In the third of the Gateway to Local Adoption series, Visions4Health caught up with James Scott, Digital and Informatics Specialist Pharmacist, to discuss his views about fostering a culture of digital transformation and upskilling the workforce to drive the analog to digital transition in the NHS.
The NHS’ shift from analogue to digital isn’t just a technical upgrade, it’s a cultural revolution. As a digital and informatics pharmacist, I see firsthand that digital transformation must be rooted not only in strategy and funding, but in workforce curiosity, skills and leadership at all levels.
Our profession, particularly pharmacy, is inherently paper-heavy and risk-averse. Yet, with the right mindset, we can re-imagine our processes. At my Trust, for example, we’ve automated the extraction of GP summary care records into hospital systems within six hours of patient admission. This improves safety and continuity of care without needing pharmacy intervention in real time. We’ve also used AI-powered tools to automate invoice processing, transforming tedious admin into efficient digital workflows.
What enables this? Curiosity, above all. Many of these innovations were born from asking ‘what if?’, and this is a mindset we must foster across the NHS. Curiosity alone, however, isn’t enough, and we urgently need national benchmarking of digital pharmacist roles, structured training and defined digital career pathways. Currently, there’s no standard for what a digital pharmacy team should look like, nor for how they should be developed.
Fortunately, positive signs are emerging. NHS England’s Digital Medicines and Pharmacy Group is beginning to address this by coordinating regional groups to assess maturity, share best practices and shape a consistent national strategy. These networks are crucial, particularly as we see the digital maturity gap widening across regions.
Beyond structure and skills, we must champion a culture that values digital innovation. Leaders at all levels must support protected time for experimentation, training and sharing learning. Regional collaboration, especially in procurement and system alignment, can improve interoperability, reduce duplication and ultimately deliver better care.
The transition from paper to pixels is not just about software; it’s about people. To succeed, we must empower our workforce with the skills, support and inspiration to drive this change.
The digital journey has already begun, so let’s make sure the whole team is on board for the ride.
James Scott is Lead Pharmacist for Digital Medicines and Informatics at an NHS Trust and a member of Visions4Health’s Healthcare System Council. He also serves as the South West Regional Chair for the NHS England Digital Medicines and Pharmacy Group. With experience spanning all facets of secondary care within the NHS, James is a passionate advocate for digital innovation in healthcare. His key interests include Robotic Process Automation and data integration. He is currently supporting the roll-out of a combined Electronic Patient Record system across three Integrated Care Board NHS Trusts, driving improvements in clinical efficiency and patient care.
