Chief Information Officer Update - June 2026: Sharing Our Innovative Practices On a National Scale

Over recent weeks, I’ve found myself reflecting more than usual on what it means to be a Chief Information Officer (CIO) in today’s NHS. Not because the pace has slowed (it hasn’t) but because moments of recognition have created a welcome opportunity to take stock of both our progress and the systemic challenges that remain.

Being recognised in the HSJ (Health Service Journal) Top 50 most influential people in health tech for 2026 is a genuine honour. However, it also feels slightly uncomfortable. No CIO delivers anything in isolation. Behind every individual accolade is a much wider story of teams, partnerships and sustained effort.

This past month has brought that reality into sharp focus.

Consistency of Purpose

Across the Trust, there has been a desire to share our innovative practice on a national scale, including submitting to national awards. We are highlighting everything from innovation in care pathways to targeted improvements in equity and clinical access. What stands out most to me is not just the volume of these initiatives, but the consistency of purpose behind them: improving outcomes for our patients and local communities.

Digital is central to that mission, but it should never be the headline, it is the enabler.

Over the last few weeks, we have reached some critical operational milestones that, while perhaps not headline-grabbing externally, represent significant progress for our organisation.

After several years and more than a few stop-start moments, we have successfully gone live with request and results. This has been a long journey requiring persistence, resilience and deep partnership across clinical, operational and digital teams. While it materially advances our digital maturity, I am realistic enough to acknowledge that this essentially brings us into line with where much of the NHS already operates. This isn’t about standing still; it is about securing our foundations so we can move forward with confidence.

Similarly, we have launched phase one of the Do IT Profiler neurodiversity profiling tool, designed to improve the support and care provided to patients. This is an important step forward, not just in digital capability, but in how we actively embed inclusivity and personalised care into everyday clinical practice. It reflects our core ambition: ensuring that digital innovation is always anchored in real-world user experience.

Alongside these internal milestones, the continued growth and success of the Interweave digital partnership remains a key source of pride. The ability to enable shared care, improve clinical decision-making and deliver true interoperability at scale does not happen by accident. It is the product of collaboration, shared ownership, and a commitment to open standards across organisational boundaries. What is being delivered across Yorkshire and Humber demonstrates what is possible when we move beyond institutional silos to work as a true system.

The Reality of the Landscape

While it is right to celebrate these successes, it is equally important to acknowledge the stark economic context in which we operate.

Locally, I am encouraged by our Trust’s financial position and the discipline and focus that has gone into maintaining it. This fiscal responsibility provides us with a degree of stability, allowing us to continue investing in the digital tools that matter most to frontline staff.

However, looking more broadly across the Integrated Care System (ICS) and the national landscape, the picture is undeniably challenging. Financial pressures, workforce constraints and competing operational priorities continue to create a difficult environment for sustained digital investment.

National insights consistently reinforce this reality. We face an ongoing challenge where digital is frequently viewed through the narrow lens of a cost centre rather than as a critical, non-negotiable enabler of care. Compounded by system-wide capacity constraints, these are not abstract policy issues, they actively shape the complex governance and delivery decisions we make every single day.

Cultivating a Culture

Within that challenging context, what continues to ground me is the contribution of our teams.

There is a quiet professionalism in the way people consistently deliver. From major transformation programmes to day-to-day operational resilience, colleagues show up, solve problems and move the needle. Much of this work is entirely invisible to the outside world, yet it is fundamental to everything we achieve.

This is why recognition actually matters. Not because it validates an individual leader, but because it shines a light on collective effort.

Initiatives like BeDigital rightly focus on collaborative leadership, innovation and those often unseen contributions that keep the NHS running. I see those same qualities across our own teams daily: professionals who build genuine partnerships, colleagues who create clarity out of complexity and teammates who quietly enable others to succeed.

As a CIO, my primary responsibility is to ensure these contributions are visible, valued, and protected. Our job is to cultivate an environment where people feel safe to innovate, challenge the status quo, and deliver. Awards are temporary, but a supportive, clinician-led culture is what sustains long-term success.

Looking Ahead

Looking down the road, the obvious question some might ask is whether I’ll make the influencer list again in 2027.

The honest answer is that it is entirely out of my control, nor should it be the focus. What matters is that we continue to deliver meaningful clinical outcomes, strengthen our regional partnerships and support our teams to succeed. If we do that well, external recognition will either follow or it won't, and either outcome is perfectly fine.

The true measure of health informatics success isn't a published list or a trophy. It is whether, collectively, we are making a measurable difference to the people delivering and receiving care.

Over the last four weeks, I have seen more than enough to be confident that we are doing exactly that.