This year we hosted a series of exceptional HTN Now webinars, covering everything from the role of digital and data in supporting transformation, new models of care and pathways, to putting the Lord Darzi report into action, tackling priorities and pressures.
Reaching thousands of NHS professionals, the sessions focus on sharing learnings, insight, expertise, successes and approaches to digital transformation across the NHS. Here, we look back at all the different topics discussed and take a moment to appreciate the many experts who contributed.
Without further ado, here’s a selection of HTN’s panel discussions from 2024 – click each title below to read more about the session.
January 2024
Expert panellists: Rob Birkett, CDIO at Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust; Dr Paul Wright, GP and deputy clinical director/IT clinical lead at NHS Greater Manchester and CCIO at Manchester and Trafford Local Care Organisation; and Graham Etherington, solutions director at Kodak Alaris.
Discussion: Our panellists offered insights into some of the digital transformation programmes they had been working on at the time, sharing any key learnings and challenges they faced. We also covered what they believed “good” digital transformation looked like and their plans for the future of healthcare.
Expert panellists: Nick Cross, executive medical director at Wirral Community NHS Foundation Trust; Becky Sutton, chief operating officer at Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust; Kumbi Kariwo, equality and inclusion project lead at Birmingham Community Health Care FT and chair of the Midlands Digital Shared Decision Making Council for Nurses, Midwives and AHPs; and Peter Hansell, co-founder of Isla.
Discussion: Centred around the delivery of innovative new models in community healthcare by exploring key strategies for a successful transition to a remote-first model. We also discussed how harnessing software and the media types that we use in everyday conversations, can help to deliver this approach at scale and across a broad range of community pathways.
Expert panellists: Tom Mann, digital transformation lead at Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust; Penny Kechagioglou, chief clinical information officer and deputy chief medical officer at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire; Andrew Carter, assistant director of digital, data and technology at Bury Council and IT locality lead for Bury in Greater Manchester ICB; Michelle Cole, clinical director at Solutions 4 Health; and Kishore Sankla, CEO at Solutions 4 Health.
Discussion: A range of areas around building digital teams, including driving a culture of innovation, skills and capabilities, what works, digital leadership, challenges, and more. We also looked at future challenges and changes that may arise.
February 2024
Expert panellists: Matthew Hutton, digital lead for Northamptonshire ICS; Ramandeep Kaur, chief clinical information officer at NHS University Hospitals of Northamptonshire; and Dan Chilcott, client enablement director at Patchwork Health.
Discussion: How digital workforce systems can be utilised to achieve long-term outcomes, covering procurement all the way through to change management, adoption, and outcomes. We also touched on stakeholder engagement, workforce training and measuring success.
Expert panellists: Rachel Woodington, digital care hub manager at Airedale NHS Foundation Trust, and Ruben de Neef, customer success lead at Luscii.
Discussion: Panellists shared insights from a virtual COPD service launched at the trust, including benefits, challenges, key learnings, and impact.
Expert panellists: Dr Penny Kechagioglou, chief clinical information officer and deputy chief medical officer at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire; Chris Nortcliff, digital lead at Greater Manchester Primary Care Provider Board; and Lyndsey Reeves, director of operations at Livi UK.
Discussion: We focused on driving patient outcomes through health tech, including ways to accelerate patient benefits and outcomes, as well as the ways in which digital can support self-help, engagement and activation.
March 2024
Expert panellists: Liz Leggott, project manager, greener NHS champion and NHS England clinical entrepreneur at the South Yorkshire Primary Care Workforce & Training Hub; and Emma Stratful, chief operating officer at OX.DH.
Discussion: Topics varied from the projects they were involved with, to challenges in this space and the role of innovation in primary care. We also delved into the role of ICBs and PCNs in supporting digital transformation and the importance training staff to become confident in the use of digital tools.
Expert panellists: Dr Lydia van Hamel-Parsons, GP and founding clinician at Healthtech-1; Patrick Denston, business manager for Alexander House Surgery; and David Gunion, digital programme manager at Sunderland GP Alliance.
Discussion: This session focused on automation in primary care, including new patient registrations, lab report filing, and introducing automation into primary care and looking at the benefits for patients. Lydia also highlighted some key use cases and business manager for Alexander House Surgery, Patrick Denston, and digital programme manager at Sunderland GP Alliance, David Gunion, talked about their experiences with automation.
Expert panellists: Dave Mills, head of Think Healthcare
Discussion: This webinar focused on the ongoing journey of NHS cloud telephony from transition to transformation. Dave explored the journey for sites who have recently started the migration to advanced cloud telephony along with others who may be looking to upgrade their existing set-ups. He also shared practical tips and suggestions for getting the most from this tech.
