Up, Up and Away - the digital health podcast

Why NHS Login Changes Everything for Digital Self-Management - With Matt Bourne TMA's CTO

Send us a textIn this episode of Up, Up and Away, Dom talks to Matt Bourne, CTO at Tiny Medical Apps, about the company’s remarkable eight-year journey to integrating NHS Login into the Digital Health Passport (DHP) — a major milestone in connecting young people with long-term conditions directly to the NHS.What sounds like a technical integration is, in reality, the culmination of years of persistence, setbacks, and breakthroughs. Matt shares how TMA began as a small team building multiple patient-facing apps, before realising that regulatory complexity made that model unsustainable — and why creating one trusted, NHS-connected platform became the way forward.From the early days of hackathons to navigating reorganisations, changing sponsors, and evolving NHS standards, this is a behind-the-scenes look at what it really takes to deliver digital innovation within the health system.💡 In this episode, Matt shares:How Tiny Medical Apps became one of the first SMEs to be offered NHS Login access — and what being an early adopter really meant.Why medication adherence became the company’s north star after coroner reports revealed most asthma deaths in young people were preventable.How NHS Login transforms the DHP, allowing patients to securely access care plans, reorder medication, and build trusted connections with their GP records.What the integration process actually involves — from hazard logs and sandbox testing to balancing safety with accessibility for teenage users.How behaviour change theory (COM-B) underpins the app’s design, combining nudges, reminders, and gamified learning to improve long-term health outcomes.Why TMA partners with charities like Asthma + Lung UK and Epilepsy charities to deliver clinically accurate content at scale, instead of building it themselves.How TikTok and social platforms have helped them reach and engage young people who are often considered “hard to reach” by traditional health services.🧠 Key Takeaway“NHS Login isn’t just a piece of tech. It’s a key that finally lets patients access — and use — their own health data safely and meaningfully. It’s what allows us to move from information to empowerment.” — Matt Bourne, CTO, Tiny Medical Apps🚀 Why This MattersThis episode is a powerful reminder that health innovation takes time, collaboration, and resilience. TMA’s journey shows how small companies can play a big role in transforming patient care — proving that persistence and open standards can open doors that once felt closed.For young people managing asthma, epilepsy, sickle cell, or other long-term conditions, NHS Login is more than a sign-in screen. It’s a step toward independence, better medication adherence, and fewer preventable emergencies.

Theta Sleep - Tackling Sleep Apnoea with Digital, End-to-End Care

Send us a textIn this episode of Up, Up & Away, host Dom Burch sits down with Dr Tom Chambers and Dr David Dawson to explore one of the NHS’s most overlooked health challenges: obstructive sleep apnoea.More than 9 million adults in the UK remain undiagnosed, making sleep apnoea one of the biggest untreated conditions affecting public health. Untreated sleep disorders significantly increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, dementia, depression and road traffic accidents—yet referral pathways, diagnostic capacity and waiting times remain major barriers across the country.Tom and David explain why traditional, hospital-led models simply can’t cope with the rising demand (referrals for sleep studies have gone up by 102%) and how their innovation, Theta Sleep, is aiming to transform diagnosis and treatment by delivering a fully digital, end-to-end pathway that patients can access from home.👇 In this episode:Why sleep apnoea is so widely under-diagnosedThe story behind Bradford’s first sleep clinicWhat inspired Tom and David to co-found Theta SleepWhy every stage of the current pathway is a bottleneckThe role of new NICE-approved home sleep diagnosticsHow digital tools reduce unnecessary appointmentsWhy patients don’t always need to see a consultantThe preventative health opportunity in sleep medicineWhat needs to change in the NHS to scale careWhy sleep is now recognised as the fourth pillar of health💡 Key Quotes“Referrals for sleep studies have gone up by 102%. It’s now the fastest-growing diagnostic test in the NHS.” — Dr Tom Chambers“We now have around 7,500 people on treatment with a waiting time of just three weeks — compared to more than a year elsewhere.” — Dr David Dawson“Patients don’t always need a consultant seeing them. With oversight and digital tools, other clinicians can safely do much of the work.” — Dr David Dawson🌙 Why this mattersSleep disorders dramatically increase long-term morbidity and mortality, yet public conversations focus mostly on “sleep hygiene tips” like screen time and 8-hour sleep targets. As Tom explains, the bigger problem is the millions of people living with undiagnosed clinical sleep disorders that require proper diagnosis and treatment.Digital-first, community-based care could change that—and improve population health at scale.🎧 Listen if you’re interested in:NHS innovationdigital health and remote carepreventative healthcarerespiratory medicinechronic condition managementmedical entrepreneurshipclinical pathways and redesignhealth tech startup stories

Game Changer: How a London-based PE Teacher Wants Every Student with Asthma to be Seen

