Digital ICS Programme
Introducing our new podcast mini series
The Digital Shift, our new mini series delivered by NHS Providers in partnership with the NHS Confederation and Public Digital and supported by NHS England as part of their NHS Digital Academy, explores how senior leaders in the health sector can confidently lead their organisations in the shift from analogue to digital.
In each episode, senior leaders who have led impactful lasting change in complex organisations, share their practical advice and solutions on navigating the inevitable challenges which arise when we push the digital transformation agenda forward.
The series explores topics such as the role leaders play in enabling good Digital practices; the importance of understanding cyber risks, and how leaders can continue to deliver digital products and services in uncertain and stressful environments.
Our host Chris Fleming (a partner at Public Digital and delivery partner of our Digital Boards and Digital ICS programmes) is joined by Lara Sampson, a digital transformation and product management expert and partner at Public Digital. Lara led the product development of Universal Credit from its inception in 2013 through to six million users in 2021. She talks about the role of a senior leader in delivering digital products and services – even if they have little hands-on experience in this area or limited knowledge of technology. Listen for tips on how to enable good practice, and which questions to ask to avoid common pitfalls.
Our host Chris Fleming is joined by senior director and Head of Local Government at Public Digital, Cate McLaurin. In 2020, the London Borough of Hackney experienced a major ransomware cyber attack and data theft. As Head of Delivery, Cate was instrumental in leading the council’s response. In this episode she warns that although cyber attacks are inevitable, leaders can reduce the risk to their organisation. Cate shares how leaders can best mitigate, prepare for and respond to similar situations.
Our host Chris Fleming is joined by Audree Fletcher, director at Public Digital. Audree leads digital transformation programmes for major public sector organisations and has worked with the Home Office, UK Parliament and Ofcom. In this episode, Audree shares what leaders can do to deliver in uncertain and changing environments, drawing on her experience as former service director at NHS Test and Trace where she led the development and roll out of the service.
Read our quarterly insight papers:
- Supporting ICS leaders to harness the potential of the digital agenda – the emerging picture of delivering digital across ICSs
- From competition to collaboration – the power of digital as a lever
- Creating the right conditions for success – using the full range of levers to drive the digital agenda
- Eating the elephant – breaking down the system digital transformation challenge
- Five traits of effective ICS digital leadership
- Developing a useful ICS digital strategy
- Keeping your ICS safe from cyber attacks
- How can ICSs ensure their digital services help them to reduce health inequalities?
- Leveraging digital transformation to tackle the system-wide productivity challenge
The Digital ICS Programme
The Digital ICS programme is a free support offer designed to support all integrated care board (ICB) and integrated care system (ICS) leaders to better harness digital transformation to enable delivery of system ambitions.
Delivered in partnership with NHS Providers and Public Digital, and supported by NHS England as part of their NHS Digital Academy, the programme gives ICB and ICS leaders access to digital transformation experts, peer learning and expert facilitation. The programme is an extension of the NHS Providers’ Digital Boards programme for NHS trust leaders.
Digital transformation is a fundamental enabler in achieving the four core purposes of ICSs and therefore it is critical that all system leaders understand their role in driving the digital agenda. All ICSs are different in their design and we took a highly bespoke approach to this programme so that we could provide appropriate and tailored support to each individual system.
ICSs that take advantage of our programme were supported to:
- Build the understanding, confidence and capability of ICS leaders to drive the digital agenda.
- Develop stronger collective ownership and awareness of the role digital transformation plays as a critical enabler of achieving the four core purposes of ICSs.
In the first year of programme delivery, we engaged 89% of ICSs through our bespoke development support, peer learning and insights sharing.
“The Digital ICS leaders workshop helped us align what we mean by digital and how it is an enabler for our broader priorities. It was pitched at just the right level for an audience of differing backgrounds and experiences and we are now discussing how we take this forward in a second session.”
Cedi Frederick, Chair, Kent and Medway ICB
Featured content
Events
Programme overview
The Digital ICS programme provided system leaders with protected space to discuss digital transformation and the enabling role it plays in addressing broader system priorities.
Systems are faced with a challenging digital landscape, including operational pressures, funding constraints, workforce shortages and stretched operational capacity. A new way of working is needed to address these challenges, and the Digital ICS programme supported ICS leaders to build their understanding of digital at a system level and their collective role in driving digital transformation.
The programme focused on sharing expert insight, good practice and peer learning on digital transformation through a set of free and voluntary leadership development sessions, events and resources.
The offer included free:
- ICS leadership development sessions – bespoke agendas co-designed with ICS leaders to meet the specific digital needs of the system and enable the ICB and other leadership groups to reflect on how digital can support delivery of the core strategic purposes of the ICS
- Peer learning events – our events gave system leaders the opportunity to hear from peers across the health and care and other sectors, share good practice, explore the art of the possible and learn key factors for successful digital transformation
- Resources and insight briefings – our quarterly insight briefings share learnings and emerging good practice from across the sector.