widens to young people with long-term conditions, exploring why digital health tools must reflect real life rather than neat clinical silos — and why collaboration matters more than duplication. Naomi makes a powerful case for charities, the NHS and technology partners working together, sharing trusted expertise so it can travel further and reach people in the moments that matter.This episode is not about an app. It’s about empathy, behaviour, and what it means to design healthcare systems that help people feel capable, connected and supported.Topics coveredNaomi’s journey from frontline clinician to system-level designerWhy healthcare professionals were the “missing link” post-COVIDDesigning for motivation, not just informationSelf-determination theory: autonomy, competence and belongingPsychological safety and tackling imposter syndromeWhy collaboration beats duplication in digital healthSupporting young people with long-term conditions in the real world

January 14, 2026Episode 1827 min

Tackling Inequalities in Children’s Asthma — Learning from Brent Health Matters

Send us Fan MailIn this episode of Up, Up and Away, Dom Burch speaks with Bethan Almeida, a senior nurse in Brent Health Matters, about childhood asthma, health inequalities, and what effective, community-led healthcare looks like in practice.Bethan leads the children’s asthma workstream in one of the UK’s most diverse boroughs, where 149 languages are spoken and many families face barriers around health literacy, income, housing, and access to care. Her role bridges clinical care, public health, and system improvement, with a focus on preventing avoidable asthma harm.Bethan explains how traditional healthcare pathways often disadvantage families who lack time, money, or confidence to navigate complex systems. Too many children reach specialist care far later than necessary, when much of the harm could have been prevented earlier in the community.A key insight is that clinicians are not always the most trusted messengers. Families may say everything is fine in appointments, but share the reality with people they already trust — sports coaches, faith leaders, or community organisers. These individuals often have regular contact with families and the time to spot issues early and offer practical support.Brent’s progress has been enabled by genuine NHS–council collaboration, using existing public health networks rather than building relationships from scratch. This has helped shift care from reactive to proactive — bringing services to families rather than waiting for crises.One of the most powerful themes is what Bethan calls “compassionate discrimination”. Well-meaning professionals sometimes withhold full advice — for example about reducing dust mites or improving ventilation — because they assume families can’t afford to act on it. While compassionate, this lowers the bar of information and deepens inequality. Bethan argues that everyone deserves the same information, with extra support provided to help those who need it act on that advice.The team also moved away from standard leaflets after communities said they were inaccessible. Instead, they co-designed simple, visual, multimedia resources that people actually use.A standout innovation is the Asthma Community Coaches programme — trained local volunteers who support families, challenge myths, make referrals into clinical pathways, and feed real-world insight back into the system. To date, 58 volunteers have completed the programme.As a result of this work, Brent now has local asthma diagnosis, high-risk clinics, and sustainable pathways that will continue beyond individual staff members.The episode reinforces a simple but powerful message: people don’t need less information — they need better translation, better support, and genuine partnership.

December 16, 2025Episode 1733 min

Why NHS login Changes Everything for Digital Self-Management - With Matt Bourne TMA's CTO

Send us Fan MailIn this episode of Up, Up and Away, Dom talks to Matt Bourne, CTO at Tiny Medical Apps, about the company’s remarkable eight-year journey to integrating NHS login into the Digital Health Passport (DHP) — a major milestone in connecting young people with long-term conditions directly to the NHS.What sounds like a technical integration is, in reality, the culmination of years of persistence, setbacks, and breakthroughs. Matt shares how TMA began as a small team building multiple patient-facing apps, before realising that regulatory complexity made that model unsustainable — and why creating one trusted, NHS-connected platform became the way forward.From the early days of hackathons to navigating reorganisations, changing sponsors, and evolving NHS standards, this is a behind-the-scenes look at what it really takes to deliver digital innovation within the health system.💡 In this episode, Matt shares:How Tiny Medical Apps became one of the first SMEs to be offered NHS login access — and what being an early adopter really meant.Why medication adherence became the company’s north star after coroner reports revealed most asthma deaths in young people were preventable.How NHS login transforms the DHP, allowing patients to securely access care plans, reorder medication, and build trusted connections with their GP records.What the integration process actually involves — from hazard logs and sandbox testing to balancing safety with accessibility for teenage users.How behaviour change theory (COM-B) underpins the app’s design, combining nudges, reminders, and gamified learning to improve long-term health outcomes.Why TMA partners with charities like Asthma + Lung UK and Epilepsy charities to deliver clinically accurate content at scale, instead of building it themselves.How TikTok and social platforms have helped them reach and engage young people who are often considered “hard to reach” by traditional health services.🧠 Key Takeaway“NHS login isn’t just a piece of tech. It’s a key that finally lets patients access — and use — their own health data safely and meaningfully. It’s what allows us to move from information to empowerment.” — Matt Bourne, CTO, Tiny Medical Apps🚀 Why This MattersThis episode is a powerful reminder that health innovation takes time, collaboration, and resilience. TMA’s journey shows how small companies can play a big role in transforming patient care — proving that persistence and open standards can open doors that once felt closed.For young people managing asthma, epilepsy, sickle cell, or other long-term conditions, NHS login is more than a sign-in screen. It’s a step toward independence, better medication adherence, and fewer preventable emergencies.

