From Labs to Leadership: Marisa Logan-Ward on Driving Change in Healthcare

With a background in biomedical sciences, Marisa Logan-Ward has held senior roles in the health sector for over 20 years. Recently appointed as a non-executive director at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust , the largest single-sight cancer centre in Europe, Marisa has been involved in national turnaround programmes on quality and patient safety.

In this article Marisa shares personal insights from the front lines, some of the health system's biggest challenges and the innovations that are giving her hope for the future.

Tell us about your role

A biomedical scientist by background I now have a portfolio career spanning executive and non-executive director roles.   I am managing partner of a specialist consultancy firm advising organisations across healthcare and technology sectors. It’s a hugely rewarding role, and I love the variety—different clients, different challenges, and the opportunity to bring fresh thinking to each assignment. Consultancy offers a lot of flexibility and stimulation.

Contrary to the cliches associated with consulting I often find myself deeply invested in an organisation with a real commitment to their goals. Then, as the assignment ends I step away. It's rewarding to leave something behind of lasting value but the transiency of consultancy can be hard. This is where my non-executive director roles have been valuable.  These roles enable me to have a longer-term connection to organisational life and allow me to continue contributing strategically over several years.

Describe a moment when you felt proud to work in healthcare

It must be during COVID. Like many others in the NHS, I witnessed firsthand the extraordinary response of the system. Across the country, teams mobilised at an astonishing pace—often while managing personal risk and uncertainty.

In the laboratory medicine sector, we saw unprecedented growth in testing capacity.  For example, the Alderley Lighthouse Covid Testing Lab here in the North West grew testing capacity from zero to 80,000 COVID tests a day just a matter of weeks. That meant building new IT systems, reconfiguring laboratories, training staff, securing equipment—it was a huge effort. It was one of the most intense and inspiring times in my career. Even now, when I face difficult challenges, I think back to what we achieved during the pandemic and remind myself of the system’s capacity to adapt and deliver under pressure.

What surprises you about your work?

One thing that continually surprises me is how consultancy roles—despite being external and time-limited—can feel so personal. You’re often invited into a team’s inner workings, trusted with sensitive challenges, and asked to help drive change. That level of access and collaboration is something I never take for granted.

Also, I think people assume consultants simply breeze in, advise, and leave. But the reality is more human. There’s a lot of listening, adjusting, navigating personalities, and really caring about outcomes.

How would you improve healthcare?

Without a doubt, I’d address health inequalities. Across the UK, we continue to see avoidable differences in healthcare access and outcomes, often shaped by social and economic circumstances. I think there’s a genuine opportunity now. The NHS has prioritised tackling health inequalities more than at any other point in my career. The NHS Core20PLUS5 Programme is focusing on the 20% most deprived populations and five key clinical areas. But it’s going to take more than good intentions. We need the right funding, better coordination across providers, and structural reform to truly shift the dial. If we can achieve that, the impact will be transformational, not just for individuals but for the whole health system.

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

The biggest myth? That digital solutions will fix everything.

In many of my assignments, there’s an assumption that introducing a new digital platform will automatically solve operational or clinical issues. But technology isn’t a silver bullet—it’s an enabler. You need to have the right operational model in place first.

For example, in digital pathology, simply installing scanners won’t resolve backlogs in cancer reporting alone. Without understanding workflow, capacity, and resourcing, a digital solution might highlight or worsen existing problems. I always say: get the basics right first. Digital can then help you scale, automate, and improve, but it can’t do those things alone.

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

Professionally, I’m excited about the advances in digital scanning and AI in pathology and radiology. These innovations are already beginning to reshape diagnostic services and hold huge potential for accuracy, speed, and workforce sustainability.

I’ve also recently become interest in developments on the field of air curtain technology.   It’s not area of expertise but the possibilities it offers in infection control are really promising—especially after what we’ve learned from COVID. Whether it’s integrated into clinical environments or even wearable protection, technologies that improve air quality and reduce aerosol transmission could make a big difference in protecting both patients and staff from respiratory viruses. It’s a space I’ll be watching closely.

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

I’d recommend Mary Dixon-Woods. She’s a social scientist and Director of THIS Institute at the University of Cambridge. Her work on healthcare improvement, ethics, and patient safety is exceptional.

You don’t even need to read a full research paper to benefit from her insights—just Google her, and you’ll find a wealth of videos and articles. I think if more of her findings were embedded into policy and practice, we’d see real system-wide improvements.

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

“Sustainable. Equitable. Preventative”

...are three words that sum up where I would like to see the future of healthcare:  Better health outcomes by making environment sustainability a priority….. greater focus and appropriate resourcing for population health… and delivering equal health outcomes for all individuals regardless of their social, economic, or demographic backgrounds.   The NHS 10 Year health plan that the government is developing offers a significant opportunity to transform healthcare in this country.  However, prioritising implementation is critical to ensuring that the vision set out in the 10-year health plan becomes a reality.