Helen Thomas

Part of the IT Leaders 100 - a list of the most influential IT leaders in the UK in 2023.

Helen is one of the new breed of CEO: a technology professional who moved into a business leadership role. She has been heavily involved in NHS Wales' Informatics Service, and been instrumental in supporting the NHS in Wales to adopt data and digital advances at pace and scale.

How did you get into IT?

One of the really great things about the tech and data industry is that there are so many different opportunities, entry routes and career pathways. My career began in NHS finance over 30 years ago and I didn't move into health informatics until I gained a role in health information in 2000. This was without doubt a watershed moment. I'd had a keen interest in technology and data to improve health outcomes for a long time, so the move into health information gave me the opportunity to learn and develop. My personal journey has provided me with both the people and domain knowledge that I now use daily in my current role.

Over the last 20 plus years I've held a range of senior roles and led on key change programmes in health informatics, including Assistant Director of Information at Abertawe Bro Morgannwg Health Board, where I had responsibility for setting the strategic direction for data and digital, providing the information needed to evaluate service delivery and to support service improvement and transformation.

After that I moved to the NHS Wales Informatics Service as Director of Information in 2017. In this role I was behind the development of the new NHS Wales national data resource, which will massively improve the quality and use of data in healthcare. Then in 2021 I was immensely proud to be appointed CEO of Digital Health and Care Wales, having led the NHS Wales digital response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

For me, professional development has been a real enabler and helped me achieve and learn as I've moved forward in my career, and is one of the reasons I actively encourage continuous learning for all DHCW staff. I have an MSc in Health Informatics from Swansea University and I was honoured to be named a leading practitioner of the Federation of Informatics Professionals. I'm also a fellow of the British Computer Society and a Professor of Practice at University of Wales Trinity St David.

How do you ensure diversity is taken into account in your IT recruitment?

We need more women and more diversity at every level in our industry if we are to create products and services that really work for everyone who uses them. At DHCW we are committed to equality in the workplace. I'm very proud that women make up 42% of our employees, and 55% of our Board of Independent Members and Executive Directors. Eight per cent of our workforce is from a black, Asian or minority ethnic community and we aim to increase this number.

Embracing difference and including everyone is a fundamental part of developing our workplace community, and that means building and developing teams that are diverse and inclusive, regardless of age, gender, disability status, sexual orientation, religion, or ethnicity. I'm proud that Digital Health and Care Wales treats all people with respect and has a strategic equality plan that embeds a culture that is inclusive and anti-discriminatory and sets out an expected standard of behaviour for the entire organisation.

For me, equity is about fairness in relation to the differences in individual circumstances and starting points. It's why our recruitment is based on creating a workforce that respects individuals and individual needs. We have a robust Recruitment and Selection Policy and Procedure, which ensures a fair and transparent process. Development opportunities and progressive career paths are available for our staff at every level, with internal, bespoke leadership programmes and a range of graduate and apprenticeship schemes available.

At DHCW we build diversity into every role and offer flexibility such as part-time roles and or compressed hours to help both male and female workers manage family life.

Which technology are you currently most excited by?

Data science and machine learning (AI). This won't be a surprise, considering my background, but as the NHS and the world becomes even more reliant on digital information we really need to be able to forecast and analyse trends in a way that we haven't be able to previously.

We also need to explore how AI can contribute to healthcare and diagnosis in ways we haven't considered previously. Health and care is an enormous player in the world of big data, which has a proven impact on preventative care, better outcomes for patients and better quality of life.

At Digital Health and Care Wales we are really excited about the potential for our new National Data Resource (NDR), currently under development. It brings an end to the world of information held in silos and unites data about health and social care services from across Wales. It makes the data easier to access, share and analyse so that users, whether they are health professionals or patients, can make informed decisions.

I'm equally excited by the technology that gives people more involvement and control over their own health and care. Through our Digital Services for Patients and Public Programme we are developing the NHS Wales App, which will move to public beta later this Spring. The app will make it possible for people to personalise their health journey, monitor health conditions, share and receive important health information and stay healthy for longer. With NHS services in Wales facing ongoing pressure this is the technology that is a force for good and will help with the essential redesign of sustainable services needed to maintain quality healthcare services.

What would an outsider find the most surprising part of your job?

Being CEO of Digital Health and Care Wales is one of the most rewarding jobs anyone could have! It's multi-faceted with new challenges and opportunities that arise every day. I'm immensely proud to lead DHCW, and an inclusive culture. Communication, people and relationships are central to the way I work, and sit alongside my personal goal of leading a purpose-driven organisation that makes a difference. And that means listening. As CEO and leader of an organisation that has a hugely important role in transforming the way healthcare is delivered in Wales, engaging with and listening to stakeholders and staff means I can build a deeper understanding of their needs.

An outsider may also be unaware that sharing our vision and values with staff and with our stakeholders is something I live and breathe. It's so important to all that we do that people engage with and understand that our aims will deliver benefit for health professionals and the people of Wales. Optimism and inspiration are other elements of my job that are not immediately visible, but they are key to building an inclusive culture where everyone has a role to play.

What's your secret talent?

Not too many years ago I'd have been able to answer 'cartwheels'! Sadly, those days are gone. I'm not sure this is a talent really, but now that my netball playing days are over (knee injuries), I enjoy cold water swimming. Well, actually it's more cold water dipping in the sea near where I live with a group of friends from all walks of life. This has been an absolute saviour for my resilience over the past few years. I would (and do) urge everyone to try it: embrace submerging in yourself in 7-degree seas and feel how invigorated you are afterwards.

What makes you laugh?

Lots of things, every day. I am a positive person and enjoy having fun, be that with my team or family and friends or often my mischievous pet dog Max and his antics, all make me smile. Time spent with family and friends is always a great source of joy and laughter, sometimes unintended, which are often the funniest!