‘We’re the nationwide digital organisation for the NHS in Wales,’ says Helen Thomas. ‘We also guidance the treatment sector – by means of partnership working – to join up care across Wales. We deliver digital, technological know-how and details solutions for the NHS. So, we offer the full spectrum of digital disciplines and guidance electronic transformation throughout the Welsh overall health sector.’
Helen was appointed CEO of Digital Wellbeing and Treatment Wales (DHCW) in 2021, obtaining put in the earlier calendar year as the Interim Director of the NHS Wales Informatics Service. There, among other issues, she headed up the organisation’s extraordinary response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
‘Our vision?’ she asks. ‘We want to be environment-top. We want to enable boost and rework lives. Our extended-term system is, essentially, a healthier Wales. We want people to live extended, balanced and joyful lives.’
Versus the backdrop of the pandemic, an ageing inhabitants and the pressures on the NHS itself, assisting individuals dwell happier and healthier lives is evidently a huge mission. But, if Helen’s strategy to assisting Wales’ men and women could be summed up basically, it’s this: conference individuals grand-scale challenges commences with your organisation’s persons.
Putting individuals initial
Put simply, her philosophy is that if you want to meet up with the biggest issues, you need to recruit and retain the greatest persons – and you can only do that by supplying those fantastic people the finest treatment.
‘Organisations are about persons,’ she clarifies. ‘People that really feel empowered and engaged and related to the organisation supply terrific outcomes. My aim, because I joined the organisation and place my management team in spot, has constantly been about empowering folks.’
This rigorously folks-very first solution has led Digital Wellness and Care Wales to acquire the IT Market Awards’ Most effective Location to Do the job in IT trophy for the second time in 3 years.
‘Clearly, I’m immensely happy. But it signifies so considerably extra than that. It’s an award for all the persons who operate in the organisation,’ she says.
Helen is, nevertheless, quick to position out that winning awards, though incredibly welcome, isn’t a aim in alone. Her organisation did not make using prizes an objective in a a few or 5-12 months system. Fairly, winning, she claims, is a by-merchandise of an agreed and deployed method. But here’s the curious detail: profitable awards does aid the organisation to fulfil its system and meet up with its mission.
‘It’s a hell of a strapline, isn’t it?’ Helen states. ‘The very best location to operate, for two decades. It helps so a lot in recruiting. And the large little bit for me is we have been expanding as an organisation. We’ve developed by 38% over the earlier several years. And we’re a brand name new organisation… So, currently being equipped to actually describe and connect ourselves as award-successful is fantastic.’
A do the job in progress
Concentrating on the IT industry and IT competencies, she claims: ‘We’re in a very aggressive marketplace for recruiting new competencies. We will need expertise as we’re a growing organisation… Income will always be up in the top three matters that draw in or persuade people today to stay. But it’s not the only one particular. It’s that connectedness to where you work, who you function with, that feeling of relatives and workforce… that sense of value. That’s also significant. When I took more than, I needed to – and I nevertheless want to – direct an organisation that I’m very pleased of… One I’m proud to guide and very pleased to be a portion of. And I want all our personnel to sense that way.’
Increasing, she claims: ‘A major part of that has to be the compassionate management we all should have. Of course – it’s acquiring tons of procedures and techniques. But genuinely, it’s about obtaining a emphasis. And I needed to emphasis on our people… to emphasis on who we are as an organisation, as an employer and as a husband or wife. And 1 of the significant items I’ve done is set a Director of People and Organisational Development on our board. We have received the people’s voice on the board. We’ve also obtained a staff-aspect agent on our board.’
Digital Health and fitness and Treatment Wales is nonetheless a work in development, she clarifies – while substantially operate has been accomplished, there is extra to do. A important action in that journey was the new publication of the organisation’s Persons and Organisational Enhancement Method. It talks about expanding the organisation, creating individuals, escalating a expertise pipeline and succession setting up. Equality and variety also play a major part in the tactic.
backlink