Confidence To Thrive - a podcast for ambitious healthcare practitioners and entrepreneurs
<p><b><em>Confidence to Thrive</em></b><b> is a podcast built for practitioners and healthcare entrepreneurs who are doing something that matters - building innovative practices in functional medicine, aesthetics, integrative healthcare and mental health, while navigating the regulatory complexity that comes with it. </b></p>
All Episodes
Episode 32 - How to build a resilient private healthcare business
<p><b>How to build a resilient private healthcare business - complaints, claims, HR and defensible processes</b></p> <p>In this episode of Confidence to Thrive, Owlicity director Christopher Cloke Browne discusses what resilience means for private healthcare businesses, focusing on complaints, refunds, and the disproportionate costs and disruption that can follow when dissatisfaction escalates into claims and legal fees. </p> <p>He explores warning signs such as treating patients you feel uncomfortable about, the importance of saying no, and building tough, practice-wide policies around informed consent, appropriate patient selection, and consistent complaint-handling. </p> <p>Christopher highlights best practice including multidisciplinary team reviews, detailed but succinct note-taking, and auditing to ensure procedures are followed across larger practices, helping deter claimant lawyers looking for “easy wins.” </p> <p>The conversation also covers the challenges of moving from NHS to private care, and how Owlicity supports growth with advice spanning insurance, HR, GDPR, regulation, and risk mitigation.</p> <p><b>Episode time stamps</b></p> <ul> <li>00:43 Defining business resilience</li> <li>02:34 Spotting risky patients</li> <li>03:12 The true cost of claims</li> <li>07:27 Policies and saying no</li> <li>09:23 NHS mindset vs private practice</li> <li>10:29 Multidisciplinary team defence</li> <li>12:54 Notes audits and easy targets</li> <li>16:37 Scaling without losing control</li> <li>18:29 Advisors and the next steps</li> </ul> <p><b>Who are Owlicity?</b></p> <p>This podcast was brought to you by Owlicity Insurance Advisors who support your business ambitions. Owlicity advises practitioners, owners, and entrepreneurs of healthcare practises on mitigating risks so your business can thrive. </p> <p>Learn more about how Owlicity can support here: <a href="https://www.owlicity.co.uk" rel="nofollow">Owlicity.co.uk </a></p> <p>Call us on 0203 988 8090</p> <p><b>Follow us on social media</b></p> <p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/owlicity-advisors/" rel="nofollow">LinkedIn</a></p> <p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/owlicityltd" rel="nofollow">Instagram</a></p> <p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@OwlicityAdvisors" rel="nofollow">YouTube</a></p>
Episode 31 - Designing and modernising private healthcare practices with Mike Sandhu, SC Architecture
<p><b>Designing and Modernising Private Healthcare Practices</b></p> <p>In this episode of Confidence to Thrive, Owlicity director Christopher Cloke Browne speaks with Mike Sandhu of SC Architecture, an RIBA chartered practice specialising in private healthcare practices and pharmacies, about how building and environment design affects modern patient needs and regulatory compliance. </p> <p>They discuss how many owners inherit older practices and face constraints such as accessibility, level thresholds, maintenance costs, disruption and downtime when refurbishing or extending, versus the costs and catchment-area limits of relocating or building new. </p> <p>Mike explains SC Architecture’s feasibility-led approach, including costing options such as extension, relocation, light-touch refurb or doing nothing, and supporting planning, building regulations and CQC-related design requirements. </p> <p>They discuss practice flow, fire strategy, M&E considerations like ventilation, differences between GP, dental and other clinic layouts, and trends toward more attractive, tech-enabled and multidisciplinary “one-stop” practices, including pharmacies shifting to more consultation space.</p> <p><b>Episode time stamps</b></p> <ul> <li>01:01 Introducing Mike Sandhu, SC Architecture</li> <li>02:16 Inherited practices and upgrades</li> <li>03:28 Old buildings and accessibility</li> <li>04:47 Move, extend or do nothing?</li> <li>05:55 Planning building regs and CQC</li> <li>07:44 Designing patient and practice flow</li> <li>09:01 Tech and building services</li> <li>10:08 Layouts by specialty</li> <li>11:53 Future proofing and details</li> <li>13:58 The modern private practice look</li> <li>15:30 Multidisciplinary clinics and pharmacy first approach</li> <li>18:12 Recent projects and trends</li> <li>19:42 Getting in touch with Mike</li> </ul> <p><b>Follow Mike:</b></p> <p>Mike Sandhu - LinkedIn</p> <p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikesandhu" rel="nofollow">https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikesandhu</a></p> <p>SC Architecture - Website</p> <p><a href="https://www.sc-architecture.co.uk" rel="nofollow">https://www.sc-architecture.co.uk</a></p> <p><b>Who are Owlicity?</b></p> <p>This podcast was brought to you by Owlicity Insurance Advisors who support your business ambitions. Owlicity advises practitioners, owners, and entrepreneurs of healthcare practises on mitigating risks so your business can thrive. </p> <p>Learn more about how Owlicity can support here: <a href="https://www.owlicity.co.uk" rel="nofollow">Owlicity.co.uk </a></p> <p>Call us on 0203 988 8090</p> <p><b>Follow us on social media</b></p> <p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/owlicity-advisors/" rel="nofollow">LinkedIn</a></p> <p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/owlicityltd" rel="nofollow">Instagram</a></p> <p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@OwlicityAdvisors" rel="nofollow">YouTube</a></p>
