Manage episode 510905097 series 3669814
What if the real breakthrough in heart care isn’t a new drug, but a new way of listening? Cardiologist Monica Moaghan joins us from Enniskillen to unpack how modern cardiology can be both high-tech and deeply human—combining CT coronary angiography, strong GP partnerships, and practical prevention to stop cardiac events before they start.
We talk through a typical “consultant of the week” rhythm, then zoom out to the upstream moves that matter in rural communities: building trust with family doctors, bringing education into local halls, and turning simple markers—blood pressure, LDL, HbA1c—into life-changing action. Monica explains why CTCA is overtaking treadmill tests, how visualising plaque sharpens shared decisions, and where waiting lists and social care bottlenecks still hold patients back. Her take on women’s heart health is candid and urgent: Beyond the Bikini means recognising different presentations, respecting dual pathology, and correcting a long-standing bias that kept too many women under-investigated.
Alongside the clinical insights, we explore the culture behind safe, sustainable care. Monica shares how protected time with junior doctors, routine debriefs, and honest conversations about mental health reduce burnout and improve outcomes. She’s equally forthright about embracing informed patients—yes, even the ChatGPT printouts—by grounding every plan in a careful history, clear language, and transparent uncertainty. If you care about prevention, rural healthcare, imaging advances, and the human skills that make medicine work, this conversation will stay with you.
If this resonates, follow the show, share it with a colleague, and leave a review to help more listeners find these stories. Tell us: which number will you check first—BP, LDL, or HbA1c?
👩⚕️ Guest Biography
Professor Monica Monaghan is a Consultant Cardiologist and Clinical Director for Medicine, Primary Care, and Older People at the Western Health and Social Care Trust in Northern Ireland. Specialising in multimodality cardiac imaging, she also leads initiatives focused on prevention, community engagement, and holistic patient care. Monica is deeply committed to “upstream medicine” — empowering both patients and healthcare professionals to understand their own health metrics through her Know Your Numbers campaign. She also teaches medical students from Queen’s University Belfast, Ulster Graduate Medical School, and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland.
- Location: Enniskillen, Northern Ireland
- Organisation: Western Health and Social Care Trust
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/monica-monaghan-35b8a825/
About Dr Andrew Greenland
Dr Andrew Greenland is a UK-based medical doctor and founder of Greenland Medical, specialising in Integrative and Functional Medicine. With dual training in conventional and root-cause approaches, he helps individuals optimise health, performance, and longevity — with a focus on cognitive resilience and healthy ageing.
Voices in Health and Wellness features meaningful conversations at the intersection of medicine, lifestyle, and human potential — with clinicians, scientists, and thinkers shaping the future of care.
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Chapters
1. Meet Monica Monaghan (00:00:00)
2. Roles Across Cardiology and Education (00:02:30)
3. Balancing Hats in an Unpredictable Week (00:04:50)
4. Why Holistic, Community Care Matters (00:07:50)
5. Working Upstream With GPs and Pharmacies (00:11:45)
6. Know Your Numbers: Protecting Clinicians Too (00:15:20)
7. From Clinician to Leader and Mentor (00:19:30)
8. Psychological Safety and Debrief Culture (00:23:10)
9. Tech Shifts: CTCA Over Treadmills (00:26:20)
10. Ageing, Social Care Gaps, and Frailty (00:30:00)
11. Beyond the Bikini: Women’s Heart Health (00:33:10)
70 episodes