The first look of this year’s highly anticipated Digital Health Summer Schools programme featuring national keynotes, NHS CEOs, digital leadership plenary sessions and international case studies has been published.  

Summer Schools, now in its 11th year, is the UK’s most prestigious two-day education and networking event dedicated to CCIOs, CIOs and CNIOs, together with all current and aspiring digital health leaders. The event is exclusively for members of the Digital Health Networks, the UK’s largest health IT community. 

Taking place 18-19 July at Durham University, the conference programme tackles the next big challenges in digital health across key themes of productivity, integrated care, digital workforce, patient outcomes, EPRs, open platforms, essential business skills, and clinical safety.  

Summer School opens with joint keynotes Sir Jim Mackey CEO and Shauna McMahon CIO of The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS FT sharing their experiences of wider regional and national digital challenges and the ongoing work by the trust in digitising the patient and end user experience. 

Following the morning keynote, we explore the long-term productivity challenges for the NHS and the different approaches being used to overcome them. Attendees will gain insight from those leading high profile change initiatives across multiple NHS organisations as the panel addresses the challenges around preparing the digital workforce and growing the digital pipeline. 

Delegates will then breakout into digital masterclasses covering topics including mobile-first strategies, interoperability, EPR, digital flow and digital dungeons transformation quest. Delivered by sponsors of the Networks, the sessions are designed to offer delegates with practical insights to augment their organisations’ digital programmes.  

A series of sessions focusing on the development of leadership roles for CCIOs, CIOs, CNIOs, midwifery, AHPs, ICS and CAOs is followed by updates and interactive panel discussion from the Birmingham Declaration, launched at last year’s Summer Schools by the Networks.  

Day one concludes with the Digital Health Awards presentation. Winners will be revealed for Chief Clinical Information Officer of the Year, Chief Information Officer of the Year, Chief Nursing Information Officer of the Year, Rising Star Award, and Outstanding Team (new for 2024) followed by a relaxed networking dinner.  

Day two kicks off with international keynote Dr Jordi Piera Jiménez, the leader of one of Europe’s most successful regional health information digitisation programmes. Dr Piera Jiménez will share his insights and experience on how Catalonia has successfully pioneered the implementation of openEHR at scale, and the benefits it has been able to achieve. 

National CIO John Quinn and Sue Jacques, County Durham & Darlington NHS FT’s highly experienced CEO, will then take the stage to explore work being done at both a regional and national level to address the challenges impacting digital. How do approaches vary and what can we learn to better align our healthcare system. 

Friends from The Shuri Network make a welcome return with founder and chair Dr Shera Chok leading a session on contracting effectively and ethically addressing what can be done collectively to make change happen through commercial and digital channels. 

Summer Schools is dedicated to CCIOs, CIOs and CNIOs, together with all current and aspiring digital health leaders. The event is exclusively for members of the Digital Health Networks, the UK’s largest health IT community.  

The event is supported by Networks sponsors: Alcidion,  Altera,  CereCore,  DellTechnologies,  Imprivata,  Insource, Intel, Intersystems, Nuance, and Salesforce. 

Summer Schools promises two-days of CPD-accredited content, rewarding education, networking, and best practice exchange, and have a unique opportunity to learn from the very best digital health leaders from across the UK. 

Register now to secure your place and book your accommodation. Prices starts from £369 + VAT.