The Chief Information Officer is responsible for developing, managing and supporting all information technology services and Digital Transformation within Bassetlaw Hospital, Doncaster Royal Infirmary and Montagu Hospital and ensuring computer systems support health professionals in the delivery of high quality care and treatment.
Ken initially joined the Trust in 2016. With an extensive background in information technology (IT) leadership and digital transformation, he initially worked within the Strategy and Improvement directorate, before moving on to become Head of IT Programmes and Development and latterly Interim Chief Information Officer.
As has been demonstrated by the COVID-19 pandemic, digital technology is becoming ever more integral in everyone’s daily lives, and it has proven crucial as the NHS, both locally and nationally, has continued to care for patients throughout the past 12 months, despite the obvious challenges.
Ken and his team within Digital Transformation will lead this work as the Trust begins to look beyond COVID-19 towards the future and the next phase in its digital journey and the opportunities this will bring.
Speaking about the appointment, Ken said: “I am very pleased to be appointed to this role, and look forward to continuing the work that I have been supporting throughout the past number of years. We have a fantastic and driven Digital Transformation team within the Trust, made up of extremely knowledgeable, talented and dedicated individuals, and I am very pleased to have the opportunity to continue to lead this service.
“To me, technology is a tool that we can use to help us improve the way we work, whether this is how we record clinical observations, or instead notify our patients when they have an upcoming appointment and everything in between and beyond. In our own lives we have seen the difference that things such as smart devices have made – and we want to leverage these innovations for the benefit of our hospitals.
Jon Sergeant, Director of Finance at the Trust and the director responsible for Digital Transformation, said: “Having worked closely with Ken for the past number of months, I am delighted to appoint him to the Chief Information Officer post. Ken brings a wealth of knowledge to the Trust, and I have every confidence he, and the wider team, will continue to improve our digital infrastructure, ultimately improving the care and treatment we offer to our patients.
“We understand that not everyone is tech-savvy, therefore it is the job of our Digital Transformation team to make any digital systems and innovations as accessible and easy-to-use as possible – making their introduction seamless. Their goal is to make our colleagues’ working life better, and in the process enhance the way we deliver services. To achieve this, we have a very talented team, and with Ken at the helm I believe we have a very bright future ahead of us.”