Appointment of chief digital officer for UHD
Beverley Bryant has been appointed chief digital officer for University Hospitals Dorset to lead our digital strategy. She joins us from Guy’s and St Thomas’s NHS Trust and Kings College Hospitals NHS Trust where she was joint chief digital information officer. Beverley led the major transformation of all clinical applications and workflows to bring IT systems together across the trusts. As part of her role at UHD, she will take our executive lead for the creation of the new electronic health record (EHR) in partnership with trusts and both Integrated Care Boards across Dorset and Somerset.
Siobhan Harrington, our CEO said: “I am very pleased that Beverley is joining us at UHD at this exciting time. She has a wealth of experience in implementing digital strategies and large-scale IT projects across complex organisations that we will need to help us provide the best care for our patients. I would also like to thank Ward Priestman for all that he has done as interim chief informatics officer.”
Rob Whiteman, Chair of UHD said: “We are very lucky to have someone of Beverley’s track record and reputation joining us. She has also been a passionate leader for diversity and inclusion with her roles in the NHS and will strengthen our work across UHD to make our trust a great place to work.”
Beverley said: “I am delighted to have been offered this role at UHD. I am excited to lead the Trust’s digital agenda and also look forward to supporting the Trust’s wider strategic ambitions”
Beverley’s previous roles have included director of digital technology for NHS England and chief information officer for the Department of Health. She will start as CDO at UHD on 28 October 2024.
New technology helps detect cataracts in newborns
The research and development department at University Hospitals Dorset (UHD) has recently opened an innovative new study to help diagnose cataracts in newborn babies.
Its aim is to assess whether digital imaging using ‘Neocam’ a handheld, non-contact camera, is a more accurate method of detecting cataracts in newborns than the current technique using an ophthalmoscope (a medical eye torch).
About 1 in 3,000 babies are affected by cloudiness of the eye’s lens (cataract). Since a baby’s first months are a critical time for vision and brain development, early surgery is needed to prevent permanent visual impairment. For this reason, cataract is the most common cause of preventable child blindness worldwide.
Nina Vanner, paediatric research nurse at Poole Hospital, said: “We’re really pleased to be one of a handful of maternity units across the country selected to take on this trial.”
“All babies born in the UK are screened for cataract twice. Despite this, late diagnosis of cataract continues to be a problem, causing avoidable visual impairment in some affected children.”
“The Neocam takes a picture of babies’ eyes using both infrared and green light. Previous small-scale studies have shown that this photoscreening technique can make childhood cataract detection easier.”
L-R: Lucy Rubick (Paediatric Research Nurse), Jemma Parratt (Paediatric Clinical Research Fellow),
Francesca Diaz (Paediatric Research Nurse), Nina Vanner (Paediatric Research Nurse).
“The DIvO ((Digital Imaging versus Ophthalmoscopy) study allows us to more accurately assess any issues of vision that a newborn may have, which will in turn enable faster diagnosis, referral, and surgery if required.”
“The study will be open at UHD for a year and we’re hoping to assess 1,200 babies within that time, which is a brilliant contribution to the research trial and great news for our local community.”
Public engagement events for the future of our health services
University Hospitals Dorset (UHD) is inviting local residents to speak to clinical colleagues about the changes happening at UHD that will affect everyone who uses its services. The series of public engagement events are taking place in September and October at Poole Hospital and the Royal Bournemouth Hospital (RBH) with further events planned at the end of the year.
Clinicians from the surgical team will be available to answer questions about the new barn theatres at Poole Hospital, and the new emergency theatres at RBH. They can also answer queries about how these changes will positively affect patients. Our team of midwives will be able to talk about the brand-new maternity unit that will be welcoming new babies in the BEACH building from April 2025, and our emergency department team will be there to chat to attendees and explain what changes will occur when RBH becomes an emergency care hospital and Poole Hospital becomes the elective care site. All these changes are crucial to improving services for everyone who uses them.
