The Placemat

In the fourth and final episode of "Rise," titled "Anger is an Energy," Craig Gould presents a deeply emotional yet uplifting message of hope to others facing similar battles. This episode captures Craig's unwavering optimism, even as he confronts the next stage of his journey with cancer. Reflecting on his experiences, Craig shares how he transformed anger and adversity into a dri

In this third episode of Rise, Craig Gould takes us through the intense and perilous journey of his second bone marrow transplant. Facing near-fatal complications and a fight for survival, Craig's story is one of extraordinary resilience. This episode sheds light on the physical and emotional challenges he endures, the impact on his mental health, and the unwavering support of his

In "Part 2 - A New Normal," the second episode of this special podcasts season, "Rise," Craig takes us through the challenging phase of his cancer treatment, including intensive chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant. This episode provides a candid look at Craig's journey towards adapting to a drastically altered way of life, a 'new normal' that tests the limits of physical and

In the first episode of our Rise special episodes, a good friend Craig Gould shares the earth-shattering moment of his cancer diagnosis, its impact on his family, and the life-altering discussions with his wife. This episode not only explores their challenging journey through the NHS but also Craig’s near-death experiences and the flicker of hope that sustained them. This sets th

So the boys are back in town with a brand new season of the Placemat. What have they learned during the hiatus? Well, not an awful lot to be honest. Is the new CEO of NHS England worth investing in or should you wait for the next update?Find out who Ed Waller and Ian Dodge are and the safeguards NHSE has to stop the magic being ruined in Skipton House.Find out how and if GPs would

The Placemat has a long history of correctly predicting the major events in the NHS and beyond. In this special bonus episode we showcase some of our finest and most prescient moments, from the resignation of Simon Stevens and the appointment of Amanda Pritchard, to the results of the Euro 2020 competition, the Covid pandemic, the outbreak of the first world war and Judas' betrayal

In the last Placemat of the season, the boys join Simon Stevens and the Financial Times for a good lunch in one of London’s grittiest districts before celebrating all that’s bravest and best about NHS chief executives. Thank you for all you do, you modest people. And thank you for letting the HSJ write about it so that we all know how unassuming you are. What would Benny Hill m

By the time you listen to this we may have a new secretary of state for health and social care, so hurry and grab a tasty chunk of what could be the very last Matt Hancock Time. It will be heart-breaking to say goodbye to that catchy little number, which is probably how the minister feels about his advisor.Will he cling on to take the blame for everything or will he have to take th

Remember that film with Bill and Jeff? You know the one, the gay revenge drama set in a U-boat. No? Never mind.In the latest episode, the boys consider whether Dominic Cummings was right to compare the government’s handling of the pandemic to sci-fi movie Independence Day, if Rosemary West would have done a good job of promoting the vaccine programme and what sort of health secre

In the latest episode of the NHS's most influential and serious podcast, hosts Mike, Julian and The Other Guy take the burning issues of the day and attempt to run with them, like three inept athletes at the start of a very bad olympic games. What has forced rhubarb got to do with integrated care in west Yorkshire? Should patient directors be allowed to run airlines and railways? W