What if the single most powerful thing you could do for your patients starts with how safe your team feels at work? In this episode of London in Mind, host Dr. Estelle Moore sits down with Dr. Ryan Kemp, Honorary Professor of Clinical Practice and Director of Therapies at one of London's largest mental health trusts, for a conversation that goes far beyond the buzzword.

Together, they get under the skin of what psychological safety actually means in the real, high-pressure world of healthcare: not as a nice-to-have, but as the essential foundation on which great teams, great cultures, and ultimately great patient care are built. Dr. Kemp brings both intellectual depth and practical wisdom to the table, exploring the leadership behaviours that quietly build trust over time and the ones that can unravel it almost overnight. He unpacks why the very concepts of safety and threat are so central to how people show up at work, and how understanding them through a psychological lens changes everything about how we lead.

This is also a conversation that leans into the hard questions. Is psychological safety just a recipe for avoiding difficult conversations? Is it too soft for the NHS? Dr. Kemp tackles these head-on, making a compelling case for why kindness, accountability, and ambition are not in tension. They belong together. Whether you're leading a team, part of one, or simply curious about what it takes to create a workplace where people genuinely thrive, this episode will leave you with clear, grounded ideas you can take straight into practice. Come for the insight, stay for the inspiration.

Key Resources:

Amy Edmondson – The Fearless Organization (Wiley, 2018): The definitive book on psychological safety and why it drives team learning, innovation, and resilience.

Drivers of Unprofessional Behaviour Between Staff in Acute Care Hospitals (BMC Health Services Research, 2023)

This realist review examines the root causes of unprofessional behaviours, such as bullying, microaggressions, and silence, that erode psychological safety in healthcare teams and threaten patient care. It highlights the urgent need to address power dynamics and ensure staff feel safe to speak up.

About Dr. Ryan Kemp:

Dr. Ryan is director of Therapies, Central & North West London NHS Foundation Trust; Chair, Division of Clinical Psychology England in British Psychological Society; Honorary professor of Clinical Practice, Brunel University of London. Dr. Kemp is a clinical psychologist, former clinical director with particular interests in compassionate leadership, innovation and quality improvement.

Connect with Ryan:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-kemp-4125002a/

About the Psychological Professions Network:

The Psychological Professions Network (PPN) is a multi-professional membership network commissioned by NHS England that brings together professionals, living experience advisors and partners from across provider trusts, integrated care systems, higher education and local communities, to champion workforce development and innovation to maximise the impact of psychologically informed approaches on public health and healthcare delivery. PPN London is focused on strategic initiatives and leadership to enhance mental and physical health outcomes and workforce resilience throughout the capital

About the Host:

Dr. Estelle Moore is a clinical and forensic psychologist with over 30 years’ experience in NHS forensic services. She currently serves as Director for Psychological Professions (Chief Psychological Professions Officer) at West London NHS Trust, Head of Psychological Services at Broadmoor Hospital, and Chair of PPN London. Her clinical and research interests include trauma-informed care, treatment of complex post-traumatic stress, restorative justice in forensic settings, and building workforce resilience across health and social care.

Produced by Winter Audio

What does meaningful staff support in the NHS actually look like and why does it matter now more than ever?

In this episode of London in Mind, host Dr. Estelle Moore speaks with Dr. Harriet Conniff, a clinical psychologist with experience in paediatrics, adult health, and humanitarian work.

They explore the day-to-day realities for NHS staff working under relentless pressure, and what it really takes to care for the workforce in ways that are proactive, practical, and sustainable. Drawing on lessons from the pandemic and her experience leading wellbeing initiatives, Dr. Conniff shares why supporting staff is about far more than a “nice to have”. It’s about protecting the people who protect us.

• The pandemic as a turning point for staff wellbeing
• Why how support is offered matters as much as what is offered
• Using data wisely: what staff surveys can and can’t tell us
• Tackling sickness, turnover, and burnout with systemic solutions
• Helping teams reconnect with their own strengths and resilience
• Why staff wellbeing is inseparable from patient care
• Staying engaged: why silence can undermine support efforts

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Harriet Conniff – Sustaining Those Who Care for Others

Harriet’s book explores practical ways to support the wellbeing of health and care staff, drawing on lessons from the frontline and evidence-based approaches to staff support.