The event details are…
· Tuesday 10 September, 6-8pm – Lecture theatre in the education centre at Poole Hospital
· Thursday 26 September, 6-8pm – Lecture theatre in the education centre at RBH
· Tuesday 8 October, 6-8pm - Lecture theatre in the education centre at Poole Hospital
· Monday 21 October, 6-8pm - Lecture theatre in the education centre at RBH
Siobhan Harrington, chief executive at UHD said: “Exciting changes are happening across UHD and these will have a huge impact on the people of Dorset and anyone who uses our services. We want to help residents understand what these changes mean for them, their families, and friends by speaking to them and listening to their questions and any concerns.
“Big, positive changes have already happened across UHD and are making a real difference to patients. Stroke services moved from Poole Hospital to the Royal Bournemouth site earlier this year and having the service on one site is already making improvements in patient care, especially in reducing the average length of stay for patients.
“We know that change can be unsettling but we’re here to listen and help those with concerns through the changes.”
Light refreshments will be provided, and parking is free for attendees. If you will be attending, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with your name and telephone number. This is to help us with refreshment order.
If you are unable to attend the events and have a questions or concern, please email the communications team on the same email contact.
Ends.
Released by:
The communications team
Telephone: 0300 019 4905/2408
Notes to editors
All of our latest news releases can be seen on our website: www.uhd.nhs.uk
Join us for our Annual Members' Meeting 2024
University Hospitals Dorset’s (UHD) Annual Members’ Meeting (AMM) will be held at 11am on Thursday 12 September 2024.
The event, which will also be live streamed via Microsoft Teams, will include presentations from chief executive, Siobhan Harrington, and chief finance officer, Pete Papworth, on the 2023/24 Annual Report and Accounts, and 2024/25 forward plan.
Michele Whitehurst, lead governor, will also give a presentation from the Council of Governors, including any amendments made to the Trust’s Constitution which relate to the powers or duties of the Council of Governors.
A copy of the Trust's Constitution with all of the tracked changes is available here.
The meeting agenda can be found here.
To view the minutes of the Annual Members' Meeting 2023 please click here.
There will be an understanding health talk on diabetes, presented by Dr Helen Partridge, consultant in diabetes, immediately after the AMM.
The meeting will be held in St Saviour’s Church, 32 Colemore Road, Bournemouth BH7 6RZ.
Information stands will be set up from 10.30am and light refreshments will also be provided. Booking is encouraged due to limited capacity. Any information regarding allergies or accessibility requirements should be given when booking your place. Please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with names and contact details of who would like to attend or call 0300 019 8723.
If you would like to submit a question at the AMM, please also send this to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by Thursday 5 September 2024 . Questions submitted in advance will be prioritised at the meeting.
Finalist for national maternity award
A maternity support worker at University Hospitals Dorset (UHD) has been shortlisted for a prestigious award, one of the highest in the country for the maternity profession.
Kerry Horley, who works at St Mary’s Maternity Unit in Poole, is one of four finalists in the ‘maternity support worker of the year’ category in the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) Awards 2024.
The RCM Awards celebrates the very best of maternity care across the UK, commending outstanding teams and individuals who have made a positive impact on women, families, and their newborns by showcasing world-class midwifery standards.
Kerry has worked at UHD since 2019, and is now an assistant practitioner, supporting staff with their training and development, as well as leading on innovation projects and learning opportunities.
She said: “It was lovely to be recognised for the work I am doing across the unit, and I feel quite overwhelmed to have been shortlisted for a national award like this.”
“I’m fortunate to be able to bring various skills to the team throughout my time here so far, and am looking forward to an exciting new chapter for maternity care in Dorset, when we move to the Royal Bournemouth’s BEACH (Births, Emergency And Criticial care, children’s Health) Building next year. As much as St Mary’s is well-loved and holds lots of happy memories for people, this is a wonderful opportunity to continue to develop UHD maternity care in a new setting.”
“Working in maternity care and helping people along with their parenthood jounrey is such a rewarding experience, and I feel very lucky that we will be able to provide excellent care for families and babies in our new space, with some really incredible facilities.”
Kerry Taylor, head of midwifery at UHD, said: “We are extremely proud that Kerry has been shortlisted. She is one of our most inspirational maternity support workers, always ensuring that colleagues are trained and supported in the early days of their career, and with ongoing development.
Kerry is innovative and has produced a number of resources to support colleagues’ individual needs. She is a shining example for the profession, and we all wish her the very best of luck!”
Winners will be announced at the RCM Awards ceremony which will take place in London later this year.
