NHS Innovation: Why Great Ideas Fail and How to Succeed with Lesley Soden

What is the biggest mistake founders selling to the NHS make?

We speak with Lesley Soden about selling and scaling within the NHS.

NHS Innovation: Why Great Ideas Fail and How to Succeed with Lesley Soden

Great conversation on the latest TechPulse Healthcare episode with Lesley Soden, Director at Succoris and former NHS innovation leader. Her background in NHS innovation and commercialisation brings a grounded perspective on what it really takes for healthtech to gain traction in the real world. We talked about why adoption is so hard in the NHS, what founders often get wrong, and why stakeholder engagement, evidence, procurement, and co-designed deployment matter so much. We also explored the role of AI, digital health, and innovation in improving care without losing sight of the operational realities. A really practical and honest discussion for anyone building, funding, or supporting healthtech. #TechPulseHealthcare #HealthTech #DigitalHealth #NHSInnovation #AI #Podcast #HealthcareInnovation #Commercialisation

230 MILLION people ask ChatGPT health questions EVERY WEEK

Sonya Cullington on why patients feel "understood" by AI vs clinicians

Sonya Cullington, AI Adoption | Behavioural Gov | Judgment Frameworks

TechPulse Healthcare: Transforming Healthcare with XR & AI Episode with Sonya Cullington MA MSc – Cyberpsychologist, NHS Communications AI Network Co-Chair In our first 2026 episode, Sonya Cullington reveals why AI adoption in NHS communications is stalling – despite 230 million weekly ChatGPT health queries from patients. From GP receptionist (complete with filing cabinet nostalgia) to European Parliament policy lead and Number 10 COVID misinfo campaign, Sonya brings battle-tested insight to: • Why patients trust "confidently wrong" AI more than clinicians • Cyberpsychology's role in tech adoption (it's 90% human behaviour) • The NHS Communications AI Operating Framework – ethical principles that work • Judgment frameworks > tool hype (Copilot licenses don't magically transform) • "Design for the AI-powered patient" – clinicians must adapt to reality Sonya debunks myths, shares failures, and gives practical steps for health tech innovators working with the NHS. Hosted by Atif Nasim & Jonathan Probets

ChatGPT found a brain tumour that two doctors missed - Kristen Valdes

Listen to how a patient used ChatGPT to self-diagnose a life threatening illness which doctors missed,