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Leadership diversity in digital health

by Lauren Hoodless
written by Lauren Hoodless

 

One HealthTech Manchester is dedicated to advancing a movement to enhance awareness and promote diversity in leadership in digital, data and technology in the NHS. Their mission involves collaborating with other organisations and networks to highlight exemplary leadership practices and policies, presenting both quantitative and qualitative evidence, to support underrepresented groups.

 

What is the purpose?

The primary focus is to address intersectional challenges with the aim of making policy changes that align with the digital health agenda.

What has been done to date?

The team have undertaken 150+ interviews with female leaders in the digital health space and have since built on this to include views and allyship from male leaders. The results provide themes and patterns that may contribute to the leadership and digital agenda. Emerging evidence highlights the challenges that leaders have faced and ways in which they have overcome them to advance their careers.

What’s the aim?

With your help, the movement aims to inspire and implement systemic changes – like flexible career pathways and family support policies – that benefit both underrepresented groups and strengthen our overall health systems by tapping into brilliant diverse talent pools.

What’s next?

The ask of you is to complete the ‘Increasing Leadership Diversity in Digital Health’ survey which will take a brief 8-10-minutes. We are hoping to find out more on career paths of colleagues engaged in digital, data and technology within the NHS, as well as those who may be interested in joining, or returning to, the NHS.

The aim of the survey is to understand the overall experience of your professional journey, and your perspective on role models and support networks, along with any general advice you may wish to share with colleagues and peers.

The survey responses will serve as evidence in the panel discussion “Increasing Leadership Diversity in Digital Health in the NHS” at Digital Health Rewired 2024.

COMPLETE THE SURVEY HERE

Disclaimer: The survey is designed to maintain anonymity, and every precaution has been taken to ensure confidentiality. Survey responses will be automatically anonymised and aggregated in a way that prevents the identification of individual respondents or the association of specific responses with any particular individual.

The data collected will be utilised for the event, as well as for related reports, blogs or articles. Data will not be shared with any other organisation and will be deleted by June 2024, three months after Digital Health Rewired 2024.

If you have any further question or comments about this survey, please feel free to reach out to the team at manchester@onehealthtech.com

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DMA results show only 10-30% of trusts with an EPR have key functionality

by Lauren Hoodless
written by Lauren Hoodless

In a presentation at the latest Digital Health Networks Exchange event in London, ‘Unlocking digital maturity in healthcare – levelling up for success’, Will Goodwin, assistant director of programmes – digital capability at NHS England, presented the findings from the inaugural year of the DMA programme.

Although 90% of trusts now have an EPR in place, just 10 to 30% of those have functions such as integrated prescriptions and record sharing with citizens and other hospitals.

Similarly, although 70% of ICSs have now introduced electronic bed management systems, fewer than 40% reported that they were seeing benefits.

One in five providers also lack gaps in basic infrastructure, including fast network connectivity Wi-Fi access, the presentation showed.

The 2023 Digital Maturity Assessment (DMA) programme, commissioned by NHSE in July 2022, enabled the tracking of year-on-year improvements in digital maturity across the NHS.

Goodwin said the DMA results highlight “pockets of best practice” which can be used as blueprints to scale adoption of key capabilities across the NHS. There has been a significant increase in the growth of digital roles and leadership, he said, with most systems now having a CIO equivalent.

He also pointed to specific examples, such as Newcastle’s work in population health, Cornwall and Devon’s implementation of a single EPR system across five acute trusts in the two ICSs, and Greater Manchester’s continuing role as the centre of pilots for the current DMA.

The DMA results from year one have revealed five potential priority areas across themes that could lead to improved health outcomes and economic value:

  • Establish basic infrastructure and standards
  • Deploy and build capabilities around clinical systems
  • System monitoring and capacity management
  • Accelerate digital front door(s) for patient engagement and self-service
  • Drive population health at scale

Goodwin confirmed the DMA “will be going a bit deeper” in terms of information collection for year two, with more questions included for organisations to respond to, including an expanded AI section.

He said we “need to use the DMA as an enabler” and must ensure it does not simply become a tick box exercise.

Also speaking in the first session of the day was Luke Readman, regional director of digital transformation, London region at NHS England. He said it is a “mixed picture” in London in terms of digital maturity, but all four acute trusts in the Northwest of the capital are using the Oracle Health Millennium EPR, a sign of “moving towards convergence”.

Readman confirmed that 95% of organisations in London are connected to the London Shared Care Record with 1.7 million uses per month by 100,000 unique professionals.

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ICS leaders discuss integration, sustainability of shared care records

by Lauren Hoodless
written by Lauren Hoodless

The session on “ICS Digital Priorities Unveiled: Shaping the Future of the NHS”, focused on shared care records and wider issues associated with the digital maturity agenda.  

Hannah Wall, stakeholder relationship senior manager for the Connecting Care Records Programme at NHS England, told the audience at Horizon Leeds that full deployment of the National Record Locator Service (NRLS) – a project to link shared care records across the country to enable clinicians to access patient information nationally for direct care purposes – continues to be key part of the national agenda. She added that 20% of acute provision for patients takes place outside their home integrated care board. 

