On today’s episode, I’m absolutely honoured to be joined by my dear friend, Dr Becks Fisher. Becks is a GP and the Director of Research and Policy at the Nuffield Trust—a hugely respected voice in UK health policy.

Becks helped to co-found Next Gen GP nearly eight years ago, and she’s been a close friend and someone I’ve deeply admired ever since.

In this conversation, Becks shares her journey from being a clinical fellow to becoming a national leader in healthcare policy. We talk about her passion for health equity, her reflections on the future of general practice, and the pivotal moments that have shaped her career.

We also explore the role of mentorship, the challenges of balancing work and life, and some brilliant advice for GPs earlier in their careers.

She’s not only an inspiring leader—but truly, just a thoroughly brilliant human being. I’m so proud to call her a friend, and I can’t wait for you to hear this episode...

*Highlights:

• 01:00 – Becks's Role at Nuffield Trust
• 02:00 – Journey into the Think Tank World
• 05:00 – Influence and Impact of Think Tanks
• 08:00 – Challenges in Health Equity
• 15:00 – Personal Leadership Journey
• 19:00 – Advice for Aspiring Leaders
• 23:00 – The Value of Fellowships
• 26:00 – Building Networks and Mentorship
• 35:00 – The Role of Media in Healthcare
• 40:00 – Balancing Work and Life
• 46:00 – The Future of General Practice

*Links

• Follow Becks on Twitter
• Harkness Fellowship
• Beck's recent Nuffield Trust paper on the Future of the Partnership Model

*Recommendations:

• Book: Four Thousand Weeks
• Book: Dare to Lead
• Podcast episode: The Next GenCast Episode with Oliver Burkeman

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The Best of The Next Gen Cast: Celebrating Eight Years of Next Gen programmes

In this special episode of The Next GenCast, we celebrate the Next Gen's 8-year anniversary by revisiting the highlights from the five most downloaded podcast episodes.

Get ready to hear from truly inspiring leaders on a range of topics, from the conversations which have resonated the most with our listeners over the years:

• 4 mins- Oliver Burkeman on Time Management
• 15 mins- Don Berwick on Joy in Work
• 24 mins- Sarah Jane Marsh on Work-Life Balance
• 31 mins- Jeremy Hunt on Leadership and Politics
• 38 mins- Laura Neilsen on Tackling Health Inequalities

*Links to the full episodes:

• Oliver Burkeman
• Don Berwick
• Sarah Jane Marsh
• Jeremy Hunt
• Laura Neilson

Thank you to everyone who has listened, subscribed and shared the podcast, as well as giving us your thoughts on what resonates - it has been wonderful to hear how much you’re enjoying it.

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Today, I’m delighted to welcome Dr Ben Maruthappu, a young leader who has transformed from being a junior doctor to globally recognised entrepreneur.

Ben is the co-founder and CEO of Cera, the UK's largest health tech company, which supports over two million patients a month with innovative, home-based care solutions. His work has led to many accolades already, including being named in Forbes’ 30 Under 30, an MBE, and the EY Entrepreneur of the Year award for 2024.

In this episode, Ben shares his remarkable story—from personal experiences that sparked his idea to transform the social care sector, to the lessons he’s learned scaling a business in an extraordinarily short space of time. He also dives into what it takes to persevere when you have an idea, lessons he learnt from working alongside Simon Stevens for a year, and offers some fascinating insights into the future of AI in transforming healthcare.

Get ready to be inspired by the story of a visionary leader who has reshaped the landscape of healthcare, and is definitely one to watch in the healthcare technology space.

*Highlights:

• 00:01:44 - Ben Maruthapu's Journey from Junior Doctor to Entrepreneur
• 00:06:02 - The Importance of Mentorship and Relationships
• 00:08:40 - Early Signs of Entrepreneurial Spirit
• 00:15:29 - Becoming Simon Stevens Fellow
• 00:17:13 - Insights on Policy and Politics in NHS England
• 00:26:18 - Introduction to Cera and Its Mission
• 00:38:03 - Key Learnings from the Early Days of Cera
• 00:42:09 - Best and Worst Aspects of Being a CEO
• 00:45:49 - Balancing Work and Family Life
• 00:46:37 - The Future of Technology in Healthcare
• 00:48:02 - The Transformative Potential of AI in Healthcare

*Social media

• Ben on LinkedIn
• Follow Ben on Twitter
• Cera

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