[London, UK] HIMSS UK has today announced the members of its first ever advisory board, formed to provide strategic oversight for the organisation’s work and accelerate the development of a digital health ecosystem across the UK and Ireland.

The announcement was first made by Professor Rachel Dunscombe at the Health and Care Innovation Expo conference in Manchester in September, who will chair the advisory board in addition to her responsibilities as CEO of the NHS Digital Academy and Director of Digital at the Salford Royal Group.

Prof Rachel Dunscombe has been working closely with HIMSS UK Chief Medical Officer Mark Davies to bring together a panel of NHS representatives to ensure clinical, patient-centred and frontline priorities shape the strategy for the organisation going forward.  

The board will guide HIMSS UK in its engagement with both existing suppliers to the NHS and other digital innovators that are trying to provide services for the service and public alike.

Interoperability, user-centred design, the shift to place-based care, patient digital empowerment and the emerging professionalism in CIOs and CCIOs will all have a leading part to play in guiding future work, starting with UK e-Health Week 2018, returning to Olympia in London for the fourth time next May.

“This is an important step for HIMSS UK to ensure its discussions and events are relevant, challenging and inclusive. The experts that we have put together will provide the critical friend role that will help put HIMSS UK at the centre of the health information and technology debate,” said Dr Mark Davies.

The members include Richard Corbridge, currently transitioning out of his tenure as Health Service Executive CIO in Ireland to become the CIO of Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Dr Victoria Betton, Founder and Managing Director of mHabitat, Andy Kinnear, Chair of BCS Health and Care and Director of Digital Transformation at NHS South, Central and West Commissioning Support Unit, and Anne Cooper, NHS Digital Chief Nurse and a digitally-empowered patient with diabetes.

“This is a great opportunity to shape the debate about digital priorities in healthcare. We will make the best use of digital capabilities available if we closely match them to the current health transformation plans.

“Aligning the challenges of new ways of working with digital solutions is where we will have most impact. The HIMSS UK advisory board has been set up to help ensure this happens,” added Prof Rachel Dunscombe.