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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
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
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
Strategic Partnership with DNV Imatis
SmartCo Future Health and DNV Imatis announce Strategic Partnership. SmartCo Future Health and DNV Imatis are excited to announce a new strategic partnership aimed at improving operational efficiency across the UK healthcare system. SmartCo Future Health will serve as a dedicated delivery partner, working directly with healthcare providers to implement the DNV Imatis platform. SmartCo’s implementation service provides the skills and support needed to enhance user experience, boost productivity and realise the full benefits of the platform. Grounded in a shared vision of practical, people-centred digital transformation, this partnership brings together SmartCo’s proven expertise in NHS digital transformation and deep sector insight with DNV Imatis’ adaptable and innovative digital tools. Our aim is to help NHS Trusts deliver faster, more visible outcomes for both patients and staff. “I’m delighted to announce this exciting collaboration, which aligns SmartCo Future Health’s digital transformation expertise with the DNV Imatis digital health platform. Together our aim is to empower our healthcare professionals, releasing time to care, improving patient experience and increasing productivity.” Paul Gilliatt, Managing Director, SmartCo Future Health “Our goal is to help improve operational efficiency across the healthcare system. Together with SmartCo Future Health, we’re dedicated in supporting NHS Trusts with solutions that are designed for the complexity of real care environments, and built to scale across hospitals and regions.” Johan Folkunger, CEO, DNV Imatis 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. Together we can improve healthcare services and embrace digital innovation. Our partnership approach enables better clinical outcomes and enhanced patient experience. We are a people first business, prioritising employee well-being, flexible working and equal opportunities for all. About DNV Imatis DNV Imatis provides a vendor-neutral and scalable platform that supports more efficient healthcare operations. The modular ecosystem of lightweight applications adapts to existing, new or evolving workflows – within, between and across departments and units. By integrating with current EHRs, building systems and other infrastructure, DNV Imatis enables real-time data sharing that improves communication, clinical workflows, logistics, alarm and task management, bed and capacity management and patient flow. Whether coordinating outpatient visits, emergency admissions or routine treatment, the platform helps departments operate as one cohesive system. With full overview and seamless cross-departmental collaboration, DNV Imatis ensures that tasks are followed through and nothing is missed. DNV Imatis’ solutions support clinical and operational teams in managing care pathways, resources and capacity – more effectively and with less friction. Get In Touch If you’d like to know more about our strategic partnership and services then please contact us here.
Hannah Granshaw
23 June 2025
Reflections on the Spending Review
Opportunity, Complexity and the Road Ahead. The significant boost in funding for the NHS and the planned £10 billion investment in technology over the next three years is undoubtedly welcome. But as always, the devil is in the detail. A Step Forward. But What’s Behind the Headline? Additional investment in NHS technology is essential if we’re to meet the growing demand and modernise services. However, several important questions need answering before we can understand the real impact: 1. Is the £10 billion truly “new money”? It’s important to distinguish between fresh investment and the ongoing cost of maintaining existing digital infrastructure. The NHS’s foundational technology requires substantial support just to keep running, and that shouldn’t be underestimated. 2. What’s the strategy? In the previous Spending Review, we saw a clear direction: digitise the frontline, strengthen data infrastructure and expand citizen access through the NHS App – the “three big bets” championed by Tim Ferris. Broadly, this remains the right approach. But will this new investment follow that same path, or are priorities shifting? 3. New tools vs optimising what we have How much of this investment will go toward new, innovative technologies and how much toward optimising the systems already in place? Equally important is understanding the capital versus revenue split, and how much funding will go into people and skills, rather than technology. Often, the biggest gains come not from new tech, but from helping people use existing tools better. 4. National vs local investment There’s a balance to strike between national-level programmes and frontline innovation. In many cases, we can achieve more, faster, by investing at the local level, empowering teams who are closest to patients and challenges. 5. What about social care? Any meaningful transformation of health services must include social care. Investing in NHS technology without a system-wide view risks reinforcing silos. Health and care must evolve together, not in parallel. 6. The Single Patient Record. Vision or ambition? A health record, owned and controlled by the individual, is a powerful vision. But it will be one of the most technically and politically complex undertakings in our system. Building this from scratch is unrealistic. A better path is to evolve from the digital foundations we’ve already laid. Turning Policy into Progress Having experienced several Spending Reviews during my time in the NHS, I know that behind the scenes, many dedicated professionals are already working to translate policy into strategy, investment cases and programmes. But this takes time, especially in the midst of another major structural change to the NHS. What’s needed now is transparency, engagement and collaboration across sectors. Stakeholders at every level, from government departments to frontline staff, local leaders to innovators, should have a voice in shaping these plans. A Future Built on Collaboration Despite the complexity, I remain optimistic. Technology alone won’t solve our challenges, but when paired with the right investment in people and process, it can be transformative. At SmartCo Future Health, we’re proud to play our part in shaping the future of healthcare, working across health and care to turn this vision into reality. About Paul Paul works in partnership with healthcare organisations to deliver people- centred transformation that improves services for patients and staff. He has 25 years’ transformation experience, with 15 years leading national programmes and services in the NHS, including Frontline Digitisation. He is a graduate of the Major Projects Leadership Academy, a High-Risk Review Team Leader for the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority and a Mental Health First Aider. 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.
