Transformation is pervasive but we rarely discuss implementation - the secret sauce of successful change.

In this episode, we explore one of the most persistent challenges: how to turn promising ideas into real, lasting impact.

Malte Gerhold, Director of Innovation and Improvement at the Health Foundation — and trustee of the Alzheimer’s Society — has spent his career at the intersection of policy and delivery. From No.10 and the Department of Health to the Care Quality Commission and now the frontlines of innovation, he’s seen why transformation efforts often stall, and what it really takes to make them stick.

He shares insights from national research and system experience, including evidence that only 15% of funding goes toward adoption — while most investment still flows to new solutions that may never be implemented effectively.

We talk about what makes implementation succeed, how to design services people can and want to use, and why transformation depends on culture, capability and relationships — not just technology.

From community-led innovation to AI and ambient scribing, this episode offers thoughtful, practical insights for anyone working to deliver change in complex systems.

Problems Worth Solving is brought to you by Healthia, the collaborative service design consultancy for health, care and public services.
Find out more about our work at healthia.services.