Up, Up and Away - the digital health podcast
On Up, Up and Away we speak to thought-leaders and opinion formers in the world of digital health, be that clinicians, patients, young people or other tech innovators. We find out what things are making a real difference.
Our talented team specialise in creating digitally enabled self-management programmes to the NHS for young people. We've spent the past eight years or so developing the Digital Health Passport - an evidence-based mobile app, which improves skills, knowledge and confidence to manage long-term conditions like asthma, epilepsy and sickle cell disease.
Up, Up and Away - the digital health podcast
What does digital inclusion really mean in a world rushing towards AI, automation and digital-first services?
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In this episode of Up, Up and Away, Dom Burch and Saira Arif sit down with Emma Weston, founder of Digital Unite, to explore one of the most important—and often overlooked—questions in digital health and public services:
Who are we leaving behind?
As Digital Unite marks its 30-year anniversary, Emma reflects on why digital exclusion remains such a persistent challenge. The conversation explores how decades of well-intentioned effort have failed to shift the dial—largely because we’ve been trying to solve a systemic problem with short-term, project-based thinking.
Emma makes a compelling case for reframing digital inclusion—not as a side initiative, but as a core organisational responsibility. In a world where digital is now the front door to healthcare, services and opportunity, inclusion must be treated as a long-term investment in people, access and outcomes.
The episode also examines the growing impact of AI. While full of promise, it risks widening existing inequalities if we haven’t yet addressed the fundamentals—digital confidence, literacy and access. From people without email addresses to care leavers navigating a digital-first world, this conversation brings big ideas back to real human experiences.
Crucially, it’s not all doom and gloom. Emma shares what is working—from Digital Champions to community-led support—and leaves listeners with a practical challenge:
Where are we still treating digital inclusion as a bolt-on—and what would it look like to make it part of how we operate every day?
🔑 Key Themes
- Digital exclusion isn’t going away
Despite 30 years of effort, the problem persists—and in many cases is getting worse. - We’re solving the wrong problem the wrong way
Short-term projects can’t fix a long-term, structural issue. - Digital literacy is now a basic life skill
As essential as reading, writing and arithmetic in modern society. - AI could widen the gap
We’re accelerating into the future without fixing the foundations. - Access doesn’t equal inclusion
Devices and connectivity aren’t enough—confidence, skills and usability matter. - The power of Digital Champions
Peer-to-peer support and community networks are key to scaling impact. - From funding to investment
Digital inclusion should be embedded into how organisations operate—not treated as a nice-to-have. - Start with conversation, not perfection
Small, practical steps—especially across teams—can begin to drive real change.
