Episodes
8.7 Dr Lena Frischlich - Seeing isn’t Believing - Medicines in the Age of Misinformation
We explore the challenging landscape of disinformation in healthcare with Associate Professor Dr. Lena Frischlich from the University of Southern Denmark
8.6 Anecdotes & Antidotes - 5 Years of Medicines and Memories
In this fifth anniversary special, hosted by Sarah Cripps , we reflect on five years of remarkable guests, powerful stories, and conversations that have reshaped how we think about medicines
8.5 There’s an App for That: Medicines in the Digital NHS with Rahul Singal
In an era where “there’s an app for that” is increasingly the answer, we turn our attention to what digital transformation really means for medicines. Not just convenience and clicks, but safety, understanding, and how people actually experience care.
Live from Oxford with Professor Ben Goldacre - Bad Pharma, Good Data, Better Care
In this special live episode with Prof Ben Goldacre The Aural Apothecary takes the stage at the Bennett Institute for Applied Data Science, hosted at Jesus College, Oxford University, as part of the Institute’s 10-year anniversary conference.
The Aural Apothecary Almanac 2025
In the festive, end-of-year episode, the Apothercaries are joined by the fourth and fifth apothecaries, Clare Howard and Jonathan Underhill and reflect on momentous moments in medicines alongside some personal reflections
8.4 Professor Alistair Boxall - From Prescription to Pollution: The Unseen Impact of Medicines in Our Waterways
What really happens to medicines after we swallow them? Where do they end up… and what exactly are we flushing away? Which medicines might we be taking —unknowingly—the next time we pour a glass of tap water?
8.3 Brian MacKenna - In God we Trust - All Others Must Bring Data
Data - it’s mentioned in the new NHS 10 year Health Plan 178 times! As healthcare continues to evolve, the ability to turn data into insight — and insight into better prescribing — has never been more important
8.2 Dr Laurence Gray - The Dose Maketh the Poison
With Dr Laurence Gray we explore the vital topic of toxicity — from the dangers of medicines such as propranolol, to the principles of managing patients exposed to toxic substances, and the crucial role of healthcare professional education in reducing harm
8.1 Dr Jessica Morley. Will Artificial Intelligence save the NHS?
Can AI really live up to the hype in healthcare? What safeguards are needed — and where do humans still matter most?
7.8 Dr Margaret McCartney - Conflicts of Interest and the Skinny Jabs
We are joined by Dr Margaret McCartney a practising General Practitioner & Senior Clinical Lecturer at the University of St Andrews. She is a vocal advocate for Evidence Based Medicine and regular journal / newspaper columnist and contributor to the BBC Radio 4 programme Inside Health
7.7 Diving into the Deep End - The Aural Apothecary Analyses: The Inverse Care Law.
In this special episode we ‘Dive into the Deep End’ and examine in-depth the Inverse Care Law, defined by Welsh GP Dr Julian Tudor-Hart. What is it, why does it matter to medicines optimisation - and what can we do about it?
7.6 Professor Lauren Walker - The trials and tribulations of a Clinical Pharmacologist
What is a Clinical Pharmacologist? Who better to tell us than Professor Lauren Walker, Professor of Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics and Honorary Consultant in General Internal Medicine at Liverpool University.
7.5 - Deprescribing from Down Under - Dr Emily Reeve
What is Deprescribing? Why is it so important? And the big question... who invented it?! We present a masterclass in deprescribing from pharmacist Dr Emily Reeve from Monash University in Australia,Chair of the Australian Deprescribing Network
The Aural Apothecary Almanac 2024. Weight loss drugs, Assisted dying and the Weight of the British National Formulary
Pull up a chair and join the Three Apothecaries around the fire as we wrap up the year with a lively chat featuring friends and colleagues Clare Howard and Jonathan Underhill.
7.4 The Aural Apothecary Analyses! When Guidelines Go Wrong - A Medicines Safety Special with Dr Matthew Jones and Angela Carrington
Healthcare professionals rely on guidelines to help them make the right choices. But do they work? Is the way we write and use guidance in practice actually harming patients?
7.3 John Seddon - Saving the NHS through system change
Freedom from Command and Control was the very first book choice on the Aural Apothecary and its themes of failure demand, systems thinking and value have featured heavily on the show ever since. It is a real pleasure therefore this week to welcome its...
7.2 - Back to the Future! Dr Berwyn Owen and The Evolution of Community Pharmacy.
Community Pharmacist Dr Berwyn Owen is a pharmacy proprietor and prescriber in rural North Wales and we discuss what the future of medicines management looks like through the lens of community pharmacy
7.1 The Aural Apothecary Analyses! Statins and Shared Decision Making, with Brian Finney and Dr Sam Finnikin
Welcome back to The Aural Apothecary! For our first episode we bring you an exciting new format, where we’ll be diving deeper into some of the recurring themes from our first six series. The Aural Apothecary Analyses!
6.10 Tommy Whitelaw - Intelligent Kindness & Gentle Honesty - Listening is the best medicine
Join us for a joyful exploration of the importance and reality of person centred care with Tommy Whitelaw from Person Centred Voices who was a full-time carer for his late mother Joan who had vascular dementia.
6.9 Ann-Marie Goacher. The Eyes: A Window to Our Health
Pain in the eye? It is a red-flag all healthcare professionals are trained to be aware of. But when spotted, who deals with it? We are joined by Specialist Head and Neck Pharmacist Ann Marie Goacher.
6.8 Maricarmen Climént - Risky Business - How to communicate uncertainty
How do you explain the risks and benefits of a medicine when you yourself don’t really know? We chat to Maricarmen Climént about risk communication and how we best help patients to make better choices in the face of uncertainty?
6.7 Dr Esther Clift DClinP - Joining the Dots; Frailty & Physiotherapy
We chat to Physiotherapist and Consultant Practitioner, Esther Clift about her pioneering role in the management of frailty & how the Isle of Wight, as a ‘petri-dish’ of frailty, is the ideal place for this role.
6.6 Dr Catherine Labinjoh - Realistic Medicine & The Drug Portal to The World…
Did you know that according to the OECD, a fifth of healthcare costs adds no value to patient care? This, along with the drive for shared decision making is the drive behind Scotland’s ‘Realistic Medicine’ campaign.
6.5 Alison Tennant - Won’t someone think of the children?
It takes a special sort of person to work in paediatric care. We chat to Alison Tennant, Chief Pharmacist at Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Trust about the risks and rewards of working with children and their medicines.