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 Yousef Ahmad, ICS Chief Pharmacist and Director of Medicines Optimisation, Frimley Health and Care Integrated Care System experience and advice for this year’s entrants below.
Tell us about yourself - what inspired you to get involved in digital health?
I’ve always been driven by the potential of technology to make health and care more human, not less. Early in my career, I saw how digital tools, when thoughtfully designed, could remove barriers, connect teams, and give patients a stronger voice in their own care. That inspired me to focus on digital transformation as a way to make healthcare more equitable, efficient, and compassionate. For me, it’s about using innovation not for its own sake, but to enable better outcomes and experiences for patients and staff alike.
From your experience in digital transformation, what approaches have made a lasting impact in health and care?
Lasting impact comes when digital transformation is treated as people transformation. The most successful programmes I’ve seen are those that invest just as much in culture, leadership, and skills as they do in technology. Co-designing with clinicians and patients, focusing on interoperability, and using data as a catalyst for continuous improvement—these are the hallmarks of sustainable change. Ultimately, it’s about empowering frontline teams to own and evolve the solutions that work best for them.
What digital innovation or trend are you most excited to see influencing the NHS in the next few years?
I’m most excited about the convergence of AI, data-driven decision support, pharmacogenomics and population-facing digital services. We’re entering an era where digital tools can genuinely personalise care—anticipating needs, supporting prevention, and freeing up clinicians to focus where their expertise adds the most value. If implemented ethically and inclusively, these innovations could help the NHS shift from reactive to proactive care at scale.
What have you learned from your time on the HSJ Digital Awards judging panel?
Judging the HSJ Digital Awards has been a privilege, it’s an incredible window into the ingenuity, passion, and resilience across the system. What stands out each year is that the best projects aren’t necessarily the biggest—they’re the ones that clearly demonstrate impact, tell a human story, and show how digital can make a tangible difference to people’s lives. It’s a reminder of how much progress is being made, often through collaboration and creativity at local level.
What one piece of advice would you give to teams preparing their entries to help their work stand out?
Tell your story clearly and authentically. Don’t just describe what you built—show us why it matters. The most compelling entries demonstrate measurable impact, but they also bring the journey to life: the challenges faced, the people involved, and the difference it’s made to patients and staff. Evidence, outcomes and authenticity are the winning combination. In addition to this I always look out for projects that have true scalability- showcase the potential of wide scale adoption and impact always supports your work to stand out from the rest.