Meet the experts shaping the future of digital health and care. Our Judges Spotlight series showcases the vision and insight of the HSJ Digital Awards judging panel - leaders driving innovation, transformation and lasting impact across the NHS.
Discover Kendra Schneller MBE, Nurse Practitioner, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust experience and advice for this year’s entrants below.
Tell us about yourself – what inspired you to get involved in digital health?
As a nurse specialist working in health inequities, I see how emerging digital tools can bridge gaps in access and equity. My patients are often excluded from traditional systems and digital health offers innovative ways to connect and engage with people and provide that support that helps them to feel a part of a community.
From your experience in digital transformation, what approaches have made a lasting impact in health and care?
Co-production and trauma-informed design are approaches that have been key in making a lasting impact in health and care. This is paramount, especially when working with marginalised groups. Digital solutions shaped with lived experience at the heart, are not only more inclusive but also sustainable and impactful. You’re more likely to get buy in and it benefits those who are more at risk of exclusion.
What digital innovation or trend are you most excited to see influencing the NHS in the next few years?
I am excited to see inclusive participatory data platforms and inclusive AI-driven tools that support personalised and preventative care, especially for marginalised populations.
What have you learned from your time on the HSJ Digital Awards judging panel?
Although I am relatively new to this, I have learned how powerful storytelling, coupled with impact measurement, can be. The most compelling entries I have judged, are innovative, show evidence of both quantitative and qualitative data collection and shows a clear link with patient involvement. Clear evidence of the benefits of the project and its outcomes are equally important.
What one piece of advice would you give to teams preparing their entries to help their work stand out?
Be authentic and personable in your entry and clearly show how your work is making a difference.