Blog

International Nurses Day

Hayley Grafton

12 May 2025

Firstly let me say Happy International Nurses’ Day to all my colleagues past and present.

Nursing is not something you do, it is something you are and I knew I was going to be a Nurse from the age of 14. Sitting at my Grandad’s hospital bedside, I watched the nurses go about their work with such calm, competence and care and I just knew. I was asked recently would I still go into Nursing if I was starting over and I absolutely would. It has been and continues to be a varied and meaningful profession.

I feel very fortunate to have known early on about my career path, and I had a fabulous 16 years as a bedside nurse, in General Medicine, Palliative Care and then specialising in Intensive Care. What I hadn’t anticipated back then was a move into clinical informatics and then digital nursing. Having said that, I’ve always been a bit of a nerd (often describing myself as a ‘Nerdy Nurse’). When my friends were buying the latest fashion trend I was buying the latest gadget. I also sought to digitise everything, much to my fellow ‘techno-phobe’ colleagues’ dismay, from nurses skills passports to full-scale EPRs. Doing anything but colouring with the kids on paper just didn’t make sense to me.

So digital nursing has truly been a revolution of bringing together two passions; patient care and technology. I’m very proud of being the clinical voice and the patient advocate in the digital health agenda. While those in these roles completely get it, the reaction from others has been interesting. I’ve been asked why I left nursing? And will I return to nursing once the ‘project’ is done? I’m still very much a nurse, in everything I do daily. I wholeheartedly believe in the cause of improving and changing the face of healthcare delivery with technology. Reassuringly, the importance is also front and centre of the NHS 10-year plan with the shift from Analogue to Digital.

I’ve been fortunate enough to have been in a digital leadership role for the past 6 years and involved in many implementations and attempts at digital transformation. The successes are fundamentally driven by the people, not necessarily the technology (although good, user-centred tech really helps). I have many scars, accolades and lessons learned, and the part of my job I enjoy most is sharing this experience, knowledge and insights, in the hope the next attempt avoids the pitfalls and dines on the successes. I’m delighted to be working with SmartCo Future Health as an associate to provide a clinical insight into the great work they do and to share the little wisdom I have far and wide.

True progress in nursing comes not only from compassion at the bedside, but from the courage to challenge the status quo and reimagine care for the future.

Inspired by the legacy of Florence Nightingale

About SmartCo Future Health

SmartCo Future Health is an award-winning consultancy shaping the future of healthcare. We bring a best-in-class team and future-focused approach; empowering clients, programmes and partners. We are a people first business, prioritising employee well-being, flexible working and equal opportunities for all.

Copy link

Related News

NewsTeam

Welcome to Suzi Parish

A warm welcome to Suzi Parish who joins the SmartCo Future Health team as our new Principal Consultant We sat down with Suzi to hear about her career journey, her new role and her first impressions of SmartCo Future Health. Read on to learn more about her background, passions and the experience she brings to the team. Hi Suzi. What’s your new role, and what will you be focusing on? I’m joining the team as a Principal Consultant. I’ll be focusing on supporting Trusts through their digital transformations and ensuring they get the most out of their systems. What has your career looked like leading up to SmartCo? My background is clinical – I trained and worked as a nurse. About 15 years ago, I became involved with digital systems. I was genuinely concerned about how these systems would impact clinical staff, especially if they weren’t included in their design. That sparked my journey into digital health. What attracted you to SmartCo’s mission and team? It’s the collaborative expertise – bringing together a wealth of knowledge to help Trusts optimise their systems and navigate smooth transitions to new systems. That focus on practical, informed support really resonated with me. What areas of healthcare innovation are you most passionate about? That’s a tough one – ultimately, we’re all aiming to improve patient care. But I’ve always been passionate about how innovation impacts staff. With increasing pressures and rising documentation demands, I’m focused on making their lives easier. Communicating local, tangible benefits to frontline teams is what I care most about. What advice would you give to someone just starting out in digital health? It’s an amazing field that offers insight into how healthcare really works behind the scenes. You don’t need to be a technical expert – if you can communicate clearly, understand different perspectives, and explain things well, you’ll thrive. How do you recharge outside of work? I’m a huge sports fan – F1, Tour de France, Le Mans, TT. If I’m not watching something, I’ve usually got my head in a book or I’m at the theatre. I’m a big fan of musicals! What’s a place on your travel bucket list and why? Honestly, I’m a homebird at heart. I love holidays, but it’s less about the destination and more about being with my family and having fun together.