December 9, 2025Episode 1632 min

Theta Sleep - Tackling Sleep Apnoea with Digital, End-to-End Care

Send us Fan MailIn this episode of Up, Up & Away, host Dom Burch sits down with Dr Tom Chambers and Dr David Dawson to explore one of the NHS’s most overlooked health challenges: obstructive sleep apnoea.More than 9 million adults in the UK remain undiagnosed, making sleep apnoea one of the biggest untreated conditions affecting public health. Untreated sleep disorders significantly increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, dementia, depression and road traffic accidents—yet referral pathways, diagnostic capacity and waiting times remain major barriers across the country.Tom and David explain why traditional, hospital-led models simply can’t cope with the rising demand (referrals for sleep studies have gone up by 102%) and how their innovation, Theta Sleep, is aiming to transform diagnosis and treatment by delivering a fully digital, end-to-end pathway that patients can access from home.👇 In this episode:Why sleep apnoea is so widely under-diagnosedThe story behind Bradford’s first sleep clinicWhat inspired Tom and David to co-found Theta SleepWhy every stage of the current pathway is a bottleneckThe role of new NICE-approved home sleep diagnosticsHow digital tools reduce unnecessary appointmentsWhy patients don’t always need to see a consultantThe preventative health opportunity in sleep medicineWhat needs to change in the NHS to scale careWhy sleep is now recognised as the fourth pillar of health💡 Key Quotes“Referrals for sleep studies have gone up by 102%. It’s now the fastest-growing diagnostic test in the NHS.” — Dr Tom Chambers“We now have around 7,500 people on treatment with a waiting time of just three weeks — compared to more than a year elsewhere.” — Dr David Dawson“Patients don’t always need a consultant seeing them. With oversight and digital tools, other clinicians can safely do much of the work.” — Dr David Dawson🌙 Why this mattersSleep disorders dramatically increase long-term morbidity and mortality, yet public conversations focus mostly on “sleep hygiene tips” like screen time and 8-hour sleep targets. As Tom explains, the bigger problem is the millions of people living with undiagnosed clinical sleep disorders that require proper diagnosis and treatment.Digital-first, community-based care could change that—and improve population health at scale.🎧 Listen if you’re interested in:NHS innovationdigital health and remote carepreventative healthcarerespiratory medicinechronic condition managementmedical entrepreneurshipclinical pathways and redesignhealth tech startup stories

August 1, 2025Episode 1526 min

Game Changer: How a London-based PE Teacher Wants Every Student with Asthma to be Seen