ACP-UK – Psychological Debrief Practice Guidance (PETR)

Guidance for teams on how to run safe, structured post-event reflections (PETR) following distressing events at work, supporting staff wellbeing and learning.

Learning from the NHS Staff Mental Health and Wellbeing Hubs [British Psychological Society]

Key insights gathered from frontline case studies during the pandemic related to staff mental health and wellbeing provision

About Dr. Harriet Conniff:

Dr. Harriet Conniff is a mother and clinical psychologist who has worked in paediatrics and adult health settings for her entire career, mainly in intensive care and respiratory medicine. Throughout, she has been responsible for providing support to healthcare staff in different ways. Harriet feels passionately about this work and is continually learning from staff she is privileged to work with and her colleagues in the field of staff health and wellbeing. Harriet is systemically trained, specialising in the solution focused approach and finds the latter, as well as a systemic consultation model, particularly useful in staff support working. She lives in London, her hometown, which she loves for its diversity, and she replenishes her energies by travel to mountains and the sea.

About the Psychological Professions Network:

The Psychological Professions Network (PPN) is a multi-professional membership network commissioned by NHS England that brings together professionals, living experience advisors and partners from across provider trusts, integrated care systems, higher education and local communities, to champion workforce development and innovation to maximise the impact of psychologically informed approaches on public health and healthcare delivery. PPN London...

What does it really mean to work in genuine partnership with people who have been on the receiving end of health and care services? And what needs to change for that to happen in a meaningful way?

In this episode of London in Mind, host Dr. Estelle Moore speaks with Nashiru Mamori, founder and director of Real Insight. Nash shares how his own experiences have shaped his understanding of co-production and why it requires far more than simply giving people a seat at the table.

Together, they discuss the barriers to true collaboration, the emotional labour involved in sharing lived experience, and the subtle power imbalances that can hold progress back. Nash reflects on the progress made so far, what still needs to change, and why trust and respect are the foundations of authentic co-production.

Whether you’re a practitioner, policymaker, or someone with lived experience, this conversation offers a moment to pause, reflect, and think differently about how we work together and why it matters.

• Overcoming self-doubt in communities
• Creating psychological safety and feeling valued in co-production
• Recognising bias in how lived experience is included
• Building trust and safeguarding confidentiality
• Why preparation and training are essential for meaningful collaboration

• NHS England – Working in Partnership with People and Communities
• NHS guidance on embedding co-production and meaningful involvement, moving beyond tokenism to shared decision-making.
• National Survivor User Network (NSUN)
• A user-led charity supporting people with lived experience of mental ill-health, trauma, and distress — amplifying voices and challenging power imbalances in health and care.
• Co-Production: Putting Principles into Practice (Social Care Institute for Excellence, SCIE)
• A practical framework on what co-production really means, including principles, barriers, and examples of good practice across services.

About Nashiru Mamori:

Nashiru Momori is the Founder and Director of REAL-INSIGHT, a consultancy led by people with lived experience of mental health challenges, substance misuse, homelessness, and the criminal justice system. Guided by his own recovery journey, Nash champions a holistic, asset-based approach that empowers service users beyond diagnoses. He provides peer support, advises organisations on recovery-oriented practice, and connects offenders and ex-offenders to resettlement, education, training, volunteering, and employment opportunities. Nash also works with service users, frontline staff, and senior leaders as a consultant, trainer, and adviser. He is currently an Expert User Consultant with West London Mental Health Trust.

About the Psychological Professions Network:

The Psychological Professions Network (PPN) is a multi-professional membership network commissioned by NHS England that brings together professionals, living experience advisors and partners from across provider trusts, integrated care systems, higher education and local communities, to champion workforce development and innovation to maximise the impact of psychologically informed approaches on public health and healthcare delivery. PPN London is focused on strategic initiatives and leadership to enhance mental and physical health outcomes and...