Truth About Public Sector & NHPA Podcast

The Procurement Act 2023 has officially moved beyond implementation mode and so has the conversation. In this special forward‑looking episode, From Burden to Brilliance: Making PA23 Work, the Truth About Public Sector welcomes two of the sector’s most influential procurement leaders to explore what comes next for social housing.

Joining host Hannah Quinn‑Hill, we’re delighted to feature:

• Alan Heron, Director of Procurement, Places for People

A sector heavyweight leading procurement at one of the UK’s largest and most complex housing groups. Alan brings a national perspective on capability, commercial transformation, and how PA23 is reshaping the behaviours and expectations of modern procurement teams. Known for championing commerciality, innovation, and strategic value, Alan offers a clear-eyed view of what future‑proofing really looks like at scale.

• John Wallace, Director of Procurement, Clarion Housing Group & NHPA Representative

Recognised for his work in strengthening governance and elevating procurement maturity across the sector, John brings both an organisational and national lens. As a representative of the National Housing Procurement Association (NHPA), he shares insight into evolving talent expectations, sector readiness, and the role NHPA must now play in driving capability and consistency under the new regime.

In this episode, we move past early impressions of PA23 and dig into the future-facing truths that matter:

✅ The long‑term risks and opportunities emerging from PA23

✅ What “organisational fitness” now means; capability, skills, and commercial behaviours

✅ Whether PA23 is already creating a recruitment divide

✅ The pressure points facing social landlords across compliance, regulation, and cost

✅ How suppliers must evolve and whether innovation is really materialising

✅ The influence and expectations on the NHPA in shaping the next chapter

This conversation is for leaders, procurement professionals, suppliers, and anyone who needs to understand what PA23 really means for the next era of social housing.

If the sector is going to shift from compliance to real strategic value, this is the conversation that shows how we get there.

In this episode, Matt sits down with Parul Singh, Founder of Parallel Minds, a neurodiversity consultancy shaping a more inclusive future for people working in tech and digital roles. Parul brings a rare combination of professional expertise, lived experience, and deep sector insight, challenging organisations to rethink how they support neurodivergent talent and to build environments where every mind can thrive.

Together, we explore how employers can better navigate and balance the conflicting needs that sometimes arise within neurodivergent teams. At a time when legislation, expectations, and understanding of neurodivergence are evolving at pace, Parul highlights the importance of reflection, curiosity, and confident leadership.

This conversation is a practical guide for employers and line managers who want to create workplaces where neurodivergent colleagues feel safe, supported, and able to do their best work, not just in theory, but in everyday practice.

Is PA23 the housing sector’s biggest headache or was it long‑overdue catalyst for change? In this fast‑paced episode, Hannah Quinn‑Hill sits down with sector leaders Alan Heron (Places for People), John Wallace (Clarion), and Emma Briggs (MTVH) to unpick the reality of Public Procurement Notice 23.

Together they explore the full journey: First reactions to PA23’s arrival, What PA23 actually means for housing associations, Burden vs brilliance and where the panel really stands Practical impacts on teams, suppliers, and procurement operations. Skills, capability, and culture shifts driven by the new requirements. What needs to change next and where the sector is heading over the next 18 months

Expect honest debate, lived experience, and sharp insights from leaders who are navigating PA23 on the ground every day.

Whether you're in procurement, governance, or executive leadership, this episode cuts through the noise and helps you understand what PA23 really means for the sector today and tomorrow.

Universities sit at the frontline of shaping the next generation of public sector officers and leaders, but what does that responsibility look like in a world defined by digital transformation, shifting values, and rising complexity?

In this episode, Matt Masters sits down with Claire Taylor, Vice‑Chancellor and Chief Executive at Plymouth Marjon University, to explore how higher education can build a pipeline of graduates who are not only digitally capable, but grounded in humanity, purpose, and public value.

Together they unpack the evolving expectations of public service, the skills and mindsets future leaders will need, and how universities can create learning environments that nurture curiosity, resilience, ethical leadership, and digital confidence. Claire shares her perspective on aligning values, embedding digital literacy across disciplines, and preparing graduates to lead with integrity in a rapidly changing world.

This is a conversation for anyone thinking about the future of public leadership, from council CEOs to early‑career officers, educators, and policymakers.

In this powerful episode of The Truth About Public Sector, Hannah Quinn-Hill sits down with Simon Clarke, Managing Director of Procurement for NHS Birmingham, the Black Country & Solihull — a leader who is proving that procurement isn’t paperwork. It’s power.

What unfolds is an inspiring and deeply human conversation about how one NHS system is redefining what public money can achieve. From tackling entrenched health inequalities to building community resilience, Simon shares how his team is using procurement as a strategic engine for social value — and why every public‑sector leader in the UK should be paying attention.

Together, Hannah and Simon explore ground breaking initiatives such as the Match My Project platform, innovative partnerships with the third sector, and the real‑world impact on families experiencing poverty, trauma, and long-term inequality. These aren’t theories — they’re lived outcomes: families rehoused, survivors supported, children lifted out of bed poverty, early cancer detection expanded, and thousands of essential items distributed with dignity.

This episode is a call to ambition. A reminder that public procurement can save lives, shape futures, and transform communities when purpose meets purchasing power.

If you’ve ever wondered what’s truly possible in the public sector — this is the story you need to hear.

“Risk, Creativity and Collaboration: Rethinking Urban Infrastructure with CIVIC” dives into how engineering can become a catalyst for better, more human‑centred places. Matt Masters sits down with Stephen O’Malley, Chief Executive of CIVIC, to explore how their philosophy of “civility from civil engineering” challenges long‑held conventions in the built environment.

In just 20 minutes, Stephen unpacks why intelligent risk‑taking matters, how creativity emerges when disciplines fuse rather than compete, and what true collaboration looks like when public and private partners share purpose rather than process. The conversation cuts through technical jargon to focus on what really counts: designing towns and cities that enhance quality of life, respect the natural environment, and work with, not against, the geography and character of a place.

This episode offers a sharp, practical look at how the public sector can rethink infrastructure delivery to unlock better outcomes for communities.

In this episode, Matt Masters sits down with Andrew van Doorn, Chief Executive of HACT, to explore what social value really means in practice, beyond procurement scoring, compliance frameworks, and glossy reporting. Together, they unpack why the sector still struggles with the concept, how organisations can shift from transactional activity to meaningful community impact, and what it takes to embed social value into everyday decision‑making.

Andrew reflects on HACT’s role in shaping national thinking, the evolution of the Social Value Roadmap, and the cultural and leadership shifts required to move from “doing social value” to living it. This conversation challenges assumptions, reframes impact as a long‑term relational endeavour, and offers practical insights for leaders across housing, health, and public services.

For years, the national housing debate has been dominated by one metric: quantity. How many homes can we build, how quickly, and at what scale. But that fixation on numbers has pushed a more fundamental question into the background, are the homes we build, manage, and retrofit actually good for people’s health?

In this episode, Matt Masters is joined by Faye Sanders, Doctoral Researcher in Housing and Health, and Co‑Chair of both the Healthy Homes Research Network and the Housing Studies Association. Together, they explore why housing quality is a public health issue, how poor‑quality homes drive avoidable costs for providers and the NHS, and what it really takes to build cross‑sector partnerships that improve outcomes for residents.

Faye brings insights from her research, examples of effective collaborations between housing and health, and reflections on how the sector can shift its mindset, from “how many” to “how well.”