Hannah Granshaw

8 July 2025

NewsTeam

Welcome to Ry Nasser

We’re excited to welcome Ry Nasser to the SmartCo Future Health team as our new Senior Consultant. We recently caught up with Ry to learn more about his career journey, his new role and what how he sees his role contributing to the future of health. Read on to discover his story and the valuable experience he brings to the team. Hi Ry. What’s your new role, and what will you be focusing on? My new role is as a Senior Consultant with the SmartCo Future Health Delivery Team. I’ll be focusing on managing client projects from end to end, ensuring they are delivered successfully, safely and to a high standard. This includes overseeing project planning, stakeholder coordination and risk management, making sure each project aligns with client expectations. What has been your career leading up to SmartCo? I’ve worked in the NHS since I was 17, gaining experience across a wide range of roles and departments, from an A&E receptionist to Bed Management and eventually as a Clinical Systems Coordinator. Over time, I developed a strong interest in digital transformation, which led me to specialise in project management. For the past 6 years, I’ve worked as a Project Manager, focusing on digital implementations. During that time, I’ve successfully led several major go-lives, helping to deliver impactful change across healthcare services. How do you see your role contributing to the future of health? I’ve been working in health for 16 years, and coming from a family of nurses, the importance of healthcare has always been deeply embedded in me. It’s more than just a career, it’s something I genuinely care about. In my role, I aim to continue the work I’ve been doing: helping to deliver meaningful change that makes a real difference to patients, their families and the healthcare professionals who do incredible work every single day. Whether it’s through improving systems, supporting safer care or enabling more efficient services, I see my role as part of the bigger picture in shaping a better, more responsive future for health. What aspects of SmartCo’s culture or team dynamics appealed to you most? What appealed to me most about SmartCo’s culture was the genuine passion the team has for the work they do. I had a number of conversations with different team members before joining, and it was clear that there’s a strong focus on learning, innovation and collaboration. That really aligns with my own values and approach to work. From those conversations alone, it felt like the kind of environment where people are truly invested in making a difference, and one that I can’t wait to be a part of. If you could learn a new skill or hobby this year, what would it be? My football career and ability is now in a downward spiral, so I’ve recently started playing Padel. This year the aim is to polish up on my serve and backhand. If you had a superpower, what would it be? Good question, I’d probably say teleportation – practical, efficient and perfect for avoiding traffic and queues. If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would you go? I’d say Brazil, Rio de Janeiro. I’ve always wanted to visit there!

Hannah Granshaw

1 July 2025

Blog

Smart Future for Digital Health

Throughout my career, I’ve worked in two major organisations that applied Lean methodology to enhance efficiency and eliminate waste. As a certified Six Sigma professional, I often reflect on how valuable that knowledge would have been earlier – especially during my time as a manager in an acute trust, where structured process improvement could have greatly enhanced operational workflows. Understanding Lean Six Sigma Lean Six Sigma (LSS) is a powerful methodology that combines the efficiency focus of Lean with the precision of Six Sigma. Together, they offer a proven framework for streamlining processes and improving quality: • Lean focuses on maximising customer value by eliminating non-essential activities. • Six Sigma focuses on reducing variation and defects through data-driven strategies, leading to greater consistency and accuracy. The Role of Lean Six Sigma in Healthcare Despite its origins in manufacturing, LSS holds immense potential in healthcare. Yet, its adoption within the NHS remains inconsistent – often due to scepticism about applying industrial techniques to clinical settings. Nonetheless, structured process improvement is vital. During my time on the National Programme two decades ago, we introduced process mapping in multiple Electronic Health Record (EHR) implementations. These “as-is” and “to-be” mapping frameworks remain invaluable today, but we must evolve beyond them to achieve measurable gains in efficiency and care delivery. Smart Co’s Approach to Advancing Lean Six Sigma At Smart Co Future Health, we take Lean Six Sigma a step further by integrating observation techniques and value-add analytics throughout our programme development. By refining the vision and maximising benefits, we ensure IT solutions drive lasting operational improvements rather than simply digitising existing inefficiencies. A critical factor in successful change management is employee ownership. Engaging staff in the readiness phase fosters a culture of innovation, leading to sustained efficiency gains and better patient outcomes. The Smart Co approach doesn’t just introduce new processes – it transforms mindsets, using actionable data and insights to drive continuous improvement beyond initial technology implementation. The Evidence Behind Strategic Digital Transformation Data confirms the impact of effective digital adoption. Among acute providers who launched EHRs, those in the top decile of digital maturity in 2017 saw a 13.4% reduction in per spell costs for admitted patients by FY 2019/20 compared to their peers. When executed strategically, digital transformation can: • Reduce the burden on healthcare staff • Empower patients with access to information and services • Guarantee seamless, secure health data accessibility • Improve clinical safety and patient care • Elevate overall productivity across healthcare systems Readiness and Optimisation: The Keys to Success Too often, organisations focus heavily on delivery and go-live, but true transformation lies in readiness and optimisation. Engaging employees in the readiness phase inspires organisations to achieve envisioned change, fostering continuous improvement and further enhancing efficiency. The journey to a streamlined, high-performing healthcare system is more than an IT deployment – it requires strategic engagement, proactive leadership and a commitment to long-term success. About Jill With over 30 years of leadership experience across the NHS and private sector, Jill brings deep expertise in digital transformation, complex programme delivery and people-first change. She’s passionate about using technology as an enabler to drive better health outcomes and operational efficiency. About SmartCo Future Health SmartCo Future Health is an award-winning consultancy shaping the future of healthcare. We bring a best-in-class team and future-focused approach; empowering clients, programmes and partners. We are a people first business, prioritising employee well-being, flexible working and equal opportunities for all.

Jill de Bene

25 June 2025

See all News