The event boasted record attendance with wide-ranging discussions and a few late nights, as more than 300 people descended on the University of Manchester. The PRSB’s Clinical Director Dr Phil Koczan also joined the summer school to contribute the PRSB’s perspective to the discussions.

The attendees, who included chief clinical information officers (CCIOs), chief information officers (CIOs) and chief nursing information officers (CNIOs), learned about themes ranging from the need to get more frontline staff engaged with the NHS’s digital processes to the importance of capturing data at the point of care and the need to get more nurses involved in digitisation. The event attracted more clinicians than previous years, including younger CCIOs.

Challenges were also discussed, including funding and whether digital programmes should be funded centrally or locally. The group discussed the future of app development to encourage self-care for conditions such as asthma and issues surrounding data sharing and consent. Following recent reports of cyber attacks on NHS information systems, security was also high on the agenda for attendees.

The two-day residential summer school involved site visits, a networking dinner and various workshops. Speakers included Keith McNeil, chief clinical information officer for health and social care.