Expert panellists: Kim Ashall, head of virtual wards for North West Anglia Foundation Trust and programme lead for virtual wards for Cambridge and Peterborough ICB; Natalie Duffield, director of Inhealthcare; Sally Robinson, head of strategy and best practice at United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust; and Dr Victoria Betton, director at PeopleDotCom.
Discussion: The panel discussed women and health tech, generating conversation around the gender health gap and the potential role of digital in this space. We also explored the challenges around digital healthcare for women and how digital is helping to meet the needs of women’s health.
Expert panellists: Paul Charnley, digital lead and chair of the National Blueprinting Steering Group; Saj Kahrod, assistant director of programmes in blueprinting and knowledge sharing at NHS England; Aaron Hamilton, senior project manager at Healthcare Centre London GP Federation; and Nigel Gausden, SME programme manager and subject matter expert in primary care and urgent care for Seneca Advisory.
Discussion: We looked at North West London’s digital access e-hub for online consultations, exploring the way that the hub’s overall vision was decided upon through discussions with practices and PCNs, and looking at the hub in practice.
Expert panellists: John Kosobucki, CEO and founder of OX.DH.
Discussion: For this session, we focused on how modern technology in fertility clinics is transforming care, with John sharing his insights into how their flagship product, OX.assisted reproduction (OX.ar), came about, how it is being rolled out, and how it is used in practice.
Expert panellists: A team from Ideal Health, including Stephanie Spencer, director of implementation services; Martin Roe, technical consultant; and Paul Chiles, digital specialist.
Discussion: Panellists covered a variety of topics and issues relating to digital maturity and building digital maturity roadmaps. This included the digital transformation lifecycle and the HIMSS digital capabilities framework.
Expert panellists: Tim Cropley, CIO at Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; Will Monaghan, CDIO at University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust; Lee Rickles, CIO at Humber Teaching NHS Foundation Trust; and David Newey, former interim CIO of Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust and former director of transformation at Nervecentre.
Discussion: Our panel discussed the future of the chief information officer role, looking at the role of the CIO in developing digital maturity and skills, across an integrated care system. We also looked at the CIO role in 5-10 years, with a focus on developing infrastructure, system working and leading transformation.
April 2024
Expert panellists: David Ezra, managing director of NEC Rego.
Discussion: David shared the ways in which the NEC Rego platform can help NHS organisations in optimising their referral management process.
Expert panellists: Ricardo Pereira, associate director of transformation at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust; Dr Gorana Kovacevic, clinical lead for Hospital at Home at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire; and Chris Taylor, director of partnerships at Isla Health.
Discussion: Our panel shared their insights and experience on virtual wards. This included remote monitoring, covering common challenges and how to tackle them; as well as an update on current projects.
Expert panellists: Sarah Hanbridge, chief clinical information officer (nursing, midwifery & AHP) at Leeds Teaching Hospital, and Ciara Moore, unified EPR programme director at Mid & South Essex and Essex Partnerships University Trust.
Discussion: This session focused on engaging boards and workforces with digital buy-in, looking at key challenges such as resources, and identifying risks. We also explored what it takes to build digital confidence and looked towards the future.
Expert panellists: Manzoor Ahmed, patient and public involvement leader at Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust; Adrian Byrne, ex-CIO of University Hospital Southampton Foundation Trust; and Dr Gege Gatt, CEO at EBO.
Discussion: We covered a range of topics around the future of patient portals, including future directions, technologies, and challenges.
Expert panellists: Martyn Perry, acting chief digital information officer at Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (MPFT), and James Freed, deputy director at NHS Digital Academy.
Discussion: Martyn and James chatted through topics including supporting the workforce with digital skills development; recruitment for digital roles; digital skills needs and assessments; and putting resources in place to ensure the NHS workforce can meet digital skills requirements in the future.
Expert panellists: Keltie Jamieson, chief health information officer with the Bermuda Hospitals Board; Tino Marti, digital health facilitator at the European Health Telematics Association (EHTEL) in Spain; and Penny Kechagioglou, chief clinical information officer and deputy chief medical officer at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire.
Discussion: The panel focused on current digital capabilities, projects, and priorities from country contexts including Spain, Bermuda, and the UK. We explored current levels of digital maturity, challenges in the digital healthcare space, and improving interoperability. Conversation also turned to patient involvement and how to make use of data for research and innovation.
May 2024
Expert panellists: Andy Carruthers, CIO at University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, and Alistair Eaton, CEO at CCube Solutions.
