NHS Digital Academy kicks off to train next generation of health IT leaders

The NHS Digital Academy kicked off this week, with attendees taking to Twitter to share their excitement.

The Academy, which is a digital organisation designed to train a new generation of digital leaders who can help drive IT transformation within the NHS, began on Monday (16 April) at the Royal Society in London.

Toral Thomas, Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust CCIO, has tweeted a number of pictures throughout the week.

This included one about national CCIO, Simon Eccles, who spoke about the “importance of accurate data for everyone”.

He also tweeted a picture of a breakout session where students were asked to “discuss how to get digital projects running” at their trusts (see tweets below).

Breakout groups to discuss how to get digital projects running at our Trusts. #digitalacademy #peersupport @NHSDigAcademy pic.twitter.com/y4zKE3pLYJ

— NSFT CCIO (@NSFT_CCIO) April 18, 2018

NHS digital academy kick off this morning! Congratulations to the amazing team for all their hard work and good luck to all participants! @NHSDigAcademy @NHSCCIO @Imperial_IGHI @DrAzizSheikh pic.twitter.com/HOsXcMPPJI

— saira ghafur (@sairaghafur) April 16, 2018

The start of a productive morning at The Royal Society for the kickoff of the NHS Digital Academy. @NHSDigAcademy @NorthWestGDE @InsideHealthCIO @katewarriner pic.twitter.com/2fYy0pPTPa

— Matt Gardner (@matt_gardner__) April 16, 2018

Applications to join the Academy opened in November 2017, with the first students accepted in February 2018.

The year-long training course is open to CCIOs, CIOs, as well as aspiring digital leaders from clinical, and non-clinical, backgrounds.

Applicants were required to have five years’ informatics or digital experience, the support of their chief executive, and be able to attend three residential training sessions.

According to the NHS England website, details of how to apply for 2019’s intake will be announced “in due course”.