Send us a textIn the latest episode of the Up, Up and Away podcast hosts Dom and Saira caught up with Hamdoun, a 19-year-old assistant PE teacher from South London and new ambassador for Tiny Medical Apps' Digital Health Passport. Hamdoun is currently working in a primary school near Wembley Stadium, is passionate about supporting young people, especially those with asthma and long-term conditions. Background & RoleInitially wanted to be a footballer; discovered a love for sports coaching during sixth form.Works with children aged 4–11 and engages with every student throughout the week.Sees physical activity as essential for health and personal development.Asthma & Young PeopleMany pupils in his school live with asthma, but older children often shy away from discussing it.Some feel ashamed or fear being mocked, leading to reluctance in using inhalers or disclosing their condition.Emphasises normalising asthma through open conversations and preparedness.Practical Action & SupportProactively checks asthma status before school trips and matches.Shares a powerful story about noticing a child struggling during a football match due to asthma—his support and quick action made a real difference.Discovered an expired inhaler and followed up directly with the parent to stress the importance of medication checks.Digital Health PassportExcited to become a Digital Health Passport ambassador to further support young people.Believes in empowering children to speak up and take ownership of their condition.Sees technology as a valuable tool to remind parents and pupils about medication and expiry dates.Advice to Young PeopleDon’t be ashamed—you're not alone.Share symptoms and personal preferences with trusted adults like PE teachers.Participation in sport can boost both physical and mental health—even for those with asthma.Suggestions for SchoolsMore frequent reminders to parents about checking medication expiry dates.Foster environments where students feel safe discussing their health.Hamdoun brings empathy, leadership, and lived experience to his role. He’s a role model helping children play hard and breathe easy, showing that supporting young people with asthma isn’t about over complication—it’s about caring, preparing, and listening.

Mum on a Mission: Agnes Agyepong on Clean Air, Maternal Health & Mental Resilience

Send us a textIn this powerful episode (timed to coincide with the build up to this year's Clean Air Day on 19th June), Dom Burch is joined by Agnes Agyepong—maternal health advocate, founder of Black Child, Clean Air, and creator of the Glow Mama Awards. Agnes shares how her personal experience of being ignored as a mother led her to uncover the hidden impact of air pollution on children’s health, particularly in Black and working-class communities.She opens up about battling suicidal thoughts while pregnant, and how she transformed pain into purpose—campaigning for environmental and maternal health justice, and building one of the UK’s largest digital awards for mums on social media.You’ll hear about:The systemic challenges facing Black mothers in the NHSHow air pollution nearly claimed her daughter’s life—and sparked a nationwide campaignThe birth of Black Child, Clean Air and its viral impactAgnes’s journey through maternal mental health and the healing power of affirmationThe creation of Glow Mama and its mission to celebrate motherhood in all its formsWhat digital health innovators need to get right for parentsAgnes is a force of nature. Her story is a call to action—for belief, community, and change.⚠️ Trigger WarningThis episode includes discussion of maternal mental health and suicidal thoughts. If you’ve been affected, support is available. (See below.)🧠 Support and ResourcesSamaritans (24/7): Call 116 123 or visit samaritans.orgPANDAS Foundation (Perinatal Mental Health): pandasfoundation.org.uk | 0808 1961 776Mind (Mental Health Support): mind.org.ukMaternal Mental Health Alliance: maternalmentalhealthalliance.org🔗 Connect with AgnesWebsite: globalcmh.orgInstagram: @globalchildandmaternalhealthLinkedIn: Agnes Agyepong

Breathe Easy, Play Hard: Empowering Young Athletes with Asthma to Thrive in Sport

Send us a textIn this heartfelt and inspiring episode of Up Up and Away, hosts Dom Burch and Saira Arif launch the Breathe Easy, Play Hard campaign, dedicated to empowering young athletes with asthma. Sparked by the untimely passing of Saira's close friend Brendt Barrett, a strength coach who lived with asthma and sadly died of cancer, the campaign encourages open conversations between young athletes and their coaches about managing asthma both on and off the pitch.Dom and Saira explore why asthma is often a hidden condition in sports and emphasise the importance of normalising it in sporting conversations. They discuss the emotional and physical challenges young athletes face and highlight how even small adjustments—like taking time to use an inhaler—can be the difference between fear and freedom in sports.They shine a spotlight on the vital role coaches and PE teachers play in creating inclusive, supportive environments and introduce the Digital Health Passport, a free app to help athletes track symptoms and take control of their condition. The duo call for collaboration with schools, sports clubs, and parents—especially in South East London—to join the movement, reduce stigma, and ensure no child is sidelined by asthma.Saira shares personal insights about navigating asthma in Dubai’s unique environment, from sandstorms to air-conditioned buildings, underscoring the importance of being alert to global and personal triggers.This episode is not just a tribute to Brendt and the work that he did, but a call to action—inviting listeners to share their stories and help shift the narrative so that asthma becomes a part of the sports conversation, not a barrier to success.