83: HealthTech Hour with Steve Roest - Episode 8383: HealthTech Hour with Steve Roest - Episode 83
UK Health Radio Podcast
Steve Roost talks with Dr Penny Dash about the NHS, global healthcare models, patient data and health technology. The discussion also touches on misinformation, health anxiety and practical ways to stay optimistic through challenging times.
52:15•15 Sept 2026
HealthTech Hour: Dr Penny Dash on Data, Optimism and the Future of the NHS
Episode Overview
- Global health systems offer useful ideas, but there is no perfect model and the NHS has several internationally admired strengths.
- India’s heavy use of standardised, tech‑enabled processes shows how technology can democratise access and cut the unit cost of care.
- The NHS still faces major variation between providers, making widespread adoption of best practice and better use of audit essential.
- A secure, shared patient record could greatly benefit individuals and research, yet fears about data misuse are holding back progress.
- Better data and smarter tools can reduce unnecessary testing and referrals, ease health anxiety, and help people focus on what truly matters for their wellbeing.
“The advantages of having that data are so phenomenal to the individual, to future development of care and of science that it would be so sad to not be able to get this through.”
In this eye-opening episode, you'll learn about how health technology, data and sheer determination can shift a healthcare system. HealthTech Hour brings together host Steve Roost and Dr Penny Dash, chair of NHS England, for a wide‑ranging chat that’s both grounded and surprisingly optimistic. The conversation kicks off with Steve highlighting Penny’s consistent optimism, even after "about 45 years" in medicine, public health and leadership.
Penny explains that her outlook comes from listening, learning and seeing "all of the potential for things to be better" across different healthcare systems. You’ll hear a tour of global models: New Zealand’s early move into tech and public health, Singapore’s strong community care, India’s tech‑driven approach that "democratises access to health care" at dramatically lower unit costs, and Germany’s clever use of data, clear care standards and flexible tariffs to manage waiting lists and over‑provision.
Penny contrasts these with the NHS, arguing that while the UK system has huge strengths, it still tolerates "massive variation" between hospitals, GPs and regions. A big chunk of the episode digs into electronic health records, patient data and why so much information is still stuck in unsearchable PDFs. Penny is clear: a secure, shared record would hugely benefit individuals and science, and she calls it "so sad" that misinformation makes people scared of it.
They also tackle health anxiety, social media myths and the surge in unnecessary urgent cancer referrals, while pointing to better data and smarter tech as the way to reduce fear and focus care where it’s really needed. To close, Penny shares her own coping tools for tough moments: walks, swims, hot baths, sleep, a small glass of wine and putting life into context, especially for younger people who may struggle to see that "this too shall pass".
If you’re curious about how healthcare can get fairer, smarter and calmer, what does this conversation spark for you?
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