Key Takeaways
- NHS England is professionalizing the digital workforce with a focus on accreditation and leadership.
- Summer Schools 2026 will feature prominent speakers discussing digital leadership and the NHS’s ten-year health plan.
- The conference will promote interactive sessions to enhance practical knowledge for digital health leaders.
Accelerating Change in Digital Health
NHS England is accelerating the professionalization of the digital workforce, aiming to establish a recognized, trustworthy, and professionally accredited digital profession. This initiative will be highlighted at the forthcoming Summer Schools 2026, where key speakers will delve into the impact of the NHS’s ten-year health plan on digital careers. Discussions will cover professional registration, standards, leadership development, ethics, and potential career pathways for NHS digital professionals.
Notable speakers include James Freed, deputy director of The NHS Digital Academy; Andrew Griffiths, chief executive of the Federation for Informatics Professionals (FEDIP); Will Smart, chair of the Faculty of Health and Care at BCS; and Iolanda Pedrosa, chief information officer at Whittington Health NHS Trust.
Recently, Salma Yasmeen, chief executive of Sheffield Health Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust, was confirmed as a speaker. She will join a panel of leaders to reflect on the achievements and future aspirations outlined in the NHS ten-year health plan, marking its first year.
Scheduled for 16-17 July at the University of Nottingham, this year’s conference adopts a revamped format that emphasizes small-group interactions and hands-on sessions, offering attendees practical insights and enriched knowledge exchanges. Key themes include digital leadership accountability, scaling innovations, the ethical implications of AI, and fostering effective NHS-supplier relations, along with an evaluation of the ten-year health plan one year on.
Professor Kathrin Cresswell from the University of Edinburgh is among the first confirmed speakers, alongside Marie-Anne Ledingham, a clinical adviser at NICE, and Tharni Vasavan, senior health technologies lead at NICE.
A preview of the Summer Schools 2026 program was released last month and is accessible online. The event, touted as a premier networking opportunity for digital health leaders, is exclusively available to members of the Digital Health Networks, the UK’s largest health IT community. Current and aspiring digital health leaders are encouraged to attend.
Supported by various sponsors, including AWS, Microsoft, and Dell Technologies, attendees can earn Continuing Professional Development (CPD) points toward their professional registration. As space is limited, early registration is advised.
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