In this episode of Leading with Hearts & Minds, Marie Kilduff speaks with Dr Pádraic Dunne, Senior Lecturer at the RCSI Centre for Positive Health Sciences and Principal Investigator of the Digital Health Research Group. Pádraic’s background spans immunology, psychotherapy, lifestyle medicine, and health coaching, giving him a unique perspective on what supports human wellbeing in a world that is moving faster than ever.

Pádraic explains what positive health science entails, breaking it down into positive psychology, lifestyle medicine, and health psychology. He discusses why lasting change is challenging, why quick fixes rarely work, and why awareness, compassion, acceptance, and vulnerability are essential foundations for both personal and professional well-being.

This thoughtful conversation offers practical insight for anyone seeking to support their own well-being or that of their teams in a high-pressure healthcare environment.

Guest:

Dr Pádraic Dunne, Senior Lecturer, RCSI Centre for Positive Health Sciences

Host:

Marie Kilduff, National Clinical Leadership Centre for Nursing & Midwifery

In this episode of Leading with Hearts and Minds, Marie Kilduff speaks with Amy Carroll, Assistant Director of Midwifery at St. Luke’s Hospital, Kilkenny. Marie begins by asking Amy how she first entered midwifery, opening a conversation about resilience, mentorship, and the reality of learning under pressure.

She shares insights from her time as a Spark Innovation Fellow, including how design thinking, curiosity, and psychological safety can transform services and support teams.

The episode also explores Amy’s award-winning work on the MUMA Postnatal Hub, her approach to conflict and communication, and her advice for midwives who want to grow into leadership roles.

A concise, uplifting conversation about compassion, innovation, and leading with authenticity.

In this powerful and deeply personal episode, Prof Áine Carroll joins Marie Kilduff to reflect on how her mother’s final months shaped her understanding of what integrated healthcare should truly be.

Despite decades of professional leadership in integrated care, Áine found herself navigating a fragmented system that left her feeling powerless as a daughter advocating for her mum. That experience intensified her long-standing commitment to person-centred, coordinated care and exposed the gaps that so many families still face.

Together, Marie Kilduff and Prof Carroll explore:

• What happens when care isn’t joined up, even for those who understand the system
• The barriers that continue to block progress, from siloed services to poor communication and digital limitations
• Why leadership in a complex adaptive system must evolve
• The role of data, partnership, and meaningful relationships in driving improvement
• How the International Foundation for Integrated Care (IFIC) supports global learning through the Nine Pillars
• Why hope, action, and collective responsibility are central to making real change.