Send us Fan MailIn the latest episode of the Up, Up and Away podcast hosts Dom and Saira caught up with Hamdoun, a 19-year-old assistant PE teacher from South London and new ambassador for Tiny Medical Apps' Digital Health Passport. Hamdoun is currently working in a primary school near Wembley Stadium, is passionate about supporting young people, especially those with asthma and long-term conditions. Background & RoleInitially wanted to be a footballer; discovered a love for sports coaching during sixth form.Works with children aged 4–11 and engages with every student throughout the week.Sees physical activity as essential for health and personal development.Asthma & Young PeopleMany pupils in his school live with asthma, but older children often shy away from discussing it.Some feel ashamed or fear being mocked, leading to reluctance in using inhalers or disclosing their condition.Emphasises normalising asthma through open conversations and preparedness.Practical Action & SupportProactively checks asthma status before school trips and matches.Shares a powerful story about noticing a child struggling during a football match due to asthma—his support and quick action made a real difference.Discovered an expired inhaler and followed up directly with the parent to stress the importance of medication checks.Digital Health PassportExcited to become a Digital Health Passport ambassador to further support young people.Believes in empowering children to speak up and take ownership of their condition.Sees technology as a valuable tool to remind parents and pupils about medication and expiry dates.Advice to Young PeopleDon’t be ashamed—you're not alone.Share symptoms and personal preferences with trusted adults like PE teachers.Participation in sport can boost both physical and mental health—even for those with asthma.Suggestions for SchoolsMore frequent reminders to parents about checking medication expiry dates.Foster environments where students feel safe discussing their health.Hamdoun brings empathy, leadership, and lived experience to his role. He’s a role model helping children play hard and breathe easy, showing that supporting young people with asthma isn’t about over complication—it’s about caring, preparing, and listening.

June 12, 2025Episode 1433 min

Mum on a Mission: Agnes Agyepong on Clean Air, Maternal Health & Mental Resilience

Send us Fan MailIn this powerful episode (timed to coincide with the build up to this year's Clean Air Day on 19th June), Dom Burch is joined by Agnes Agyepong—maternal health advocate, founder of Black Child, Clean Air, and creator of the Glow Mama Awards. Agnes shares how her personal experience of being ignored as a mother led her to uncover the hidden impact of air pollution on children’s health, particularly in Black and working-class communities.She opens up about battling suicidal thoughts while pregnant, and how she transformed pain into purpose—campaigning for environmental and maternal health justice, and building one of the UK’s largest digital awards for mums on social media.You’ll hear about:The systemic challenges facing Black mothers in the NHSHow air pollution nearly claimed her daughter’s life—and sparked a nationwide campaignThe birth of Black Child, Clean Air and its viral impactAgnes’s journey through maternal mental health and the healing power of affirmationThe creation of Glow Mama and its mission to celebrate motherhood in all its formsWhat digital health innovators need to get right for parentsAgnes is a force of nature. Her story is a call to action—for belief, community, and change.⚠️ Trigger WarningThis episode includes discussion of maternal mental health and suicidal thoughts. If you’ve been affected, support is available. (See below.)🧠 Support and ResourcesSamaritans (24/7): Call 116 123 or visit samaritans.orgPANDAS Foundation (Perinatal Mental Health): pandasfoundation.org.uk | 0808 1961 776Mind (Mental Health Support): mind.org.ukMaternal Mental Health Alliance: maternalmentalhealthalliance.org🔗 Connect with AgnesWebsite: globalcmh.orgInstagram: @globalchildandmaternalhealthLinkedIn: Agnes Agyepong

March 24, 2025Episode 1326 min

Breathe Easy, Play Hard: Empowering Young Athletes with Asthma to Thrive in Sport

Send us Fan MailIn this heartfelt and inspiring episode of Up Up and Away, hosts Dom Burch and Saira Arif launch the Breathe Easy, Play Hard campaign, dedicated to empowering young athletes with asthma. Sparked by the untimely passing of Saira's close friend Brendt Barrett, a strength coach who lived with asthma and sadly died of cancer, the campaign encourages open conversations between young athletes and their coaches about managing asthma both on and off the pitch.Dom and Saira explore why asthma is often a hidden condition in sports and emphasise the importance of normalising it in sporting conversations. They discuss the emotional and physical challenges young athletes face and highlight how even small adjustments—like taking time to use an inhaler—can be the difference between fear and freedom in sports.They shine a spotlight on the vital role coaches and PE teachers play in creating inclusive, supportive environments and introduce the Digital Health Passport, a free app to help athletes track symptoms and take control of their condition. The duo call for collaboration with schools, sports clubs, and parents—especially in South East London—to join the movement, reduce stigma, and ensure no child is sidelined by asthma.Saira shares personal insights about navigating asthma in Dubai’s unique environment, from sandstorms to air-conditioned buildings, underscoring the importance of being alert to global and personal triggers.This episode is not just a tribute to Brendt and the work that he did, but a call to action—inviting listeners to share their stories and help shift the narrative so that asthma becomes a part of the sports conversation, not a barrier to success.