In 2026, the World Health Innovation Summit (WHIS) will launch WHISTalks — a global dialogue platform designed to address some of the most complex, sensitive, and under-discussed issues in health and care today.
WHISTalks will launch in London, establishing the first safe, trusted space for communities, professionals, and system leaders to come together to explore how safety, dignity, and trust are experienced — and sometimes broken — in real-world care.
From London, WHISTalks will grow into a globally connected network of locally led conversations, grounded in shared values and practical learning.
Why WHISTalks — and Why Now
Across health systems worldwide, patients, carers, and even frontline professionals describe similar experiences:
- Feeling unheard or dismissed
- Experiencing bias or discrimination
- Not knowing when poor treatment becomes unsafe care
- Being unsure how — or whether — to speak up Too often, these experiences are treated as individual complaints, cultural misunderstandings, or communication issues. WHISTalks reframes them for what they often are: early warning signs of risk to quality and safety.
By creating space for honest, non-adversarial dialogue, WHISTalks supports:
- Earlier recognition of harm and escalation points
- Safer decision-making for patients and carers
- More constructive conversations between communities and systems
What is WHISTalks?
WHISTalks is a WHIS-convened dialogue platform that brings together communities, professionals, policymakers, and partners to explore how power, bias, fear, and systemic pressures show up in care settings — and what helps reduce risk.
Each WHISTalks event is:
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Locally grounded and community-informed
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Globally connected through a shared framework
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Focused on patient, carer, and workforce safety
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Non-adversarial, reflective, and solutions-oriented WHISTalks is not about blame. It is about learning, prevention, and trust-building.
A Founding Partnership with the Global Social Prescribing Alliance
WHISTalks is proud to partner with the Global Social Prescribing Alliance (GSPA) to ensure that learning from these dialogues strengthens community-based, preventative, and relational approaches to care.
Through this partnership:
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Insights from WHISTalks will be shared with national and regional social prescribing networks
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Community voices will inform non-clinical, whole-person responses to risk
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Social prescribing will be elevated as a key mechanism for restoring trust, supporting carers, and preventing harm By connecting WHISTalks with social prescribing groups globally, WHIS and GSPA aim to ensure that dialogue translates into practical, community-rooted action.
Pilot Focus: Recognising Racism as a Risk to Care
The initial WHISTalks pilot in London will focus on:
“Recognising when racism puts care at risk — for patients and carers.”
Using an adapted racistometer tool, participants will explore:
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Early warning signs
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Escalation points
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Safe and proportionate responses
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The role of carers, advocates, and community support This founding theme has been chosen to establish:
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Credibility
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Shared language
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Psychological safety
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A strong foundation for future topics
How WHISTalks Works
Each WHISTalks session follows a consistent, repeatable format:
- Welcome & Intent Setting – why this conversation matters
- Issue Framing – positioning the topic as safety and quality
- Tool or Framework – practical ways to recognise risk
- Local Scenarios & Dialogue – realistic, facilitated discussion
- What Helps / What Harms – actions that reduce or escalate risk
- Reflection & Next Steps – feeding learning into wider systems Sessions may be in-person, hybrid, or virtual, with accessibility and safeguarding at the core.
What WHISTalks Is — and Is Not
WHISTalks is:
- A dialogue platform
- Community-led
- Values-driven
- Focused on real-world safety
WHISTalks is not:
- A complaints or investigation forum
- A naming-and-shaming exercise
- A replacement for legal or regulatory processes
- A one-size-fits-all solution
A Word from Gareth Presch
“Too many people know something is wrong in their care but don’t have the language, confidence, or safe space to name it. WHISTalks exists to change that. By focusing on safety, dignity, and trust — and by listening to communities alongside professionals, we can recognise risk earlier and prevent harm before it escalates. Launching WHISTalks in London is just the beginning of a global movement grounded in learning, compassion, and accountability.” Gareth Presch Founder, World Health Innovation Summit (WHIS) CEO, Global Social Prescribing Alliance
Looking Ahead
Following the London launch, WHISTalks will expand to other cities and regions, shaped by demand, partnership, and learning. Future themes may include:
- Power, consent, and intimate examinations
- Racism and maternity care
- Violence, intimidation, and fear in clinical settings
- Supporting carers as partners in care
- Trust and communication breakdowns in healthcare
Our Commitment
All WHISTalks partners commit to:
- Upholding dignity and respect
- Prioritising safety
- Listening across difference
- Learning openly and responsibly
WHISTalks exists to strengthen trust in care — starting in London, connected globally.
World Health Innovation Summit (WHIS) *In partnership with the Global Social Prescribing Alliance *