The email came in on 02/06/2025 by 12:38pm and the title read: Congratulations – You’ve Been Awarded a Place on the NextGen Bursary Programme. I still remember the feeling when I opened the email and read it in full- I was actually going to Summer School 2025! For someone who has made the pivot from clinical medicine to digital health and as an aspiring digital health leader, it felt like more than just an event invite — it felt like a door opening.
From Excitement to Arrival
After receiving my invitation, I did some additional research into the history of the Summer Schools, and what I found was truly mind blowing. Incidentally, I met someone who told me that this was his 10th Summer School, and in hindsight, I can see why people try to show up yearly. The summary of my finding was that this event was a place where one had the opportunity to learn from and interact with some of the most influential voices and minds driving digital transformation across the NHS.
The journey to Coventry was not a straightforward one as I had multiple train changes, and by the time I arrived, I was tired. When I alighted from the taxi, I became re-energised. There is something about university environments that excites me, and Warwick was no different but more importantly, I was going to meet a mix of seasoned digital leaders, rising innovators, academics, CIOs, CCIOs, CNIOs, and early-career professionals, all gathered with a shared vision of reshaping healthcare.
I headed off to the Senate House, and my registration was very smooth. Kudos to the organisers.
The evening kicked off with a networking BBQ, which was far more than just food and drinks. It became my first real immersion: hearing people’s journeys, sharing aspirations, and meeting individuals I had only previously followed online or read about in digital health circles. That was where I met Helen Balsdon (National CNIO, NHS England), Dr Lia A. and Light Chibuzor Caleb
Two Days of Learning and Connection.
The Summer School officially began the next morning, and the next 48 hours were transformative. The sessions weren’t just talks but strategies, and real stories about what has worked and what did not work.
Here are a few of the standout sessions that left a lasting impact on me:
Successful Delivery of EHR Across University Hospitals Birmingham
Lucy Clare-Banayos and Steve Ryan broke down how they managed to roll out their EHR and successfully manage all the challenges associated with rolling out an EHR especially in an organisation as large as UHB. Key things that stood out for me were their EHR is a home-grown system, use of phased deployment approach for implementation, the importance of having all healthcare professionals aligned, and the need to benchmark your data before go-live. I was intrigued to find out that they still had challenges around alert fatigue which is a known problem with clinical decision support systems, and looking forward to seeing how they solve it fully.
Digital Transformation in Local Trusts
This keynote session by Jonathan Brotherton and Tanya Pankhurst) reinforced the importance of stakeholder engagement, unification of clinical teams, and leadership for every digital transformation project. Key takeaways from their experience at UHB include enhanced patient safety, improved digital maturity (HIMSS Stage 5), having a cost-effective solution by using a home-grown system, importance of clinical engagement, and having an enhanced audit capability. According to Jonathan, UHB is an example of home-grown local innovation at scale.
EPR Implementation at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW)
This session led by Dr Penny Kechagioglou and Karen Bond was an opportunity to listen to the learnings from another implementation but this time from UHCW. My major takeaway was the fact that it was very important to have a voice between the clinical team and the build/project team. Other important lessons were the value of detailed preparation and planning, engagement with clinical teams, designing with everyone, designing from a patient safety perspective and workforce training and engagement.
According to the panelists, business as usual is everyone’s responsibility and this has to be factored into planning and education.
Leadership in A Changing System.
This panel chaired by Linda (Gillespie) Vernon with David Walliker and Hayley (McHugh) Grafton as panelists left me with one key message: digital transformation has to be clinically led, operationally delivered and digitally enabled. According to them, in this era of budget cuts, some practical steps to take are identifying funding opportunities that align with Trust goals, collaboration with stakeholders to secure additional resources, prioritise budgets with the highest ROI, use pilot programs to demonstrate value before full scale implementation, and preparing for sustainability shifts.
David Walliker was kind enough to share some personal development tips with me. Thank you, David.
Making AI Work in Practice
This breakout session might arguably be my best session because of the way Joe Zhang and Jessica Rose Morley, PhD broke down the concepts of artificial intelligence. Everything I have been studying about AI now makes a lot of sense. I now have a clear understand of how models are built and trained. The conversations in the room about the issue of patient consent, big data paradox, and data drift made the session even more interesting and mentally challenging. It was clear from the session that we still need to do a lot of work in the realm of AI in healthcare.
According to Joe, training an AI model does not guarantee value.
Lessons Beyond the Lecture Rooms & The Honest Conversations.
Equally important were the conversations in between over coffee, during lunch, walking across campus. The community at Summer School was welcoming, collaborative, and honest. I left with new connections, potential mentors, and a clearer sense of how I can contribute to the future of digital health.
I met several persons who shared without holding back what they were doing, how they navigated issues and what next. One thing I realised, we are all in this together. Thank you Light Chibuzor Caleb , Natasha Odita, Simon Eccles, Sithabile Tshabalala, Dr Lia and so many others for the beautiful conversations.
Dinner / Award Night
As one of my major highlights in Summer School, it was great to see individuals and teams who were doing amazing work in the digital health space recognised for their hard work and dedication. The energy in the room was electric which was a good reminder that while the work is challenging, it is also deeply valued.
Big congratulations to all the nominees and winners.
Beyond the powerful sessions and panels, the hospitality at Warwick University was exceptional. From the first evening BBQ to the thoughtfully curated meals throughout the event, there was a real sense of care and community.
Sharing food became a catalyst for casual networking and deeper conversations whether over coffee between sessions or dinner after a long day of learning. Moments like these reminded me that connection often happens in the in-between.
Hats off to the organisers, the Digital Health Team (Karl Grundy, Lauren Burgon, and Neil Hadland) for creating a space where the logistics felt seamless — it really allowed the focus to stay on learning, reflection, and relationship-building.
Looking Ahead: Hopes for the Next Edition
I thoroughly enjoyed myself and eagerly look forward to the next edition. Here are some of the things I would like to see:
Even more early-career professionals and clinicians being empowered to attend and contribute.
Continued focus on real-world implementation challenges, not just policy ambitions.
Panel sessions on career transitions e.g How I became a CCIO, CDIO or CIO. I believe a lot of persons need clarity on what these pathways look like including courses.
A Note of Gratitude
A heartfelt thank you to the Digital Health team for the bursary and for putting together such an impactful event. As a first-time attendee, I felt seen, supported, and inspired.
This experience has further cemented my commitment to contributing meaningfully to the digital transformation of healthcare: one informed decision, one collaborative project, and one leadership opportunity at a time.
If you’re considering applying for the next edition, my advice is simple: Go for it. You belong in the room.
And just to also mention, Coventry is a beautiful city, will make time to explore fully.
See you in the next edition.
Cheers,
Dr. Ron
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