HEE partners with Yale University to support digital leaders

Health Education England have partnered with Yale University in the US to support people looking to work in the international digital health sector.

People who want to explore health and social care on an international scale to enable better collaboration and better outcomes for patients are encouraged to apply for the Digital Futures Programme.

The international digital leadership programme offers a comprehensive learning experience including experiential learning, access to vast curricular resources and interaction with top-tier academics from both the UK and US.

Patrick Mitchell, director of innovation, digital and transformation at Health Education England, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for any senior leaders across health, social care or local government to come forward and gain a greater understanding of the digital agenda and how it can transform their organisation and expand their thinking from local to global.”

The programme has helped previous alumni better understand the importance of collaboration, as well as progress digital programmes that have stalled.

Anita Sargeant, head of school of allied health professions and midwifery at the University of Bradford and alumni of last year’s programme, added: “The main thing that I’ve taken away from this project has been that shared, systematic, strategic problem solving can cut through to the nub of an issue… importantly as a healthcare educationalist we have a role in transformation across healthcare systems.

“I would recommend the Digital Futures Programme as a space to share learning across disciplines and professions bringing a range of experience and knowledge to draw on. It’s been good and it’s been good fun.”

A musculoskeletal (MSK) transformation team from Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin used the programme to progress their project that had stalled, with an important component of the transformation relying on digital solutions.

The team from health, education and local government used the need to establish new ways of working during the pandemic to build ‘digital trust’ and took the time available during lockdown to work online to further develop professional and personal trust among stakeholders.

They developed an STP Cloud Collaboration Strategy and rolled out a range of digital tools that were both needed to support new ways of working during the pandemic but also aligned to the needs of the MSK transformation project.

Consecutively the clinical lead worked with the stakeholders to further engage the MSK forum to evolve into an online stakeholder governance body for the project.

This combination of interventions has reenergised the project, secured full and proper engagement and commitment, enabled proper sign off and commitment to implementing the new clinical model including digitally enabled solutions.

The deadline to apply for the Digital Futures Programme is 30 June 2021. More information on how to apply can be found here.