Mike Farrar, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, which represents all organisations that commission and provide NHS services, will give the keynote speech at the conference. Farrar will focus on the benefits that the role of the CCIO can play in different care settings, encouraging clinicians to become more greatly involved in data management and the use of information to improve patient care.
He will also be announcing that the NHS Confederation is to become an official partner to EHI's CCIO Leaders Network - established to support the objectives of the CCIO campaign - joining other influential organisations such as the Royal College of Physicians and the British Computer Society. The campaign, launched in June 2011 by eHealth Insider, is calling for every NHS provider organisation to consider appointing a chief clinical information officer (CCIO).
Farrar said: "We have supported EHI's CCIO campaign from the outset. The experiences of the NHS over the past ten years show that strong clinical leadership plays a key role in almost all successful IT projects. With the NHS increasingly looking to make use of technology to improve patient care and deliver efficiencies, the CCIO role has become an important one for all our members.
"Becoming an official partner of EHI's CCIO campaign demonstrates our commitment to working with our members to develop clinical information leadership. I look forward to sharing my thoughts about how the NHS can recognise the importance of clinical involvement in data management and the use of information, and to hearing from delegates about what more they need from us."
The conference, which is free to attend and open to anyone interested in the essential role that clinicians play in the successful delivery of IT projects, will run alongside the EHI Live 2012 conference and exhibition from 6-7 November 2012 at the NEC Birmingham. The range of sessions will look at the role of CCIOs in various NHS settings, explore how CCIOs and chief information officers can work together, and discuss the professional development needs of CCIOs. Speakers will include many of the new CCIOs appointed as part of the campaign who will provide their views and share their experiences on the role and benefits it can deliver.
Jon Hoeksma, editor eHealth Insider said: "We believe that NHS information projects need to be designed and led by clinicians, which means investment by NHS organisations into high-profile, capable individuals to do the job. The CCIO Leaders Network Annual Conference will allow those clinicians already in CCIO roles, and those wanting to build a career focusing on using information to improve the quality of care, to come together to explore how to take this position to the next level and increase the number of appointments.
"This is also a chance for us to celebrate the success of the first year of EHI's CCIO Leaders Network. Proof of its value is demonstrated by the fact that it is partnered by organisations such as the Royal Colleges and the BMA. In addition, although always supported by the NHS Confederation, becoming an official partner is further confirmation of the campaigns' relevance and importance."
About the CCIO Leaders Network
The CCIO Leaders Network is a multi-platform discussion and events programme designed to promote and develop current and future clinical information leaders to support the growing community of CCIOs across the NHS. It operates a year-round series of face-to-face and online events and discussions, culminating each year in the annual CCIO conference held at EHI Live. The primary goal is to nurture the burgeoning community of CCIOs and those who wish to become CCIOs, by creating a professional community of support, best practice and knowledge that embeds and spreads the CCIO role within the NHS.
Online the CCIO Leaders Network publishes profiles of CCIOs, feature articles, professional development resources and hosts the CCIO Forum http://www.ehi.co.uk/campaign/ccio-home.cfm
About EHI Live 2012
Now in its fifth year, EHI Live is a two-day conference and exhibition which has become recognised as the key event in the eHealth calendar. Organised by the same team behind industry news outlet eHealth Insider and the annual EHI Awards. EHI Live brings together suppliers, healthcare IT professionals and clinicians to discuss and debate the issues facing those involved in healthcare IT who want to use IT to improve the efficiency and quality of health services. EHI Live attracts more than 2,000 delegates, visitors and exhibitors from around the UK.
EHI Live 2012 will take place at the NEC, Birmingham on 6-7 November 2012. The main conference programme in 2012 includes a number of strands that reflect the diversity of interests in healthcare IT, with a keynote speech from new health minister Dr Dan Poulter. In addition to the main conference programme, a number of free tracks are being run that will allow visitors attending the EHI Live exhibition to get even more value from their visit.
About eHealth Insider
Ehealth Insider is the leading daily health IT news service in the UK. Providing lively and independent news, analysis and insight into developments in healthcare IT and information use.