Discussion: We looked at recommended strategies for an organisation moving to the cloud, what good looks like in this space, challenges, and solutions. Our experts also outlined their latest projects and experience in this area, as well as benefits of the cloud and why NHS organisations should make the switch.
Expert panellists: Joanna Dundon, national digital lead for public engagement at Digital Health and Care Wales; Laura Adams, patient and public involvement and engagement facilitator for research and innovation at Medway NHS Foundation Trust; John Kosobucki, CEO and founder of OX.DH; and Bex Cottey, business manager at Conisbrough GPs.
Discussion: The panel explored considerations for successful patient engagement, approaches and experiences, technical considerations, integration, and change management.
Expert panellists: Dr Tamara Everington, chief clinical information officer and haematology consultant at Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; Emily Lucas (innovation facilitator) and Dr Julia Dawson (innovation lead) at University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust; Stefan Chetty, director of public sector services at Restore Records Management; and Matt Sim, head of IT design at Restore Digital.
Discussion: This conversation revolved around projects and programmes from our panellists, what to consider for successful transformation, what is working well and why, and what is key to achieving future NHS transformation aspirations. We also looked at the challenge of using physical patient files and hopes for the future of digital.
Expert panellists: John Kosobucki, CEO of OX.DH.
Discussion: This webinar looked at how OX.DH’s cloud-native OX.waiting room component is revolutionising virtual healthcare consultations by leveraging the national Microsoft tenant. This also included examples from case studies.
Expert panellists: From Cambridge University Hospitals, Dr Wai Keong Wong, director of digital and consultant haematologist, and Claire Tolliday, chief nursing information officer, along with uPerform’s EHR education director Liz Griffith.
Discussion: The panel focused on strategies for empowering a digital workforce, looking at how to develop workforce technology literacy through scalable and effective digital learning and support programmes. We delved into CUH’s digital journey, including approaches they found to be successful.
Expert panellists: Paul Charnley, digital lead at Healthy Wirral Partnership; Kelvyn Hipperson, executive CIO at Cornwall and Isles of Scilly ICB and the Royal Cornwall and Cornwall Partnership Trust; and Dennis Rausch, chief medical officer at Dedalus.
Discussion: This panel involved sharing insights and experiences on the EPR optimisation process. We covered factors such as planning, technical capabilities, workforce, culture, leadership, and what ‘good’ looks like for an EPR.
Expert panellists: Andy Willis from Central London Community Healthcare NHS Trust, and Gabi Cohen, director of delivery at Isla Health.
Discussion: We discucssed how to deliver healthcare transformation projects successfully, covering topics including stakeholder engagement, interoperability and implementation. We delved into transformation specifically at Central London Community Healthcare.
June 2024
Expert panellists: James Driver, digital innovation manager at BOB ICB; Kalle Conneryd Lundgren, chief operating officer for Livi; and Lyndsey Reeves, UK operations director for Livi.
Discussion: The panel discussed some of their current projects and initiatives representing new models of care and pathway transformation, along with how transformation programmes can be scaled, patient pathways and experiences, and some challenges and approaches in this space.
Expert panellists: Members of the NHS England Blueprinting Programme including Paul Charnley, chair of the programme and Saj Kahrod, assistant director.
Discussion: We explored good practice around implementing digital healthcare solutions, with a case study from the Support Hope and Recovery Online Network (SHaRON) programme, which offers online mental health support. We also looked at delivering the platform safely and the research that was involved.
Expert panellists: David Hammond, deputy chief strategy officer at Wirral Community Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust, and Julia Lake, associate director for digital (data) at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.
Discussion: Our panellists talked about how their organisations are currently using data, as well as how data can support the move from reactive to proactive care and operational service delivery. We also looked at digital and data literacy across the workforce.
July 2024
Expert panellists: Steph Lowen, self-management specialist; Dee McMullan, senior district nurse at Leicestershire Partnership, and Charlotte Furness, partnerships lead at Isla Health.
Discussion: Our panellists looked at a range of discussion points, including enabling self-care and addressing health disparities, key messages on self-management, Isla’s technology in self-managed care, and their own experiences and insights.
Expert panellists: Andy Kinnear, former chief information officer and independent consultant; Louise Clarkson, chief nursing information officer at Blackpool Teaching Hospitals and Daniel Johnston, associate CNIO for Imprivata.
Discussion: Conversation centred around strategies for widening the benefits of the EPR; including how to understand clinical workflows in relation to the EPR; and how to utilise mobile and connected devices for a better user experience.