The NHSE program is commissioned to March 2025 to build on the existing network of shared records with five core priorities: a record-sharing strategy that avoids duplication; interoperability between shared care records with an emphasis on creating a read-only shared care record at the NRLS level; levelling up shared care records, including links with primary and secondary care and expansion of their length and breadth; convergence of records; and sustainability. 

Embedding in a community 

Laura Godtschalk, shared care record programme manager at Leicester, Leicestershire & Rutland ICS (LLR), said that LRR’s decision in April 2020 to form a partnership with the Interweave shared care portal allowed it to join a community of other ICSs that had already been using Interweave’s application for some time “so we could learn and try to walk a trodden path.”  

Health and social care organisations were already working together in LLR, Godtschalk said, and the shared care records project helped to bring them closer together.

Although interoperability and organisational digital maturity posed huge challenges, getting staff engaged in helping to design the system “helped with embedding and the use and that transfer of it to a thing actually being used on a day-to-day basis,” she said.

“We’re hearing some absolutely brilliant stories coming back of where the benefits have been realised and people are saving time.”  

LRR is currently looking at how shared records can be used to empower patients and improve preventative healthcare “as part of direct care, not necessarily just as public health management,” Godtschalk said, adding that efforts are underway to link records into the NHS App.  

“A shared care record is not a national product; it is something held by local ICBs, and we see real value in putting suppliers together to get the benefits associated with that,” she said. 

Shared care records are already contributing to better care management, said Joe McGuigan, ICB director of digital operations and assurance for Lancashire and South Cumbria, noting that across some 600 care homes in his region, 1200 hospital admissions have been avoided since the shared records were introduced. 

During the Q&A session, audience members and speakers reflected on the challenges in making projects such as shared care records sustainable without devolving more funding from the national to the ICB level. Wall acknowledged that NHSE is committed to ensuring the sustainability of shared care records post 2025, and helping ICBs to do this. 

The most recent Digital Health Networks Exchange event took place December 2023 in London, where it was highlighted that results from the first year of the Digital Maturity Assessment (DMA) have shown that only 10 to 30% of the 90% of NHS trusts with an electronic patient record (EPR) have key functionality and are therefore making full use of their system.

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Shuri Network Digital Fellowship – My Journey

by Lauren Hoodless
written by Lauren Hoodless

In the heart of Black History Month, I find myself reflecting on a transformative experience that has not only shaped my professional trajectory but has also profoundly impacted my personal growth. As I recount my time with the Shuri Network Digital Fellowship, I am overwhelmed with gratitude for the countless doors it opened, the skills it honed, and the remarkable connections it fostered.

A Transformative Journey Begins

Joining the Shuri Network Digital Fellowship felt like stepping into a world where possibilities were endless. The programme, with its focus on empowering black and minority ethnic women in digital health, was not just an opportunity—it was a life-changing event. From the very beginning, the fellowship resonated deeply with me, making me feel like there was a seat for me at this table.

Personal and Professional Growth

The Shuri Network Digital Fellowship did more than just enhance my knowledge and skills – it opened doors to unprecedented opportunities.

On a personal level, the fellowship challenged me to embrace my identity with pride and confidence. Surrounded by brilliant, like-minded individuals, I felt a sense of belonging and empowerment that I had never experienced before. The camaraderie among my fellow Shuri members became a pillar of support, fostering an environment where we uplifted each other, celebrated achievements, and shared challenges.

Professionally, the fellowship was a game-changer. The weekly learning sessions with industry experts enriched my understanding of digital health and provided incredible insight into the various opportunities and roles available in this field.

The individual coaching sessions became a profound journey of self-discovery in which I gained a deeper understanding of myself and my potential. This introspection not only fuelled my personal growth, but also empowered me to navigate my professional path with newfound confidence and purpose.

One of the most significant outcomes of the fellowship has been landing my new job as a Digital Midwife. This role perfectly combines my passion for midwifery and technology. The support and mentorship I received from my Shuri Fellowship played a crucial role in making this career transition possible.

Moreover, the fellowship has facilitated invaluable connections and shadowing opportunities. Through these connections, I found myself involved in a groundbreaking research initiative that aims to tackle health inequalities in maternity care. The ability to contribute to meaningful research and collaborate with experts in the field is a testament to the network’s power in creating pathways for impactful work. This fellowship has not only propelled my career but also empowers me to continue pushing boundaries and making a difference.

A Heartfelt Salute to My Shuri Sisters

As I look back on my journey with the Shuri Network Digital Fellowship, I am inspired not only by my own growth but also by the collective strength of my Shuri sisters. In the spirit of Black History Month, I salute each and every one of these remarkable women who continue to break barriers, shatter glass ceilings, and redefine what is possible.

In Conclusion

The Shuri Network Digital Fellowship is more than just a programme – it is a catalyst for change, a beacon of hope, and a testament to the power of unity and empowerment. To my Shuri sisters, thank you for being a source of inspiration and strength. To anyone considering applying for the Shuri Fellowship, just do it! It will change your life.

The Shuri Network Digital Fellowships

For 2024/25 the Shuri Network will be expanding the Fellowships to all ICS staff so will be launching this in early 2024 to engage CCIOs, CNIOs, CEOs and CIOs.

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