Stories from alumni of our Shuri Digital Fellowship. Their experiences on the Fellowship, what they learned and how it has affected patient care, their work and careers.
My experience of the Shuri Network Digital Fellowship – Esther Chandler
I was so pleased when I received an email in August 2024 confirming I had been awarded a place on the Shuri Network Digital Fellowship Programme (Cohort 4). I’ve had a strong interest in digital healthcare for a long time. So having the opportunity to spend time learning about how digital technology in the NHS delivers patient care was an exciting opportunity.
What is the Shuri Network and Digital Fellowship
For anyone who has never heard of the NHS Shuri Network – this is the first NHS and care network of women from minority ethnic groups in digital health.
The Shuri Digital Fellowship combines a variety of components such as coaching, educational sessions, networking and peer support to support professionals who are currently working within the NHS and Social Care industries within digital health or who would like to progress their careers in digital health. The Programme format is a series of online webinars/seminars, coaching and with some in-person meetings.
Which topics were covered in the sessions?
The webinars and information sessions included (but were not limited to) digital transformation, data in the NHS, AI for healthcare, developing digital products, successful digital leadership, creating a digital products and education on various NHS ‘disciplines’ using digital tools (i.e. nursing & midwifery, cybersecurity, clinical safety and more).
For me, it’s hard to say which of the seminars were the ‘best’ as they were all so informative. But hearing from senior NHS Digital leaders and NHS Leaders about how they managed difficult situations and are using digital tools to navigate current NHS challenges was very insightful. Above all, from all of the seminars, we were encouraged to use our digital skills to ‘lead and think’ courageously to support the creation of a digital future for the NHS.
Mutual support provided through networking and coaching
All of us Fellows on Cohort 4, were divided into regional groups for us to complete a project with a ‘digital focus’. I worked with the South East/West group and for our project we created a Youtube Channel with videos explaining ‘How to use the NHS App’.
The videos have also been created to help non-English speakers, so that we can address a health inequality and digital problem that also exists. So far, we have created videos in English, Hindi and Polish and we plan on adding more videos with different languages to the Channel (links to the videos will be added at the end of this article).
Another invaluable part of this Fellowship was the opportunity to work with a personal development coach during the programme on our career goals, development plans or to address any barriers which could prevent us from succeeding in our personal development and as digital leaders. The sessions with the coach have reminded me of the importance of continuing to develop my skills.
The supportive connections and friendships I’ve developed from the coaching and group project has provided a network and friendships for years to come.
Graduation and the future
The Graduation was a beautiful day with all the other Digital Programme Fellows. To acknowledge all that we have achieved in completing the Programme made the day really special. It was so uplifting and I was encouraged again to continue with my personal and digital development.
Since completing the Fellowship I’ve been provided with opportunities for me to focus on my interest areas; I met with an NHS South East Women’s Health Hub team and learned about the digital tools they use to support women. I also joined a Keynote discussion at an NHS Digital event, where I was able to share my thoughts and encourage others who want to pursue digital health careers. I’m also using the information from the webinars to help me plan the digital roles I want to apply for. These opportunities are a direct result of having completed the Shuri Network Digital Fellowship Programme.
This engaging and ‘knowledge rich’ Programme has provided insights into various NHS digital topics and careers. I know it will continue to form the foundation for my successful NHS and healthcare focused digital career for years to come.
Shuri Alumni present at the London Skills Development Network Leaders Conference
In February, Shuri Network steering group member Adjoa Nsiah-Jennings and alumni member Doris Hayford were invited to share their experience of being part of the alumni community and how to ‘life as you rise’.
Here’s Doris’s reflection on her journey since joining the fellowship and experience of being part of this event.
A year has passed since I completed the Shuri Network Digital Fellowship, and my career and personal growth have been truly transformative. 6 months after completing the fellowship, I was successfully appointed as a Professional Advisor Midwife in Digital for the RCM. A role I never imagined at the start of my midwifery journey, and I know the Shuri Network has been instrumental in unlocking my knowledge, skills, and confidence, paving the way for this achievement.
As a proud member of the Shuri Network Alumni, I now have the opportunity to give back. The empowerment and confidence I gained have shaped my journey, and I now have the chance to share that same encouragement and motivation, inspiring others. This extends beyond the digital community to my colleagues, both junior and senior, encouraging them to step outside their comfort zones and explore new opportunities.
Recently, I had the privilege of sharing my Shuri experience at the London SDN Conference. It was a moment of reflection; an opportunity to truly appreciate my career journey, recognising how both the milestones and roadblocks have played a pivotal role in shaping me today. Moving forward, I look forward to the continued growth with the Shuri Network Alumni, reinforcing the power of resilience, development, and a supportive community.
Our Digital Fellow from Cohort 2, Awo Hussein, Informatics Specialist Midwife at Whipps Cross Hospital in London has written a blog about her experience on the Shuri Digital Fellowship. “The Fellowship is more than just a programme – it is a catalyst for change, a beacon of hope, and a testament to the power of unity and empowerment.” Read about her journey here:
Digital Transformation in Nursing: Felicia Akubue, our Cohort 2 Digital Nurse Fellow had an article published about digital transformation and the Network in Nursing Times January 2023 : ‘Seeing how we use digital transformation to enhance services is truly inspiring’ and the impact of the Fellowship on her professional and personal development for the Digital Health Rewired conference.