August 2024
Expert panellists: Chad Holmes, security evangelist for healthcare-focused security company Cynerio.
Discussion: Chad delivered a presentation on how healthcare organisations can combat ransomware with network detection and response (NDR) technology. He discussed some high-profile cyber attacks and their impacts, the limitations of current defences, and provided insight into NDR technology and how it can help organisations protect patients, systems and finances.
Expert panellists: Heather Young, virtual ward programme manager at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, and Christina Prada, virtual ward service lead at Northampton General Hospital.
Discussion: We looked at the key successes of the virtual wards programme, as well as challenges, engaging staff and connecting with the community. The conversation also delved into how to measure value in virtual wards, scalability and what “good” looks like to our panellists.
Expert panellists: Puja Myles, director at MHRA Clinical Practice Research Datalink; Shanker Vijayadeva, GP lead and digital transformation for the London region at NHS England; and Ricardo Baptista Leite, M.D., CEO at HealthAI.
Discussion: The session explored what is needed to manage bias; what “responsible AI” really looks like; how to ensure AI is inclusive and equitable; how AI can help support underserved populations; the deployment of AI in the NHS; and the potential to harness AI in supporting the shift from reactive to proactive care.
Expert panellists: Sabrina Khan, business practice manager at Parson Drove Surgery, and Dr Sheikh Mateen Ellahi (Mateen), GP and practice partner at ELM Tree Surgery and South Stockton Primary Care Network.
Discussion: This included a case study shared by Mateen, detailing his successes in improving the patient experience. We also covered innovations in primary care, insights on practical improvement, and barriers to suppliers.
September 2024
Expert panellists: Rachel Binks, nurse consultant and clinical lead for digital and acute care at NHS Airedale Hub; Saif Ahmed, associate medical director, deputy CCIO, and clinical director for frailty at Tameside and Glossop; and James Maynard, product marketing director at Access.
Discussion: We explored the role of digital in supporting self-care and delivering personalised care. This included looking at how digital can improve patient pathways and experiences, and the data points which should be leveraged to enable health and care organisations to deliver tech enabled care.
Expert panellists: Kate Warriner, chief transformation and digital officer at Alder Hey Children’s NHS Trust; Chris Johnson, chief medical information officer at Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust; and John Kosobucki, CEO and founder of OX.DH.
Discussion: We delved into the different challenges surrounding interoperability and how to tackle them, as well as the different resources and requirements needed, short-term wins in this area, and how we can measure progress.
Expert panellists: Georgie Duncan, associate CCIO at Leeds Teaching Hospitals; Neill Crump, digital strategy director at The Dudley Group; and Andrew Harrison, international principle product manager at Imprivata.
Discussion: This panel discussion focused on what good looks like from a tech perspective, the best ways of fostering a culture of innovation, building great digital teams, and understanding the value of digital in healthcare.
Expert panellists: Andy Webster, consultant in emergency medicine and CCIO at Leeds Teaching Hospitals; Sally Mole, senior digital programme manager – digital portfolio delivery team at The Dudley Group; and Brendan Casey, CEO of Swiftqueue.
Discussion: Our panel explored their current priorities and projects in this space, shared learnings on adopting patient-centred processes and solutions, and highlighted outcomes and challenges around engaging patients with support from digital.
Expert panellists: Chad Holmes, security evangelist at Cynerio.
Discussion: Chad shared his advice and recommended best practices on how NHS trust and health organisation can better secure their environments. We looked at the implementation of an effective NDR, as well as ways to improve the adoption of this type of tech in healthcare.
October 2024
Expert panellists: Michael Abtar, CEO of IG Smart, and Dr Saif Abed, cybersecurity expert and d
Discussion: We looked at the most significant cyber security threats currently facing health and social care organisations, how organisations can prioritise their resources to address emerging threats, and the outlook for the next 5-10 years.
Expert panellists: Kumbi Kariwo, equality and inclusion project lead at Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, and Pete Hansell, CEO and co-founder of Isla Health.
Discussion: We focused on the potential for technology to help support chronic wound care, focusing on a case study of the Isla digital pathway platform at Birmingham Community Healthcare. This explored the utilisation of technology to help detect pressure ulcers in darker skin tones to ensure inclusivity in this area.
Expert panellists: Will Monaghan, group CDIO at University Hospitals of Leicester and University Hospitals of Northamptonshire; David Holland, deputy CCIO for AHPs at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust; and Debbie Hale, deputy CNIO for nursing at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.
Discussion: This talk explored digital projects and programmes successfully scaled at Leeds Teaching Hospitals, University Hospitals of Leicester and University Hospitals of Northamptonshire, as well as approaches, challenges, and how to embrace new models of collaboration and leadership.
