Digital Health Virtual Summer School attendees share their highlights

The Digital Health (Virtual) Summer School may be over for another year – but the Digital Health News team has rounded up all the best reaction and highlights that our attendees have shared.

The Covid-19 pandemic meant Digital Health had to make the 2020 edition of Summer School virtual. The two-day event blended video sessions and video diaries, live Q&A and panel discussions and keynote addresses.

Despite this change in format, attendees shared their positive views on social media. You can see the Tweets below.

https://twitter.com/rosadamaberdeen/status/1286648840297357313

https://twitter.com/Andy_Kinnear/status/1286323153778728961

https://twitter.com/chat2sonia/status/1286669100547276800

https://twitter.com/JemimaKA/status/1286671251948396546

https://twitter.com/JaneKnox4/status/1286663346801057793

https://twitter.com/ShaneTickell/status/1286240548085432320

https://twitter.com/Matt_Stickers/status/1286654051447439361

Day One

The first day featured Sonia Patel, NHSX CIO, and Natasha Phillips, NHSX CNIO who said the Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of technology but digital leaders must continue to promote their use once the crisis is over.

https://twitter.com/AashaCowey/status/1286250386022633472

Another highlight was the return of the Shuri Network – a year after their launch at the 2019 edition of Summer School.

Co-founder Dr Shera Chok launched the network with Sarah Amani and one year on, Dr Chok said it has taken off in a way she “couldn’t ever have imagined”.

“For the first time we are hearing the experiences of women of colour in digital health,” she added.

https://twitter.com/MinalDX/status/1286317310316294150

https://twitter.com/RafiahB/status/1286310625350692866

Day Two

The second and final day of the first Digital Health Virtual Summer School saw attendees gain global insight about the digital projects being rolled out in response to Covid-19.

It was an early start as attendees tuned into hear from the deputy director for general data and digital at New Zealand’s Ministry of Health who spoke about the country’s digital response to Covid-19.

https://twitter.com/Ramandeep_kaur9/status/1286549043745783812

Attendees also heard from the former NHS England CCIO, Professor Keith McNeil, who said access to high quality data is essential for healthcare systems to “understand and cope” with chaos and complexities.

Prof McNeil, who is now the CCIO of Queensland Health in Australia, said the Covid-19 pandemic has also highlighted the “power of sharing information”.

https://twitter.com/colinoscopy62/status/1286583037011124225

The two-day event was brought to a close by NHS England’s medical director of primary care, who said we “must keep” some of the digital services put in place during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Speaking during her closing keynote at Virtual Summer School Dr Nikki Kanani said the digital shift during the crisis was “one of the best things that’s happened”.

https://twitter.com/NetworkShuri/status/1286656416804229120

Thanks to everyone who attended the Digital Health Virtual Summer School. Our next virtual event is taking place on 18 August. Digital Health Networks: Midlands will showcase and discuss best practice on digital health and data within the region.