Helen is Interim Chief Nursing information Officer (CNIO) at NHS England.

Helen’s work seeks to ensure that nursing practice is supported by digital technology and data science and that nurses are equipped to work and lead in an digitally enabled environment.

Prior to joining the team, Helen was CNIO/Head of Nursing at Cambridge University Hospitals. This was a strategic role working across the organisation providing clinical leadership for all aspects of informatics including adoption and use of new ways of working using technology.

Helen is passionate about using technology to support the delivery of high quality, evidence-based care and empowering patients in managing their own health record.

Melanie is an experienced leader, having worked as a Medical Director in different settings for over 8 years, in an acute Trust, for NHS Improvement and for NHS England at regional level. Prior to this she held a variety of regional and national roles as a senior clinical leader focussed on Children and Young People. She is a Paediatrician with over 30yrs service in the NHS.

In her last position as Regional Medical Director in the East of England she was the Chief Clinical Information Officer.

She has board level and system experience including organisational merger, within a regulatory environment and across complex systems.

Mel has significant experience in digital transformation, quality improvement, and transformational change and leadership, and working with a wide range of people and organisations developing networks, improvement programmes, whole system working and peer review.

She has a relentless focus on improving outcomes for patients and their families, supporting the health and care workforce, compassionate leadership and developing a culture of learning and continuous improvement.