The CNIO interview: Jacqui Cooper, Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Jacqui Cooper from Wirral University Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is the latest clinician to take part in our CNIO profile series. Jacqui talks about why she believes networking is an important skill for CNIOs and why she’s after Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s job.

Why did you become an NHS CNIO?

Somebody had to and because I had previously worked in such a specialist field (neonates) I wanted to ensure that nursing had a voice in the world of informatics.

Why do you think the role of CNIO is so important within the NHS and the nursing community?

We are the largest workforce and documenter in the EPR, as CNIO’s we are in the privileged position of being able to influence and get it right for nurses.

Within your organisation, what is the most significant digital achievement of the past 12 months?

Population health/Wirral Health Care Record– widening the digital world to our communities this is a big step to a healthier community who are included and encouraged to participate with their own health decisions.

What will be the most significant development of the next 12 months?

The patient portal I would say, patients having immediate access to their record which can enable ownership of their own health.

What’s the biggest barrier to being a more effective CNIO?

Analogue nurses and the reluctance to change and progress.

What’s the biggest barrier the NHS faces overall in achieving digital transformation?

Clinical variation/interoperability

If you have one piece of advice for other NHS CNIOs, what would it be?

Network, we are a relatively small group, I have gained so much professionally and personally from my national colleagues.

Who in the NHS do you admire the most and why?

Difficult as there are a few, but overall Anne Cooper, being a woman that leads the digital agenda can be difficult. She has and continues to inspire me, acknowledging that we don’t have to be a technical genius, but we do need to be the advocate for our patients and nursing colleagues in the digital world.

If you were given £30 million to spend on digital transformation within your trust, where would that money go?

An integrated regional system for healthcare with resource for adoption and benefits realisation.

What is the most over-hyped digital innovation in health?

Apps, we are not quite there yet.

What is the most under-rated digital innovation in health?

Mobile devices, ensuring we are at the bedside for documentation including our patients in decision making.

And a few non-digital questions;

What’s the worst job you’ve ever had and why? 

Administration clerk for a heating company when I was 16, the typewriter had missing keys which I was told to add them in by pen! Lasted 1 week.

If you could invite three people, alive or dead, to dinner who would they be?

Melissa McCarthy for humour, Oprah Winfrey for her inspirational life story and Maya Angelou for her wise words.

What’s the background image on your home computer?

My family

What’s your favourite piece of technology at home and why?

iphone versus Alexa I am a slave to both! Its so easy to manage my life as a busy working Mum.

If you could have any other job, what would it be?

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s job at River Cottage.

In a film of your life, who would play you?

Rebel Wilson as she is hilarious or Sarah Lancashire from a northern perspective.