Empowering digital champions in healthcare

Our digital ambassadors programme aims to upskill the health and care workforce to create more efficient ways of working.

Many healthcare staff recognised the need for digital transformation and innovation within their services but often lacked the knowledge, confidence, and structured support to pursue it effectively. Leading such transformation would also require a diverse range of skills, including digital capability, strategic thinking, and change management – areas where opportunities for development were limited. 

The nine-week Digital Ambassadors Programme was developed to address this gap. It builds fundamental knowledge in transformation and innovation and equips participants with the confidence and practical skills needed to identify areas for impactful change, while grounding learning in the tools, processes, and governance required to deliver sustainable, impactful, and measurable transformation. 

Building digital capability across the workforce

Our Digital Ambassadors Programme strengthens the skills of the health and care workforce in digital innovation, transformation, and improvement across the North East and Yorkshire (NEY) region. By upskilling staff, the programme enables the adoption of digital solutions that create more efficient ways of working across primary, secondary, community, and social care settings. 

It also contributes to broader NHS objectives, including workforce development and digital transformation, as outlined in the NHS 10-Year Health Plan, supporting the shift from analogue to digital systems. 

Our support 

Health Innovation Yorkshire & Humber partnered with NHS England to play a central role in the planning, design, and delivery of the Digital Ambassador Programme, leading the programme with NHS England providing additional capacity and expertise where required. 

We managed project logistics, coordinated sessions, and organised speakers and facilitators, ensuring content was engaging, relevant, and tailored to participants’ needs. 

The programme provided practical tools, frameworks, and resources that could be applied directly to real-world improvement and transformation initiatives. 

Evidence and Impact 

In 2025-26, the programme has upskilled 120 participants across cohorts 5–7, with cohort 8 completing in March, further extending its reach. 

 Key outcomes include: 

• 83% of participants reported that their awareness, skills, and confidence had increased after completing the programme. 
• 25% increase in confidence in fostering a culture of innovation, with 82% reporting overall confidence in applying their learning.
• 31% increase in confidence presenting a case for change to adopt innovation, rising to 73% overall by the programme end. 

Participants reported enhanced leadership in transformation, improved understanding of digital innovation within the NHS, and greater ability to apply learning to support sustainable change. Pre- and post-programme surveys show increased understanding of digital innovation definitions, confidence in digital transformation processes (e.g., digital maturity, DTAC, co-design, data evaluation, change management), and capability to present initiatives effectively. 

The programme demonstrates meaningful improvements in digital skills, confidence, and the ability to lead transformation across healthcare settings. 

Testimonials from participants:

“The programme has given me knowledge and confidence in being able to present, train and support during projects involving electronic/digital systems. A greater understanding of business cases to introduce new projects. Understanding stakeholders and the importance of who to include in projects to ensure success.”

“The programme has had a real impact on how I approach digital transformation in my role. It’s helped me build confidence in championing  change, not just from a technical standpoint but also in terms of stakeholder engagement and communicating the ‘why’ behind digital projects. It’s given  me tools and frameworks to better structure projects, influence colleagues, and ensure digital changes are clinically meaningful and user-friendly. I now feel more equipped to bridge the gap between clinical teams and IT, which  is a core part of my role.”