Sarah Corbridge

Part of the IT Leaders 100 - a list of the most influential IT leaders in the UK in 2024.

With 21-years of nationwide digital health experience at NHS Digital over 10 years, and more recently a local role at Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust, Sarah is currently a healthcare director at Credera, helping the NHS to realise the potential of digital to aid the delivery of care. Prior to this Sarah was the Healthcare Field Director for Dell Technologies, working with healthcare organisations across EMEA.

How did you get into IT?

When I am asked about how I got into digital health I always describe it as a dramatic fall that I enjoyed all the way down. After joining the NHS at the age of 18, and leaving 19 years later, it remains my best unplanned adventure ever.

I joined the NHS as a temp in finance after returning from travelling the world for two years and was introduced to the wonderful world of this thing called the "National Programme for Information Technology" or NPfIT for short. I went there for two weeks and "did" 10 years. It sometimes felt like a prison sentence, one you always threatened to escape from but never really wanted to.

I am thankful to NPfIT and the amazing colleagues I had during my time. I started as an admin assistant and learned on the job how to be a planner, then on to be a PM and eventually procuring National Contracts, delivering complex results to a complex situation. I have continued within the private sector to deliver services to the NHS, to try to ensure that digital is seen as one of the key parts to the successful existence of the NHS for another 74 years.

What do you consider your greatest IT achievement of the last 12 months?

In collaboration with North Midlands University Hospital, I spearheaded a comprehensive initiative aimed at bridging the gap between the Trust and AI companies, ensuring a symbiotic relationship while mitigating potential risks, particularly bias. This endeavour was pivotal in enhancing the hospital's capacity to leverage AI technology effectively while safeguarding against risk.

Drawing upon extensive expertise in both healthcare and AI, I ran tailored educational sessions for clinical and non-clinical staff, fostering a deep understanding of the intricacies involved in collaborating with AI entities. These sessions included key concepts such as data privacy, algorithmic transparency, and bias mitigation strategies.

We will continue to facilitate interactive workshops and scenario-based simulations to impart practical skills in evaluating AI solutions, discerning potential biases, and implementing appropriate protocols to mitigate them. By fostering a culture of critical inquiry and proactive risk management, I will continue to empower hospital staff to engage with AI companies thoughtfully, ensuring that technological advancements align with ethical standards and patient-centric values.

Through this collaboration, North Midlands University Hospital fortified its position at the forefront of healthcare innovation, equipped with the knowledge and tools to navigate the complex landscape of AI integration responsibly and ethically, ultimately enhancing patient care and safety.

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

This is something I have given a lot of thought to recently, as I studied the CSR module in my MBA and it gave me an opportunity to reflect and feed back to my organisation on how we can be better. Unfortunately, when I carried out the analysis of the figures last published in September 2023, they still have a long way to go for my ambition to be reflected within my workforce, with only 32% being female, 29% being non-white and only 7% identifying as LGBTQ+. I believe this is down to lots of soft regulations that we follow during recruitment, but very few sanctions are in place when this doesn't happen - apart from maybe a raised eyebrow. This also does not help with the systematic unconscious bias hiring, which happens due to those stark figures.

The guardrails I've now put in place:

• Establish clear diversity goals
• Ensure diverse interview panels
• Annual training on unconscious bias
• Structured interview process
• Diverse candidate sourcing
• Regular monitoring and reporting
• Inclusive company culture
• Feedback mechanisms
• Accountability and sanctions

Which technology are you currently most excited by, and why?

The integration of AI and machine learning into the NHS ignites a profound sense of excitement and possibility, ready to revolutionise healthcare delivery in unprecedented ways. These cutting-edge technologies offer a plethora of transformative opportunities, which will help to enhance patient outcomes, streamline operational efficiencies, and drive ground-breaking advancements across the healthcare landscape.

AI holds immense potential to augment clinical decision-making processes, empowering healthcare professionals with data-driven insights and predictive analytics to optimise treatment plans, expedite diagnoses, and personalise patient care pathways and experience. Machine-learning algorithms, fuelled by vast repositories of medical data, can unearth intricate patterns and correlations undetectable to the human eye, unlocking new areas in disease prevention, early detection, and precision medicine.

AI-powered tools can revolutionise administrative tasks, automate routine processes, reduce bureaucracy, and reallocate resources to frontline care. From predictive maintenance of medical equipment to intelligent patient scheduling systems, AI promises to streamline operations, enhance resource allocation, and elevate the overall quality and efficiency of healthcare delivery within the NHS.

Embracing AI and machine learning within the NHS heralds a transformative era of innovation, collaboration, and empowerment, poised to redefine the standards of care and ignite advancements in public-health for generations to come.

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

I am the Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion (DEI) lead at work, taking it out of the normal HR department. I embrace the crucial role of fostering an environment where every individual feels valued, respected and empowered to contribute their unique perspectives and talents. My role encompasses both strategic initiatives and day-to-day practices that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion across all aspects of our organisation.

At the strategic level, I collaborate with leadership to develop and implement policies, programs, and initiatives that advance DEI goals. This involves conducting assessments, analysing data, and identifying areas for improvement to ensure our workplace reflects the diverse communities we serve. I also spearhead training and educational efforts to raise awareness and promote understanding of DEI issues among employees.

On a daily basis, I work closely with teams to cultivate a culture of inclusion where differences are celebrated and everyone feels a sense of belonging. This might involve facilitating discussions on sensitive topics, implementing inclusive hiring practices, or providing resources for employees from underrepresented backgrounds.

What's your secret talent?

Beyond my role as a digital healthcare consultant, I possess hidden talents that resonate with the rhythms of art and music. A virtuoso of the violin, I found a love for this instrument when I was 8 years olds, it became a key part of my childhood weaving melody throughout, and brought me many opportunities to travel the world. In addition to this, I have ventured into the realm of jazz, whilst attending music college lending my voice on the odd occasion to the nightlife of Leeds. Amidst the "smoky" ambiance of intimate clubs, I've crooned many melodies into the small hours. My dual identity as a healthcare innovator and a musical maestro embodies the harmony between creativity and intellect, each pursuit enriching the other. Whether orchestrating healthcare strategies or crafting musical compositions, I channel passion and precision, creating symphonies of success in both professional and artistic endeavours.

What makes you laugh?

What makes me laugh varies, but it often involves moments of genuine connection and unexpected humour. The antics of family and friends, especially the innocent and hilarious antics of my children and the fur child, Ruffus, never fail to bring a smile to my face. There's something about the pure joy and silliness of these interactions that is contagious. I also appreciate a good dose of wit and cleverness, whether it's in a joke or observational humour, which never fails.