Jo Glover on Coaching, Innovation, and Leading Healthcare from Behind the Scenes

Jo Glover is an internationally experienced health leader with a passion for coaching the next generation of changemakers. With a career spanning the UK’s NHS and Australia’s diverse health systems, Jo champions clinically led, patient-centred care, driving innovation in digital health, cancer, and mental health services.

As an educator at Flinders University, and mentor at the Australian College of Health Service Management, where she serves as State Branch Council President, Jo blends real-world leadership with a deep commitment to professional growth. Her work is grounded in mindfulness, gratitude, and a relentless pursuit of quality care.

Tell us about your role

As a senior leader in healthcare, my role is all about enabling others to do their best work. I support clinicians and operational teams to deliver high-quality, patient-centred care. That often means working behind the scenes: reflecting, listening, analysing data, and making decisions that combine experience, instinct, and evidence.

People might not always realise just how many hours go into that work, but it's constant. Even when we're not in the office, we're thinking about how to improve care pathways, make systems more efficient, and better support our staff.

At the heart of it, I see myself as a connector and coach. Someone who brings people together, removes roadblocks, and creates space for innovation to thrive.

Describe a moment when you felt proud to work in healthcare

There are so many, but one that stands out is when we implemented a cancer concierge service. It was co-designed with a consumer who had lived experience of cancer, and we worked together to create a role for non-clinical support workers, our “cancer concierge.” Their job is to meet patients admitted to the cancer ward, help them navigate the system, use digital tools, and access information about their rights.

The service offered patients a digital communication pathway, which eases anxiety and makes them feel seen and supported. That sense of collaboration between consumers, managers, and front-line staff was incredibly rewarding. It showed the power of listening and designing with, not just for, people.

Another proud moment was during COVID-19. I was working in South Australia, and although we weren’t hit as hard as some regions, the preparation and resilience of our clinicians was awe-inspiring. They stepped up without hesitation. Healthcare professionals are extraordinary in a crisis - they just get on with the job, and that’s something I’ll never forget.

What surprises you about your work?

One thing that continues to surprise me is how disempowering bureaucracy can be for healthcare professionals. We talk a lot about governance, and it is essential, but the layers of approval and red tape can really weigh people down. Clinicians are incredibly smart. When they’re faced with processes that don’t make sense or add value, the risk is they will start finding workarounds. That’s when safety can be compromised, and ironically, governance ends up being undermined.

If I could change one thing, it would be to streamline decision-making and empower teams at the local level. Sometimes I tell my team, “If it’s not going to kill anyone and it’s not going to cost too much, give it a go.” We need to foster a culture where people feel trusted to lead, test ideas, and learn from what doesn’t work.

How would you improve healthcare?

I’m a big advocate for standardised care pathways. In the UK, for example, cancer patients know that from GP referral to first appointment should be no more than two weeks. That kind of clarity is empowering for patients. It reduces anxiety because they know what to expect, and it also reduces unnecessary variation in care.

When you combine those pathways with digital innovation like AI and machine learning you start to free up clinicians to focus on what only they can do: care. Automating administrative tasks, supporting diagnosis, or flagging risk patterns early can create real efficiencies. But standardisation doesn’t mean removing clinical judgment. It means creating a structure that supports both patients and professionals.

What’s a common myth or misunderstanding about digital and data in healthcare?

The biggest myth is that digital transformation will save money. It won’t, at least not in the short term. What it does is increase capacity and improve efficiency. It allows clinicians to see more patients and spend more time doing the work they’re trained for. That’s a better return on investment, but it’s a long-term one. In healthcare, demand is always rising. So when you build capacity, people will come. It’s not like other sectors where you can cap or divert demand easily.

Digital transformation is an investment in quality and workforce capability. But it still depends on people. You can have the best tech in the world, but if you put in poor-quality data, you’ll get poor results. Digital tools are only as good as the humans behind them.

Which innovation in health or care are you most excited about, and why?

I’m really excited about the potential of artificial intelligence. We’re already seeing examples globally, like AI reading chest X-rays to detect lung cancer. There are security and governance considerations, of course, but the possibilities are huge.

AI can help automate repetitive tasks, support diagnostic work, and improve how we track and code patient care to ensure we’re getting properly resourced. What excites me most is that it frees up clinicians’ time. We’re still doing far too many manual processes in 2025 that could easily be handled by technology. It’s not about replacing people. It’s about enhancing their work and making the system more sustainable.

One book, podcast, or person you’d recommend to others?

I’ve got a few! One book I think everyone in healthcare should read is The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins. It offers simple, powerful strategies to let go of things outside your control—something we could all use in a system as complex as healthcare.

I also love Atomic Habits by James Clear, and his Messy Podcast is packed with tips on building better habits and breaking unhelpful ones. And I regularly listen to The Diary of a CEO by Steven Bartlett. His guests come from all kinds of industries and offer incredible insights that really stretch your thinking.

On a personal note, I’ve trained as a mindfulness teacher, and I practice meditation daily. Just ten minutes a day can make a real difference. For me, learning, movement, and mindfulness are how I recharge. And ultimately, leadership is about creating the conditions for others to thrive—even when you’re not in the room.

In three words, what should the future of healthcare feel like?

Empowered. Safe. Sustainable.