Paul Gilliatt
16 June 2025
Welcome to Emma Vincent
We’re thrilled to welcome Emma Vincent to the SmartCo Future Health team as our new Client Services Manager. We caught up with Emma to learn more about her professional journey, her new role, and her first impressions of SmartCo Future Health. Read on to discover her story and what she brings to the team. Hi Emma. What’s your new role, and what will you be working on? I’m excited to have joined SmartCo as a Client Services Manager. In this role, I’ll be supporting our project delivery team, managing client relationships, and collaborating with internal teams to ensure successful project outcomes. I’ll also be working alongside our Client Engagement Team to identify and address any potential gaps in delivery, helping to provide effective solutions for our clients. Tell us a bit about your career background I began my career in event sales at 16, but during the COVID lockdown, I made the decision to transition into healthcare. I spent three years working for the NHS, where I was an end user of EPR systems. This experience sparked my interest in understanding the development and implementation of these systems, ultimately leading me into the field of digital healthcare. I joined my previous company as a Client Services Team Lead, a role that laid the groundwork for where I am today. In addition, I’m a qualified Sports Therapist and previously ran my own business for five years. Although I no longer practice, I continue to keep my CPD up to date. Most recently, I’ve also achieved my PRINCE2 qualification. What are you most looking forward to doing or learning here? I’m really looking forward to diving into project delivery. Joining SmartCo Future Health offers the opportunity to be actively involved on-site with clients, something I’ve been eager to experience and contribute to for some time. What was your first impression of our company culture? In a word – amazing. The people-centred, flexible approach to work is truly refreshing. Everyone has been incredibly welcoming and approachable, and I’m already looking forward to seeing the social calendar. What’s something small that brings you joy every day? She’s not exactly small, more the size of a small child, but my dog Millie brings me joy every single day. She’s an 8-year-old labradoodle, and I’ve had her since she was just 8 weeks old. And yes, I’ll gladly show you photos of her all day, every day… even if you say no. What’s your ‘super power’ in every-day life? A former colleague once described me as a ‘one-person office sitcom’. I’m always ready with a quick-witted comment or a funny story to lift the mood. I’d say my superpower is maintaining a positive outlook no matter the circumstances… even if it means being the punchline myself! What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received? The best advice I’ve ever received is: ‘Don’t worry about things you can’t control.’ It’s something I remind myself of daily, and it’s helped me stay focused and avoid getting lost in the ‘what ifs.’ It’s a powerful way to reset mentally and redirect my energy toward what’s relevant and within my control.
Hannah Granshaw
10 June 2025
Welcome to Hayley Grafton
We’re excited to welcome Hayley Grafton to the SmartCo Future Health team, joining us as our CNIO Advisor. We had the chance to sit down with Hayley to hear about her career journey, her new position and her initial thoughts on SmartCo Future Health. Keep reading to learn more about her story and the expertise she brings to the team. Hi Hayley. What’s your new role, and what will you be working on? I’ve joined as a Clinical Advisor, supporting SmartCo Future Health to ensure a strong, authentic clinical voice is embedded across everything we do. I’ll be coordinating clinical input into projects, helping clients navigate digital change and innovation with real-world NHS insight. Alongside that, I’ll be driving the growth of SmartCo Future Health’s clinical presence and developing new opportunities to bring even more value to our clients – from coaching and mentoring to educational support and strategic advice. Tell us a bit about your career background I’ve been a registered nurse for over 20 years, specialising in intensive care, practice education, and more recently, digital health. I’m a self-proclaimed Nerdy Nurse – always drawn to tech and gadgets, which probably explains my early love for critical care and my natural move into digital leadership. A real career highlight was serving as an Editor for the Royal Marsden Manual for Clinical Nursing Procedures, affectionately known as the bible when I was a Nursing Student. I’ve led and supported a wide range of digital transformation programmes, from quality improvement and telecoms upgrades to multiple full-scale EPR implementations. I hold a master’s in digital health leadership through the NHS Leadership Academy and was honoured to be invited to advise on the NHS 10-Year Plan, helping shape the national strategy for supporting people through the shift from analogue to digital. I’m also the Chair of the Digital Health Networks CNIO Advisory Panel. Bringing together my passions for healthcare and technology has genuinely landed me in my dream career. What aspect of your new role are you most looking forward to? I’m most excited about sharing my knowledge, skills and experience beyond the walls of a single organisation, and supporting others to shape and deliver meaningful digital transformation. I’m especially passionate about helping teams turn big ambitions into practical, real-world change that benefits both patients and clinicians. What attracted you to join SmartCo Future Health? I’ve worked alongside SmartCo colleagues and associates on a range of projects and forums over the years, and I’ve always been impressed by the depth of their expertise and the quality of their work. What really drew me in, though, was their clear commitment to supporting healthcare, particularly the NHS, in a meaningful, future-focused way. It felt like the right team, with the right values, heading in the right direction. What’s your go to way to unwind after a long day? It depends on the day! Sometimes it’s a game of netball with the team I’ve played with for the past six years, other times it’s a long bath or a walk to the park with my three kids – though with three of them, those quiet moments to unwind are definitely in short supply! If you could instantly master any skill, what would it be? Definitely a new language! I love to travel but I’m hopeless with languages and always feel a bit rude not being able to speak the local lingo. Thankfully, tech comes to the rescue… but being fluent would be so much more efficient (and polite)! What’s your personal motto or favourite quote? “A tidy house is the sign of a wasted life.” It might sound like an excuse for a slightly chaotic (but clean!) home, but for me it reflects something deeper – life is so short, and when it comes to choosing between tidying up or grabbing an experience, a work opportunity, or moment with people I care about… I know which one I’m picking.