Expert panellists: Deborah El-Sayed, director of transformation and CDIO at Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire ICB; Dan Bunstone, clinical director at Warrington ICB; Stephen Bromhall, interim chief officer for digital and data at South East Coast Ambulance Service; and Laura Thompson, director of marketing at The Access Group.
Discussion: Topics included the different approaches to tackling challenges from an ICS perspective; new models of care and pathway transformation; the role of technology in supporting the move from reactive to proactive care; and how a system approach can accelerate preventative care.
Expert panellists: James Driver, digital innovation manager at Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West ICB.
Discussion: James shared his thoughts around going green and the role of digital tech in supporting the sustainability. He also discussed different strategies and approaches to achieving short-term objectives, as well as insights into the wider NHS Net Zero agenda.
November 2024
Expert panellists: Manj Grewal, business development manager for CCube Solutions.
Discussion: Manj gave his insights into improving processes and security by managing corporate records utilising cloud technology. He outlined drivers for change, the key functionality of CCube’s solutions, and offered a demonstration of these in action.
Expert panellists: Lee Rickles, CIO, director & deputy SIRO at Humber Teaching Hospitals; Andrew Jones, digital transformation leader at Amazon Web Services; Tracy McClelland, CCIO at Dedalus; and Dan Bunstone, clinical director at Warrington Innovation Network and Warrington ICB.
Discussion: Our panel dissected the findings from the Lord Darzi report, reflecting on elements that might be holding the NHS back from innovation. We explored challenges, missed opportunities, the role of digital and tech in driving change, as well as focusing on prevention and promoting integrated care.
Expert panellists: Paul Charnley, former CIO and chair of the NHS Blueprinting Programme, and Mike Hardman, principal engineer and EPR technology lead at Aire Logic.
Discussion: We assessed the challenges around EHR complexity, including the need for a more standard approach to improve on technical challenges. We also discussed ways to strike the right balance between customisation, compliance and scalability.
Expert panellists: George Anibaba, senior innovation manager at Health Innovation Kent Surrey Sussex, as well as Geoff Petrie, digital training manager and David Holland, deputy CCIO for Allied Health Professionals, both from Leeds Teaching Hospitals.
Discussion: We spent this session exploring digital workforce education and training. This included sharing examples of educational programmes to support digital programmes, as well as best practices for engaging the workforce in digital education and tech.
December 2024
Expert panellists: Abi Burrows, pre-op, prehab & NCSEM matron, ambulatory care at Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH); Dr Katie Misselbrook, consultant paediatric anaesthetist at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital; and Dr Lara Mason, director of product at Isla Health.
Discussion: The session focused on ways in which digital can support pre-op assessments, and how a digital-first process supports waiting times in line with NHS elective recovery goals.
Expert panellists: Dr Penny Kechagioglou, chief clinical information officer and deputy chief medical officer at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire; James Driver, digital innovation manager at Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West ICB; and Dan Johnston, associate CNIO and director of clinical operations for Imprivata.
Discussion: Our panel shared their perspectives on fostering a culture of innovation and overcoming challenges when it comes to innovation in digital healthcare. We also looked at upcoming innovation and what it might look like.
Expert panellists: From the University of Edinburgh, we were joined by Professors Robin Williams, director at the Institute for the Study of Science, Technology and Innovation; and Kathrin Cresswell, Professor of Digital Innovations in Health and Care. Veronica Blanco Gutierrez, NHS Clinical Entrepreneur, midwife, and EPSRC-funded doctoral researcher in digital health at the University of Bristol; and Andrew Bateman, Professor in Rehabilitation, Interdisciplinary Research and Practice Divisional Lead at the University of Essex; also joined us for the discussion.
Discussion: We explored some of the challenges and best practices around translating research into practice. Our panel shared insights and key findings from their current and past research, as well as any impact or potential impact on healthcare delivery, and some of the barriers to translating that work into healthcare practice.
Expert panellists: Julia Lake, associate director for digital (data) at Leeds Teaching Hospitals; Penny Kechagioglou, senior clinical oncology consultant, CCIO, and deputy chief medical officer at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust; and Sally Mole, senior digital programme manager – digital portfolio delivery team at The Dudley Group.
Discussion: The panel touched upon different areas of digital leadership, including what being a leader of digital change looks like for them, culture, overcoming challenges, change management, the role of a digital leader now and in the future, and how to balance priorities in the short- and long-term.
And that’s a wrap. We’d like to thank everyone who participated, and look forward to more panel discussions in the coming year!
