DigitalHealth.London has opened its Digital Pioneer Fellowship programme for applications, aiming to support professionals employed by NHS organisations in London to design and lead transformation projects.
The 12 month programme is now in its third year, and aims to recruit up to 30 Fellows to focus on accelerating the pace of digital transformation within their NHS organisations.
The programme provides the group with access to workshops, resources and events to share challenges and experience, learn from experts and collaborate to co-design solutions. It includes sessions delivered by industry experts on subjects ranging from change management and business case development to agile delivery and service improvement. Fellows will also be able to choose a mentor acting as support.
Tara Donnelly, Chief Digital Officer at NHSX, said: “We need to support the clinicians, service leads, managers and operational staff in our NHS who are at the heart of digital healthcare delivery with the tools they need to drive change in their organisations.”
“The DigitalHealth.London Digital Pioneer Fellowship provides them with these tools and I am thrilled it is opening for applications once again and look forward to witnessing the impact this next cohort of change makers have on London’s NHS.”
Sara Nelson, Programme Lead, Digital Pioneer Fellowship, said: “As a nurse with over 25 years of service to the NHS, I appreciate how challenging digital transformation in the NHS can be if staff aren’t given the support, advice and time to develop professional skills that they need. I am extremely proud of the individuals we have supported previously through our Digital Pioneer Fellowship programme for the contributions they have made to bringing digital innovation into London’s NHS, and am very pleased today to announce the opening of applications for the next cohort of pioneers.”
Nicola Reynolds, Principal Clinical Psychologist at Oxleas NHS FT and 2019 Digital Pioneer Fellowship alumnus, said: “I wanted to develop my skills and knowledge in order to help drive the development and adoption of digital working within my organisation, so I applied to the Digital Pioneer Fellowship programme.”
“Having been successful in gaining a place, I was encouraged to think more strategically, and by doing so, I expanded the remit of my digital role. I recently contributed to a bid for funding from NHSX, we were successful in securing £200,000 to contribute to the development of a digital care pathway for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services.”
“I found the Fellowship experience invaluable, both the formal teaching and the Action Learning Set groups. I was able to use the insights I gained from the Change Management session to arrange and deliver on an alignment conversation with the senior team. It had a significant impact on the project and led to my solution becoming incorporated into the Trust wide solution.”
The application process is now open and closes midnight Sunday 6 September 2020.
