So Who Cares Anyway E30 With Passion & Purpose

In this episode of So Who Cares Anyway? I’m joined by Dr Jihad Malasi  GP, educator, mental health lead, and global health strategist. Jihad shares how early experiences of complexity and conflict became a driving force behind his leadership, and how passion and purpose continue to shape his clinical, community, and systems work.
Jihads story unfolds into a career shaped by systems thinking, relational leadership, and a deep commitment to equity. We explore the NHS as a cultural institution, the invisible architecture of care, and the layered interplay between medicine, economics, and the humanities.
Jihad reflects on how community assets are reshaping mental health care in Kent and Medway, and why continuity in general practice is more than a model it’s a mindset. From catalytic converters to crisis houses, this conversation moves from the personal to the planetary, from policy to poetry, and back again.
Whoever you are, however you lead, this episode invites you to stay passionate, stay persistent, and keep banging on about what matters.

Resources

Mental Health Leadership in Kent & Medway

Dr Jihad serves as Clinical Lead for Mental Health at NHS Kent and Medway. His work includes strategic development of crisis pathways, safe havens, and community-based care.

Kent & Medway Primary Care Training Hub – Meet the Team

Crisis & Recovery Houses

A partnership between NHS Kent & Medway, Pears Foundation, and Hestia  offering 24/7 community-based support for people in mental health crisis.
KMPT News: Crisis House Opens in Kent and Medway
Hestia: Medway Crisis & Recovery House

Social Enterprise Kent – SE Kitchen

Dr Jihad is a Non-Executive Director at Social Enterprise Kent, which runs social supermarkets in Ashford and Margate offering affordable food, wraparound support, and community connection.
SE Kitchen – Social Supermarkets
Sodexo Stop Hunger Funding for SE Kitchen