Digital Health Awards 2025

The Digital Health Awards 2025 shine a light on the outstanding digital leaders who are shaping the future of healthcare within the NHS. Our awards celebrate innovation, dedication, and excellence across the healthcare landscape, recognising the achievements and contributions of individuals who are driving transformation through digital technologies.

Held as part of the annual Digital Health Summer Schools event, the awards will take place on Thursday 17 July at the University of Warwick during the evening dinner.

The Digital Health Awards 2025 not only acknowledge excellence today but also aim to inspire and accelerate the next wave of digital leadership across the NHS.

This year’s awards have been judged by representatives from across the CCIO, CIO, and CNIO Advisory Panels, as well as members of the CSO and ICS Digital Council, ensuring a diverse and expert perspective in selecting the most impactful and inspiring digital leaders in health and care.

The judges were looking for compelling examples of leadership, innovation, and measurable impact in each of the following categories:

• CCIO of the Year
• CIO of the Year
• CNIO of the Year
• CSO of the Year
• Rising Star

We are delighted to announce our 2025 Digital Health Awards shortlist:

CCIO of the Year

Jennifer Cross Medical Director Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust
Jasmeen Islam Chief Clinical Information Officer Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Penny Kechagioglou Chief Clinical Information Officer, Deputy Chief Medical Officer University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust

CIO of the Year

Sian Clark Chief Digital Information Officer Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Amy Freeman Chief Digital Information Officer University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust
Lee Rickles Chief Information Officer, Director & Deputy SIRO Humber Teaching NHS Foundation Trust

CNIO of the Year

Stacey Hatton, Chief Nursing Information Officer, University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust
Misbah Mahmood, Chief X Information Officer and Clinical Safety Officer, Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust
Sam Neville, Associate Director of Clinical Applications, Chief Nursing Information Officer & Clinical Safety Officer Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust

CSO of the Year

Sharon O’Connor Chief Nursing Information Officer Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board
Kaye Reynolds, Lead Clinical Safety Officer The Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn NHS Foundation Trust
Stephen Roche Programme Lead: Digital Clinical Safety Service, and CSO NHS South, Central and West Commissioning Support Unit

Rising Star

Alice Butler Specialist Digital Midwife Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust
Tom Micklewright Clinical Lead for Digital Transformation in Primary Care NHS Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care Board
Grace Murray Specialist Digital Midwife South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Categories

The 2025 awards categories are:

CCIO of the Year:
This award recognises the Chief Clinical Information Officer (CCIO) who has demonstrated exceptional leadership and vision in harnessing digital solutions to improve patient care, streamline processes, and enhance clinical outcomes.

CIO of the Year:
Acknowledging the pivotal role of the Chief Information Officer (CIO), this award celebrates the individual who has displayed outstanding strategic thinking, innovation, and execution in leveraging technology to advance healthcare delivery and organisational goals.

CNIO of the Year:
For the Chief Nursing Information Officer (CNIO) who has exhibited exemplary leadership and innovation in integrating nursing practice with information management and technology, ultimately enhancing patient care and nursing workflows.

CSO of the Year
This award honours the Clinical Safety Officer (CSO) who has demonstrated outstanding leadership in ensuring the safe implementation and use of digital health technologies. Recognising excellence in risk management, governance, and patient safety, this award celebrates an individual who has made a significant impact in embedding safety principles within digital transformation initiatives.

Rising Star:
Celebrating emerging talent and future leaders in digital health, this award recognises an individual who has made significant contributions early in their career, demonstrating exceptional promise, creativity, and dedication to driving positive change.

Entry criteria

Submissions for the Digital Health Awards can be made by an individual nominating themselves or a colleague.

Those being nominated for an award must:

• Be a member of the Digital Health Networks.
• Be a CCIO, CIO, CNIO, CSO, future digital leader currently work in the field of digital health and social care or use technology in your daily work
• Work for the NHS, public sector, third sector providers, in charitable sectors, or as an academic or researcher.
• Demonstrate how the nominee meets the category criteria using evidence to support reasons.

Your application is subject to registering to attend Summer Schools 2025. The three finalists from each category will receive a complimentary ticket for the awards dinner and a 20% discount on your attendance ticket for the event which will be applied to your booking once confirmed as a finalist.

Categories

The 2025 awards categories are:

Thanks to Digital Health Networks sponsors