In Conversation with Dr Wendy Killin
Dr Wendy Killin is an NHS GP and LIfestyle Medicine Doctor with a fantastic Lifestyle Medicine consultancy, Sparkelwell. Though various workshops she teaches corporate clients how to stay happy and healthy at work, and let’s face it, right now many people need all the support they can get so I totally love this.
As well as an impressive career doing work that matters, Wendy is a keen runner and has just completed her 3rd marathon - congratulations!
She is mum to 3 boys, and just like me she is keen to show them how being a working mum is possible and that you can set your mind to do anything.
Wendy was recently featured in Tech Round as a 'Mumpreneur' (The Rise Of Mumpreneurs: A Multi Billion £ Industry - TechRound) and now she is here with us at YOMU to talk about her journey and I think you are going to love it!
What inspired you to start a company in the health and wellness sector and what do you offer?
I'm a NHS GP and Lifestyle Medicine Doctor and I love people! One of the reasons I trained to be a GP was to help people. It sounds corny but it is true!
I founded Sparkwell Health Ltd, to teach Lifestyle Medicine to corporate clients via workshops and 1 to 1 sessions. Lifestyle Medicine is a specialty of medicine that uses evidence based, scientifically proven methods to prevent and reverse illness without any pills or side effects. It focuses on the root cause of illness through the lens of 6 pillars - movement, sleep, nutrition, reducing harmful substances, social connection and stress management.
Unfortunately, in the NHS I don't have enough time to spend with patients. Ten minute appointments are just not long enough to explore their symptoms from a Lifestyle Medicine point of view. As much as I incorporate Lifestyle Medicine into my consultations as is possible, I knew I needed to spread Lifestyle Medicine and its incredible power to a wider audience, so I started Sparkwell.
What influenced your services today?
I work in a deprived part of Glasgow in my NHS GP job, and I see day in and day out the role that patients' lifestyle can play in terms of them developing chronic diseases. Conditions like high blood pressure, heart attacks, strokes, cancers, lung conditions, fertility issues, digestive issues, depression and anxiety, dementia - to name a few - are all influenced by our lifestyle. Stress plays a huge part in this. Approximately 80% of what I see in my surgery has stress as an underlying or contributing symptom.
Along with this, I have friends and family with busy, often stressful corporate jobs. I knew I could help them stay well at work by teaching them how to use Lifestyle Medicine strategies.
How does your company uniquely address the health and wellness needs of its customers?
I have the expertise of seeing first hand the symptoms and illnesses that patients present with in my role as a GP. So I teach and help clients implement ways to prevent them having to see doctors like me. This is via corporate workshops (either over MS Teams or in person), or an employee can refer themselves to work with me on a 1 to 1 basis for a Lifestyle Medicine assessment and treatment plan. As far as I'm aware, there are no other GPs who also teach Lifestyle Medicine in this way.
What major health and wellness trends have impacted your business strategy?
Over the years as GP I have been seeing more and more patients present with mental health problems. The Health and Safety Executive publishes data on health and wellbeing. In 2022/23 1.8 million working people were suffering from a work-related illness, of which 875,000 workers were suffering work-related stress, depression or anxiety (almost 50%).
Stress and Stress management are my most popular workshops and it's no surprise that, given these statistics, the commercial sector is slowly starting to address stress. The cost to employers of people being signed off work was £20.7bn in 2021/22.
Could you describe a pivotal moment or decision in your company's development? How did it influence your path forward?
Throughout lockdown I witnessed the stress my husband and his team was under in his corporate job. Seeing him working from home highlighted the pressure employees are under to perform and always be available. Very sadly, one of his team took her own life, and the stress she was under appears to have played a part.
Witnessing this, I knew I could help employees with stress management and equip them with Lifestyle Medicine tools to improve their health and wellbeing. Sparkwell was born in August 2021.
How do you measure success in terms of health and wellness outcomes for your clients or customers?
In many ways. Using Lifestyle Medicine strategies my clients have had great successes - I've included some below (names are anonymised to respect confidentiality):
Sarah was able to reduce symptoms of menopause
Michael had been diagnosed with high blood pressure and was able to remain off medication and normalise his blood pressure
Chris was managing to get 8 hours of good quality sleep after many years of insomnia
Iqbal managed to prevent his pre-diabetes turning into the more serious type 2 diabetes
Amelia managed to come off her antidepressant medication
Lukas lost 2st in weight and became much more active
Margaret has improved her social connections and improved her mental health as a result
What role does technology play in your business, especially in relation to enhancing health and wellness?
Thanks to technology I'm able to teach and connect with clients all over the UK and beyond, something that would not have been possible previously as it would not have been cost effective for me to travel. One workshop I did with Capco Management consultants had attendees from their global offices participating and had a translator available to them. I don't think clients need to buy fitness trackers to go on a wellness journey, but there are obviously devices and apps which can help record valuable data about exercise, sleep and even nutrition.
What are the biggest challenges you face in maintaining the integrity and efficacy of your wellness products/services in a rapidly growing industry?
Many people can call themselves wellness experts nowadays, especially on social media. I've been a GP for 11 years and my experience of patients from all walks of life, along with my qualifications in Lifestyle Medicine allows me a unique part to play in the health and wellness industry.
How do you stay informed and continue to innovate within the health and wellness field?
I have a growth mindset! I love learning and in my role as a GP I have a responsibility to keep up to date with current and new protocols and guidance. I regularly review new Lifestyle Medicine information and clinical trials that take place, along with attending seminars and webinars run by the British Society of Lifestyle Medicine, of which I'm a member.
For more detials head to www.sparkwell.net, follow on Itagram: @drwendykillin, Tktok: @dr.wendy.killin and Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/sparkwell/