Episode 30 - Conversations from CCR 2026
<p>CCR 2026 Highlights: Longevity, Sustainability and Managing Risk in Aesthetics</p> <p>This episode of Confidence to Thrive continues coverage from CCR 2026 at London’s ExCeL Centre, with Owlicity director Christopher Cloke Browne speaking with Sharon Allen (Omnyy LLP) and Adrian Richards (Cosmetic Courses and iQonic Aesthetics) about what felt different this year. </p> <p>They discuss a busier show, the emergence of longevity-focused, holistic aesthetics (including hormones, functional medicine and lifestyle topics), and new UK white‑label Korean skincare brands. </p> <p>Episode time stamps</p> <ul> <li>00:58 - In conversation with Sharon Allen, Omnyy</li> <li>02:06 - Trends at CCR</li> <li>02:59 - Longevity and holistic aesthetics</li> <li>04:55 - In conversation with Adrian Richards, Cosmetic Courses and iQonic Aesthetics</li> <li>05:13 - Sustainability in aesthetics</li> <li>06:01 - Business growth panel highlights</li> <li>07:37 - Longevity and Women’s Health</li> <li>08:59 - Owlicity expands to Ireland</li> <li>09:25 - Why Owlicity coverage matters</li> <li>10:52 - Claims prevention and documentation</li> <li>12:20 - Real case studies and serious claims</li> </ul> <p><br></p> <p>Discover more about CCR here:</p> <p><a href="https://www.ccrlondon.com" rel="nofollow">https://www.ccrlondon.com</a></p> <p>Discover more about Cosmetic Courses here:</p> <p><a href="https://cosmeticcourses.co.uk" rel="nofollow">https://cosmeticcourses.co.uk</a></p> <p>Connect with Sharon Allen - Omnyy </p> <p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharon-allen-12a48942" rel="nofollow">https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharon-allen-12a48942</a></p> <p>Discover more about Omnyy here:</p> <p>https://omnyy.com</p> <p><br></p> <p><br></p> <p><b>Who are Owlicity?</b></p> <p>This podcast was brought to you by Owlicity Insurance Advisors who support your business ambitions. Owlicity advises practitioners, owners, and entrepreneurs of healthcare practises on mitigating risks so your business can thrive. </p> <p>Learn more about how Owlicity can support here: <a href="https://www.owlicity.co.uk" rel="nofollow">Owlicity.co.uk </a></p> <p>Call us on 0203 988 8090</p> <p><b>Follow us on social media</b></p> <p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/owlicity-advisors/" rel="nofollow">LinkedIn</a></p> <p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/owlicityltd" rel="nofollow">Instagram</a></p> <p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@OwlicityAdvisors" rel="nofollow">YouTube</a></p>
Episode 29 - Cross-border prescribing - legal, regulatory and insurance challenges of teleconsultations
<p>Cross-border prescribing - challenges and risks of prescribing through telemedicine</p> <p>In this episode of Confidence to Thrive, Christopher Cloke Browne, director at Owlicity about the legal, regulatory, and insurance challenges of cross-border prescribing for GMC-registered doctors, especially in functional medicine where teleconsultations are common and patients are often international or mobile. </p> <p>The discussion focuses on how some jurisdictions treat telemedicine as occurring where the patient is located (with Italy and the UAE cited as explicit examples), potentially requiring local registration and compliance with local medication rules and dosing standards. </p> <p>Christopher distinguishs between diagnosing and treating, writing a prescription, and prescription fulfillment, noting that a UK consultation and prescription may be filled abroad, but follow-up teleconsultations while the patient is abroad can trigger local licensing issues. </p> <p>It is important to verify patient location, check insurer coverage (as some exclude foreign telemedicine), and that unlicensed activity may invalidate insurance, while regulators may report concerns to the GMC.</p> <p><b>Episode time stamps</b></p> <ul> <li>00:50 - Why understanding cross-border prescribing matters</li> <li>02:16 - Where 'care' legally occurs </li> <li>04:20 - Rules on using telemedicine and teleconsultations</li> <li>05:47 - What signals risk?</li> <li>08:33 - The distinction between prescribing vs dispensing</li> <li>08:52 - UK prescriptions used overseas</li> <li>11:41 - The status of a follow up while a patient is abroad </li> <li>14:10 - Practical compliance steps</li> <li>16:05 - Registration strategy</li> <li>18:09 - Potential legal and insurance fallout</li> </ul> <p><b>Who are Owlicity?</b></p> <p>This podcast was brought to you by Owlicity Insurance Advisors who support your business ambitions. Owlicity advises practitioners, owners, and entrepreneurs of healthcare practises on mitigating risks so your business can thrive. </p> <p>Learn more about how Owlicity can support here: <a href="https://www.owlicity.co.uk" rel="nofollow">Owlicity.co.uk </a></p> <p>Call us on 0203 988 8090</p> <p><b>Follow us on social media</b></p> <p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/owlicity-advisors/" rel="nofollow">LinkedIn</a></p> <p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/owlicityltd" rel="nofollow">Instagram</a></p> <p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@OwlicityAdvisors" rel="nofollow">YouTube</a></p>