Content Matters goes behind the scenes in high-stakes environments

During COVID, David Hoy put on PPE and joined his frontline teams on the wards. Now a Portfolio Executive at Amplar Health, he reflects on his journey from hospital orderly to senior leader, and why great communication has more to do with listening than knowing every answer. David shares how he stays calm under pressure, how patient stories strengthen business cases, and how collaboration leads to better outcomes for patients and staff alike.

From hiring a seven-foot “Bigfoot” to challenge pharma marketing, to rebuilding trust with Gen Z clinicians, Creative Director Phil Blackmore is no stranger to bold ideas. Phil explores why young healthcare professionals distrust pharma, how overly corporate comms push audiences away, and how his three Cs—creativity, compliance, and courage—help him craft more human healthcare storytelling.

Psychologist and MHCC board member Bill Campos has seen how mental health systems can help—and how they can unintentionally harm. Bill reflects on the case that changed how he thinks about system design, the structural barriers that stall recovery, and what really happens as people move from hospital to home. He also shares why “working yourself out of a job” is his ultimate measure of meaningful care.

From quirky idea to national movement, Mullets for Mental Health has raised more than $13 million and opened up conversations men often avoid. Tom Farrar from the Black Dog Institute explains how user-generated content powered the campaign, why creating a space men felt they owned mattered more than polished branding, and how humour and empathy can literally change lives.

Working across brands like AustralianSuper, Aware Super and Suncorp, Holly Jones knows how tough it is to balance creativity with compliance. Holly explains how to turn “red tape” into a creative ally, why content teams should look inward as much as outward, and how influencer campaigns, internal insights and AI can work together without losing authenticity.

Telix Pharmaceuticals was drowning in announcements, trial updates, and research posts—until Sam Rebbechi rethought how the company used its channels. Sam talks about treating information like a product, using audience segmentation to cut through the noise, measuring impact beyond clicks, and why the best stories start when you step away from your desk.

For Leo Patterson-Ross, housing became a mental health issue the day he met a palliative care patient who had nowhere safe to go home to. Now leading the Tenants Union NSW, Leo talks about the psychological toll of insecure housing, what it takes for a small team to serve over a million renting households, and how clear, accessible content can support people in crisis.

As CEO of Lifeline, Luke Lindsay oversees thousands of crisis calls every day—and is constantly asking how we can step in sooner. In this episode, he unpacks why people in distress are turning online for support, how language can reduce stigma or deepen it, and why co-designing communications with people who have lived experience is critical to saving lives.

At the Royal Children’s Hospital Foundation, Laura Buck has helped raise more than $60 million for kids’ health. She shares her “impact in five minutes” philosophy, how a failed COVID campaign reshaped the way she works with stakeholders, and why smart personalisation—rather than blanket emails—is essential to overcoming compassion fatigue.