Hannah Granshaw
9 June 2025
Welcome to Chris Evans
We’re thrilled to welcome Chris Evans to the SmartCo Future Health team as our new Delivery Director. We recently caught up with Chris to learn more about his career journey, his new role and what excites him about being part of the team. Read on to discover his story and the valuable experience he brings to the team. Hi Chris. What’s your new role, and what will you be working on? In my new role as Delivery Director at SmartCo Future Health, I’ll be leading the SmartCo Future Health delivery team, ensuring our clients’ programmes and projects are delivered successfully, safely and securely, with minimal disruption to the healthcare organisations we support. I’m currently working closely with University Hospitals of Leicester (UHL) and University Hospitals of Northamptonshire (UHN) to drive the successful delivery of their Electronic Patient Record (EPR) programmes. What has been your career leading up to SmartCo? Over the past 10 years, I’ve progressed from project support roles through to project and programme management, ultimately taking on Programme Director positions. During this time, I’ve worked with numerous NHS trusts across the UK and have played a key role in four major Go-Lives within the last three years. What excites you most about being part of the team? I’m excited to collaborate with the entire SmartCo Future Health team in the weeks, months and years ahead. We share a common goal, delivering the highest quality services in healthcare to create a meaningful, positive impact for both hospital staff and patients. What’s the most interesting project you’ve worked on? I’ve had the opportunity to work on several exciting projects, including the delivery of a Maternity EPR at Derby and Burton, the first implementation of Outpatients and Self Check-In within the Nervecentre EPR at the East Midlands Planned Care Centre, and most recently, the first-of-its-kind Nervecentre PAS deployment at University Hospitals of Leicester. What’s something people would be surprised to know about you? I originally began my career in engineering after leaving school, but quickly realised it wasn’t the right path for me. A few years later, I found my way into project delivery within healthcare, and that’s where I discovered my passion and the opportunity to truly make a difference. Coffee, tea or something else entirely? Coffee – specifically a caramel latte (iced in the summer, of course!).
Hannah Granshaw
6 June 2025
Why I joined SmartCo Future Health…
Trust. Trust is the foundation of everything. At SmartCo Future Health, we build honest, reliable relationships by openly sharing company goals and decisions. We deliver on our promises to employees and customers, upholding the highest ethical and operational standards. Trust has shaped my career from the beginning. In 1998, my MSc dissertation focused on bringing three Trusts together, exploring clinical collaboration for a Public-Private Partnership investment in a single District General Hospital. My role was to assess how far collaboration with a neighbouring NHS Trust could go – an endeavour that relied on both strategy and trust in uncertain outcomes. Research confirmed what many leaders experience: collaboration is common, yet often unsuccessful. As Chris Huxham noted, partnerships frequently struggle. Rosabeth Moss Kanter, a key influence in my thinking, emphasised the importance of leadership cultures that empower individuals while creating space for partners to contribute and grow. For collaboration to work, trust must be built deliberately. It requires acknowledging the vulnerability that comes with uncertainty—whether in shifting clinical services or broader strategic decisions. Clear communication and structured frameworks make this possible. At SmartCo Future Health, we don’t just value trust – we actively build it. Our long-standing expertise in creating collaborative structures has shown that trust strengthens cross-functional teamwork. As Davis and Lawrence observed, when trust is in place, teams rely on each other’s expertise and judgments, leveraging their unique strengths. Trust isn’t just a principle. It’s the foundation for lasting 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
4 June 2025